The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-11-11
"A BIT OF REALISM
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whirlpool of raven hair, a swapping
black ye, an oval face, the lines of
her figure, though diminutive, perfect
curves. Her great part was as Jaque-
line in "a Child of Nature wherein
she pe%rsOnated one of natures most
impulsive children by acting naturally.
In other words, she portrayed herself.
Her first success was in private the
atricals, II when it was suggested
that she would make a success on the
stage her mother declared that she
could never be brought to play the
necessary love parts, and as to being
kissed she would spurn the actor who
should undertake any such business"
When, therefore, she appeared in a
play that required a kiss and submitted
gracefully, indeed with a response re-
quired by the play, her mother ac-
knowledged herself to have been mis-
taken and the manager was relieved.
When ga Child of Nature was writ
ten, especially for Estelle, it became
manifest from the first that the play
would have a great run and that a
new star had appeared on the dramatic
horizon. But it was found difficult to
find an actor who could fill the part of
Edgar Ahrens, who loved Jaque.ine, a
Maynard country girl. Several were
tried and all failed. In the climax of
the play Edgar pleads his cause with
Jaqueline, II at a moment of the
girls indecision carries his point with
a kiss. None but a man of great deli
'cacy OF feeling and a genius for por-
fraying it could do justice to the scene.
Finally a young actor, Eugene Ho-
vey, was chosen to undertake the part.
He had seen something of Estelle, and
1T was suspected that IN attachment
was s%pringing up between them. The
manager hoped that this might infu-
ence both the girl and the man to a |
more successful rendition of their
parts. He was right. At the very
opening it was evident that even more
than had been hoped for would come
ITO pass. Hovey was madly in love
with the little beauty, who was natu-
2rally as caprici0us as the heroine she
Eportrayed. AS the play proceeded
ssthose who knew the actress well saw
< that she had completely lost herself
LIN the part.
Ahe first and second acts resulted in
curtain calls. The audiences interest
seemed to be increasing and the man
ager. was delighted. Then came the
third act, which bade fair to be a per-
feet triumph. While Edgar and ia
queline were waiting in the wings to
go Oh together the manager, who was
keeping an eye on them, overheard this
! bit Of Dialogue not in their parts:
GEhgar-How happy l would be If
this were all real!
Jaqueline pouting)-Isn't it?
Edgar-Why, no; it's nothing more
than playing for our salaries, but
The call came at that moment, and
both went on the stage. Edgar was
pleading against the aspersions of
the villain Of the play, and Jaqueline
was replying to his protestations of
innocence with short, sharp, cutting
remarks. %Jaqueline threw herself up
on a rustic bench, and Edgar, standing
dejectedly before her, went on with
his pleading, an imprisoned though
covert declaration that he had got in
to trouble through standing between
her and harm and this standing be-
tween her and harm came from his
love for her. Proceeding with his plea,
he knelt before her and took her hand.
Then, becoming more bold, he took
her face between his hands and slowly
drew it down toward his own. There
were a few passionate words spoken in
a stage whisper and quickly drawing
her face closer he imprinted the kiss.
There was a smack, but not that of
meeting lips. It was the sound of the
little lady's palm coming sharply
against her lovers ears.
The audience, astonished, sat mute
for a moment, then burst into a guf-
faw. The actor lover arose, his face
crimson with modification, and stood
wondering what to do. The actress
1ooked>as II she had awakened from a
dream and was as much abashed as
her lover. The manager, as soon as he
could collect his faculties, gave an or
der to lower the curtain.
Then came a terrific burst of ap-
plause. with calls for Estelle.
The manager was striding across the
stage angrily to vent his spleen on the
author of the occurrence, but before
reaching her whispered soothingly: :
you've made a hit, though in a way
unexpected. Come with me-"
But Estelle demurred. She was in no
mood to face an audience before whom
she considered that she had made her
self ridiculous. The audience kept on
stamping and calling. the manager con-
dnued to plead.
Then the manager desisted for
awhile. Indeed, he was quite willing
that the audience should be kept wait
ing, well knowing that when gratifed
the enthusiasm would be all the great
er. Then he went to her again and