The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-11
THE ACTOR AND
 THE SMART SET
By ". N. Maxwell.

God bless you, my little lad, his father. the tragedian. had said. one night. and make a good actor Of you"
 "oh, surer said his faded mother. , the ex-columbine. stopping to pick the steak for the little stove. Sure, it's in the blood"
 NO, wife" said papa. in booming tones: "Yt is in the brain and in the heart" and he tapped his forehead and grand gesture. "I attribute a large measure of my success in life to always coming straight home to supper. Be- ware of the smart set who would be amused. Society is slow poison to our art. I made my rigid rule when stripling, and have adhered to 1t till | brown locks are silvered. Don't &C., cept ther invitations-or their flattery Be the host, not the guest. I entertain, or so endeavor, every night at eight. do not care to be entertained when my party breaks up. My friends, if have any, can always see me-by pay ing at the door. But to your pillow, my young fellow"
 Now, a troupe of theatrical fairies, flying over the town that very night came down the chimney of the humble lodging house and left for the sleeping child all their richest gifts. They gave nm Ilue VOICE, hCCH OUSCtNotOh, sympathy and intuition. They gave | him the gift of laughter and the gift of tears: and then flew off without waking him.
 He grew up. became a good actor. and soon began to draw "big money. | The Dads" voice had ceased to boom. and Nuns" had danced her last dance I-with Death for her harlequin. l He owned theatre himself. AS he said. in confidence Go a Journalistic friend. he very soon could not keep the money out.
 He could only want leading lady Lin his theatre and in his life also for all to be well; some one to act the adventures in the spungled frock on the boards. when sne was working; and to play the wife at home. when she was resting. But before he found her he had received his first invitation from the smart set. Cne Sunday night. he found himself at a glittering board. surrounded by lords and ladies and fine personages. Tneir faces glowed like the dull gold plate on the side board: their eyes shone like the cut glass; but their conversation did not sparkle like the effervescing wine They were waiting for him to amuse them.
 "Afrable party of deadheads as ever I've metv' he said to himself. and was somber and morose-till the saddle of mutton Then he began 70 tell an an ecdote to the lady by hfs side, and the whole room fell more silent. hanging on his words. The voice winch the fairies had given him had tones of the lgrave double-bass and the laughing bassoon. and rang clear and true. like fine old bell setting the Bohemian glasses tinkling in sympathy as he re- lated how the fuddled old supe said. Stand back and let parson cough! How that anecdote went! It was inn possible not to be pleased. The buffers all hid their faces: one footman stood Iparalyzed. with the asparagus protruo- ed between a countess and cabinet minister; another forgot the beans. a third carried the tomatoes out into the pantry and frankly exploded wltn them.
 The other guests chirruped like hap py birds After his trained bull below their weak bleatings struck chiil on the ear and the glasses eeasea 10 .nron Wrs ss, Ripping. shall die of laughing! Wna' was 1t? Didn't quite catch the point but the delicious mIrnicry" and SC forth
 The ladies refused to go to the draw ling room until they had compelled him to give the Parsons cough just once more Its privilege, sald loro Ioffering ms SHdhnS iu' ~ a great artist thus' anu the Poot olu chap meant it.
 On the following night he went from his theatre to hear a little music in a ducal mansion. and when in the small hours. he reached his rooms. he gave the supper waiting for him to the landlords cat.
 Now at the Actors Club the olo lbarbarians saw at a glance that the
 nd The nniSOn came out in his talk He was full of it.
 "Business, dear boy. business" he lcalled it, knowingly.
 Bad business said the savages.
 He brought white watstcoats, ceased to quote Shakespeare; shook hands just under his chin.- and would say
 "Dear lady, remember have only fifty
 two Sundays. I cannot cut myself ir
 piecesw Heaven knows where he had
 got Dear lady" from; but he always
 used it now.
 You must know that the fairies
 meanwhile had visited the theatre and
 become so displeased that they were
 taking their gifts awuy. For give a
 thing, and take a thlng is good fairies
 plaything.
 This fellow" they cried, 'is simply
 slouching through his part. He Is not
 acting at all The only true acting he
 does Is outside. He saves himself fol
 that and comes here dog tired and
 careless" So then they took away his
 observation Ohat was why he shook
 hands so hiGh). then his intuition. and
 then something else. uIyIl they had re-
 stunned nearly all their gIrts. He never
 noticed the loss-and no more did the
 public!
 Now at dinner parties his anecdotes
 were of Archie Archibald and Hughit
 Hughieson-or sinister little traits oi