The $500 Check — page 259: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

240 THE $500 CHECK. hunting up another boy. If he did poorly, he - could limit his engagement to one evening. He was not at home behind the scenes, and at the outset came near tumbling through a trap door. He followed Orville to the general dressing-room, where the manager assisted him to attire himself in the costume provided for the newsboy. It is needless to say that it was not of a costly description, and would have been dear at a dollar and a half. ‘* Pll dress you first, and give you the lines afterward.”’ In five minutes Bert surveyed himself ina cracked mirror, and wondered if he were the same boy. Orville ruffled up his hair, taught him the free and easy walk of the typical news- boy, briefly instructed him in the ‘‘ business ”’ of the part, and then gave him his lines to commit. ‘Read them to me,”’ he said. ‘“‘I want to see if you’ve caught the spirit of the part.’’ Of course Bert needed a little coaching, but *‘caught on,’’ as Orville expressed it, with re- markable quickness, After a few minutes’ re- (E(@) AA G JOO S