The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1911-05-03

Bob HarTHt he saw somebody else.
He thought he saw that Cherry was
the only professional on the short or
der stage that he had seen who SEEM
ed exactly to fit the part of Helen
Grimes in the sketch he had written
and kept tucked away in the tray of
his trunk.
But Bob Harris sketch was not des-
tined to end in pickle jar. He called
it mice Will Play" He had kept it
quiet and hidden away ever since he
wrote 1t, waiting to find partner who
fitted his conception of Helen Grimes.
And here was Helen herself, with all
the innocent abandon. the youth, the
sprightliness and the f1awless stage
art that his critical taste demanded.
After the act was over Hart found
the manager in the box office and got
Cherry's address. At 5 the next after
noon he called at the musty old house
in the West Forties and sent up his
professional card.
BY daylight, in a secular shirt waist
and a plain wolfe skirt, with her hair
curbed and her Sister of Charity eyes,
Winona Cherry might have been play
ing the part of Prudence Wise, the
deacon's daughter, in the great (un-
written) New England drama not yet
entitled anything.
81 know your act, Mr.. Hart" she
said after she had looked over his card
carefully. What did you wish to see
me about?-
ST saw you work last night" said
Hart 1--WE written a sketch that I've
been saving up It's for two, and l
think you can do the other part. l
thought I'd see you about it.
"Come in the parlor,' said Miss Cher
~. 1--WE been wishing for something
of the sort. 1 think I'd like to act in
stead of doing turns
Bob Hart drew his cherished "Mice
Will Play" from his pocket and read it
to her.
sRead it again. please said Miss
Cherry.
And then she pointed out to him
clearly how it could be improved by
introducing messenger instead Of a
telephone call and cutting the dia-
logue just before the climax while
they were STRUGGLING for the pistol and
by completely changing the lines and
business of Helen Grimes at the point
where her jealousy overcomes her.
Hart yielded to all her structures with
out argument. She had at once put
her ringer on the sketch's weaker
points That was Der woman's intui-
ton that he had lacked At the end
of their talk Hart was willing to stake
the judgment, experience and savings
Of his four years of vaudeville that
Mice Will Play would blossom into
perennial flower in the garden of the
circuits. Miss Cherry was slower to
decide.
Mr.. Hart" said she, Il believe your
sketch is going TO win out. That
Grimes part fits me like a shrinkable
flannel after its first trip to handles
hand laundry. | can make it stand
out like the colonel of the Forty-fourth
regiment at little mothers bazaar
And I've seen you work. | know what
you can do with the other part. But
business is business. How much do
you get week for the stunt you do
now?'
1.-TWO hundred" answered Hart.
st get 500 for mine," said Cherry.
"Thats about the natural discount fol
woman. Bat | live on it and put
a few simoleons every week under the
loose brick ia the old kitchen hearth
The stage is all right. | love it, but
there's something else | love better
that's little country home, some day.
with Plymouth Rock chickens and six
ducks wandering around the yard.