The sun., 1916-09-17

A man who is prosperously engaged
in the theatrical business but IL not
now an actor told this story to some
friends:
MY earliest recollection does not
60 back beyond the time when 1 was
employed on the stage. My mother
told me that I was carried on in q
baby part. but that ! do not recollect.
l remember walking on in q child part
when I was about six years old. My
father and mother. both my mothers
parents and my fathers mother were
players, and my fathers father was q
theatre manager In the old country, in
Manchester.
The stage had no illusions for me.
I became a player a. I would have
become a blacksmith, I suppose. II my
father had been one.
AS you know. I did well enough
in juveniles. and finally al leading
man In light comedy and romantic
drama pieces. Stage managers al.
ways have work for players Of my
kind. men who know the stage from
every angle. good studies. sober and
who don't crouch II their parts are
unsympathetic. ia no nor get
peeved II my part wasn't written to
get sympathy than ia object to
shooting n gray horse instead Of . bay
horse II I'd been q blacksmith. I
had employment which earned me .
living. That condition satisfied me a.
II had satisfied my f%orebears.
The lady I married. as you know.
was not born IN the stage, As the say
ing Is. although her father was in the
amusement b%usiness--in front. a. We
lively in the anne rank. and usually
played oppoGites.
I'VE were playing n night In
Richmond in a non-star production
of a romantic drama before q big and
pleased audience. and ~ best scene
got us a hearty curtain call. We act
In a call as carefully az In Q bit Of q
play: there is a certain business in q
call which Is traditional. When I got
n call l was pleased, Of course. but nc
more or differently pleased. I guess
than | would be n I were q black
smith and a horse owner told me that
a set OF sIoes I'd put on his horse wa
a good job. think I would have been
Il good blacksmith. as I know ] am q
good actor. A. stage folk consider
merit. It's nice to have an audience
IN their way, tell you you've done q
good job In the trade you've beer
trained in.
We'll. W. went on 70 act our cali
I with nanraratinU Uauftro and 1nnt
asking the audience TO give all the
credit for the scene to the lady; she
diftidently accepting some OF the praise
hut generously asking, with prett,
looks and gesture. hat the mar bs
equally praised.
Curtain down, applause continues
stage manager signals us to take an,
| other call. Same business. only tha'
am n little further up stage, gentl,
urging the lady further down: sh,
reluctant not to have me shar,
equally.
Third call. II is n little harder 70,
me To act now. II the horse man tolC
me twice that the job was a good jol
my pride would he wholly satisfied
Besides. some friends had had US GU
In an automobile. and not knowing a
what an early hour players dine hat
made us miss our dinner. and I hat
sent ont for bottles OF beer and chees,
sandwiches. I wanted them before tn,
next act. and. knew that my wifi
needed them whether she wanted then
or not.
This time 7 put my wife alone II
the picture: made her go down centr,
while ! stood up and left from her
was doing my work automatically
'Oh, you are too kind, hut the lad,
deserves all the credit Her business
~ course, was TO include the who'll
house in her pantomime Of acknowl
edgment. orchestra. boxes. balcony an,
galleries, then to turn and beckon M
to come down. and share the honor
with her. vas wondering II m,
dresser had brought the kind of bee
I'd ordered. when 7 was struck, a
never before, by the look In my wife
eyes "a she turned to me.
tits a big word, but nothing les