Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-03-27
3


to place her at once if she could come
to his Office without delay.
Opportunity bouncing out at her like
a jack-in-the-box alarmed her. But
she faced it pluckily. She put on her
hat with trembling hands and went
down in the elevator with Duane.
They went up in an elevator at n
side of the lobby of the theater and
stepped out at Reben's Office door. A
number of somber and respondent
persons of a theatrical complexion
were waiting there also, the wretched
Lazaruses of art.
Duane spoke to a respectful Office
boy, who disappeared through a door
and returned to beckon him in. With
heart bounding high and bubbling at
her throat Daphne entered the theat-
rical world by one of it's most gilded
portals.
The great Reben sat bulkily behind
an ornate table-desk and dismissed
a still more ornate s~tenographer with
a nod as he rose to greet Duane.
Duane did the honors :, "Mr. Reben,
1 want to present you to Miss Kip,
Miss Daphne Kip"
Reben greeted her with suavity and
his eyes were eve more enthusiastic
than his words. Daphne was at her
superlative degree and anxiety gave
her a usefulness that a appealing
to Reben. Women's charms and visit
ILLNESSES made up a large part of his
wares in trade.
"Have you had any experienced"
"None."
"Studied elocution?"
"Never. I never spoke a piece in
my life"
Good! Amateur theatricals"
"Never. 1 never seemed to care for
them"
"Better yet! What makes you think
you want to act now?"
money. I want to earn money
get rich"
Il see," said Reben, and fell into a
profound meditation, studying Daphne
~searchingly.
Duane seized the opportunity to rise
and say: "Well I'll leave you two to-
gether to talk terms. 1t would be in
delicate for MT to know just how rich
Miss Kip is going to be-"
He had no ooner gone than Reben's
manner changed slightly and Daphne's
courage vanished. Reben paced the
floor as he talked. His path kept
slowly closing in around her like the
walls in Poe's story.
"You look like Miss Kemble," he
said. "You have somewhat the same
temperament. You like her style of
play. That may be your line. / can't
tell. Of course I don't know how well
you can act. Perhaps you never could.
Kemble is great, but she comes of an
old theatrical family. Of course you
have one great capital-your beauty !;
for you are very beautiful, Miss Kip,
very. Let me see your eyes!"
He had a right to ask If he were
going to hire her eyes, but she looked
up c%ravenly, for the burly satrap was
leaning over her. His left hand was
on the arm of the chair, his right on
the back Of it. His left hand was grad
ually e%nVeloping hers. 1t was a fat,
hot hand, and his face was SO close
that it was blurred in her vision.
Then she remembered Duane's
words. She controlled herself enough
to put them to the test.
She pretended to look coldly into
Reben's face, and she said, with O
brave show of calm: "Mr. Reben, !
didn't come here to f1irt with you and
l don't intend to. / came here for a
job as an actress. If this sort of thing
is a necessary part of the job I'll 60
somewhere else."
Reben backed away and stared at
her. He was rendered foolish by her
rebuff and he stammered, "Why L
I meant no HARM"
She went on with the Duane system
of treatment: 81 know you didn't. You
meant to be polite, but you don't have
to be so polite to me. I don't expect
it and / don't like it."
"All right, all right" Reben growled
pacing the floor again, but in a con.
stantly receding path. He did moi
speak. He felt that he had made 0
fool of himself, and he was embar.
raised.
Daphne was so frightened with hei
success that she got to her feet, say.
ing: II suppose this means that yor
don't want me to work for you. Its
true, then, what they say about the
stage"
"NonsenseI OF course not! Rot
l never see most Of my people excepr
at rehearsals or performances. I've
never spoken to three-quarters of 'em
If you want a job you can have 1t, ant
no concessions are necessary. Yol
don't have to make love to me. Yol
make hove to the audience, and If vol
can capture that you can slap my fac,
every time you see me-"
Daphne was astounded. She wa
engaged! She was sexultant ant
thrilled with gratitude to Duane TO
introducing her to this marvellous op
portunity and for the wisdom of hi
counsel.