Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-08-24
A New Star
Dy EDNA T. W

''i!'i'iolS uell quite Il illlc SlTl 4
read Shnkrspcare's plays that | found
IN my fathers library and took pleas
are III sporting the lines of the hero
ines. One day l would be Juliet lean
ihg "vcr tie famous balcony; another
| would be Queen Catherine; another.
Rosulind.
When ! was fifteen years Old my fa-
ther died. leaving my mother with six
children tp support and without the
means to do so, We all had to do
something to put money into The fami-
~ treasury, even if it were only the
very smallest mount. Very natural
" l chose the stage. That is, ! wished
to 20 on the stage, but how to get
there did not know. Had | been n
boy l might have gone from one the
alter to another till | found Il position
as supernumerary and from that
vantage point watched for am oppor-
tunity to take small minor parts. Be,
ing 81 girl. ! could not do this.
How ! finally got on the stage
doesn't pertain to this story, which
deals with an opportunity to get into
public favor. ! am speaking of the
days when real plays were enacted on
the stage, before the coming on Of the
scenic wonders, burlesques and the like
that have driven the drama away l
had been taking minor parts for sew.
era years and had been an under,
study for II part. Had the actress
under whom | was studying eve been
sufficiently indisposed to permit me to
take her place it might have enabled
me to make a hit. But she never fail
ed to appear.
a celebrated playwright wrote a play
which he called Joan of Arc" He
wrote the part of Joan, expecting that
Nine. g., then the most remarkable
tragedlenne on the stage, would i'm
~personatc the Maid Of Orleans. Mem
bers OF our profession when they once
climb to the top round of the ladder
are apt to forget the snubs they have
endured when they were struggling on
the lower rounds and to delight in
showing their independence. or perhaps
it is the memory Of these very snubs
that gives them Il desire to exercise
their own sweet will. At any rate,
Nine. G. without giving any reason re-
fused to play the part.
The author of the play was in a dis
treSslnS position. He had spent many
months on it; he had written it esYe-
clally to display the remarkable histri-
onic ability of Nine. g., and there was
no other actress who, so far as was
known, could aspire to play it. The
playwrights friends did all they could
to Win Mime. G. over, but with no sue
cess. She remained chduratc.
One evening l was surprised at Il call
from an actor who was to have ap-
peArcd i'll Joan OF Arc and had been
greatly disappointed that the play
could not lie produced. Without ex-
planning the object of his visit he ask
ed me to read a few lines from sev-
eral of the parts of S%hakespeare's hero
ines. When l had finished he left me
as abruptly as he had come. The next
day he came again with the author of
Joan and | was obliged to read the
parts | a read before. They left with
me the play that had been written for
Nine. u. and asked me to learn it.
They "Sme again when ! had done so,
heard me recite certain passages and
delightedly told me that they wished
me to assume the principal role.
When the time for a rehearsal came
round an audience Of some twenty or
thirty persons. mostly connected with
the stage, was present. What was my
surprise to see among them Nine. G.
l inferred that she had come to see if.
indeed, there was a person who could
take her place. Her presence did won
ders in squirting me to do my best. l
received great applause, and Nine. G.
clapped her hands languidly. This
faint praise spurred me on still fur
Their, and l surpassed myself.
When the play vas finished Nine. G..
went to the author and said:
~ am ready to take the part Of
Joan"
l looked at him, wondering what he
would say. A light came into his eye
dts 1C lellleO.
"Madame, this play was written for
you, supposing that you were the only
woman in existence who could take the
part. Your refusal instead Of being
a misfortune has turned out a benefit.
A new star has appeared above the
horizon. You have enjoyed exclusive
prominence for a long while. From
this hour you will have to divide it
with another"
Nine. G. disappeared. and I, running
to the author, threw my arms about
his neck.
Her friends e%ndeavored to persuade
him to throw me over and give the
part to Nine. G., not that she could
play it any better than I, but on ac-
count Of the eclat she would give his
work. But he stood firm for me.
I nerved myself for the first per-
Torrance, realizing that l must stand
or fall by 1t. The story had got abroad,
and the house was packed, largely by
theatrical peODle. many of whom had