The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-22

She had never ceased to be sure that if Dick
ever had a chance he would do the same
thing. 1t meant a good deal to a sick woman
who haen't much longer to wait for him 70
get the part.
And it meant a good deal to him, too, since
he had rehearsed It with her times innumer.
able, in the certain hope that some day he
would be given a chance to play 1t. Five
years of one nights didn't seem long just then.
Tomorrow, after he had made his one hit it
would be almost joke. After they had An.
ished crying Dick kissed her. and they both
laughed Dick with a laugh he had used for
two seasons in 1.-THE Red Scarf.
Z Then he propped her up in the bed. handed
to her the manuscript and asked her for the
first cue. So the rehearsal that Hampton had
that afternoon at the theater wasn't by any
means the first one.
Hampton was fairly startled when the over.
ture began. It may have been because on the,
one nights he was a.ecust omed to two violins
and piano, or maybe only to a piano. Then
he pulled himself together, and when the boy
called places he stood in the side entrance
as cool as the promoter and waited for the
drop to go on. The next minute he heard his
cue Well, what happened after that no one
has ever tried to explain. No one in the COM
pany ever thought enough about it to think
an explanation necessary, and of course
Hampton couldn't explain If he tried.
The one big scene that Temple had at the
end OF the third act fell fiat played by Hamp.
ton. 1t went over the audiences head or was
thrown too directly into their teeth Anyway
when Hampton made his exit there was no
applause except from the back of the house.
and Hampton had been in the business long
enough to know what that meant. Even on
the one nights the ushers were worthy of
their hire.
Temple had been getting at least three
curtain calls at every performance. Every
4 body knew that. Temple used to say that
photograph would get round on his last
speech. And Hampton, after ten years of
work, got the ushers.
| Every one in the company was sure he was
pleased since he got through it without spoll'
| ing the scene, since he had had but one re-.
hearsal. And Buscoe was not to be found. for
the first time in his life, when the drop went
up on the fourth act. I
4 Hampton wasn't on in the fourth, but he
took such time to get into his street clothes
| that he wasn't ready to leave until the others
were, and he went out with his hat in his
4 hand. ,Grasping the cold iron rail, he guided
himself to the blaze of electric lights that
/, marked the lobby entrance and seemed to be
4 spelling out the name upon it. That was the
/ last time the company saw him.
/ II it hadn't been for Mrs. Bowler, from
whom Hampton rented his little fiat, and il it
hadn't been that flats are built With thin
walls, the company would have altogether
forgotten about Hampton. But Mrs. Bowler
knew Buscoe, aud she came down the next
afternoon with a message. Mrs. Jennie
Hampton was dead.
Mrs. Bowler had heard Hampton come in
4 about half past IL the night before. She had
heard the doctor. who was still there. tell
), him something. Then it became SO quiet that
) she fell asleep although she had intended to
remain awake. and offer what help she could
= if anything happened. She didn't awaken
until the sun crept through the window in tbs
morning. Still it was quiet in the next room.
Then, she sad Hampton began to speak.
q Mrs. Bowler couldn't repeat what he said,
: but she knew that he was explaining about
e 1.-the play the night before-how, at the end OF
the third act, the audience called for him !;
n how heyecalled for him until the curtain was
S raised and he bowed to them how he took
It the leading woman by the hand and led her
a to the footlights, and finally how he had gone
. out in front of the curtain and bowed to
n them again. Mrs. Bowler knew enough about
e the theater to know what curtain calls were,
S and Hampton was telling Jennie that he had
t six, while the most that Temple ever had
e was four In fact, Mrs. Bowler became so
! Eexcited that she actually went into the room
n to congratulate Hampton upon his success.
It When she opened the door, she saw Jennie
l. smiling feebly and Hampton at the foot of the
:. bed animated, earnest, convincing, happy
And Jennie was beamng. She was still snil-
n ing, Mrs Bowler said, when she fell back
d on the pillow and closed her eyes. Hampton
e shivered and stopped his story.
l. So Mrs Bowler came down for Hampton
lie to tell Buscoe that Jennie was dead and to
If bring one other message, which no one but
lie Buscoe seemed to understand. AS she told
" it, it was like this Tell Buscoe that I've
t. made my one hit