Work and Win #07: Fred Fearnot as Actor — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

ig A — 19 ine th fast before supper Fred met Nellie and told her of he role that had been assigned him by the manager for that particular play. Oh, my!” she exclaimed, §‘ Frank will raise an awf ul row mons that, for we have play od it together ‘many a time.’ _ “ Well, he must raise the row with the manager, E “not with me. I will have the linessmemorized by to- morrow afternoon, I guess, when we must have a bit of a rehearsal, for 1 see I have to kiss you about a half dozen times, and naturally my mouth is just | watering to get at it.” a **Oh, there’s no fun in stage kissing,’’ she laughed. “Tt guess I can throw some fun into it,’ he re- Y plied. « Well, whatever you do, don’t go to kissing me ‘on the hair or neck, for I can’t stand that, ta Ly ‘member that you’re not to eat onions for supper.’ - Thus chatting merrily they entered the supper room, and there at the table the news went round of the change that had been made by the manager. - There was am angry flash in Gale’s eyes when it reached him. He was the leading man of the com- pany, engaged to play the leading role during the 3 trip, so he sought the manager as soon as he left the 4 to take his place in the play of the lover. _ “Yes,’? answered Hammond, ‘I thought it best to give him that place, while you are to continue, as before, in all the others.” «But your contract with me was that I was to play ‘ the leading role during the trip.”’ _ ** Very true, and the contract also stated that you were to have the pay of the leading man of the com- pany, and that part, which is the most important, Ill keep to the strict letter; but I want to use Fearnot in that play, to find out i he has the stuff of a good -actorinhim. It is to be played only twice in Min- - neapolis, and whenever that piece is on you can are a rest, while at the same time drawing your pay.’ _ «That doesn’t suit me,’’ said Gale. “I insist upon. playing the role myself, according to contract.” «< Now, see here, Gale, it won’t pay you to do that ‘way. You must remember there is a provision in the contract that a week’s notice can be given by either side to terminate the contract. If 1 am willing to * pay you your salary and let you sit in the audience during the rest of the trip, why shouldn’t you allow me to do so, if I think it’s to my interest to have it | that way.”’ «Simply because it would be damaging to my repu- tation to have my place taken from me and given to someone else, and I simply won’t have it.”’ . «« Well, all right,’’ said Hammond, “inside of ten * minutes I’Jl place a written notice in your hand, ter- minating our contract at the end of a week,’’ and _ with that the manager turned and walked away from y him, leaving him in a rage. Some ten or fifteen minutes later the manager met “hir 1 ooze aoe in the presence of Sam Innes, handed | table, and asked him if it was true that Fearnot was ! him a written notice of the termination of the con- tract, to go into effect one week from that day. Gale weakened, and, after reading the note, said to Hammond: *‘T’ve thought the matter over and have decided te be satisfied to have the thing go as you wish.”’ “It is too late, now, Frank,’’ replied Hammond. “You can never play for me again. You’re one of those kind of fellows who take delight in giving man- agers trouble. I’m inthis business for what money there is in it for me, and not to satisfy the vanity of any man or woman.’’ Gale was thunderstruck; for he had flattered him- self with the idea that thé company couldn’t get along : without him, and now that he saw his mistake, he y was willing to continue’in any position to which he ; might be assigned, and he again proposed to work anywhere the manager saw fit to place him. ‘“No,”? said Hammond, shaking his head; “I wouldn’t pay you five cents a week as usher. You have given me more trouble than any performer I ever had, and yet I have paid you a great deal of money and never kept you waiting twenty-four hours for it when due.”’ The other members of the company were very much. surprised when they heard that the leading man had been sacked, and some of them were apprehensive that disaster would follow, because Gale was really a good actor, although afflicted with an overweening vanity concerning his ability. Innes and the cynic naturally expected that they would be promoted to fill the places that had been. assigned to the leading man, and both went to Ham- mond about it. ‘““Now, see here,’’ said Hammond, ‘‘I’m in this: business, as I have told you a hundred times before, for what money there is in it for me, and I now serve notice on each and everyone of ‘you, that the first time there’s any kicking done against any changes L see proper to make, the kicker will receive notice of dismissal from the company at the end of one week.. I don’t know who | will put in some of the leading roles, but I intend to use my own judgment in the matter, and will not submit to any annoyance from anybody on account of it. I hold that you must ke. satisfied as long as I comply with the financial part: of my contract with you. I may place Fearnot in other leading roies. It depends altogether on how he acquits himself in the one to which I have assignee : him. Ihave telegraphed to Minneapolis and to Chi- . + » a © | cago for the address of Tom Miller, and if I can find him, he will meet us in Minneapolis to take Frank’s place temporarily.” That night they played to a full house, and as the patriot spy, Fred made even a greater hit than on the night before, for he had instructed the young patriot girl about a chase around the stage for the space of a couple of minutes, before making an exit, during which time Fred was to hold the soldiers at bay with his rifle after shooting one of them down. The soldiers were to attempt to shoot him, but the Cconnicloooks. conn