Evening star., 1911-08-11
CHAPTER XXI.
The Dignity and Delight Of Being a
Juvenile Lead

juvenile Lead.
Show folks-show folks! Say come
look at the show men:' Impish little
boys and girls yelled to each other. TAX
ing up the refrain from cottage to cot
tage along the roadside, on that Via Dolo-
rosa which led to the town Of Modunk.
Loveland pricked all over. as IL with
million stabs Of tiny pins. but Jacobus
only laughed and said that it was a good
advertisement. Business had been bad
during the week at Modunk, which would
come to an end that night-Saturday: but
he attributed this ill-luck to the fact that
the company had been forced, for lack
If q juvenile lead. to choose plays which
were not the most popular in their repe-
toire. Things would be different next
week, he hoped. when they were going
across the river into Kentucky, to a small
but lively show town, whence the advance
agent sent encouraging accounts.
He questioned Loveland sharply con-
cerning his theatrical experience. seeming
to incline toward distrust since the Incl
dent of the travelling bag. Very soon he
found out. in all it's nakedness. the truth
which had been veiled in the letter die
tated by Bill; that Mr.. Perceval Gordon's
experience had all been as an amateur.
and not very extensive at that. However.
as Bill had prophesied. he did not ap-
pear 10 tIllHh IL UldllSIcO IHuCIis luou6h
he shifted and humid" little. by way
of curbing the new mans self-esteem.
you've got q good stage presence and
voice" said he. though I don't know
what the folks here will think OF that
English accent Of yours. Pity you can't
talk United States. They're mighty sharp
at guying anything foreign or affected,
SO don't be knocked silly II the little boys
in the dime seats mock you bit. Just
keep your hair on and go along as IL
h rt,
In a minute or so when they've got used
to you.
This was-as Bill would have said-a
new proposition" to Loveland: that he
had an English accent which might
be objected to on the ground Of affecta-
ton. He had heard a good deal in Eng
land about the American accent, and had
chaffed Jim Marlborough because OF 1t.
but as after all the English nation had
more or less invented the language cur
rent on both sides Of the water. he had
supposed that theirs was without ques-
ton, the only right way of using 1t. How
ever, opinion seemed to differ over here.
and he did not choose to argue with Mr..
Jacobus.
The actor-manager watched his new ac-
QUESTION furtively as he plowtered
through the mud. and at last interrupted
himself in describing with some acerbity
the absent members of the company. to
remark. suddenly: You look like
soldier"
II am a soldier Ioveland replied be-
fore he stopped to think
oh" said Jacobus, regarding him
keenly. English army, of course?"
Yes" answered Val, shortly. regretting
his frankness.
HIN. What were you-sergeant?"
Loveland could have broken out into
savage laughter. He. lieutenant In the
Grenadier Guards, asked by this seedy
theatrical man II he were a sergeant.
ho kpnt his fnP foQr nf
committing himself unwittingly under the
catechiSmal fire.
mo. 1 wasn't sergeant" he replied.
HIN! See here I hope you didn't
leave the army-er--on short notice. eh
You know what mean?"'
do YOU mean am l a deserter?" Love-
land flashed out. turning red.
Well. excuse me IL I'm offensive. But
the arm of Edward is supposed to be a
long one If any of his redcoats take a va
cation without permission, and l don't
want to get into no trouble with kings.
We may not be Moo York stars. but we're
pretty respectable crowd. take us all
round.'
Loveland. swallowing his wrath. I'm
not a deserter and shan't bring disgrace
upon your company"
''All right all right. I'll take your word
for it. l guess there's nothing else to do.
as you're the only man on the spot But
say. the more l look at you the more I
have kind Of sneaking idea I've seen
your picture lately. Did you get your
photo stuck in any Of the theatrical pa
pers since you landed?"
NO" Loveland replied: but flushed
again, instantly guessing where and In
what connection Jacobus must have seen
his portrait-a sketch. or some snapshot,
perhaps. Evidently the man did not yet
associate him with anything in particular.
but the connection between the new juve-
nile lead and q certain Englishman made
notorious by one or two New York papers
might at any instant link itself in Mr..
Jacobus head. This Loveland was far
from desiring: not that he thought his
value to the management would be de-
creased by the discovery-rather the con-
trary judging by his experience with
Alexander-but because he could not bear
to repeat that experience.
Luckily Jacobus did rot pursue the SUBJ
tect. which apparently interested him less
than others. When he had described the
members of his company according to his
own conception OF their characters and
social status. he went on to tell the new
recruit something about the parts he
would be required to play. Then 1t was
that Loveland learned the esoteric differ
ence between being a leading man and a
Juvenile lead
(To be continued tomorrow.)