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Show H MY FJRST HIT 1 By William Faversham. Hf I pHE most significant moment of Hjf I my career was on the night Hf when Bronson Howard's play, "Aris- Hf tocracy," was first produced by H -Charles Frohman in New York. Hrj We had a splendid cast, but things H did not go very well at rehearsals, so Hu I threw up my part and decided to H leave the stage forever. I even ca- H4 bled a cousin of mine and secured a H position in Calcutta, but Paul Arthur, HK a member of the company, to whom I H confided my plans, urged mo to recom- H sider my decision. We sat up half the H night discussing the proposition. He i called me a fool and said I was going lo make tho success of my life as Prince Emil in tills play. When H" Charles Frohman heard my dotermina- Hji tion, he sent for me and the difficul- H ' ties with tho author which had start- B I ed my dissatisfaction were patched up. iH The following Monday night I made H ' my appearance as Prince Emil, after Hj having had no sleep for forty-eight hours, but I was young and lack of sleep did not mean much to me. Mr. ' Arthur was right. It was the first success of my life. I shall never for- i get that night. I think it must be I , something which every actor feels ! ' when he finds for the first time he has ! reached "there." I scarcely realized it H I 1 1 at the time. I seined to be dazed and Hf tho kind congratulations of the actors H I camo as in a dream. II I left the theatre feeling very tired, II with no particular ambition in life I II stepped into a cigar store to get II something to smoke, and while I was IP lighting a cigarette, I heard some one IKj quite near me say: "That young man II is made for life. It's one of those l ' v rare first-night successes which sweep an actor to fame." Someone replied: 111 , "Yes, young Faversham every one will know his name tomorrow." It camo as a sudden flash to me: I was a success. It was the significant moment mo-ment of my career. I didn't seem tired any longer. I no longer thought of Calcutta. It was the stage only for mo from that time on |