The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-19
HER SUPREME MOMENT
ny ANNIE niNaicHsEs.

! bic greeting. the famous star weak
! n aa feFfanctofg applause.
The curtains at the back of the
stage parted. Marina. sister of the
hero. ran in and threw her arms
around the neck 4rf her Stgge nruthEr
A cheering roar broke from the
house. Every man and woman in
( 1t seemed to be eiapping. cheering
and pounding. The volume and sound
4 satsided and rose again and again
With her arm tightly about the
neck of the leading man, Mary For
tesQue turned toward the audience
As fresh and innocent and unspoiled
as when she had left home, she stood
before them with All the sweetness of
the horne-loved. fieme loving South
/ err girl
the leading man sauirraed an
easily as her arm frightened about his
I neck.
As the last cheer died away, still
gripping the leading mans meek with
her arm, half dragging him. she
walked to the centre of the stage.
My friends. my own people," she
began. "A shall not try to tell Yon
how happy | am to be here You
know the love In my heart for you
all. I'm home--home. | want to
hold cat my arms to you and Weep
~ 4d%+ss fNfa tatsT7-s jazz iSF go t'
Il wanted to appear before you to-
night as a good actress in good part,
and say. without vanity. that han
the pias been the one st heduled. The
Hnlbrookef.'I Ganld have dane SO ami
Son would not have been ashamed
Of me But this morning the man
ager. this leading man"--she shook
him" changed the hsil and compelled
nae to appear tonight in a play
had neve.' seen do not know my
| part. ] shall not Try to act shall
stand on the stage while the play
goes on around me Your judgment
Of me viii be kindly; you can under
| stand how bitter Is my disappoint-
ment because | cannot give vou my
lest. Hut Mr. white"---another
ahalSe---''has detreed''--
Lynch him" yelled a voice String
him up" Burn him" tame from all
parts of the house.
We shall give you the play" she
went on. when she could be heard
''yeu win know why | can only stand
; Il fiti smile.
The play went ON as best il could.
Whenever Mary Forseseue came on
the rtage the house eheered and clap
ped. The few lines she spoke, every
gesture. every smile, brought en-
thussastic applause, In the dressing
rooms and wings the flowers were
sIa Ked III Sheafs. The leading mans
calls and boots from the audience
Half dozen times Mary Fortesque
WAS recalled before the final curtain
dropped
In one af the wingr the manager
waa alternately pleading with and
swearing at q newspaper representa-
two
spare your feelings" Keep quiet
about this starv?" ieered the news
raper man. Not on your life. Every
morning paper In tire country shall
have this tale And wcr't YOU get
.he rnas.tnyr7 Se,.,'c~ ycu right for
,ett,n- thnt Jealous Dcene hess you
--Sprr We, ought TO have stood by
Tho u.tle Girl"
Tho little girl. her rrnc~ teapea
wsts ,sowe.- came ~ - them.
II w.s .,,s. ~ca-r,fr'atinw Mr..
white. said the scurnalist. ION your
-urcess tonight. WHY. Mr. Fcrtcv-
quo. you're nade--you're arrived. To-
morrow you'll he the most talked of
actress In America Your future
She shook her head aertly NO."
rhe SAID quietly 'sT"-ns~ht I leare
.hn stage forever. Two bad { hTia
w,irrse of f,ree and rye had 2 icAng
,oor n. what lt%s wnder i.---ica lcr~y.
~eif--aokir-- rnriiihr--, For rc-ne tNn
.tev-c.-A ssennper~~tNs for thu hst.nrnet-
hrt I. re..er viii for me Hc~,~ "~f
.c,,e ars"a-. Sho drcnped. her fr~e tn
-, Sss-es- Of ~e-e~ In c. raassen. -se
'fs-t'-~s 49, '.nid vau zee So. ~.
,s,.'--r-e-. l~a,sin wh~- yefsnt T.y--,cs
~t.-, p IJc t-sr. -prfnr. t.dfi.e. hst -~,-it
- n,~t,. 7 Thought fay.,9 w-~ he't~-
gt~~r lore md home. Now. tif he eth
'w~-+- mo-
rr-snvh the winrs csv~a ',~~~ A.
lro-,sr--~s' va'-n, ~t~r* '-,-e-.se-- .'y
-,s,--sv~. : ~ise she niica--e r..~->''s--o
And ] think r. desr' -~a cats