The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-03-08
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BACK of THE {
BURNT CORK L
BY Epes w. Sargent {
Copyright. 1871. ~ g. ". Sargent !: .
By Epes w. Sargent
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Sorry 10 disturb you. old chap, but l
an to share this pen with you for the
| next two weeks" And Frank Hether.
ington regarded with unfeigned disgust
the cul,byhole styled by courtesy a
dressing room
II was Hetherington's first season In
| vaudeville. and after a long run as
leading man with one OF the New York
stock companies the facilities provided
| performers at the Apollo theater In
San Francisco did not appeal to his
somewhat fastidious tastes.
The person to whom he addressed
his conversation was fellow perform
er. evidently a minstrel monologist.
since the white of his bare arm showed
in glaring contrast to the reddish pig
ment which stopped half way down
the neck. concealing his features as ef.
fectually as IL he wore a mask. Heth-
| erington had a winning manner with
men and women alike. yet after a
slight start at first sound OF the voice
the original occupant of the room gave
no sign OF recognition save a curt "All
right rs he moved his makeup mate
rials TO give the other more space on
the plain board shelf which ran along
one side OF the wall.
Hetherington lit u cigarette In direct
defiance of the placard tackled above
the electric light and was seated be
fore the mirror, making up. before he
attempted TO renew the conversation.
| Silence irritated him. and IL was more
| to break the monotony than TO gain the
friendship of his companion that he
commenced to talk.
AS long as we're to share this box
stall for the next two weeks we might
rs well know each others name. Mine
Is Hetherington. I'm new to this end
/ OF the business. but have some small
reputation in the east as an actor. I'm
doing a sketch with Miss Phyllis Ian
caster. Now that I've introduced my.
self may ! ask
The monologist disregarded this invi
with a pair OF tight fitting green trou
sers. Finally. having adjusted the sus
penders. he turned coldly with:
Il don't think there Is much In q
name. Mine Is Brown-Phil Brown-Ii
you want IL for the programme. I al
In the stage In one while they're strik
ing your set and getting ready for ths
| acrobatic act TO close with"
Hetherington carefully outlined hi.
| eyebrows with black crayon before b,
| replied with n light laugh: Brown
seems rather funny FOR stage use wher
| you can Pick out name To suit your
| self. But IL matches your makeup ant
is as good rs any other to travel by
IL seems TO the that II you are going Il
follow me either ! am beastly late o
you are horribly early. and. by tn,
way. ! thought Glenroy followed oul
act"
/ "GlenrOy was switched to Los An
seles. and they brought me down from
the Chutes. Yes. I've been playing tn,
Chutes and the free house. the Olym
pic. the past three weeks. yeti thinl
| the manager remembers the time whel
my name was worth as much on al
eastern programme yours is now
but IL wasn't Brown them''
BY this time IIetherington was full
dressed. and with careless remarl
that he trusted they'd get along wei
during the week he carefully stampes
out the glowing end Of his second Gig
arctic and climbed the rickety stair
which led To the stage.
There was trouble with the settin
for his turn. and I'm the excitement o
Strengthening the matter out there wa
little time for conversation with hi
partner before the act opened. Afte
taking their curtain call he went direct
ly TO his dressing room. He ha,
promised to meet a party Of friends a
the Bohemian club. and Miss Lancas
ter. known In private life as Mr.,
Hetherinston. was going to the hote
alone. brief kiss and n laughin
promise to be home by morning ha
marked their parting in the wings. III
had quite forgotten his curious room
mate.
Ii was lonely enough in the dressin
room now. for most OF the performer
who were quartered In that vicinity @
the house were early on the bill. an
no friendly lights shone from theI
rooms as he passed.
He had almost completed bis toile
for the street when Brown came dow
from the stage. perspiration streamln
from his face as the result OF his exc
tons. Hetherington merely glance
round and promptly returned to the II
tricacies OF a new tie. suddenly b
ear caught sharp click. aud he locke
up In astonishment to see Brown loci
= ing the door and slipping the key in h
: pocket. Something in the tense po,
q Of the monologist and the dash OF b
y eye made Hetherington feel strangel
y nervous
Il say. old chap. what's the ma
terY' he asked In carefully modulats
tones
Brown regarded him silently for
q moment. then replied slowly:
e Il thought that possibly you mig
d like to watch me take OF my makeup
n Nonsense" returned the other shar
I ly. Washing up Is no novelty to
: performer OF fourteen years expel
= ence. and besides I'm In a hurry
!. meet some friends at the Bohemit
a club"
! Yes. so heard you tell-your-yo
wife"
HetherIngton stood ready now. b
and gloves In hsnd. He was becomii
impatient
Come. unlock that door,"
. Without replying Brown stripped I
the gaudy shirt and placed Il on {
hook above the already discarded CO