The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-28

made calculus short clothes and carry rattle With the rest punished my share of "snkers" and coffee when the diner missed connections I held an umbrella Christie in biting wind at three in the morning on the dripping platforms of railroad depots. I carried her suit till my reached to my knees. I spashed mud into my own ear in the effort to exercise Salt Lake City. underwent the killing inactivity of alday rides, the dscomforts of upper seven with it's smoke and cinders I stalled around for two hours in the morning waiting to say:
 His hghness has the signature of the marchion- your highness'" And back to say it twice in the afternoon
 rubbed cornstarch into my hair each day. matinee and evening, to play blooming English footman. and and water-cold water. had to put up the better hotels to keep from being snubbed by the leading man. Slowly went broke My pocketbook assumed a look of having been stepped on. telegraphed my father who disapproved of flight into hstrioncs, and he telegraphed back, at my expense:
 "I started life two dollars week Try ranch ing"
 The night we arrived in Chicago crawled upstairs. without taking the elevator, for fear the attendant would start or stop it suddenly The least little jolt threatened to blow my head off. Framed the wall in my room picture of the California redwoods "a railroad advertisement. It made me honesick. The big trees had sent skirmishers down back fence. Often had whipped the mdappled stream for trout in their pleasant stalwart shade Oh, for the ranch! Oh for eight hours of unbroken sumber, the simple cooking of mothers Chinaman, the fresh, air of the hayfelds, the drowsy swing of the hammock under the pepper trees! I looked at myself in the mirror to see if. possibly, my nose was any smaller; but 1t Sprang at palpitant, de liant. And, Geeroozelum how it hurt!
 Oh who wouldn't be actor!
 late next day at rehearsal, the day before the opening of the new play. and the stage manager was out of patience Furthermore, he harbored grudge against disliked the preference shown in casting me for the new piece when he wanted the part him. sef and expected to get it. I suppose as I entered the stage door must have looked like very easy mark indeed Certainly was not the dapper, devil may-care soldier of fortune had fancied myself month earlier I was putty-skinned; the whites of my eyes yellowish tinge; walked with list h,,fo f,,1 AI, nose! Huge ponderous, 1t hung on my face like an Overripe, scarlet fig.
 Here he is at ast!" exclaimed the stage manager in impatience. Second act!"
 The company all assembled. the stage set, benches and chairs representing the brilliant Louis xv salon. Madame in and violet sat at the prompt table the assistant stage noting the gettngs and the sttngs down. the crosses and other busi designed to lend life to the barren printed text Never had the procedure thin enough at best seemed shallow more futile To spring that cold, bleak stage and impersonate one of these ferocious Nihilistic individuals hard enough at best; to do so. feeling as did, was impossible.
 sAfr Parks called the stage manager ."kindy walk to that window though you meant it."
 I tried again. every step shooting pain up through my eye and down my spine.
 Not bit like it. cried the stage manager. losing his temper "1n this play you supposed to be should tell of your vndietve cruelty. When you go to that window to if the is gone go as if meant it; don't mince like Gertie at her dancing lesson"
 Smarting under this opprobrious rebuke carried my nose for third time. painfully to the window the place where the window should have been-and, craning my neck tried to scowl impressively at the unoensve brick wall of the theater if it tue lady was pursuing
 'No!" roared the stage manager.
 ssThen up and do it yourself" !" roared back, throwing down my part and kicking it viciousy into my shoe
 Said Madame in her sweetest chest notes conciat-
 The walk used in getting to the door was just the walk should have used in getting to the window In the entry stood Christie
 Peter" she commanded, "you can't desert the ship like this. It's not square. On the of perform ance. too. Youll be blacklisted everywhere.'
 'Do you think I'll stand that for twenty-five dollars a week?" I demanded. still racing. "Do you think I'm nc obliged to let Broadway bum-
 tell me I walk like .Gertie at her dancing lesson" Not your life!"
 Come out here, my child,' said Christie, sooth- ingy.
 Don't baby me- warned. "I won't stand it!"
 She led me into the sunlight
 ''Let your tongue.' she continued. cornering me in sheltered angle of the wall "way That's the e.,is ticket Yes; just as thought-" tongue. "I won't doctor. I've taken drop of medicine in my life. And won't begin now."
 Christie laid a ouietng hand on my arm and said: "Tll be your doctor.'
 She sent me back to my hotel and went herself to a druggsts. stocking up on sundry heroic but prac- like letter of instructions, and sent the whole by messenger to my room.
 On the night of the opening. thanks to Christie it seemed wonderful how much the child knew-I felt better. limp but better. The house sold out Carriages and motors flashed The of society came to see Madame's latest French play. The foyer was heaped with flowers. The manager. in dress clothes stood lowing at the ticket takers elbow. and then he stepped aside to inform shamefaced stock actor that the free list suspended.
 On stage the property men were adding the last touch to the scene One brought the pen and ink for the will doing step two he walked and whist ling. Another brought French newspaper and placed it carefully the spot marked the table, the black headlines upward. The fake palms in papier-mache jardinieres with the damaged side up- stage adjusted in the windows. A bit of en- broidery from Madames dressing room. in play thrown p1cturesQuey settee, was in this play thrown picturesnuelv the piano. A boy in shirt sleeves ran carnet sweeper over the rug. Letters and cards placed in readiness salver at of the entrances: also brown in water which, under the guise of sherry to be in at the death Eyervthing in readiness.