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Show . ; r ; ; IT WAS BY CHANCE,., 1 ' r How a KBTodte Snubrette Came to fio On the Stage From Flower Girl Onward. "Isn't it interesting to think of the slight incident in one's Jife- on- which hinges one's career?" said bright Nellie McHenry the other day. "Now, my being be-ing an actress is purely the result of -an unforeseen incident. One day I was on my way home front school and mot Bill Wiggins, at that time the comedian in Ben De Bar's theatre, St. Louis;- and who occupied the same house with my parents. par-ents. Said Wiggins to me:' ; " 'Where are you going, little Nellie? " 'This is a half holiday, and Pm going to play with some girls,' said I. " 'Were you ever in a theatre? inquired in-quired he. " 'No; but I would like to.' " 'Well, come along,' lie replied, and off we started to the theatre. "It appeared that Mr. Wiggins was on his way to a rehearsal, and when we reached the theatre everything was at sixes and sevens. Feuillot'S play of a 'Romance of a Poor Young Man' was in rehearsal, and Mr. Lawrence Barrett was cast for the head. The child who was to have played the flower girl had been detained at home because of the illness of her inother-both of us were St. Louis girls, it appears. Well, Mr. Barrett espied es-pied me standing at the entrance." Turning Turn-ing to Mr. De Bar, who was at that time on tho stage, he said: 'Whose child is that? "; , 7 . ' " " 'You've got me. I don't know, It struck me as she might possibly do the flower girl. The other child is absent, and I suspect she doesn't know her part, anyway.' ' "I heard every word of tho conversation, conversa-tion, and observed Mr. Barrett nod, his head, stroke his chin and walk toward me. " 'My child, can you read? he commenced, com-menced, eying me kindly and taking me by the band, " 'Y-yes, sir.' " 'Well, come here and read this part f,K mA ..rtfl U . . .-. uw, U..V4 v I f W1UI JUU ait? LU read as though you were taliiug to a little lit-tle friend. Never think for a moment of your surroundings, but put yourself in the place of the little flower girl. Now, my little girl, commence, and be as natural nat-ural as possible. Remember, you are no one else than the flower girl.' "So off I started on the manuscript, reading as naturally as possible, and using my best efforts to prevent my legs from trembling beneath me. Finally I mustered up courage enough to go ahead in an assuring way, and finished as proudly proud-ly as if it were my debut, and I had finished fin-ished to the fifth curtain call. "Every one applauded, and Mr. Barrett Bar-rett patted me on the cheek, accompanied accom-panied by a word or two of encouragement. encourage-ment. " 'Can't you study those lines and come here to-night and speak them as you have read them?' be asked. . "Certainly, sir." " 'Well, you may go now. Study your part well, and come back to-night and you can act.' ; ., "I can never forget how I posed over my part. Taking a position before the glass, with my part in one hand, the arm outstretched and the other as free as possible, pos-sible, I gestured and read and expressed. When the time came to leave home for the theatre I ' laid my manuscript aside for a few momenta to snatch a bite of food. In those, few moments the lines I had worked so hard on had taken wings and my memory was a blank. With the tears streaming down my cheeks I seized the little book, pored through it and soon had the part pat. "I arrived at the theatre long before the time for the performance, and slowly went through the lines over and over. As the time drew near for the curtain and during the overture my heart, which had long before began thumping my ribs, continued to pit-a-pat faster than ever. Observing roj Btaudiug and twitching nervously in , the wings, Mr. Barrett walked slowly up and in his quiet and reserved manner said: . " 'You need not be afraid to speak too naturally, my child. Put yourself in tho place of the part you play, and if you ever adopt the sUg1), never forget this' and I never did. ' "As I w-u en' 'rely ignorant of the time to go on, some one whispered in my ear in the middle of the scene: 'Now's your ! time, Nellie. When you've finished your part, turn about and walk off.' So on I went, ind nover faltered in a line. All tho people in tho company praised mo warmly, and thair encouraging words knocked all school out of me. Every time I saw Mr. Do Bar and I made it a point to see him often my inquiry for a position in his company would be the first thing. His reply would always be: Oh, go liome and grow, Nellie; you're too small.' At last the opportunity arrived, ar-rived, and you know the rest." Boston Globe |
