The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-12-08


% l lsss I, S,, Love :
WHAT Ror.' his own surprise,
was shaking and perspiring oddly with
stage fright.
"what rot" he roughly acolded him
self. .As IL an audience In a tenth
rate village mattered! What do care
whether or not l know my part or
what they think Of mey
But the queer fact remained that he
did care, and his heart bumped fast
er than it had thunpcd when he
was reused one dark night to fight Ills
first battle. He wanted to act well;
he wanted to please Lillie de Lisle and
TO satisfy Ed Binney. who was wish
ing him luck; he wanted 70 make
good impression on the pretty bright
eyed country girls who lad stared ar
him with interest as he passed through
the auditorium
There were not nearly enough local
stage hands employed in the theater.
and acting was not the only work the
actors had TO do They helped place
the scenery and change the settings.
They few about IKE Distracted de-
mons. bali dressed. wifh s.,spenders
flying. turning a burglars q, into a
mIllionaIres dining room. and between
the bewildering alterations Of scene
there was no rest for. the sole Of any
ones foot.
How they ever got themselves out
Of one costume into another 10 time.
how they ever remembered which Of
their many doublings came first. which
last, Loyelari could not conceive: but.
standing in the wings waiting for his
own dreaded turn. he was oiled with
an Increasing rtspect for the barn
stormers, male and female. They
could act, too. most of them, which
seemed to him the strangest part Of
all, for be had not expected 10 find the
satellites Of Bnrs little star twlnkIIng
with the light OF talent. As for his
own performance, he realized before Il
had begun that such histronic efforts
as had won him applause when an
amateur in London would not be good
enough to gain him admiration rs a
professional IN Modunk. IL was an
other thing when. as a handsome
young soldier. Lord Loveland had
staggered easily about the stage.
pleased with himself and pleasing
every one else. because every one had
come with the Intention Of being
| pleased.
Eere IN remote little Modunk the
audience was evidently far more crit
ical, and II II didn't Ike what II saw
Il said 30 auiIbIy with a voice from
the cheap seats or nj least INDUCED In
a prolonged ~ Of bored coughing. n
Lovelsnd could have gone on ''as him
self.r as Jacobus had said, be might
have captured tho fancy of the girls.
but az old Dave Dreadnpught IN wild
wig aud moth eaten beard lent by IA
Winter the new addition 10 the com
pany could conquer the audience only
by sheer force 81 acting.
Fortunately for Lovelnnd. be was not
Obliged to walk on to the stage In an.
swer 10 a cue or II seemed 20 him that
he could not lave moved. II was bad
enough 70 be discovered" IN the act
OF being murdered. and MS the moment
came when be would have 20 make his
first speech his blood was bcailng like
drum IN bis temples Ills throat felt
dry. and when bis cue % speak was
given by Jacobus with meaning en-.
phaxIs he could only swallow and glBre
Not word Of the carefully rehearxed
part could he remember. and. InvOIun.
tarily looking ont IN front. thing I'd
Bluney haf warned him not 70 do. II
seemed rs II tho rows Of faces down
below the yellow footliehfs were leap
ing up at him ike n wave.
Just as Jacobus bent over him, fran.
tIcaily giaring. ready TO prompt and
swear at the same time. Loveland's
frozen hesitation melted Into words and
gestures. the right words. the right yes.
lures. Jaeolus sighed great sigh Of
Thanksgiving, and Val delivered bis
curse With transport Of zcii. lie was
half frightened at bis own explosive.
ness, but the audience enjoyed Il. and
when The curtain went down upon his
death there was round 81 applause.
Though dead ~ Dave, Il was bis
business 10 rise again IN the third act
~ young man n fsshion-a youthful
butterfly from an ancient cllrysaIIs-
and, drunk with The sweet draft Of tri.
umph. he made the change aayly. a.
happy for The moment as n be were
playing before nn audience 81 kings
and queens.
lie had dressed and was lurking IN
the wings sa3ln. watching with some
interest the arrest Of the leading man
for his U.oyeland'sD murder on false
evidence snakIly given by 10 IIinney,
when Miss de I.Isie fitted noiselessiy
uB very insuiacientlJ disguised as 4
| boy.
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