LESLIE'S PROGRESS.
Leslie Waters obtained the situation of bell-boy through Rupert's
recommendation, and entered upon his duties at once. He had failed in
his ambition to become an actor. With his elevated ideas of the position
of a member of the profession, he did not immediately become reconciled
to figuring as a bell-boy, but it enabled him to live in the great city,
which became daily more and more attractive to him.
Rupert engaged for him a small hall bedroom in the same house in which
he was himself living. The price agreed upon was only a dollar and a
half weekly, which, with his salary, he could pay without inconvenience.
Rupert was afraid that Leslie would prove too flighty and impracticable
for his humble duties, but was agreeably disappointed. Accustomed to
work on a farm in a quiet country town, Leslie found hotel life very
attractive, and labored zealously to give satisfaction. The day after he
went to work he wrote to his father in Rahway as follows:
"DEAR FATHER--
"I hope you are not angry at my leaving home so suddenly. I had got
tired of country life, and felt that I was destined to a career in
the city. I was not sure what employment awaited me, but hoped in
some way to make a living. I have succeeded--I have secured a
position in the Somerset Hotel, on Broadway. I take my meals at the
hotel, and am paid a salary of five dollars per week besides. I
have to pay a dollar and a half for a room, and the balance of my
pay will defray the rest of my expenses.
"I owe my success to a very friendly boy, not quite as old as I am,
who is employed in the hotel. My hours are from six to six, so that
I have my evenings to myself. I think you will agree that I am
doing better and earning more than I ever did in Rahway. Of course
I hope to be promoted, perhaps to go into some more congenial
business when I get better acquainted in the city. If you should
come to the city at any time I shall be glad to have you call at
the hotel.
"Your son,
"LESLIE WATERS."
In reply, Leslie received the following letter, written in a cramped
hand, indicating that the writer was not accustomed to epistolary
composition:
"SON LESLIE--
"I have received your letter, and am glad to learn that you are not
quite so foolish as I supposed. I was afraid you had the foolish
notion of becoming a play actor. I never knew one in that
profession who was a solid, sensible man. To my mind it is a very
poor business. It is all very well for boys to speak pieces at
school exhibitions, but when they start in to speak pieces for a
livelihood it is very foolish. I surmised from some things I had
observed in you that you had such a notion in your head, but I am
glad I was mistaken.
"The hotel business is a good business, I am told. You don't tell
me what your duties are, but you seem to be earning pretty good
pay. I hope you will give satisfaction. You never earned even three
dollars a week at farming, so that perhaps it may be well for you
to stay where you are really earning a good income. Some time you
may be qualified to keep a hotel yourself. Your mother's cousin
keeps a hotel somewhere in Kansas, and I hear that he is making
money. You did wrong to leave home without permission, but I will
not find fault with you under the circumstances. When I go to New
York I will call in and see how you are getting along. Your mother
will make up a bundle of clothing and send you by express.
"Your father,
"JETHRO WATERS."
Leslie showed this letter to Rupert.
"Your father doesn't suspect that you came to the city intending to go
on the stage?" he said.
"No, he thinks I have given up my ambition to become an actor. He has no
idea what a glorious profession it is. I don't suppose he ever went to
the theatre in his life. I wish he could see Edwin Booth, or Irving, or
Joseph Jefferson. Yet I suppose he would rather have me keep a hotel
than become as great as either of these."
"It takes a smart man to keep a hotel, Leslie. Very likely Booth or
Irving wouldn't succeed in that line."
"I hope some time I may get a chance on the stage. Will you go with me
to-night to see Mansfield in 'Jekyll and Hyde'?"
"Yes; I have no other engagement."
That evening the two bell-boys had front seats in the gallery of a
Broadway theatre, and saw Mr. Mansfield in his remarkable impersonation
of the two contrasted characters. Leslie was filled with admiration.
"Do you know, Rupert, I think I will learn to act those parts in time?"
"You might succeed in Jekyll, but it would be more difficult to play the
part of Hyde."
"Perhaps so. Indeed, I know you are right. But it is a part which I
should enjoy. I have a great mind to make a study of it."
"If I were you I would try something easier."
"It is the hard parts that are best worth acting," said Leslie, grandly.
Rupert thought little more of this conversation, but two evenings later,
as he sat playing checkers with Harry Benton, there was a knock at the
door of Mrs. Benton's apartment. On the door being opened, Mrs. Spenser
appeared. She was the lady of whom Leslie hired his room. She seemed to
be quite excited.
"Oh, Mr. Rollins," she exclaimed, addressing Rupert, "I wanted to see
you. I am so frightened."
Rupert looked up in surprise.
"What is the matter, Mrs. Spenser?"
"Your friend, Mr. Waters, is making a terrible noise. Is he subject to
fits?"
"Not that I ever heard."
"I don't dare to go in. He is acting like a wild man. I never heard
anything to equal it. Do you know if any of his family were ever crazy?"
"I will go and see what is the matter. I don't think you need be
alarmed."
"If he is really crazy," continued Mrs. Spenser, "I don't think I can
keep him, though I need the money he pays for room rent."
Rupert abandoned his game, and, accompanied by the frightened woman,
proceeded to the part of the house where Leslie lodged. As he stood
outside in the hall he heard Leslie in a low, guttural voice rehearsing
the part of Hyde. One who was not familiar with the _rôle_ or the play
might be excused for being startled.
Rupert tried the door, and entered.
There was his associate bell-boy, half-crouching, and with his black
hair carefully disordered, walking across the room, with his naturally
pleasant face distorted by a grin as fiendish as he could make it.
"Look at him! He is certainly crazy!" ejaculated the terrified landlady.
"He looks awful."
"What are you doing, Leslie?" asked Rupert.
Leslie looked up, and his face showed embarrassment when he saw his
visitors.
"I am practicing the part of Hyde," he said.
"I thought so. You have frightened Mrs. Spenser, who thought you had a
fit or were crazy."
Instead of being offended, Leslie took this as a tribute to his art.
"Yes," he said, "it is a frightful character. Did I really look
dreadful?"
"Awful!" said Mrs. Spenser.
"That's the way Mansfield looked. Isn't it, Rupert?"
"Something like it, Leslie, but I shouldn't think you would like to
imitate such a personation. Why don't you try Romeo?"
"Romeo is a silly character. He is only a sixteenth century dude."
"Then imitate Claude Melnotte, in the 'Lady of Lyons.'"
"I never saw it."
"In that character, instead of looking frightful, you would need to look
handsome, romantic and attractive. If Mrs. Spenser should see you in
that she wouldn't be frightened."
"Are you an actor, Mr. Waters?" asked the landlady, curiously.
"I hope to be some day," returned Leslie, much flattered.
"I am going to have some friends come in to see me Christmas evening. I
should be very much obliged if you would do some acting for us, only not
that Hyde," and she shuddered.
"I shall be pleased to do what I can, Mrs. Spenser," replied Leslie,
graciously. "I will speak some pieces for you--some pieces that require
acting. I have a recitation called 'The Tramp.'"
"I shall be very glad to have you. It will be a great favor. Don't you
act, too, Mr. Rollins?"
"No; I leave all that to my friend Leslie."
The landlady retired, leaving the two boys alone.
"What did you think of my acting, Rupert?" said Leslie.
"If I could see it again I think it would give me a nightmare."
"I consider that a compliment," said Leslie, complacently. "I shall
never be satisfied, Rupert, till I go on the stage."