The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-02-28
CHAPTER x-continued.

--7-
Miss Kemble went forward to
Daphne and took her hand and petted
it and said: sI'm so glad to see you.
You must meet my aunt, Mrs. Vining.
She won't object to your playing her
parts, I'm sure"
Mrs. Vining, who had played all
manner of roles for half a century,
and was now established as famous
player Of hateful old grandes danes,
spared Daphne her ready vinegar and
chose to mother her.
Mr.. Reben had come down from his
office to make up his own mind. He
smiled with kind of challenging cor
diality and murmured: $50 our little
business woman is going to open the
shop. Well, all you've got to do is
to deliver the goods and I'll buy 'em
at your own price"
PATTERSON raped on the kitchen
table that stood on the apron of the
stage under a naked bunch of light
of glaring brilliance.
places, please, for the entrance.
Ready? All right, Eldonl'
The noble matinee idol put his hat
on the table, walked on, sat down on
"a divan composed of two broken
chairs and read an imaginary news
paper.
Patterson said: ''Doorbell! Buzz-z.'
A well-dressed young man.. whom
Daphne recognized as the elderly but
fnA cd nd
imaginary door between two chairs.
This was the cue for Miss Kemble's
famous 'sHow do you dor"
Everybody waited and watched for
the newcomer to make her debut in
the new world. Then was silence.
Daphne stood with heels screwed to
the floor and tongue glued to the roof
of her mouth.
"All right, Miss Kip" said Patterson
with ominous patience. "Come on,
come on, please!"
Another silence. then Daphne
laughed and choked. "Tm awfully stu
pid. I've forgotten the line.'
Patterson CRASHED his unlighted CT
gar and growled: "Howjadol How
jado!'
"Oh, yesl Thank you. I'm so
f1sorryr said Daphne, and walked on
at the wrong side of the chairs.
Everybody shuddered to realize that
she had entered through solid WALL
This miracle was ignored, but there.
was no ignoring the peculiarly inelo-
quent note she struck when she bowed
to the butler and stammered:
"HOw are your"
A sigh went through the vast pro-
found and void of the empty theater
Instinct told even the echoes that
Daphne did not belong and never could
belong. Patterson groaned, tragically.
mot to the butler, please! Don't
say How are your to the butler.
Don't say How are your to anybody,
please. Script says HowjadoY Say
'Howjado?' to Mr.. Eldon there. Say
'Howjado' to Mr.. Eldon there"
"How do you dor said Daphne,
bowling to Eldon and speaking with
soullessness of squeezed doll.
Eldon rose, folded up his imaginary
paper, and came forward with pity
ing desire to help her. He hoped that
the scared little Kip woman would win
through the same bitter trials to the
same perilous and always endangered
success. But he had fear.
He delivered her his line with be-
nevolent gentleness. He waited, then
gave her her line with exquisite tact.
She did not repeat It after him. He
said to her:
"Don't be afraid; you're all right"
BE gave her the line again and she
parrotedN it after him. She leaped
then to speech several minutes far
Their on. He drew her back to the cue:
Pardon me, but think have line
before that"
The rehearsal Numbered on. 1t was
not Daphne's fright that disturbed
the rest. 1t was her complete failure
to suggest the character, or any char
acter.
But PATTERSON found nothing to
amuse him, eEd Reben tasted that
dust ana ashes of disappointment
with which theatrical managers are
so familiar when they bite on the
Dead sea fruit of beauty without sdra-
matte talent.