The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-03-04
GNENDOLIRS HISTRIOAIC
TALENT

Copyright. The Frank A. Munsey Company
GwendoIin and Jim sat on the last
step but one Of the vine-coyered YER
anda, looking out across the meadow
listening to the tinkle of the cow-bells.
1t verged upon twilight. There was
tinge of orange in the sky, above it
lavender melting into purple. Above
the purple shone the evening star
Il like to sit out here with you,
JIM" said Gwendolin at last, ''but
can't stay any longer just now. I
must go in and get ready for the
church sociable. am going to recite
'Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight, you
know"
Jim arose regretfully and left her.
AS he scaled the fence and walked
slowly across the meadow to the
tinkle of the cow-beIls, he felt in his
heart of hearts foreboding as to
the reciting of the "Curfew Shall Not
Ring Tonight at the church sociable.
And well he might. A visitor from
New York sat there listening to the
recitation. Visitors from New York
often play havoc in little country
towns. This one did. At the finish
of the recitation meaning to be
pleasant, perhaps, and nothing more
he remarked:
"She has histrionic talent, that
grit"
The remark reached Gwendolin's
ears, and then and there commenced
the trouble. She must go to New
York. She must study for the stagel
Now, Gwendolin lived with an aunt
who was, above all, practical.
''If you go to New York on a Wild
goose chase like that, said her aunt.
81 wash my hands of you"
What did Gwendolin Of the histri-
onic talent care for the washing CT
hands, in spite of the fact that tho
aunt was her sole dependence, her
father and mother being dead? A
girl with histrionic talent should be
able to make her own way in the
world, shouldn't she?
So Gwendolin went to New YerA
with very Iittle money in her pocket
great hope in her heart, and the mem.
cry OF tear in gtm's eye. sac siao
remembered his last wor1s, which
were these:
'Take care of yourself. Gwen: e%
il you need anything you know waere
am"
Gwendolin found that there we're
IN New York other giils-Inany ether
girls -passessed Of htstlioric talent
She found some few in the furnished
room house In which she had gelect-
ed a hall bedroom about five by ten
feet IN dimension, She found more
OF them hanging about the offices of
managers in search of work.
She was very different from most
OF those who waited in the Offices;
and at length her freshness of COM
plexion and manner attracted the at
tention of a manager, who gave her
small walking pn part It wasF a
shade better than carrying q spear,
ringing down the curtain. OF beating
a rat-a-tat-tat in the rear of the stage
in imitation Of the hurrying feet of
the horses.
But Gwendolin was unable to earn
her salt by playing this part. silent
as it was She heard of a new actress
who was to put on new play, called
sThe Melancholy Maid" With about
ffty other applicants, she made her
way to this actress, and again being
recommended by her freshnss of
beauty, manner and complexion had
the good fortune to be engaged at
fifteen dollars week to play small
part-a speaking part! Gwendolin
was to have five lines in the comedy.
She was to rehearse these lines for
six weeks; then the play might come
off, or 1t might moi.
She went regularly twice day to
rehearsal She learned her lines well
One was II refused" Another was
when shall we buy the trosseau?"
The third was "Will you have tea or
coffee?'' The fourth and fifth have
forgotten matters little so
long as fswandolin Femembered them,
Needless to say that Gwendolin,
helped by her histrionic talent and a
fairly good memory. succeeded in
learning these lines in couple of
days-or three, at most Then, hay
ing unlimited time at her dispasal,
she was permitted, at her earnest
solicitation. to understudy the part OF
the star
Now, all this happened in winter;
and in New York, as elsewhere, win
ter brings SHOWS and cold rains.
awsndoiin tFpaged back and forth,
back and forth, from the theater to
her little hall bedroom on the fourth
floor, which was not too well heated.
in shoes that were beginning to be
worn. She was not boarder in the
house, or she might have Jared bet
ter in the matter of eating; for when
you are boarder you can keep on
eating for time, at least whether
you pay your board or not. Moreover
the more you owe her. the less likely
is the landlady to forcibly eject you.
Gwendolin haunted the places
where food is cheap, or cooked a bite
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