The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-06-07
THE ACTOR AND
THE SMART SET
BY w. N. MAXWELL
Copyright, by Joseph Is. Bowles. }

God bless you, my little lad" h
father, the tragedian, had said, on
night, land make good actor {
you"
"Oh, surei" said his faded mothe
the ex-columbine, STOPPING to pick tn
steak from the little stove. Sure, it
In the blood"
mo, Wife," said papa, In boomin
tones: 1T is in the brain and In tn
heart and he tapped his forehead an
placed his hand upon his chest with
grand gesture. II attribute a larg
measure OF my success in life to Away
coming straight home to supper. Be
ware of the smart set who would b.
amused Society Is slow poison to on
| art. | made my rigid rule when
STRIPPING, and have adhered to it til
brown locks are silvered. Don't ac
cept their invitations-or their fiattery
Be the host, not the guest. | 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
him a fine voice. keen observation
sympathy and intuition. They gave
him the gift of laughter and the gift
of tears; and then few off without
waking him.
He grew up, became good actor
and soon began 10 draw big money"
The Dads" voice had ceased To boom
and NUNS had danced her last dance
with Death for her harlequin.
He owned a theater himself AS he
said, In confidence TO journalistic
friend, he very soon could not keep the
money out.
He now only wanted leading lady
in his theater and in his life also
for all to be WELL some one to act the
adventures In the spangled frock or
the boards, when she 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. One Sunday night,
he found himself at a glttering board,
surrounded by lords and ladies and fine
personages Their faces glowed like
m dtsl1 tsFa OF a.
their eyes shone like the cut-glass; but
their conversation did not sparkle like
the ehervescing wine They were wait 1
ing for him to amuse them.
"AEable party of deadheads as ever
I've metl" he said to himself and was I
somber and morose-till the saddle OF I
mutton. Then he began to tell an an. /
ecdote to the lady by his side, and the |
whole room fell more silent, hanging (
on his words. The voice which the /
grave double-bass and the laughing
bassoon, and rang clear and true. like
fine old bell, setting the Bohemian
glasses tinkling III sympathy as he re-
lated how the fuddled old supe said
Stand back and let the parson cough!'
How that anecdote went! IL was i'm
possible not to be pleased. The buffers
Ill hid their faces; one footman stood
with the asparagus protrud
I'd between a countess and a cabinet
minister; another forgot the beans,
bird carried the tomatoes out into the
pantry and frankly exploded with
hem
The other guests chirruped like
appy birds After his trained bull
'ellow, their weak bleatings struck
hill on the ear and the glasses ceased
o throb. Ripping! | shall die OF
aughing! What was it? Didn't quite
atch the point, but the delicious
1imicry!" and so forth.
The ladies refused to go to the draw.
ng room until they had compelled him
0 give the Parsons cough just once
lore. Its a privilege" said a lord
nering his shaking hand, Ito meet
great artist thus" and the poor old
hap meant it.
On the following night he went from
is theater to hear little music ir
ducal mansion. and when in the
mall hours, he reached his rooms, ne |
ave the supper waiting for him to the
Indiord's cat.
Now at the Actors club the old '
arbarians saw at a glance that the
ian was poisoned. The poison came
ut in his talk. He was full of 1t. $
Business. dear boy, business" he
illed #. knowingly
bad business" said the savages /
He bought white waistooats. ceased (
quote Shakespeare; shook hands I
st under his chin, and would say Z
Dear lady. remember | have only 50 a
indays. cannot cut myself I'm I
eces!" Heaven knows where he had Z
IT Dear lady" from; but he always S
led II now. u
You must know that the .fairies s
eanwhile had visited the theater and {
.come so displeased that they were n
king their gifts away. For "gilr : .
ing. and take thing is good fairies e
aything." ?
This fellow" they cried. is simply
1uehing through his part. He is not
ting at ALL The only true acting he