Show I The T 1 s Daily t II Jimmys Jimmy's Preparedness By FANNY GRAY Copyright 1916 by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate Jimmy Benton was usher in the St Star r theatre He lIe had been part way through college and had had to stop because e of ot the necessity to earn more mone money The first job he took had been that of elevator boy in a summer hotel hotel hotel ho ho- tel but when the summer came to an end he found he must try to get get something something something some some- thing which would give him aim a f few w hours Murs off oft each day for tor study A playWright playwright playwright play play- wright who had been staying at the hotel and had become interested in the ambitious young man had spoken a word for him in the Star theatre and he had made good in his hip hi position so that after two months he had been promoted to be head usher ushr Thus he could study a part of the time tim and so hasten the day for taking up college work again There was more than one reason for his application to work and his desire to make something worth while of himself Louise Drake an attractive and desirable young girl who had been his boyhood love was watching his fight and he looked forward to the day when he might ask her to marry him For a while the work of usher was Interesting and listening to the plays was good fun But when a decided success settled down for tor an indefinite run this became monotonous Having an always active brain Jimmy cast about for some way to pass the time I lOne One da day he discovered that he had I heard the stars star's lines so often otten that he could anticipate almost every speech I This gave him a thought a-thought of something further to do He would memorize the part It was not very difficult arid aria ha having ng accomplished it he turned his attention to the part that interested him most next to that of the star It was that of ofa ofa ofa a young oung man who figured rather prominently in the play and was more or less Jimmys Jimmy's ideal of young man man- hood He became so absorbed in it that ho he frequently found himself standing standing standing stand stand- ing before his glass making malting the gestures gestures gestures tures to fit the lines as he had seen the actor do At the end of ot the third week weel it seemed to him he must know the play by heart and he began to wish that a new one would come along on which he might exercise his faculties One Saturday night the young actor a man named Langdon was taken violently violently violently vio vio- ill an hour before the performance perform perform- ance His understudy had been allowed al allowed allowed al- al lowed a leave of absence over Sunday and had Just left Ift town How could the Play go on The man in the box of- of of of- who ho knew face fice w- w who knew Jimmy and had had- had many a chat with him about his stunt of learning the different parts laid a as s seemingly absurd proposition before the manager and was criticised for his pains Twenty minutes later however the manager In n desperation reconsidered and sent for Jimmy For a half haIt hour he heard him say the lines and then asked him if he was afraid his nerve would give out Jimmy inwardly quaking said aid No Then he was hurried hurried hur hur- I hur-I ried to a dressing room The clothes I fitted and someone came and made him up The audience began to assemble Among them was v a girl who scanned the face of each usher evidently looking looking looking look look- ing for someone she knew Very evidently evidently evidently evi evi- dently disappointed she took her seat keeping her eyes however on the boys as they showed the people In At last the bell sounded the lights slowly grew dim and the audience settled settled settled set set- itself for the first act little knowing knowing knowing know know- ing that behind the scenes a young amateur actor was waiting for his cue with shaking knees and fast beating heart The most thrilling moment of Jimmys Jimmy's life was at hand and he felt he could not go through with wilh it Stage fright had seized him his courage ebbed away and he leaned against the scenery for support The manager close at hand alternately swore and encouraged The success of his evenIng evening even even- evening ing was at stake The cue came Jimmy more dead than alive stepped out on to the stage And behold With the first word of his part all embarrassment departed and confidence returned Only those who had seen the original actor in the part would have noticed anything unusual unusual unusual un un- un- un usual in inthe the rendering of it The curtain fell on the last act Inthe Inthe In Inthe the dressing room the manager grasped Jimmys Jimmy's hand Be in the office on Monday morning at 10 o'clock and well we'll talk things over Youre You're to have the part till Langdon gets well and by that time therell there'll be something else he said Too happy and excited to know he was tired Jimmy washed the grease greasepaint greasepaint greasepaint paint off and put put- put put-on on his own clothes as in a dream As he passed out the stage door the pretty girl who had so eagerly watched for some one in the theatre seized his arm Jimmy Jimmy I was there all the time Didn't you remember I was coming I looked for you and looked and then you came on the stage Oh Jimmy it was great I s r s sIt It was was great although it did not lead to college The money earned that season made It possible to begin the kind of study that w would uld develop the abilities of ot a growing young actor Uphill work it was sometimes but al always always always al- al ways steady And when after severa several years of hard work the night came on I which Jimmy saw his name emblazoned emblazoned embla embla- zoned in lights above the door of the Star theatre his thoughts went I embla-I back to that night in his past when preparEdness preparedness preparedness pre parE had enabled him to seize the opportunity knocking at his door And the pretty girl who had waited for him at the stage door that eventful night now sat proud and happy inthe inthe In Inthe the managers manager's box and applauded her actor husband as he achieved his star star- dom She too believes in preparedness prepared prepared- ness |