“Am I?” asked Ben, drowsily.
“Yes; look at this paragraph in the Herald. Or, stay. I’ll read it.”
He read as follows:
“At the People’s Theater last evening a new play was produced, ‘The Belle of the Bowery,’ by the well-known dramatist, Mr. John Wilkins. It is a local play, and was received very favorably. It is well put on the stage, and on the whole was well played. Mr. William Thornton acquitted himself well, as usual, and Jed the Newsboy, was remarkably well played by Ben Bruce. We have seldom seen so young an actor who gave so much promise of future achievements.”
“That is very complimentary,” said Ben, whose face flushed with natural pleasure.
“I should say so. You have achieved fame at one bound. The time may come, and that soon, when your name will be as well known as mine.” Ben was tempted to smile at the harmless vanity of his companion, but he appreciated his friendly feelings, and thanked him for his favorable opinion.
Ben dressed himself and went out to breakfast with Mr. Snodgrass. On the way he bought the Sun and World, both of which spoke well of his acting.
At the end of the first week Ben was notified that his salary was ready. It was handed to him in an envelope. He opened it and to his delight found that it contained five bills of five dollars each. The manager appreciated the hit his young recruit had made.
“Twenty-five dollars!” he exclaimed in astonishment. “Is it possible that I have earned as much as this in a single week!
“Now,” he thought, “I can return Albert Graham the five dollars he lent me.”