New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-05
BY GEORGE S. KAUFMAN.


Aberdeen is where the story begins.
As matter Of fact it should begin In
San Francisco and actually did begin
there but Aberdeen is where it broke
out. Volume l of almost any encyclo-
media lists half a dozen Aberdeens.
There is Aberdeen, fourth largest city
Of Scotland. Aberdeen, county seat Of
Monroe County, Miss; Aberdeen, coun-
Is seat Of Brown County, s. D.; Aoer
deem. fourth Earl Of: Aberdeen, seventh
Earl Of: Aberdeen, University Of SIX
Aberdeens are all that YOU can possibly
find in the encyclodGdia. The one m
the story is the seventh
Aberdeen, County Of Chehalis State
Of Washington. IL is 20 be found on
the narrow end Of a body Of water
called Gray's HhEoor, only about three
quarters Of an inch from the Pacific
Coast. Il ia printed there in promi-
nent letters - Aberdeen. Population,
$4,000.
Let the time be vague. It was con-
siderably more than year ago, and
also considerably-oh, quite consider
ably-less than fifteen. The scene is
the Aberdeen Opera House, and the
curtain Is about 10 ascend on the final
act of EAST Lynne" The audience is
made up of Aberdean's fRshionables, in
Guiding numerous mmberjacks just re-
turned from their log tending on the
What-Is-It River (cf. map OF Washing
toni.
At her side was her mother.
Marjorie" said her mother, "do you
know your lines for the death scene 2"
Furrrt frlrT
prompt She said "No."
Marjorie, let 1t be added, was fifteen
wears old-and a leading lady. More
over, she had been a leading lady for
three years She had played many big
parts, including even Camille" but it
was her first performance in East
II have an Ideal" cried Majorie's
mother. where's that manuscript?
I'll hide under the bed and give il to
YOU a line at a time. All you'll have to
do will be 20 repeat it after me-"
So the mother OF Marjorie took her
place under the bed, and prompted.
Letter perfect, Marjorie went through
the death scene.
mother. hoarsely. "Now diel"
But Marjorie was not ready 10 die.
Her artistic sense forbade it. For in
the centre Of the first row she had
CHANGED TO glimpse a lumberjach who
was fairly eating up that death scene!
Enjoying il? The tears poured down
his cheeks Should she deprive that
man Of a little pleasure, thought Mar
iorie, simply because a narrOw-minded
author had decreed that that was the
moment for Isabelle to die? Not much.
Bite off a death scene in the middle
when there still was a chance to wiring
tears from even q single observer? She
should say not!
So Majorie, as the dying Isabelle,
turned on her side and played the death
scene all over again for the benetit Of
the weeping lumberjack. "Diel" whis-
pered her mother. "Die!" But Mar
jorie refused to die. The lumberjack
was still weeping. Here was man
before whom and to whom she could
really act, and she was not going to
yield up the opportunity in a hurry
For if there was one thing above all
others that she wanted to do IL was to
acti Here was the chance of life
time. Marjorie went on dying.
Die Die! screamed Marjorie's
mother. But Marjorie's death contor-
tions only became worse than ever.
Then Marjorie's mother had an idea.
from somewhere She produced nat
pin and jabbed IL forcefully up through
the mattress. Marjorie emitted a cry
that passed quite well for the death
shrek OF Isabelle Her mother had
her way about 1t. Iiarjorie died.
There, in a 400 word nutshell, you
have Marjorie Rambeau. Miss Ram
beau can act-heavens, how she can
actl Tremendous, emotional parts with
six or seven death scenes in them
those are her line She acted on the
day she was twelve years old, and she
has continued 70 act ever since. despite
ell Of the obstacles that California,
Washington. Utah, Oregon and Alaska
could put in her way-and they were