Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-30
\ LORD
\ L@WEIAMD
CHAPTER XvIII.-CoNT1NuED.
SHOW EOT,Ea

NSd0Ae1SASA oAu az 4oSC 4AlC1-
rupted himself in describing with some
acerbity the absent members of the
company to remark suddenly, "You
look like a soldier"
81 am a soldier" Loveland replied
before he stopped to think.
"Oh!" said Jacobus, regarding him
keenly. English army, Of ~course?"
EYES," answered Val shortly, regret
ting his frankness.
"H'm! What were you-sergeant"
Loveland could have broken out into
savage laughter. He, q lieutenant in
the Grenadier guards, asked by this
seedy theatrical man if it were q ser
geant!
mo, I wasn't a sergeant" he replied.
HIN! See here. I hope you didn't
leave the army-er-on short notice,
eh? You know what I mean"
"Do you mean am l a deserter?
Well, set your mind at rest" said
Loveland, swallowing his wrath. Pm
not a deserter, and I shan't bring dis
grace upon your company"
call right, all right. I'll take your
word for it. But, say, the more + look
at you the more 1 have u kind of sneak
ing idea I've seen your picture lately.
Did you get your photo stuck in n
Of the theatrical papers since you land
ed?"
mo" 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 MAI
did not yet associate him with any
thing in particular, but the connection
between the new juvenile lead and a
certain Englishman made notorious by
n or two New York papers might at
any instant link itself i'll Mr.. Jacobus'
head. This Loveland was far from
desiring. not that he thought his value
to the management would be decreased
by the discovery, rather the contrary.
judging by his experience with Alex
ander, but because he could not bear
to repeat that experience.
Jack Jacobus was himself, it seemed,
leading man for Miss Lille de Lisle,
"the little human flower heavy
lead" he called it. but to the heavy
lead apparently belonged all the really
good parts in the company's repertory.
Their productions struck Loveland as
being wonderfully good for a strolling
troupe. playing week by week in ex-
tremely small towns. but .Jacobus
laughed when he remarked that it
must be expensive to obtain the rights
Of such popular pieces as Sidney Gre
mer's, for instance. and to put them on
the stage properly.
"Properly! he echoed. %grinning.
well, that depends. We carry six
men, counting me and you. and there
amt many pieces we put on except
Sidney Cremer's comedies, where there
is less than a dozen or fifteen male
characters, sometimes more. We all
double, sometimes each one of us
even me, the leading man. because l
amt proud. Same with the women.
We carry four Of them, counting Lille
herself, and they earn their money.
You see, we must bill popular pieces,
melodramas and comedies mostly, or
we shouldn't get no houses, so we can't
choose plays with few characters to
please lazy actors. AS for the rights to
productivity, we don't trouble our
selves about them any more than we
do about the pasts of our juvenile lead
ing gentlemen. What we want we
take. 1t amt so very risky. though
once in awhile the police do shove their
noses in where nobody wants them,
and I confess I'm a bit scared about
Sidney Cremer's new piece, which
we're just putting up. Say. you're
looking kind Of sick. l hope you amt
one Of the Puritans, are you? Don't
they have shows of u sort in your
country"
Loveland said he really didn't know,
but as he fastened to add he was not a
Puritan and anyhow Mr.. Jacobus'
business was his own that gentleman
did not feel called upon to translate
into words the thoughts his eyes had
begun to express.
Mr.. Perceval Gordon. it appeared,
was expected to play seven parts at
ne least during the season and must
Ue lelleF peTleCL III TIC uTSC one ny
that very night. 1t was. however,
but a small role-that Of an old man
who conveniently expired at the end
Of the first act in great agony. A melo.
drama called 1.-THE Dead Hand" had
been chosen for the closing night Of
the engagement at Modunk because
the part of the Juvenile lead wasn'
too long or difficult to ''get up in" witt
n rehearsal, which they would have
after noon, and indeed the dead hand
was to be that Of MT. Gordon himself
He would appear as a ghost e thu
end Of the last act and wave the sale
hand behind a gauze with strong lime
light turned upon it; also, incidental
", at a ball he would be asked tx
"walk on" as a young gentleman o,
fashion. Could he waltz? Good
Then he should have Mrs. Jacobus fol
his partner, as she liked q decen'
dancer in that scene, where she hal
AYnarianceH considerahla fros,hIa xUitl