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儿女成双福满堂）（
劫修传）（
夺舍成军嫂）（
绝宠鬼医毒妃）（
时间掌控者的刀塔）（
重生之妖孽人生）by jack london
the elevator boy smiled knowingly ttook her up,had noted the sparkleher eyes, the colorhe little cage had quite warmed with the glowher represse now,the down trip,was glacie sparkle and the color wer was frowning, and what littlecould seeher eyes was cold and stee,knew the symptoms, h wasobserver, andknew it, too, and some day, whenwas big enough,was goingbeporter, the meantimestudied the processionlifeit streamedand down eighteen sky scraper floorshis elevato slid the door open for her sympathetically and watched her trip determinedly out into the street.
there waobustnessher carriage which camethe soil rather thanthe citwaobustnessa finer than the wonted sense, a vigorous daintiness,mightcalled, which gaveimpressionvirility with nonethe womanly lef tolda heredityseekers and fighters,people that worked stoutly with head and hand,ghosts that reached down outthe misty past and moulded and made herboerthings.
but she waittle angry, anreat deal hurt.“i can guess what you would tell me,” the editor had kindly but firmly interrupted her lengthy preamblethe long looked forwardinterview just ended.“and you have toldenough,”had gone(heartlessly, she was sure,she went over the conversationits freshness).“you have donenewspape are undrilled, undisciplined, unhammered int have receiveigh school education, and possibly toppedoff with normal schooave stood welriends have all told you how cleverly you write, and how beautifully, andforth anhink you cannewspaper work, and you wantto put you on.well, isorry, but there arou knew how crowded ”
“butthere areopenings,” she had interrupted,turn, “how did those who are in, get in?howishow that ieligibleget in?”
“they made themselves indispensable,” was the terse response.“make yourself indispensable.”
“but how can i,inot get the chance?”
“make your chance.”
“but how?” she had insisted,the same time privately deeming hiost unreasonable man.
“how?thatyour business, not mine,”said conclusively, risingtoken that the interview wasan end.“i must inform you,dear young lady, that there have beenleast eighteen other aspiring young ladies here this week, and thaave not the timetell each and every onethe functioerformthis paperhardly thatinstructora schooljournalism.”
she caughtoutbound car, and ere she descended fromshe had conned the conversation over and over again.“but how?” she repeatedherself,she climbed the three flightsstairsthe rooms where she and her sister “bach’ed.”“but how?”andshe continuedput the interrogation, for the stubborn scotch blood, though many times removed from scottish soil, was still strong i, further, there was need that she should lear sister letty and she had efrominterior townthe citymake their wayth wyman was lan business enterprises had burdened his acres and forced his two girls, edna and letty, into doing something for themselves.
a yearschool teaching andnight studyshorthand and typewriting had capitalized their city project and fitted them for the venture, which same venture was turning out anythingcity seemed crowded with inexperienced stenographers and typewriters, and they had nothing but their own inexperience t’s secret ambition had been journalism; but she had plannelerical position first,that she might have time and spacewhichdetermine where andwhat linejournalism she woul the clerical position had not been forthing, either for lettyher, and dayday their little hoard dwindled, though the room rent remained normal and the stove consumed coal with undiminishewalim little hoardnow.
“there’s max irwin,” letty said, talkingover.“he’ournalist witationa and see him, ed.he knows how, andshouldabletell you how.”
“buon’t know him,” edna objected.
“no more than you knew the editor you sawday.”
“,” (long and judicially), “but that’s different.”
“noit different from the strange men and women you’ll interview when you’ve learned how,” letty encouraged.
“i hadn’t lookeditthat light,” edna conceded.“after all, where’s the difference between, interviewing mr. max irwin for some paper,interviewing mr. max irwin for myself?it willpractice, too.i’lland look himin the directory.”
“letty, i knoan writei get the chance,” she announced decisiveloment later.“i just feel thaave the feelit,you know whaean.”
and letty knew and nodded.“i wonder whatis like?” she asked softly.
“i’ll makemy businessfind out,” edna assured her; “and i’ll let you know inside forty eight hours.”
letty clapped her hands.“good!that’s the newspaper spirit!maketwenty four hours and you are perfect!”
“ and ivery sorrytrouble you,” she concluded the statementher casemax irwin, famous war correspondent and veteran journalist.
“notall,”answered, witeprecatory wavethe hand.“if you don’tyour own talking, who’sdofor you?nonderstand your predicamen wantgetthe intelligencer, you wantgetat once, and you have hadpreviou the first place, then, have you any pull?there arozen menthe city, a line from whom wouldan ope that you would standfallyour ow’s senator longbridge, for instance, and claus inskeep the street car magnate, and lane, and mcchesney ”he paused, with voice suspended.
“isurnow nonethem,” she answered despondently.
“it’syou know any ohat knows them?any ohat knows any one else that knows them?”
edna shook her head.
“thenmust thinksomething else,”went on, cheerfully.“you’ll havedo somethinsee.”
he stopped and thought fooment, with closed eyes and wrinkle was watching him, studying him intently, when his blue eyes opened witnap and his face suddenly brightened.
“i have it!but no, waiinute.”and foinutewas his turnstud study herdid, till she could feel her cheeks flushing under his gaze.
“you’ll do, i think, thoughremainsbe seen,”said enigmatically.“it will show the stuff that’syou, besides, andwilla better claim upon the intelligencer people than all the lines from all the senators and magnatesth thing for youtoamateur nightthe loops.”
“ardly understand,” edna said, for his suggestion conveyedmeaningher.“what are the ‘loops’? and what‘amateur night’?”
“i fot you said you were fromso much the better,you’ve only got the journalisti willa first impression, and first impressions are always unbiased, unprejudiced, fresh, loops are outthe rimthe city, near the park, a place o’cenic railway, a water toboggan slide, a concert band, a theatre, wild animals, moving pictures, andforth anommon peopletherelookthe animals and enjoy themselves, and the other peoplethereenjoy themselveswatching the mon people enjo, fresh air breathing, frolicking affair, that’s what the loops are.
“but the theatrewhat concern’ turn follows another jugglers, acrobats, rubber jointed wonders, fire dancers, coon song artists, singers, players, female impersonators, sentimental soloists, andforth aneople are professiona make their living tha are excellentl are free rovers, doinurn wherever they can getopening,the obermann, the orpheus, the alcatraz, the louvre, andforth anover circuit pretty well all overinteresting phaselife, and the paybig enoughattract many aspirants.
“now the managementthe loops,its bid for popularity, instituted whatcalled ‘amateur night’; thatto say, twiceek, after the professionals have doheir turns, the stagegiven overthe aspirin audience remainopulace bees the arbiterartit thinksdoes, whichthe same thing; andpays its money andwell pleased with itself, and amateur nighta paying propositionthe management.
“but the pointamateur night, andis wellnote it,that these amateurs are not reall are paid for doing thei the best, they maytermed ‘professional amateurs.’it standsreason that the management could not get peoplefacampant audience for nothing, andsuch occasions the audience certainly goe’s great fun forthe thing for youdo, andrequires nerve, i assure you,toout, make arrangements for two turns, (wednesday and saturday nights, i believe),your two turns, and writeup for the sunday intelligencer.”
“but but,” she quavered,i ” and there wauggestiondisappointment and tearsher voice.
“i see,”said kindly.“you were expecting something else, something different, somethin alla remember the admiralthe queen’svee, who swept the floor and polishedthe handlethe big fron must face the drudgeryapprenticeshipquit righyou say?”
the abruptness with whichdemanded her decision startle she faltered, she could sehadedisappointment beginningdarken his face.
“iaymustconsidereest,”added encouragingly.“a severe one, butmuchisyou game?”
“i’ll try,” she said faintly,the same time makinotethe directness, abruptness, and hastethese city men with whom she was ingcontact.
“good!why, whetarted in, i had the dreariest, deadliest detail after that, foeary time, i did the police and divorcall came wellthe end and dire luckiermaking your start with sunda’s not particularlit?do it.show the stuff you’re made of, and you’ll geall for better work better class and bette youout this afternoonthe loops, and engagedo two turns.”
“but what kindturns cao?” edna asked dubiously.
“do?that’ you sing?never mind, don’t need t,anything that’s what you’re paid for,afford amusement,give bad art for the populacehow when youyour turn, take some one alongafraidn up.move about among the amateurs waiting their turn, pump them, study them, photograph themyou the atmosphere, the color, strong color, rightwith both hands, and get the essenceit, the spirit,doesmean?find out what i’s what you’re ther’s what the readersthe sunday intelligencer wantknow.
“be tersestyle, vigorousphrase, apt, concretely apt, i platitudes upon things salient, eliminate the rest, and you hav those pictureswords and the intelligencer will hav holda few back numbers, and study the sunday intelligencer featurallthe opening paragraphadvertisementcontents, andthe contents tellall ove punapperthe end,if they’re crowded for space they can cut off your contents anywhere, reattach the snapper, and the story will still retai, that’ the rest out for yourself.”
they both rosetheir feet, edna quite carried awayhis enthusiasm and his quick, jerky sentences, bristling with the things she wantedknow.
“and remember, miss wyman,you’re ambitious, that the aim and endjournalismnot the featurfeature it, but don’t letmaste masteryou must; foryou can’t learndeature well, you can never expectdo anythin short, put your whole self into it, and yet, outsideit, above it, remain yourself,you follow me.and now good luckyou.”
they had reached the door and were shaking hands.
“and ohing more,”interrupted her thanks, “letsee your copy before you mayableput you straight here and there.”
edna found the managerthe loopull fleshed, heavy jowled man, bushyeyebrow and generally belligerentaspect, withabsent minded scowlhis face anlack cigar stuckthe mids was his name, she had learned, ernst symes.
“whatcher turn?”demanded, ere half her brief application had left her lips.
“sentimental soloist, soprano,” she answered promptly, remembering irwin’s advicetalk up.
“whatcher name?”mr. symes asked, scarcely deigningglanceher.
sh rapidly had she been rushed into the adventure that she had not considered the questiona nameall.
“any name?stage name?”bellowed impatiently.
“nan bellayne,” she inventedthe spurthe moment.“e.yes, that’s it.”
he scribbledintotebook.“al your turn wednesday and saturday.”
“how muchi get?” edna demanded.
“two an’ a half turns, pay first monday after second turn.”
and without the simple courtesy“good day,”turned his backher and plunged into the newspaperhad been reading when she entered.
edna came earlywednesday evening, letty with her, anda telescope basket her costumimpl shawl borrowed from the washerwoman, a ragged scrubbing skirt borrowed from the charwoman, anray wig rented froostumer for twenty five centight, pleted the outfit; for edna had electedbeold irishwoman singing broken heartedly after her wandering boy.
though they had e early, she found everythinain performance was under way, the orchestra was playing and the audience intermittentl infusionthe amateurs clogged the workingthings behind the stage, crowded the passages, dressing rooms, and wings, and forced everybody into everybody else’ was particularly distastefulthe professionals, who carried themselvesbefitted thosea higher caste, and whose behavior toward the pariah amateurs was markedhauteur and eve edna, bullied and elbowed and shoved about, clinging desperatelyher basket and seekinressing room, took noteit all.
a dressing room she finally found, jammed with three other amateur “ladies,” who were “making up” with much noise, high pitched voices, and squabbling oveon own makewassimple thatwas quickly acplished, and she left the trioladies holdingarmed truce while they passed judgment upo was closeher shoulder, and with patience and persistence they managedgeookonethe wings which mandeiewthe stage.
a small, dark man, dapper and debonair, swallow tailed and top hatted, was waltzing about the stage with dainty, mincing steps, anda thin little voice singing somethingother about somebodysomething evidentl his waning voice neared the endthe lines, a large woman, crowned withamazing wealthblond hair, thrust rudely past edna, trod heavilyher toes, and shoved her contemptuouslythe side.“bloomin’ hamateur!” she hissedshe went past, and the next instant she wasthe stage, graciously bowingthe audience, while the small, dark man twirled extravagantly abouthis tiptoes.
“hello, girls!”
this greeting, drawled withinimitable vocal caressevery syllable, closeher ear, caused ednagivtartled littl faced, moon faced young man was smilingher goo “make up” was plainly thatthe stock trampthe stage, though the inevitable whiskers were lacking.
“oh,don’t takinuteslap’m on,”explained, divining the searchher eyes and wavinghis hand the adornmentquestion.“they makeller sweat,”explaihen, “what’s yer turn?”
“soprano sentimental,” she answered, tryingbe offhand andease.
“whata you doin’for?”demanded directly.
“for fun; what else?” she countered.
“i just sized youfor thatsooni put eyein’t graftin’ foaper, are you?”
“i never met but one editormy life,” she replied evasively, “and i,well,didn’t getvery well together.”
“hittin’foob?”
edna nodded carelessly, though inwardly anxious and cudgelling her brains for somethingturn the conversation.
“what’dsay?”
“that eighteen other girls had already been there that week.”
“gave you the icy mit, eh?”the moon faced young man laughed and slapped his thighs.“you see, we’re kinunday paperslikeget amateur night donebrowna nice little package, and the manager don’t seetha wild eyedthe thoughtit.”
“and what’s your turn?” she asked.
“who? me?oh, i’m doin’ the tramp ac’m charley welsh, you know.”
she felt thatthe mentionhis nameintendedconveyher plete enlightenment, but the best she couldwassay politely, “oh,that so?”
she wantedlaughthe hurt disappointment which came into his face, but concealed her amusement.
“e, now,”said brusquely, “you can’t stand there and tellyou’ve never heardcharley welsh?well, you must b, i’monly, the only amateur a, you must have seen me.i’a professional, buet more dough outitdoin’ the amateur.”
“but what’s‘only’?” she queried.“i wantlearn.”
“sure,” charley welsh said gallantly.“i’ll put‘only’a nonpareil, the feller that does one kinda turn better’n any othe’s the only, see?”
and edna saw.
“to geinethe biz,”continued, “throw yerthe only all roun nighakluffthe tram’s harderbluffthanreallyit, but then it’s acting, it’s amateur, it’?ieverything, from sheeny monologueteam song and dance and dutc, i’m charley welsh, the only charley welsh.”
andthis fashion, while the thin, dark man and the large, blond woman warbled dulcetly outthe stage and the other professionals followedtheir turns, did charley welsh put edna wise, giving her much miscellaneous and superfluous information and much that she stored away for the sunday intelligencer.
“well, traloo,”said suddenly.“there’s his highness chasin’ you up.yer firstth mind the row when finish yer turn likady.”
it wasthat moment that edna felt her journalistic ambition departing from her, and was awarean overmastering desirebe somewher the stage manager, likeogre, barredcould hear the opening barsher song goingfrom the orchestra and the noisesthe house dying awaythe silenceanticipation.
“go ahead,” letty whispered, pressing her hand; and from the other side came the peremptory “don’t flunk!”charley welsh.
but her feet seemed rootedthe floor, and she leaned weakly againshif orchestra was beginning over again, anone voice from the house piped with startling distinctness:
“puzzle picture!find nannie!”
a roarlaughter greeted the sally, and edna shran the strong handthe manager descendedher shoulder, and wituick, powerful shove propelled her outtohand and arm had flashed into full view, and the audience, grasping the situation, thunderedorchestra was drowned outthe terrible din, and edna could see the bows scraping away across the violins, apparently withou was impossible for herbegintime, andshe patiently waited, arms akimbo and ears straining for the music, the house let loose againfavorite trick, she afterward learned,confusing the amateurpreventing himher from hearing the orchestra).
but edna was recovering her presencecame aware, pitdome,a vast seasmiling and fun distorted faces,vast roarslaughter, rising wavewave, and then her scotch blood went coldhard working but silent orchestra gave her the cue, and, without makinound, she beganmove her lips, stretch forth her arms, and sway her body,though she were reall noisethe house redoubledthe attemptdrown her voice, but she serenely wentwith her pantomime.
this seemedcontinueinterminable time, when the audience, tiringits prank andorderhear, suddenly stilled its clamor, and discovered the dumb show she had beoment all was silent, save for the orchestra, her lips movingwithouound, and then the audience realized thathad been sold, and broke out afresh, this time with genuine applauseacknowledgmenthe chose thisthe happy moment for her exit, and witow anackward retreat, she was off the stageletty’s arms.
the worst was past, and for the restthe evening she moved about among the amateurs and professionals, talking, listening, observing, finding out whatmeant and taking mental notesi welsh constituted himself her preceptor and guardian angel, andwell didperform the self allotted task that whenwas all over she felt fully preparedwritethe proposition had beendo two turns, and her native pluck forced herliveto it.also,the coursethe intervening days, she discovered fleeting impressions that required verification; so,saturday, she was back again, with her telescope basket and letty.
the manager seemed looking for her, and she caughtexpressionreliefhis eyes whenfirsthurried up, greeted her, and bowed witespect ludicrouslyvariance with his previous ogre likhe bowed, across his shoulders she saw charley welsh deliberately wink.
but the surprise had jus manager beggedbe introducedher sister, chatted entertainingly with the pairthem, and strove greatly and anxiouslyb even wentfarto give ednressing roomherself,the unspeakable envythe three other amateur ladiespreviou was nonplussed, andwas not till she met charley welshthe passage that light was thrownthe mystery.
“hello!”greeted her.“on easy street, eh?everything slidin’ your way.”
she smiled brightly.
“thinks yeemale reporter, almost split wheaw’m layin’ himself out sweet an’ pleasin’.honest, now, that ain’t yer graft,it?”
“i told youexperience with editors,” she parried.“and honest now,was honest, too.”
but the only charley welsh shook his head dubiously.“not thaarap,”declared.“andyou are, just gimmouplelinesnotice, the right kind, good ad,if yer not, why yer all righ not our class, that’s straight.”
after her turn, which she did this time with the nervean old campaigner, the manager returnedthe charge; and after saying nice things and being generally nice himself,camethe point.
“you’ll treatwell, i hope,”said insinuatingly.“do the right thingus, and all that?”“oh,” she answered innocently, “you couldn’t persuadetoanother turn; i knoeemedtake and that you’d likehave me, bueally, really can’t.”
“you know whaean,”said, witouchhis old bulldozing manner.
“no, i really won’t,” she persisted.“vaudeville’s too too wearingthe nerves,nerves,any rate.”
whereatlooked puzzled and doubtful, and forborepress the point further.
butmonday morning, when she camehis officeget her pay for the two turns,waswho puzzled her.
“you surely must have mistaken me,”lied glibly.“i remember saying something about paying youralwaysthis, you know, butnever, neverwould take the life and sparkle outthe whol, charley welsh was stringin gets paid nothing foramateur get idea i, here’s fift will pay your sister’s car far,” very suavely, “speaking for the loops, permitto thank you for the kind and successful contributionyour services.”
that afternoon, trueher promisemax irwin, she placed her typewritten copy intowhileran over it,nodded his head from timetime, and maintaineunning firemendatory remarks: “good! that’s it! that’s the stuff! psychology’s all right! the very idea! you’ve caught it! excellent! misseda bit here, but it’llthat’s vigorous! strong! vivid! pictures! pictures! excellent! most excellent!”
and whenhad run downthe bottomthe last page, holding out his hand: “my dear miss wyman, i congratulat say you have exceededexpectations, which,say the least, wer arournalist, a natura’ve got the grip, and you’re sureget on.the intelligencer will take it, without doubt, and take yo’ll havetak they don’t, somethe other papers will get you.”“but what’s this?”queried, the next instant, his face going serious.“you’ve said nothing about receiving the pay for your turns, and that’s onethe pointsth mentioned it,you’ll remember.”
“it will never do,”said, shaking his head ominously, when she had explained.“you simply must collect that mone mthinoment.”
“never mind, mr. irwin,” she said.“i’ve botheredme use your’phone, please, and i’ll try mr. ernst symes again.”
he vacated his chairthe desk, and edna took down the receiver.
“charley welshsick,” she began, when the connection had been made.“what?no i’m not charle welshsick, and his sister wantsknowshe can e out this afternoon and draw his pay for him?”
“tell charley welsh’s sister that charley welsh was out this morning, and drew his own pay,” came back the manager’s familiar tones, crisp with asperity.
“all right,” edna went on.“and now nan bellayne wantsknowshe and her sister can e out this afternoon and draw nan bellayne’s pay?”
“what’dsay?what’dsay?”max irwin cried excitedly,she hung up.“that nan bellayne was too much for him, and that she and her sister could e out and get her pay and the freedomthe loops,boot.”
“ohing, more,”interrupted her thanksthe door,on her previous visit.“now that you’ve shown the stuff you’re made of, i should esteem it, ahem, a privilegegive yoine myselfthe intelligencer people.”
m.pi.co
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