Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-07-16
CHAPTER x-Continued.

Miss Kelnble went forward to
1t and said: 'Pm 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 century,
and was now established as a 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 glazing brilliance.
"Places, please, for the entrance.
Ready? AL right, EldOnw
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
Ter, walked across and opened an
imaginary door between two chairs
This was the cue for Miss Kembles
famous "How do you do?"
Everybody waited and watched for
the newcomer to make her debut in
the new world. Then was a silence
Daphne stood with heels screwed to
the floor and tongue glued to the root
of her mouth.
"All right, Miss Kip" said Patterson
with ominous patience. "Come on
come on, please"
Another silence, then Daphne
laughed and choked. "Pm awfully stu
pid. I've forgotten the line"
Patterson CRASHED his unlighted eli
gar and growled: "Howjado! How
jado!"
"Oh, yes! Thank you. I'm sc
Borry!" said Daphne, and walked or
at the wrong side of the chairs.
Everybody shuddered to realize thai
ghe 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 you"
A sigh went through the vast pro
found and void Of the empty theater
Instinct told even the echoes tina
Daphne did not belong and never coulC
belong. Patterson groaned, tragically
mot to the butler, please! DON
say How are your to the butler
Don't say How are your to anybody
please. Script says 'HowjadoT Sa,
3HowjadoY to Mr.. Eldon there. Sa.
sHowjado' to Mr.. Eldon there"
"How do you dof" said Daphne
bowling to Eldon and speaking with
soullessness of a squeezed doll.
Eldon rose, folded up his imaginar
paper, and came forward with a pity
Eng desire to help her. He hoped tina
the scared little Kip woman would wi
Through the same bitter trials to tn
same perilous and always endangere
success. But he had a fear.
He delivered her his line with be
nevolent gentleness. He waited, the
gave her her line with exquisite tao
She did not repeat it after him. II
said to her:
Don't be afraid; you're all right.
He gave her the line again and sh
parrOted it after him. She leape
then to a speech several minutes fa1
Their on. He drew her back to the cue
pardon me, but think have lin
before that"
The rehearsal Numbered on. It wa
not Daphne's fright that disturbe
the rest. 1t was her complete failur
to suggest the character, or any cha
acter.
But Patterson found nothing I
amuse him, eEd Reben tasted thu
dust and ashes of disappointmer
with which theatrical managers al
70 familiar when they bite on tn
Dead sea fruit of beauty without DIR,
matte talent.