The Argosy, August 1905 — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

thence penetrated to the outside world, that the audiences which crowded the Gaiety were largely “ paper,” and that very little real money was coming In at the box-office. And as this gossip was passed along it rapidly magnified into a story that the production was a complete failure, that its backer was about to withdraw its support, and that a speedy collapse Was imminent. Now. if it be true that “ Half of suc- cess is the appearance of success,” no less is the contrary an undeniable fact, and these rumors and reports soon be- gan to react upon the business of “ Ring-Around-a-Rosy ” in a most de- pressing fashion. * Oh, den’t let’s go to see that,” pro- tested the public. ‘ They say it’s on its last legs, so it can’t amount to much. Let’s go to ‘The King’s Houpla’ in- stead.” ; Even those who Had seen the play and had formerly been most vociferous in commending it now turned face and discovered that it was lacking in inter- est. “ Rather pleasing in parts, you under- stand,” was their revised comment; “but hardly up to the standard of a Broadway production, don’t you know?” Henderson, unable to account for the sudden turn of the tide, ramped about the office like a veritable demon of unrest and kept constantly plodding Blevins up to increased endeavors. “Tt’s all your fault,” he would aver, scowling savagely at the unfortunate press agent and garnishing his state- ments with a string of dowble-jointed ex- pletives. “If you had been attending to business instead of loafing on me for three straight months this would never haye happened.” But, worst of all, Blevins was no lon- ger able to secure the insertion of the “copy ~ which he so madly ground out. Fyen the Sunday notice was shorn of the glittering adjectives which had for- merly passed unchallenged, and now ap- peared merely as a curt announcement that “ Ring-Around-a-Rosy ” would inue at the Gaiety for at least an- Fw THE ARGOSY. lures in front of the Ccramatie editors, he concocted fictions of such verisimili- tude that eyen the most doubting of Thomases should have believed; but it was all in vain. Not a nibble rewarded his efforts. At last, Henderson, out of patience, called him sharply to book. * Look here,” said the manager, with withering sarcasm, “don’t you think it would be rather nice to have our show mentioned just once in a while in the newspapers? I have heard that some press agents occasionally find time from their other arduous labors to do a litile of that sort of thing, and although I wouldn’t for the world encroach on your valuable time, I thought possibly you, too, might find leisure to get us up a line or so.” Then, cutting loose from persiflage, he launched forth into a flow of invec- tives which surpassed all previous ef- forts, and left Blevins limp and gasping in his chair. “I don’t want to hear any more ex- cuses,” he concluded grimly. “ It’s up to you, and you'll make good to-day or there’ll be another man behind that desk to-morrow morning.” Of his earnestness there could be no doubt; and when the press agent was finally able to pull himself together and review the situation he was obliged to confess that the prospect could not well look more desperate. To be discharged from his present position as incompetent would give him a black eye from which he could hardly hope to recover. It meant a long fare- well to his New York career—at the best, a recourse to the arduous and pre- carious life upon the road. Yet what could he do? He had pulled every editorial string which lay to his hand, had exercised his inventive faculties to their full bent; and all to no purpose, even while he had plenty of time at his command. . But now he was abruptly ordered to score a hit upon the moment, and as an alternative was threatened with imme- diate dismissal. “ Why, it’s rank idiocy to a ip protested. 2. shouts. ats comicbooks.com