Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-30

ARTISTIC. talented, refined ladies'
wanted by Alexander Light to
study, rehearse and play parts in his
Shakespearean repertoire; evening
rehearsals; good salary after profess
sional tryout in May for the right
character; send references. Apply
by letter only, care The Coming Show
Magazine, Hotel Savoy, New York.
A FEW weeks after this advertisement
~ had appeared in certain Now York
papers two men presented them.
selves at the desk Of the Savoy and in.
CURED for Mr.. Light. They were Inspector
Honvery. OF the Postoffce Department.
and Detective McGlynn.
Mr.. Light appeared in a cutaway coat,
lavender striped trousers. q silk hat. pearl.
gray spats. He carried a silver-headed
cane. iUs walk carried on the best tradi-
lions OF The school OF the elder Booth
The two approached him. "Mr. Light?"
they asked.
Eyes. gentlemen. am Alexander Light
say. rather. Alexander the Son OF Light,
for that Is the English Of our ancient
Armenian name. But you have the ad-
vantage OF me, sirs"
Thus spoke the majestically stepping
person In measured. sonorous tones
The two men had the advantage OF him,
correctly enough. They told Mr. Light so.
They informed him that he was under
arrest.
Certain pupils" Of Mr.. Light. In fact,
10 LIT. A.
he had promised to turn them into foot
light stars for minimum price Of $50 up
to n maximum Of some hundreds. This,
they said. he had guaranteed TO do in a
few months. They had paid their money.
but still were far from stardom. Indeed,
they had never even gotten behind the
footlights in any capacity. They wanted
the police to find out why. Hence this
encounter OF Messrs. Honvery and Nc
Glynn with Mr.. Light.
Mr.. Light did not get excited or protest
his innocence or depart from his attitude
OF immense calm and by these tokens In
spector Honvery and Detective McGlynn
say they suspected that he had been ar.
rested before. This. they allege. Mr.. Light
admitted. BE informed them. they say.
that he had been arrested on similar
charges in st. Paul. st. Louis. Milwaukee.
Chicago and Boston. His real name, he
said. was Gadzakian.
While investigating the complaints
against Light the authorities found typi-
cal case Of his methods OF instruction. they
say. in the experiences OF Miss Sibyl Hall.
OF New York. Miss Hall is clever, good
looking girl OF fine antecedents; she is a
painter Of considerable skill. Her mother.
the widow OF the late Charles Mason Hall.
is the author Of a volume OF poems now in
process OF publication. and Miss Sfbyl's
sister is musician.
I'VE live quiet. rather secluded life."
said Mrs. Hall. land the idea OF fraud
never occurred to US. Mr. Light adver-
tised for artistic. talented. refined ladies'
and we reasoned that a man who laid
stress on refinement must himself be re-
fined. Besides. he wanted players for
Shakespearean company. We would not
have considered an advertisement for
chorus girls, but Shakespeare-that was
different.
$50 we decided to answer the advertise
ment. Sibyl wrote to Mr.. Light that she
thought she would prove worthy of his
training. and that with enough practice
she might eventually be able to play a
small part In his forthcoming productions
Sbyl thought 1t was audacious even to
mention herself to such great parsonage
rs we thought Mr.. Light must be, but
everyone always said Sibyl had talent.
after the letter was mailed sAbyl said
she wished she hadn't written 1t She
said that she would not get an answer,
Mr.. Light would not even consider such
n novice. She thought. she was foolish.
even to think OF It!
$50 we were astonished, embar.
rassed. when Mr.. Light himself made his
appearance the next morning. He wore
a silk hat. cutaway. spats. cane. bouton.
nier-he was very imposing. Sibyl was
fused. as she called It. TO think that the
great man had called upon her in person.
and SO soon after she had written the
letter."
Mrs. Hall and Miss Sibyl received Light
HE was very elegant and leisurely,"
Mrs Hall continued. land he delayed men.
tioning the object OF his call. while he
made pleasant remarks about the weather
Than, as Sibyl was speaking about some.
thing or other. he Interrupted.
"Ah. that voice, Miss Hall; that charm
Ing, bell-like voice. Marvellous, simply
marvellous! think-yes-I feel sure
taat after a course OF lessons W.T. me