THE WINNING NUMBER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5965, 18 October 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE WINNING NUMBER.

May Farnham went out to San Francisco with an Eastern dramatic company, which had managed to reach the ' Promised Land' after muoh disappointment, and a great deal of hardship.

The outlook for the venture had promised brilliantly when it was planned on upper Broadway, New York. Tho star was enthusiastic, the manager buoyant, and the advance agent zealous.

The ' sinews of war' were not lacking, there was a fair backing of capital, a good share of experience, and a liberal quantity of pictorial printing, large and small,

The play was an average one, not up to a very high literary standard, but calculated to be a box oUiee success. That the drama fell short of the manager's and the star's financial expectations is an admitted fact.

In spite of the light business from the start, the manager, the star, and the advance man labored assiduously to make a success of a, financial •failure,-which was not even an artistic success. It will not do to call the interested parties perverse. Many a play had been built up to a success, and why not another ? So from New York's immediate vicinity to Sacramento the play was built on and altered, in vain endeavor to make it go. Upon the fate of the play in San Francisco depended the late of the manager, the star, the agent, and the company. None were bettor aware of the fact than the manager, who faced an unpaid troupe of Thespians more than 8000 miles from home. But there was still hope. Here at the Golden Gate they might succeed, and they might fail, either result would be welcome, for then the long agony would be over. It would have been better to have produced the play as orginally written, for the oft-tinkered version was spiritless and devoid of motive, and to add to its incongruity, some variety business had been dragged into it that only interrupted the slight thread of the story that held the play together. Misfortunes rarely come singly. With the first night in San Francisco came a big rain, an unusually heavy storm, and the first of the winter season. The advance sale had been light ; even the bill-board and lithographic passes did not com,e in freely. The audience was as cold and cheerless as the house. The play and the players failed. Everybody was agreed in that, and the newspapers of the (lay took occasion to say so, The Chronicle ; criticised tbo construction of the play. The Examiner dismissed the drama in a line, but had a pleasant word to say for the star and May Farnham. The Call was reminiscent, and compared the play with some that had met death on the local stage in the early '50s. The Bulletin was wisely, kindly condemnatory. The Report was an illreport, and the Post was too well posted to endorse the play or the players. Still the play had to remain on the boards for two weeks, There was no help for that. During that fortnight ■less-people went in the theatre than if a. sign of \No admittance' had been posted at tlje entrance. Then the local manager remembered his acquaintances. But alas, even the deadheads forgot to come ! Few care to be mourners at a dramatic funeral, The first week dragged out, and then critics reviewed tho situation and moralised, oil arriving at tho conclusion that an Eastern success counted for nothing with critical playgoers of San Francisco, who had been cultured to the best under the regimes of Tom Maguire, M'Cullough, and Barrett.

But the play had not been a succes 8 , n the East. It was moribund at it s birth, and had been galvanised and re galvanised, because its manager has a season's printing on his hands. First week bad, second week worse.

What was the use ? One day the manager of the visiting attraction called on one of the many uncles who loan money on collateral, and secured money enough to purchase himself a return ticket to New York. He hated to do it, and despised himself for doing it, but what was a poor devil to do ? What would avail the few dollars he had borrowed from Uncle Jacob if they were divided among the sufferers ?

Arrived at Oakland", he wrote his J farewell address,' but he did not mail it until the overland train reached Sacramento. The communication was addressed to. the advance agent, who lost no time in communicating the contents to the mourners.

The locals said some pretty hard things of the departed manager. What would they have done, under the same circumstances? Just as he did.

Before the week was out the company vas on the commonwealth plan to an uncommon small amount of pro rat a wealth.

Fortunately for several of tho stranded players, they promptly obtained engagements in the local stock companies. The agent was an old typo, and secured a slug and a case right away.

Among the fortunate ones was May Farnham ' the widow'—as she was called. Her brother and sister professionals were glad of her good fortune, for they knew: she had a boy child dependent upon her in the EastMay Farnham was shy and'reserved —distant. That she severely minded her own business everyone agreed, and that she was a lady, and one. with a history, no one seemed to doubt; and in both conjectures they were quite right.

At an early ago she had taken to the stage for a livelihood, mooting with no Mttle parental opposition iv tho venture. While developing no remarkable gifts as an she had attracted the attention of a young bust ness man of good family, and well to do in the world.

The husband's parents were not: at all favorable to the, match, and, not long after the union, business misfortunes fell upon the senior member of tho firm and an irredeemable failure followed. If tho young husband had retained his health it might have been well, as he was capable and industrious ; but lie fell sick, and after a short illness left his wife and child nearly ponniless.

Again the. May Farnham of the stage returned to tho footlights, and this is all of her history, up to her unlucky appearance in San Francisco, that concerns the reader.

'The widow' had luck as well as pluck, and the lost salary and the misfortune of the combination were forgotten in the busy rehearsal and the application of constant study.

4 Have you seen the widow T became the question of the theatre frequenters and loungers about the lobby, and May Farnham had not been playing a week in her new position before she was receiving nice notices in the newspapers and the recognition of a reception on her first entrances.

As to her beauty none were agreed. Some said she was statuesque, stately, demure, haughty, and the like ; but she had made a favorable, impression, and that secured her the prospect of employment for some time to come.

Self-reliant woman, sometimes when she gave the matter thought it almost made her tremble, and she would whisper to herself:

' Alone and more than three thousand miles from Now York ?'.

Then she would still the anxious beating of her heart and take new courage, for remittances must go regularly to those who were caring for the boy clear across the land.

Thus she labored, and thus she prospered, looking forward to tho time when she could return East sufficiently stopked with funds to meet necessary expenses until she could resume work there.

May Farnham had admirers, many of them. Men came out between the acts to lubricate their larynx, and informed tho barkeeper that she was ' immense,'' a and ' a corker, , and the like. Tho barkeeper never disputed the assertion, and took the 'long bit' whenever the opportunity offered.

Several times some unknown admirers had sent flowers over the footlights when she was cast for some more happy part than usual, and two swains whore she roomed were deeply infatuated with ' the widow.'

The actress roomed—all of Bohemia in San Franoisco, and the most of the other people in that city, live in lodgings and eat at restaurants. May Farnham had found such a place near tho theatre. In one thing it just suited her. She found that lodgers minded their own affairs, and she was much given to. interesting herself in her own business.

Tho thrifty landlady had a house full of lodgers. May Farnham was on speaking terms with the landlady ; the Chinese servant, called John ; the landlady's husband a useless appendage who did chores, and she had been introduced by accident to Mr Noyes, a loud young man of unpleasiug prominence, and a bachelor, oxminer, and rancher, who was spending his winter and his money in the city. This last gentleman was as painfully bashful and modest as the first wan repulsively obtrusive.

Mr Noyes was line of the persons who had sent (lowers over- tho footlights to ' the widow' and told of it, and his silent fellow lodger had done the same thing and said nothing. Mr Noyo.s's flowers had boen given to the first old woman to carry to a sick aunt on Telegraph Hill, and the tributes of the quiet man wore brought to her lodgings, and kept as long as they preserved their fragrance.

Constant application and local causes at last cost May Farnham a loss of time, and, as she was not able to re-

turn to the theatre, her place had been filled, and it.was not the policy of the management to put anyone out that she might again be taken in. Now followed a term of irremittent idleness and jobbing—a precarious existence that told upon her nervous system, until at last she was obliged to acknowledge herself a sick woman and take to her bed.

Here was a dilemma ! Sick and with little money, and a child in New York depending upon her for support.

And a pride that forbade begging. The landlady was kind and solicitous ; but, dear soul, she had her hands and her heart full, too. Her husband was a speculator, 'a speculator.' Every day he went out to ' dig up '—that was the name he gave for borrowing. Years before he had taken a flyer in stocks, and it had been his misfortune that his initial venture proved a success. It had been the bane of his life. He had never had any luck or desire to work thereafter.

Such dividends as his wife declared he invested in Chinese or other lotteries, and idled about Pauper-alley and its exchanges and pool rooms. One morning the sick actress looked! into an empty purse. In an agony of desperation she explained situation and financial bankruptcy to the landlady.

The landlady was a woman of resources.

~, ' I have only one thing to do,' (explained tho actress, producing her watch. 'I cannot get out, but you must take this and pawn it for me. I must have medicines ; money must go to New York, and I am behind a week with you for room rent.'

'Don't mention the room rent, I beg of you,' exclaimed the good;old soul. I'll guarantee you a roof as long as I have got one. I would keep you myself if I, could, but you know the drag I've got on me.* As for pawning the watch—my child, what do you suppose any of those uncles would loan on it ? I've got a better scheme than that. If you will let me I'll put it up at lottery. One hundred chances at a dollar a chance, and that will be one hundred dollars.

The actress made, no objections, and the lodging-housekeeper rattled on : • Why, you couldn't borrow twenty dollars on it at any pawnbroker's in the city, and I'll sell a hundred chances on it if I have to go on Nobb Hill and down to the water front to get them.' Thereupon it was understood that the widow's watch was to be put up at lottery, and the landlady immediately sought the ex-miner and ranchman to write out the heading, which he did in a big, coarse fist after he had secured the pointers from the landlady. He did more—he wrote out the numbers from 1 to 100, and the good, old lady waited patiently, and when ho had that done he did not seem to have his job complete ; he began at 1 and opposite that he wrote Foster Perkins ; it wes not a very euphonious name, but it pleased him immensoly as he saw it there, so it did the landlady ; then he wrote the same name against Nfo. 2, and so ho kept on doing until he readied the bottom of the long sheet, and there he wrote for the one hundredth time Foster Perkins.

The landlady was struck dumb. Her eyes protruded a half inch and her mouth was wide open with wonder.

Deliberately Mr Foster Perkins dug up from a capacious pocket five bright twenty dollar gold pieces. These and the list of ticket holder (observe the singular) he handed to the angel of charity, and all that she could say was:

' Heavens on earth for Mister Foster Perkins. ,

And Foster Perkins put the watch in his pocket, laughed long, and remarked :

' There's no disputing the fact that I hold the winning number. .

Then he pledged the old lady to secrecy, and went out so satisfied with himself that ho was the happiest man in San Francisco.

' Well, who'd thought it V said the good old woman to herself. 'He's soft on her, and I don't blamo him. She is nice, and I only hope that she'll come to his way of thinking. I'm glad, anyway, that she didn't take to that Noyes.' The landlady kept her secret well, but it was dreadful hard work. She had never experienced such self-denial before in her life, but she had given her word, and she would keep that, secret or no secret. But she had to do a little fibbing, manufacture a little invention—and was there anyone on Bush street could excel her in that when she tried ? She reported several chances taken the first day ; then more chances, and more, until all were sold. Then the drawing I ' The drawing will come of? tomorrow.' 1 The drawing is off. Poster Perkins has drawn the watch, and he's such a nice man !' Poor May Fartiham was so sick that she could hardly express her satis- j faction at the successful lottery of her watch. It had been a wedding gift, but people can't starve even if they have to sacrifice wedding gifts. Money must be sent Kast for the baby, and the lady was kf.nd enough to go herself to the post-office and procure the postal order. Now that the actress's financial troubles wore over for the present, sho began to mend, and good news came from the theatre. An important production was in hand, awl a part would be held for her. Then May Farnhain got better very fast. So much bettor that she went visiting one afternoon in the landlady's room across the hallway, and while sho was there Mr Foster Perkins called too. ' The widow' congratulated the bachelor on holding the winning number in the lottery for the watch, and then in curiosity she asked : 1 Pray. Mr Perkins, what was the winning number ?' Foster Perkins was confused ; he blushed and stammered :

'The winning number was number —number, ah, all!' The landlady tried to help out her lodger, with no effect. She said that the winning number was : 'Number—huh, let me see.' Frequently during her convalesence ' the widow' spent an hour or so with the landlady in her room of all work. On such an occasion she picked.up a piece of paper. By the merest accident she. read the heading, '•'Lottery for a Watch, 100 chances at Idol a chance.' It was written in a big, black, bold hand. Another glance, and she knew the secret of the winning number. Every number from 1 to 100 had been taken by Foster Perkins r But she did not know that the landlady had purposely placed the telltale paper where her fair lodger would be pretty sure to find it. The actress replaced the paper where she found it, while her heart fairly jumped to conceal her excitement, and she retired across the hall to her own room. May Farnham was a very happy woman when she once more faced the footlights, and was again a bread Winner for herself and baby Farnham. And she was happy because she was not forgotten by the audience that gave an enthusiastic reception, and, better still, a curtain call. To put the finishing touches on the evening's events, the leader passed up a choice bouquet of California's rarest flowers, and attached to ihe stems was a box, neatly covered with white paper. • ; Once in her dressing room, it was but the work of a moment to open the box. There, nestled in a bit of red jeweller's cotton, the delighted woman found her watch. No need of-guessing from' whom that bouquet came; The next day it was necessary to thank the generous giver, and tell him that she knew how he chanced to be so lucky in the lottery, and r he told her something that he knew and that she only mistrusted : That he was in love with the widow, and that she was the capital prize for which ho would take all the chances, and to which she blushed and answered that heheldTaE Winning Number.