Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-02-24
BUyCOE'S
PROTEGE
BY Richard Konn
Copyright, 1909, by the
S. S. Mcclure Company

y
much as show town. The capacity
was $500, with chairs in the aisles.
but even at that a performance with
out leading man was not to be
thought of. And Hampton simply
couldn't play that night and maybe
not for several nights. A man who
can't speak above a whisper isn't use
full as romantic lover on the stage.
and since BuscOe was the sort of stage
manager who didn't believe in carry
ing people on half salaries over the
circuit on the chance that the leads
would break down Hampton had no
understudy.
So it was planned to give Crystal
Falls SHOW" as Crystal Falls loved
to call it, with Buscoe playing oppo
printed stuff as Marie Hamilton. Bus
coe was twenty years too old for the
part and didn't look the young lover
any more than the character man did
But it was Crystal Falls, and Buscoe
was resourceful.
~
became stage manager of the produc
ton in which his daughter played the
leads. He was able in that manner to
disguise his duties as father under
the all powerful title of stage man
ager. 1t was believed by the company
that a love affair was at the bottom of
it; but. strangely enough, there were
no details. 1t was known that his
daughter, beautiful girl, had fallen
in love with a stage door adorer q
year before. Fearful lest in his capae-
ity as a mere father he would be I'M
able to prevent clandestine court
ship and even marriage. he Travelled
with her. Nobody apparently except
Miss Hamilton knew who the man
was. Buscoe knew his name by rea-
son of many intercepted notes, but
had been unable to arrange personal
interview. He lived at Marie's hotel,
accompanied her to the theater and
never allowed her to be entertained un-
less he was member of the party.
If there was any truth in the story,
Marie behaved remarkably well for
an actress who possessed youth and
temperament
At any rate her wounded heart, if
she had one, never bled in public
Hampton. her leading man, had wife
and was one of Buscoe's few intimate
friends. He was a mechanical actor,
with deep. resonant voice, and in
variably got good notices. although he
would have been as willing to play the
last act of Camille" in a crimson set
in summer stock as he would to have
it in white.
Buscoe called rehearsal before he
essayed to play the part. but he
wouldn't hold the manuscript while
he ran over the scenes, and the result
was that in the second act climax he
went to pieces. He stood center with
his arms outstretched to receive Marie.
with his mouth wide open.
Il beg your pardon came from the
wings. "but your line there, Mr.. Bus
coe, is, IF ! should say goodby. little
girl"
1t was Jennings. the new property
man. picked up at Kansas City three
weeks before. when he didn't know a
prop from a bunch light. He was a
Buscoe protege at SIG a week when
the union scale was $25. But even at
that he didn't look like a property
man. But he had come around with
desire to do anything in the COM
pany except to play part and he
knew the play. he said, backward.
Buscce was looking for people who
didn't care what their salaries were.
and after Jennings had told him that
''the compensation was of no conse-
quence SO long as he could live upon
it" Buscoe had him on the salary list.
He was delightfully."- green, but at the
end of three weeks lie was a gem.
Then he began to show signs of becom-
ing a jewel.
1.-THE doorkeeper," be said one day to
Buscoe. sis refusing bouquets for Miss
Hamilton. Now. why couldn't he pick
out the roses and allow me to use them
instead of the prop bouquet in the sec
ond act!"
To which the resourceful Buscoe re-
piled: Course. Use orchids IL you
want to. Only rip the cards off. /
don't want any notes from anybody in
the front of the house getting 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 sniff them lovingly
several times
But the further utility of Jennings
hadn't occurred to Buscoe until the In
terruption at the Crystal Falls rehears-
al
.See here. Jennings" said Buscoe
suddenly. did you ever act?''
'N-o-o-o." said Jennings slowly; II
never did,
do you know the part~ resourceful
Buscoe asked quickly.
Yes" said jennings positively; \
think do. I've heard it every night
for month"
Marie he said, ..this is Sir. Jen
nings. We are in Crystal Falls. Try
a scene with him. Maybe he'll 60 tt
30 ON tonight"
She smiled as she took his hand =
am very glad" she said, that papa
has introduced you.s Turning TO Bus
coe. she added. still smiling: HE does
look the part, doesn't hes Let's try IT,
Well. one trial convinced Buscoe tina
he was safe-for Crystal Falls There
was only ore taing badly wrong will
the new man. lyon must remember.
Buscoe told him. that the twenty BY
cent seats have right to hear just al