Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-30

There Is something vastly better thai
wantoness in her. She is uncommon. |
would have her make her art so great
n thing that she would command rec.
ognition from the great MS well as the
small Her mother had good stuff in
her. Serpolette has twice her mothers
talent and four times her beauty"
IN recite you thing of my own
cried Serpolette.
She had sprung into the room noise
lessly. There was Whit of perfume
la Serpolette; there was a whir OF
silken skirts. She stood there as if ris.
on from the floor, like stage fairy,
holding in her hand marvelously tint.
ed umbrella. She had a laughing face.
as pert and saucy and up to date as
her costume.
The room was the empty office OF q
theatrical manager-that is, empty of
everything but a table, a chair. the tive
managers, Breval and Jancey. and Ser.
polette.
.Tancey had turned as she came for.
ward. his shrewd face reddening with
as,onishment. Breval puckered his lips
together and whistled.
"A thing of my own" explained Ser.
polette earnestly, a slight frown ruff.
fling the smoothness of the soft flesh
between her eyes: "a little skit
thought of one night when slept. |
woke and thought 1t out. claim it for
a niche though. / want the footliehts
of the Palais Royal to light it up None
of your open air theaters for this pro,
duction. The legitimate May do it?"
Jancey looked at her steadily, the
light springing to his eyes. Breval
yawned.
What is your projectf" demanded
Jancey.
First" began Serpolette, Il am sat
isfied- Oh" as Breval gave vent to u
soothing laugh, you think we artists
are never satisfied. But this time Il Is
not my pay shall find fault with nol
my role, nor the music of my last song
nor the words. 1t is with myself.
There has been something stirring in
me lately l cannot get away from, a
feeling that I must give vent to it OF
things will go badly with me. 1t is
"Well?' urged Jancey eagerly.
1T is" and she threw back her head
as though she could breathe longer and
fuller with her chin raised - sit Is
this
She spoke very low and rapidly. 81
wish to hold the public in the palm of
my hand. I'd like to bid the tears
course down their cheeks as well as to
laughter. It's silly to laugh always. ]
want more power. Give me the space
to try for it."
Breval smiled cynically "a whim,'
he said. And then he turned and COM
menced to toss some papers on his
desk.
Jancey sat silently regarding Serpo
lette.
"You know how | can laugh" she
continued. bid some one write me u
play which contains laughter and
tears. / can weep as we'll"
YOU" from Breval skeptically-
you! You were not made to weep"
A look of pain, as oddly at variance
with her sauey face as a cloud across
the brightness of day in June. blot
ted out for an instant the bloom of Ser
polette's radiant countenance. 1t van
ished as quickly as it came, but Jancey
had seen it.
"Ah. let me try it," she urged. "Sure-
ly you will let me play my share of
tragedy as well as comedy? Surely
you will not deny me the knowledge of
tearsf"
Breval rubbed his eyes.
Enough" he said. Have done.
know your type. At weeping you would
fail You have not suffered"
Il can play at tears"
You cannot"
Il will"
"You won't. engage you to laugh
you refuse?"
absolutely"
well, so let it be-"
As she laid her hand upon the door
knob Jancey cried suddenly: II have ar
idea. Listen" as Breval commenced q
violent protest. ''Let Serpolette laugh
Give her soubrette parts. Have anoth
er actress to fill the tragic roles. Make
the play serio comic. Twill be new
venture at the Palais Royal. Serpo
lette is sure to draw. She has filed oul
pockets. Give her her head, but in rea
son."
II have itv cried Serpolette. And
down went her umbrella again. Il
know a girl, friend of mine from
Mines. She is the personification of
grief. All her lines go down as mine
go up. Eyellds droop, mouth droops
at the corners, unmitigated grief. So"
She stood mournfully, trying to look
as grief stricken as she could. But
her hat belied her and her willful hair
and her eyes and her dimnles