New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-24
Chance Tossed
Miss Mortiil,,e,
Into a Lead
A Railroad Wreck Pitch. i
Her Out of Small Il
Into a Prominen, B. b.

gushing young bride who name. 'as
bedevil all the married COUPLES : :, .
Msrried' at the shubert rheats, '.''
knowiedged the other evening tts,t &
first rise TO prominence VIZ, h.
about almost wholly by chance 81
Il had been playing in sto.,
three unbroken years" said Me-, "
timer. land, besides being tirsS ~ .
thought I'd like to play on Bro.a. !
'Farlor, Bedroom and Bath, W..
hearsing in Chicago. and bs.,.
would so Immediately to New " .
So ! applied for an engagement W.
told there was straight ingenue w.
but that it was a beastly one, ard =.
wouldn't like it, aad nei,hsr -.
any one else. And the salary. II y.
don't mind, was to $50 week
"of course l was revolted by II. =,
ary, and said SO. you can take !, :.
leave it, said the man who w.,
ploying me. Well, it was a ebs,..
get to New York, 50 l took it. H.
were right about the part; it We,
miserable one. But after | had
hesrsed all three acts II s.da,.s
dawned on me that my part was nav. !.
Importance to the lead. For sN .
week! l went to friend of min. :.
the organization, and by dint Of tal.;,.
fast / got $50. But there nv saI,s
stuck fast and l couldn't budge !, ia
dynamite.
With Fate Sitting
Out Front in Orchestra
well, we opened in Chicago. ard 7
settled down to the usual routine On,
night we were told that Mr.. Leo M,
richstein and his manager were sittr,
out front. / ask you 4 keep that !,
mind because it has bearing on vb,,
came late& At the time it mean,
nothing to me except that celebrates
actor was out front watching u.s. II
happens occasionally and / though
nothing Of it.
"a few days later received WAND
from a very dear friend Of mine i,
Lafayette, Ind, that she had lust had
L perfectly new baby and that must
come down at once for the christening
SO / left my mother in Chicago and
down to Lafayette l went. It's about
three hours run out of Chicago, 50 I
caught train at 4 in the morning. got
there at Z, was godmother at The
christening, and took a o'clock trsIp
back to Chicago in order to be in tine
for my evening performance, which Wa,
at $3.50.
Until about 4 o'clock everythiD,
went we'll. Then. in the middle Of 4
dreary stretch of farm land, the en-.
gine went dead. We lay there for Al
hour, and l began to get more nerou,
by the minute. At 5 another eneln.
was attached to the train, and every.
thing went swimmingly until about s.
Then the second engine failed. b.
this time was frantic. The minutss
flew by, but the train never budged
Then / began to cry. l knew I'd never
be IN for the performance, and slso
knew if 1 didn't I'd get my notice. To
make things worse it began to rain and
IN half an hour from the time it starr.
ed 1t was slushing against the window,
and roaring on the roof OF the car
had only light suit on and no pro.
lection of any kind from the weather
Another Job Was
Waiting in the Rain
Finally, after what seemed ages. We
began to limp in. The porter, after
oeseeched him a dozen times to tell
me If we'd be in time, took pity on
my tears and told me I'd better get of
at Englewood and taxi in because the
train wouldn't reach the Union station
before o'clock at the earliest. So
when the train passed EnglewoOd-
very slowly-the porter helped ME of
into the driving, swishing rain, witt
the tears and the water running down
my face and dripping off my chin
There was not a taxi to be had any
where. Then | dug up an old man VINO
said his son always had his horse ant
carriage at the depot and he'd take
me in. But on that night of all nights
the son wasn't there. When l stag
gered into the theater the curtain wa'
just going up and the understudy
was on. Then I tainted.
Il knew I'd get my notice and hsd
no money and no job. went bach
to the hotel and there | was told
gentleman wanted to speak 10 me.
didn't want to speak to him OF to any
body, but when finally consented, wao
was it but Mr. Ditrichstein He had
come specially to see me that nign'
and now offered ME the feminine leaa
in The King!' Oh, yes, took il, ana
l cried myself to sleep in sheer rel'el'
$50 that's the story Of what cnah''
did for me. 1t nearly wrecked h'
nerves, but it was worth it.