Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1908-09-03
he Power
/ Of Acting

done!" Mr.. Beamish, sitting before
the fire in the library-he had dis
missed one maid for calling it the "off
room"-turned over large piece OF
coal and turned it back again. "You
should know me by now for one OF the
old fashioned sort. When you hear OF
me borrowing Or lending money you
can look for the end Of the world. Q,
I'm plain, sir! I'm a man OF notices.
Had | broken through my golden rule
| might be now in-er-your position.
/ Don't leave your hat, sir!'
81 WON'T" The visitor took the
hint-and the hat He had been pale.
His lips took a grim twist now. Il
fancy there's another golden rule; I
was trying to recall it. Still
my dear man, it's useless. Don't
make me use a harder word. If there's
one thing l detest, it's raking UP old
ashes. But when my daughter, who
had been brought up with solid, proper
principles, left her home and married
a penniless actor, really had to close
my door-yes, the door Of my heart
|
bunkum. sir. O, no doubt you looked
for better things. So did Micawber;
SO does the beggar who goes grubbing
along the gutter. I respect the man,
sir. who measures his ditch before he
| leans. You, a ShakeSpearian actor, to
come asking for a paltry SIS. Well,
really. it seems to me that even an
actor who is worth his salt could do
better. Not that I know anything
about actors. If you insist upon the
truth, | haven't it to lend"
Pardon me-" said the visitor, with
a break in his voice. 'I'm not acting
now. But I happen to know that you
have hundred times the amount ly-
| ing idle; otherwise I never would have
risked this snub. 1t was your own
BESSIE who said: Don't think too
hard of him. Tell him I haven't had
to regret the step in the least. Tell
| him that life is too short for bitter
feelings Paltry or not, it represents
| the sum I want. I've got the engage
ment at Sunderland for Monday week
but I haven't the railroad fare. We've
had struggle, but we've nothing to
| be ashamed Of. In a month from to-
day the money shall be lying here"
$50 you said. 1 believe it; and yet
l can't encourage improvidence. A
sensible man, sir, doesn't sell his UNI
brella because the suns out; he keeps
it for a rainy day. It's a question of
| principle Look at that bundle of pa
| pers. Bessie can tell you that, If l
| cared to risk a few hundreds-if I
had them to do it, mean might es-
tablish my claim to part Of a huge
| fortune Wants strong mind, sir, to
resist fascination of that sort. Here,
my brothers and sisters have been
sweating and going to law for years;
result, poverty. Then they come and
call me mean. Not me- Bird in the
hand is my motto. I'm afraid-Tm
afraid I can't say as much for my
daughter and her husband"
81 only hope, Mr.. Beamish," said
Lowell, as he turned at the door, tyou
never will know what it is to pay the
price that makes one cynic."
"Ah. that's a flash Of your melo-
drama. No use, my boy If you had
paused to realize that money makes
money, you wouldn't be repenting now
at leisure"
Enough! I shall remember this
day. sir-the 31st of March,"
He was gone. He even did not bang
the door. It took Mr.. Beamish some
minutes to work up sufficient heart to
go down and impress his wife.
"The idea! Wanted to borrow $25.
If that sort of thing began where
should we be-"
eve might be just as happy in a
different sort OF way she dared.
"Ah, that's a woman all over! What
do women care? I've learned that the
only friend a man can rely upon is his
money Eh?"
Nothing, nothing! 1t only occurred
to me that they might have found it
out, too"
"Shouldn't have married." he
snapped. I've 10 sympathy with act
ors, and still less for people who en-
courage them While you're wasting
$3.50 at the theater you might be
doubling it at home
It really did seem as if Mr.. Beam,
ish's pet theory that money makes
money was to be emphasized once
more for the benefit Of his friends.
The next evening the maid-who new
er had had a chance to test the theory
for herself-brought in a card bearing
a name that made Mr.. Beamish stare
"Such a conference.-the cab, sir
and a silk hat, and snowy beard!" she
ventured.
'It's Mr.. Shand! This way, sir
this way!' cried Mr.. Beamish, excited
ly. Really, an unexpected pleasure
The lawyer whose name I've heard Sc
often, but whom I never have SEEM
Say solicitor, my dear sir" Mr.
Shand bowed a trifie coldly, as if he
had his own value Of effusiveness
mo, you have not troubled us much
with your claim on the estate. Still
I'm glad to be able to tell you that
there seems at last chance of set
Ting the estate of your uncle with the
opposing side. In that case
'I knew it, sir; | knew it would
come to them sooner or later. Every
thing comes to him who waits. l.
81 presume, of course, am speaking
to Horace Pettigrew Beamish, born al
-" interrupted the lawyer
He flicked over bundle of yellow
= documents.