The Washington herald., 1908-07-17

say Romeo and Juliet That viii make
the managers sit Up and take notice
Very wel. said Temple quietly. Get
the best company you can and do the
thing right"
Miriam. to whom Stanley had already
brosched the proposition. stared al her
husband Temple was a multi-rniuIon-
aire. but the ten or twelve thousand dol
lars that Stanley declared the experiment
would cost was a large sum to venture
on a single matinee Impulsively she
sprang from her seat and ran 70 kiss him.
Temple smiled gently. Il was the first
voluntary kiss Miriam had given him
since her greeting al the station She
did not realize, IN her absorption IN her
work, how little attention she paid him.
Once assured OF the success Of his
scheme, Stanley went Up to town, leaving
Miriam with her husband for a week He
wanted 10 be free 20 make arrangements
for the theater. and Miriam, IL her in
tervaIs OF study. found IL very pleasant
TO sit In the cool evenings with her hus-
band and watch the boats glide by on
the river FAR below. Not until Stanley
IL was 10 be freed from his exUberant
/ presence She was sorry when her tutor
wired her to return 70 town.
For six weeks she was drilled IN her
new part Every line was gone over
carefully and the exact accent studied.
She began 70 loathe the lines. From the
companies playing IN town and from
those players not under engagement.
Stanley had made Up an excellent cast.
He had intended engaging cheaper peo-
pie that his own share Of the money
might be greater. but for the first time
John Temple took an interest in his
Wife's career and gave personal super
vision TO the formation OF the supporting
company
Some few papers made half-eontemptu-
Gus advance mention OF the performance.
and Jhe critics glesfully sharpeaed their
pencils. but Miriam. unconscious Of
everything but the play. did not even see
-he half jesting alluslons 70 the new star
Then came the matinee Stanley had
seen 10 IL that a cISque was present. but
Ia spite Of the uproarlous applause Mir
IAN felt the insincerity OF Il all. and
this added 10 the depression already in
duced by her knowledge OF how poorly
she appeared beside these yzeu-trained
players
Al home, among friends and amateurs
whom she oUtshone, the knowledge OF
superiority had buoyed her up. Now the
vel was rudely torn from her eyes and
she beheld her limitations with the clear
ness OF an outside observer. To com
plete her lesson. she overheard a CONVEX
satiOn between two Of the lesser members
of the cast
Stanley stands to clean I'D 5000 or
this show alone. beside what he made OF
MS coaching lessons said the first The
ether laughed.
7 never saw a man with such luck at
catching suckers" he said 7 wish I
had the trick They tel me he's
made
Miriam's call came and she lost the
rest. She lay upon Juliets bier with
the words ringing IL her ears. IN a fash
she saw It all Stanley playing upon
her love for the stage. had ENCOURAGED
her in the belief that she could make
great actress solely for the sake Of the
as coach. and Jack-her Jack-had been
called-a sucker.
The odious word bit into her brain and
It was with difficulty that she took I'd
her lines when her cue came. The tomb
scene was mercifglly short She bowed
and smiled to the perfunctOry applause
as the curtain rose again Most OF the
audience was heading for the entrance;
the Claque alone remained faithful
Stanley. as the curtain fell, turned 10
offer his congratulations. but she roughly
pushed him aside. Temple had come on
the stage. and she went straight 10 him
Jack" she sObbed. take me away
from here. Take ne home: don't want
TO act; I want just you. dear"
And Temple. writing a final check FOR
Stanley, laughed softly to himself His
investment n fame had yielded ripe re-
turn, as he had foreseen.
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