Work and Win #07: Fred Fearnot as Actor — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

9 2) FRED FRARSOT » ~ i ee ACTOR. ren. AS AN —- frankly told her how it happened, and that he had sent it to her through Nellie asa loan; ‘‘for Nellie had told him a secret I had confided to her, about my mother writing to me for money to save her from being put out on the street by the landlord. I was crying over it, because I didn’t have the money to send, as Mr. Hammond had refused to advance my salary one week. When he heard it he gave Nellie fifty dollars for me asaloan. I’ll never forgive her for speaking of it.” : ‘lt was a mean thing in her to do,’’ remarked Mrs. Hammond, ‘* but I thought I ought to speak to you about it and find out ifitis true. I’m now going to ask Fred about it, not that I doubt what you have told me, but because I think it best to let him know that I know all about it.” T’ve no objection to that,” said Gussie, ioe he told me after the fire that if I had need of a brother I would find one in him, and ever since then he has been like a brother to me, and at the same time as much a gentleman as any man | ever met.”’ When Mrs. Hammond spoke to Fred about it, he asked her how she found it out, and she frankly told him how she got hold of it. ‘<“Now, look here, Mrs. Hammond,’’ said Fred, ‘did she tell you this thing for the purpose of low- ering Gussie in your estimation or not ?”’ 99 ‘““Oh, she seems to be very ugly towards Gussie, but what it’s about I don’t know.’’ S|“ Woll,. 1° do. made a success of her role, and spiteful jealousy is at the bottom of it. Now, Gussie is a good girl, if ever there was one in the world. She sends home every cent of her salary to her invalid mother, and when I heard that I made up my mind that she could have every dollar in my pocketbook if she needed it. My father is worth millions, and I can get all the money I want. I am in this thing sim- ply for the enjoyment of it—not because I care a snap for the pay. I will not play the lover again with Nellie Traynor, so whenever that piece is put on the boards you can count me out, unless Gussie plays the woman init. She has more talent than any girl in the company, but that I would be sorry to have you repeat, for I don’t wish to hurt the feelings of anyone. If Mr. Hammond will give me a chance I will prove to him that she has the best talent of his whole combination.”’ Several days passed and Nellie reported herself able to go on the stage again and that night she per- formed her part well, as the heroine in the Revolution- ary play, with her old time skill and vigor, but the next morning she was told that on account of her recent illness, two performances a day would be over taxing her strength, and that Gussie would continue to play the sweetheart in “‘ The Lovers.”’ That threw her into a rage, and she went to Gus- sie’s room and raised such a row that the little brunette fled to Mrs. Hammond for protection. “Great Scott, Fred !’’ exclaimed Terry, “there’s “HANDSOME HARRY.” She has heard that Gussie has’ war between the blonde and the brunette, and ILL be my salary that you’re the cause of it.’ ‘‘Have they had a quarrel ?”’ Fred asked. ‘Quarrel! I guess they’ve had a fight, and the little girl had to retreat.’’ a «Sorry to hear A mae if Gussie wants any help she can get it from me.’ ‘“You keep out of it,’? laughed Terry. «Never | take part im Ts woman’s fight, You'll get your haa : pulled sure.’ e “Well, Pll tell you, old man, I expected this, for there is a streak of jealousy in the blonde as big as a _— fence rail. I told Mrs. Hammond that Gussie made a better sweetheart in the play of ‘The Lovers” than | Nellie did, and suggested that she be bere tog continue to play that role in the future.’ ‘*Ah! There you are,”’ laughed Terry. ‘I thoughéll you were at the bottom of it. You’d better write your epitaph and let me have it beforehand, so I can make sure that it goes on your tombstone, for there’ Sh Indian blood in that blonde, as sure as you live,”’ That evening, before they went to the theater, — Elsie Warner placed a note in Fred’s hands, and on~ opening it he found it was from Nellie, simply asking 4 him if it was true that he had requested that Gussie — should take her place in the play of ‘“‘ The Lovers.” He answered it, saying: “Yes, it is true, and in return permit me to asia you if it is true that you reported to Mrs. Hammond that Gussie had received money from me, and hint-— ing that she was not all right ?”’ ; The reply crushed Nellie completely, for she under — stood from that moment that through her jealous) ” anger she had forever lost the respect of the oni young man she ever cared anything about. It mad her ill again for several days, but a complete change | had come over her, and she no longer had any dis- — paraging remarks to make about Gussie or anyone else. What pained her most, however, was that Fred sent her no messages inquiring for her health, seeming to ignore her very existence. In the meantime Fred was winning tremendous ap- plause from admiring audiences twice a day. People | seemed never to tire of his songs, his exhibition of — ventriloquism and his superb acting. Nightly crowds came over from St. Paul, and such was the interest excited by his success in both plays, that the manager canceled still further engagements in country towns and hired a theater in St. Paul for three weeks, performances to begin there immedi-. ately after the termination of his engagement in‘ Minneapolis. ‘ On recovering her health again, Nellie Traynor re- sumed the role of the heroine in the Revolutiona play, and Fred treated her with all the kindnesS and — consideration that was possible for any man todo. She was quiet and reserved, but always had a smile for him and a kind word for everybody. She was Be her utmost to win back his confidence. - When the engagement yeomi St. cbooks.cc tol