The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-14
BUSCOE'S pROTEGE
BY RICHARD KAHN

Z
FORE when he didn't know a prop from a
bunch light. He was Buscoe protege at SIG
| week when the union scale SIS. But
| even at that he didn't look like property
man. But he had come around with a de-
sire to DO anything in the company except to
| play part, and he knew the play, he said,
| backward. Buscoe was looking for people
| who didn't care what their salaries were and
| after Jennings had told him that 1.-The COM
! pensation was of no consequence so long az
he could live upon it, Buscoe had him on
| the salary list
| He was delightfully."- green, but at the end
of three weeks he was gem. Then he began
to show signs OF becoming a jewel.
THE doorkeeper,' he said one day to Bus
/ coe, lis refusing bouquets for Miss Hamilton.
Now, why couldn't he pick out the roses and,
/ allow to them instead of the prop
i bouquet in the second act"
/ To which the resourcefuI Buscoe Replied:
! Course. Use orchids If you want to. Only
| rip the cards off, 1 don't want any notes
1 from anybody in the front of the house GET
j ting in here to my daughter %
/ After that Miss Hamilton frequently had
real roses instead of rubber ones, and real
roses were an improvement, especially since
the business required Miss Hamilton to snir
them lovingly several times.
| But the further utility of Jennings hadn't
occurred to Buscoe until the interruption at
the Crystal Falls rehearsal.
See here, jennings said Buseoe sud-
| denly. did you ever act?'' -
'N-o-o-o,' said Jennings slowly 81 never
did, :''@.,. =" - = ;: - 80 -
do you know the part:'', reEourceful Bus
coe asked quickly ~ az - AIRED
Yes said Jennings positively: Il think
I do. I've heard it every night for a month
MARIE he said, this is Mr.. Jennings.
We are in Crystal Falls. Try scene with
him. Maybe he'll do to go on tonight.
| She smiled as she took his hand Il am
very glad she said, "that papa has in
troduced you Turning to Buseoe, She added.
still smiling: "He does look the part, doesn't
| he? Let's try it, .--.
| Well, one trial convinced Buscoe that sho
was safe-for Crystan Falls. There was only
one thing badly wrong with the new man.
| You must remember Buscoe told him,
that the twenty -ave-cent seats have right
to hear just well as the front rows When
you make stage love, make it loud And
after that Jennings reached them easily.
| That night he had three curtain calls for
| his first good scene at the end of the frs.
| act. something that had never happened to
Hampton Buscoe disliked to admit that he
was astonished. He had watched the scene
carefully, prepared to use the promptbeok,
but the manner in which Jennings humored
the scene was marvellous. He couldn't have
| done BETTER thought Buscoe, IF he meant
every word he spoke -
| He was in the act Of congratu1atng himself
once more upon his extreme foresight when
a boy carrying box of flowers walked hur-
riedly through the stage door and almost into
| his arms. -
who ordered these thingso'' roared Buscoe.
"a man from the show shifted the boy
If Buscoe was anything at all, he was re,
sourceful. Dragging the boy to the side
entrance, he pointed at Jennings. rs that
the man." he asked him
| That's him, said the boy. II seen him
do it,
Send them back said Buscoe
He could hardly wait to ring down to pounce
upon the new property
"A boy came in here, Mr.. Jennings" he
said. with box of roses. You know the
rules. l sent them back. ~.
Haven't the right asked Jennings very
calmly, Ito send flowers to myself if wish"
Buscoe was speeches. t'Of course you
have, he began, but -
And have also the right believe" in
terrupted Jennings, "to send flowers to my
wife. When you assumed to carefully guard
your daughter from the man you knew she
loved. a year ago, you made her promise no:
to marry him until you were sure enough Of
him to Introduce him TO her yourself You
thought you'd never do that, but you did
introduce him this afternoon. She married
him at o'clock. She had flowers at her
wedding, so thought it would be nice for
her to have them tonight instead. I am very
sorry you sent them back.
''Your name is Clark asked Buscoe-
Robert Clarke '- ' -1-@-r~s.-
IT had a right to stage name, didn't 2"
asked Jennings. - =
And you are
Your son -in-law. my friend.'' =
We'll" said Buscoe always resourceful,
81 never saw man play the lover any bet
ter. You'll stay until the end of the season.
won't you?' -
%