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

performances. I'll pay you twenty
five a week. You wanted money.
There's a little of it for a start. Do
you want it?"
"WiIl it lead to anything better?'
at might"
"Am / to understudy Miss Kemble?"
"Yes, and all the other women
roles"
"And when do you suppose I'll get a
chance to play Miss Kemble's part?
Soon?"
"Never, l hope"
@That's encouraging!"
"If 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 a better chance
when you can?"
Indeed I will. If you have the gift,
the soone I find it out and the harder
I work it the more money I make.
The more you earn the more l make.
I'd like to pay you ten thousand a
week."
"Td like to have you. All right,
I'll try" ),
He pressed a button on his desk
once, then twice. The Office boy ap.
peared, followed by the stenographer.
Reben said to the boy: SIS 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 name2r Miss Daphne Kip,
Salary, twenty-five. Make it a 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 T."
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 a
business basis. He was taking heI
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 1t hard enough to make the
experienced actors read their lines as
they must be read and keep on read,
ing them SC. To teach this dramatic
infant how to walk and talk was ar
unWelcome labor.
He took Daphne into his Office anG
pulled out a set Of parts. When she
stumbled over them he cast his eyes
heayenward in his swift impotence
He explained them with a vinegarJ
~gentleness. He talked to her of the
canons of Interpretation. He walked
through her scenes and spoke her lines
for her again and again and yet again
But somehow he could not teach her
He tried everything but beatinf
her. He flattered her, wheedled her
%parodied, satirized, rebuked her, an(
occasionally he cursed her. She die
not rebel ever against his profanity
because she had no confidence in her
self to support her resistance. She
felt that she was far worse than hi
said she was when he said she wa
worst. She used all her funds of res
olution in keeping from throwing dowr
the part and running away In tears
She had nom left for asserting hel
right to politeness.
Once Daphne was out in the stree
, again and released from the ordeal o.
pleasing Patterson, youth and ambi
ton brought hope back again. Broad
way at twilight was athrOb with en-
thusiasm and she caught zest from thu
crowds. She was going home to study
carrying her little set of textbooks likC
a schoolgirl. But she felt the wing:
. Of conquest Hedging at her ankles o.
the wheel Of fortune spinning undeI
her toes.
|, Her very first effort had succeeded
, She was a woman with a salary. Sh,
would be no longer a parasite on an.
! man. She had a career and O business
i as well as the best Of them.
) Her mother was at home alone
Leila had gone from that tea part,
| to another to which Mrs. Kip was no
i invited. Daphne's mother greeted he
j with relief. She told her news with
/ gush Of enthusiasm. 1t left Mrs. Xii
cold, very cold.
She was a pious, church-going won
an, Mrs. Kip. She had always locke,
i upon the theater as a training schoo
r for the still lower regions. She wen
: to plays occasionally, but usually witt
s a feeling Of dissipation and worldll
ness. Besides it was one thing to Sc
: plays and another to act them.
$ Daphne tried to reason her mothe
E out Of her backwoods prejudices, bu
E she only frightened her the more. Mr.:
4 Kin retired to her room TO write a