The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-13
JAMES CONVERSE.
Theatrical Agent and Producer.
General PrOrider q Stage Talent.
Mobs a Specially.


Mr.. Converse's Office was the sort of
A B c class in stagecraft where ambi-
tious young men and women were given
a chance TO participate in mob scenes.
court balls. hunting parties, &c. at a
salary ranging from 30 cents to 800 "a
performance.
Converse had been in the business
many years, had amassed a comfortable
fortune, and could point with pride to the
fact that many a girl or lad who had
started with him in the mob scene of a
big production was now drawing a good
salary as leading man or woman, or was
even starring.
Some one had told Betty Vincent Of this
fact. and so she hung onto the hope Of
an opening at the Converse Office with
the despair of a girl who finds herself
compelled to earn her living without any
particular preparation and who thinks
the stage offers the one field where ex-
perience is not necessary.
Day after day Betty smiled and said.
Good morning" to Allen. ands5ay after
day Allen watched tie roses fade i'm her
cheeks and the circles deepen around
her pretty. violet eyes. He saw. too. her
brave struggle 10 keep up appearances.
One day the little fur toque she wore
would be covered with ribbons. again il
would blossom forth in somewhat faded
violets, and another day a home-curled
plume would fall from its left side. Al
len had been landing asDirants al the
Converse ONCE just long enough to read
the signs Alright
Then came a morning when he took
Betty all smiles. from the sixth floor to
the first. She was the sole passenger on
his car. and he ran it down very slowly.
Yes, thank you. I'm TO go on in the
big ballroom scene in The Love Of a
Princess \ dollar a night, and it will
be all clear because I can wear my grand
mothers wedding dress. It's a lovely
brocade-
The car came 10 a stop and passengers
crowded in. Betty disappeared in the
crush
''Humphr' muttered Allen to himself,
giving the lever a sort of unreasonable
jerk. Have to provide their own CO.
tunes That don't look as If the manage
ment was rolling in money. Guess IN
look il up"
By night Allen knew all about the
COMPANY and the management Of The
Love Of q Princess" He wanted to hunt
Up Betty. who he knew would come no
more to the Empire Building Then he
changed his mind. and instead glared al
the manager Of the company who rode
at times in his car.
Let her have her fling" he said TO
himself. Shes got to have it, and no
talking Of mine will convince her"
Nevertheless that night when Betty
came out of the big hall. where the re-
hearsals We're being held. Allen was
waiting for her.
She looked surprised. but he tucked her
arm through his in bTotherly, protecting
fashion.
You might as well get used to stage
door admirers, he said, with "A laugh
Got to have 'em, you know. Anyhow,
! live uD your way and it's no time Of
night for girl 10 be out alone"
That was the beginning Of his curious
guardianship. When the rehearsals We're
transferred from the hall to the theater.
he was more vigilant than ever. and
somehow he 50 ingratiated himself with
the old dOOTkeeDer that he was permit
ted to sit back on a pile Of stage props
and watch the Tehearsals- Sometimes
Betty wondered why he was so grave
when they started homeward She did
not know that the wOrld-wise Allen had
ushered in this same theater for many
months and knew a frost" when he saw
it, even in rehearsal But he did not con-
tradict her when she ratified on about
the wonderful things she intended TO do
for her half-invalid mother on that nine
dollars a week. for The Love Of a Prin-
cess was to have two matinees a week
The night Of the dress rehearsal Allen
sat watching her with hungry eyes. Al
most he wished that he had tried for the
position of walking gentleman" Just to
promenade the stage with that vision in
soft old lavender brocade on his arm.
Then his eyes snapped. and when Betty
came off, he whispered:
Take off that lace thingumbub and
carry it home with you"
Betty looked surprised. but she had
learned to defer to his suggestions. and
so when she came out in her long, rough
coat and fur toque, she carried the lace
bertha under her arm.
That is what makes the dress look so
pretty" she urged. It's real lace
Yes; I saw that" answered Allen, but
some five-cent-a-yaTd stuff will do for
stage wear, anG If some Of them got wise
to the fact you had real lace they'd cop