Guy Hammersley; or, Clearing his Name — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

166 GUY HAMMERSLEY. is not certain, but he soon found himself telling bits of his own life history to Mr. Shepard, and thus the way was paved for him to broach the matter upon which he felt so much might depend. ‘‘Mr. Shepard,” he began suddenly, ‘‘ you just now said you wished you knew of something be- sides play writing in which you could interest youre self. I wonder if you are not the very person a small half-brother of mine would like to meet.” ‘<What do you mean?” exclaimed the other ex- citedly. ‘‘Give me something now, at once, to fill my thoughts in place of this dreadful fiasco, and you will merit my lasting gratitude. You see, my dear boy, the penalty of being born rich. One has got to have a fad to furnish himself with occupation, and when one of these fails him—as mine has just done —he must straightway find another, or die of ezzuz. Now tell me about this half-brother of yours.” ‘Well, I only make bold to mention the matter at all,” began Guy, ‘‘because you have some connec- fion with the theater, and I think therefore that you might be able to take an interest in Harold’s aspira- tions. He wants an opening to become an ‘infant phenomenon ; ’ in short, to play ‘Fauntleroy’! He knows the story by heart, and ever since he discov- ered an article in the paper telling how many chil- dren there were throughout the country playing the part of the little lord, and giving the amounts of the salary they received, he has been very anxious to get an opening somewhere, and do his share toward paying the family expenses.” ‘‘But has he really talent, do you think?” said Eomichooks (€(©) m