Frank Merriwell's Fame — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

i TIP TOP WEEKLY. 3 easy to satisfy an audience of such taste and intelligence; and, having satisfied you, it now seems absolutely certain that the piece will be successful on the road.” “Take it to New York,” cried the same loud speaker in the audience. “Give them something worth seeing there.” “Tt is hardly probable that I shall be able to follow your “Thank you,” smiled Merry. advice, but still it is impossible to foretell what may happen. The play was written for a road piece, and if it succeeds as such I shall be satisfied. It is my first attempt at play- writing, and so it is possible I may be able to do something better in the future. Again thanking you for your patronage and more than kind reception of the play, and hopmg to meet you all again at some future time, we will now prepare for the final act, which I trust will meet with your approval, as have those preceding it.” The little speech was conventional in many ways, but it satisfied the audience, and was, perhaps, all that could have been expected of Frank under the circumstances and. on such short notice. Anyway, the audience gave him another rousing burst of applause, and Havener com- plimented him when he retired behind the curtain. “You did it like an old stager, Merriwell,” he said. _ “Tam afraid I did,” laughed Frank. “Afraid?” myes.” “Why, what * “T tried to think of something new and original to say, but all I could seem to think of sounded exactly like other speeches I have heard made before the curtain.” “Oh, that’s it. Well, you were shaking all over when you went out; but you rattled it off as easy as falling down, and that was: re- What a Nasty Mass That Was That Gagged His Mouth. markable, considering everything. It is hard- ly probable that the audience expected you to be original in an impromptu speech, so what’s the difference.” Folansbee came up and shook Frank’s hand. ‘“Merriwell,” he said, “you’re a dandy. You can’t object to having your name on the ad- vertising now., I am going to see that it is put on. There, there! I will have my way in this. It’s the first time since we went at the piece. I am supposed to be the man- ager, but, up to date, I have done nothing but say yes to all your plans and proposals. - You have done the managing. Now, at least, I am going to have a little something to say. Your name goes on all the house pro- grammes as author after this, and on all the That is settled.” It was rather surprising to hear Folansbee new paper we may secure. assert himself in such a positive manner about anything, but Frank noted that the man’s breath smelled of liquor and his face was flushed. Evidently he had been “cele- brating” the success of the opening night. There was one person in the company who did not seem genuinely enthusiastic over the reception the play had been given, and that was Perey Lockwell. Lockwell had been taken into the com- pany at the earnest solicitation of Folansbee. He was a friend of Philip Scudder, an un- principled scoundrel who tried to steal the manuscript of Frank’s play in St. Louis. Frank had not liked Lockwell, and he had accepted the fellow at Folansbee’s solicita- tion, hoping Percy might prove so rank that he would have a good excuse in dropping him and filling his place with another man. But Lockwell was a really good actor in his line, as Frank was forced to acknowledge not to himself, and so the fellow was dropped. See True Blue No. 30, oofe) —