Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-02-20
By
RUPERT HUGHES

five a week. You wanted money
There's little Of it for a start. DE-
you want it,"
"Will it lead to anything better?'
at might"
sam to understudy Miss KembleT
Eyes, and all the other women
roles"
"And when do you suppose III get a
chance to play Miss Kemble's part
SOOnW
"Never, hope"
THAT'S encouraging
eff Miss Kemble fell i'll we'd ordi-
narily refund the money, because she's
the star. But sometimes we might
have to give a performance at short
notice. Chances in the other parts
might come any day."
"And you'll give me better chance
when you CAM"
Indeed will. If you have the gift,
the sooner find it out and the harder
l work it the more money l make
The more you earn the more make
I'd like to pay you ten thousand a
week."
I'D like to have you. All right,
I'll try"
He pressed button on his desk
once, then twice. The office boy ap-
peared, followed by the stenographer.
Reben said to the boy: as Mr.. Bat
terson here? Send him to me-" To
the stenOgrapher he said: Fill out a
contract for Miss Kip-MiSs- What's
the first name? Miss Daphne Kip.
Salary, twenty-five. Make it three
year contract"
Reben motioned her absently to her
chair and said, rather for Duane's
sake than for hers, she felt: "Sit
down, won't you, till the contracts
come? and pardon me If L"
He finished the phrase by the deed.
The office routine went on and Daphne
might have been the chair she sat in,
for all the attention he paid her. She
felt rather ungallantly ignored. Still,
she had asked to be treated on
business basis. He was taking her
at her word.
Before the contracts were ready |
Mr.. Patterson appeared. He was one |
Of Reben's stage managers, a worried, |
emotional little man, worn to shreds
with his task of stimulating and cor
recting the emotions by which others |
earned their wages and fame.
Reben introduced him to Daphne
and explained her new office. Batter
son seemed none too well pleased with
The news that Daphne was ignorant
Of stage work to the last degree. He
had found it hard enough to make the
actors read their lines as
hey must be read and keep on read
infant how to walk and talk was an
lnwelcome labor.
He took Daphne into his Office and
,ulled out set of parts. When she
tumbled over them he cast his eyes
in his swift impotence.
lie explained them with a vinegary
entleness. He talked to her Of the
anons of Interpretation. He walked |
through her scenes and spoke her lines !
or her again and again and yet again.
tut somehow he could not teach her.
He tried everything but beating
er. He flattered her, wheedled her,
arodied, satirized, rebuked her, and
he cursed her. She did i
OF rebel even against his profanity,
ecauSe she had no confidence in her. t
oIf fn | Il
lit that she was far worse than he a
lid she was when he said she was s
orst. She used all her funds of res v
ution in keeping from throwing down q
lie part and running away in tears. q
he had none left for asserting her S
ght to politeness. a
Once Daphne was out in the street
rain and released from the ordeal of
easing Patterson, youth and ambi- ,
On brought hope back again. Broad y
ny at twilight was athrob with en-
usiasm and she caught zest from the
owds. She was going home to study, .
Frying her little set of textbooks like u
schoolgirl. But she felt the wings
conquest Hedging at her ankles or :" !"
e wheel Of fortune spinning under ~
r toes. -
Her very first effort had succeeded.
e was woman with a salary. She
,uld be no longer a parasite on any w
In. She had career and business ~
well as the best of them. -
Her mother was at home alone. a.,
lila had gone from that tea party -
another to which Mrs. Kip was not 81
'ited. Daphne's mother greeted her
tn relief. She told her news with a
sh of enthusiasm. 1t left Mrs. Kip Ii
d, very cold.
She was pious, church-going wom-
Mrs. Kip. She had always looked
on the theater as training school
the still lower regions. She went
plays occasionally, but usually with
feeling of dissipation and worldli-
IS. Besides II was one thing to see
US and another to act them.
Daphne tried to reason her mother
of her backwoods prejudices, but
only frightened her the more. Mrs. -
, retired to her room to write an
,ent telegram to her husband de- :