Evening star., 1922-12-31
Stubborn Stuart Was Manager.
in Thought, But Efficient
Bertha Won by Strategy.

means money In the box Office for a
stock company. and when he got his
first letter from vapid schoolgirl he
wouldn't have exchanged places with
Sir Henry Irving. He spent his spare
time in reading plays and studying
plays and devouring library books
about playwriting and the history Of
the theater: and II ever he could have
translated his knowledge into his per-
formances he would have been a greater
man than even the hero Of his ambi-
tions.
DENHAM'S letters were a poultice to
~ his vanity. but Office routine and
office gossip had never seemed so ba-
sically uninteresting, and Picard was
presently aware that he was sorry for
Benham. He was sorry for every one
who was tethered to a desk or en-
ployed in any profession less fascinat-
ing than his own. He never remotely
suspected that Benham's appraisal of him
was absolutely sound. and that the Lord
had never intended him to be an actor.
When the season was over. he con-
trived to get himself a place in sum-
mer stock at Portland Harbor. where
the tourist buys a round-triD trolley
ticket and a reserved seat In the or
chestra. all for 60 cents; and In the
ter price. for the Mohawk valley. II
he had been less innocen: Of the stage.
he might have been suspicious of
promotion: for it stood to reason that
no man of Picard's shallow training
was equipped to play Juvenile leads.
But he played them. and he worked
hard and faithfully; always studying
cover what were the elements of
good play and Of a good interpreta-
ton of a part. and the harder he
worked the easier he found 1t to lose
contact with Benham. Then notice
went up, and the company dishanded,
and Picard made his flrst acquaintance
with the fact that some theatrical
contracts have only one side.
His earliest reaction was Of pug
nacfty; so that he rushed to lawyer.
and talked excitedly about enforcing
his rights. 1t took a lawyer half a
day to persuade him that a suit
against a bankrupt is a waste of en-
ergy: but when Picard finally got the
axiom into his head he slowly per-
ceived that he could even use the mis-
fortune as stepping-stone. His
literary knowledge Of stagecraft was
becoming profound. his constant study
had given him certain sense of au-
thority. and he perceived that II
mi. [ actually be blessing to him
TO hunt for experience in d broader
field.
Now the stage depends for Its per
manence not upon the few ,distin-
guiished artists whose names are
written large upon the billing. but
upon the consistently steady average
of their support. Picard was just
good enough to make himself as qui-
niture. and this ability proved to have
a marketable worth. He went on the
road with a triumphant farce. and he
was admittedly the best informed
and also the poorest actor In the
cast. Subsequently, he was hired
to support a repertory queen who
didn't expect to be overshadowed by
any OF her subjects. and after that he
filled a stock engagement In Van
couver. His salary had now risen un-
til it equaled his last salary in the
insurance ONCE. but Picard's Jaw was
quite as firm as ever, and his fund of
dramatic Information was volumi-
for distinction and command. and he
had never forgotten the old platitude
that knowledge Is power; but some
how his craving and his labor and the
platitude couldn't ever seem to coin
eide. AS a matter Of fact. when he
had lost his original uncertainty,
which had appealed especially to wo-
men as native and lovable shyness.
he had lost the only hold that he
would ever have upon an audience.
IRON Vancouver he dlrfted down
4 tho coast to San Francisco. and
east to Denver for two busy seasons.
and cast again to Chicago. stiIl In
stock. and just as he finished his see
ond season In Chicago a New York
manager happened to see him in a
part. and overappre-
ciated him. and brought him back to
Broadway at $500 week. to play in a
comedy which was destined to run all
summer. Picard arrived in the me-
tropolis at II in the morning, and at
the quarter-hour he had sent in his
card to Benham.
The formalities Of the occasion
amused him, but. at the same time.
they impressed him. A uniformed
page delivered him over to a pretty
girl In a snug anteroom. and the girl
took his card and disappeared through
q door which gave glimpses of pol
lshed mahogany. When she returned
she said that Mr.. Benham was in con-
but would probably be free
within twenty minutes.
II haven't seen him for eight years"
said Picard, cor heard from him for
six. What Is he now. anyway"
He's fourth vice president" said
the girl, casually.
The revelation took Picard's breath
away: he sat down hard. and stared
at the Autographed calendars on the
wall. He wondered how long ago 1t
was that he had fallen ipto the habit
Of being sorry for Benham. To be
sure. Benham must be thirty-six.
while Picard was only thirty-two. and
yet, eight years ago, they had worked
side by side on a common footing.