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Show Ethel Barry-more Nervous. Miss Ethel Barrymore toi.i a friends re- cently that she was alwaya nervous, and ejpects that she Lw ivs will b nervous, when on the stage Th- re Is no such thing as an off night with her. She nlways acts at her best for She feels that to grow relesB In Lhe least In her work would show a lack of Interest and ambition. There was a time, however, when Miss Itarrvmore went upon the stag, without the slight, st trace of nervousness or at least so It seemed to her associates and Oddly enough ll was upon her llrst up-pearanoe, up-pearanoe, save for o few performances In tne company of Mrs. John Drew, Sr.. in Canada. Her unci... John Drew, was playing play-ing H.nrv Arthiii .lopes' pl.ee. "The Bauble Shop" al the Empire theater in New York when the actress who had be. n playing the part of Lady Pfenne. a part of some Importance, dropped out. Hie of the actors In the company tells the storv of how Rthcl Barrymore lumped in at Bhort notice and how she acquitted her-relf. her-relf. . . "We had been playing The Bauble Shop so long that all traces of nervousness had disappeared." he said, "but it nil came ba- k w h.n we n. ard lhat ;. ..rgie Pr. w -daughter Kt he! Barrymore practically without experience, was to play the pan. We .-n sympathised with the young gin who was going to make lo r ! but under such trying circumstances, and 1 can tell v., ii we fell a bit shaky, while hoping for the best. We couldn't help wondering how she would come through the ordeal. And that s the funny part ol it. When the time for her cue came the new actress romped out of her dreSSlng-room laughing. Wo v. . r- all ,.n edge, and here was this novice lacing an audi, to for the llrst time, without with-out a tremor. She crossed to the entrance whi re I was standing and walked on the stage with the utmost composure. She Wl nt through the plav as If she had boen before the footlights all h. r life, and wh.-n the play was over sh. was siim laughing and not the least Wl concerned. Perhaps it was the excitement thai kepi her up but to the old-timers in the cast her ease and cr mposure on this occasion were Burprls- Since that memorable day Miss Barrv-u Barrv-u or- lias often l.dd her frl-nds. with a let h. that If she fooled the other people In the company with an assumed compost. compo-st. re. she did not fori herself, and as a matter Of facl WSS very much concerned is to how sin would get through the perform. per-form. inc. |