“Mr. Edgerton,” I says, “you must know I have never met no Bolshivikis and don’t never expect to.”
“There is a plenty of them,” he says, “right here in Washington D. C. some of them is in the Senate and I tell you it puts a grave responsibility on you and me and other loyal Americans. Because this is what has happened Miss Riggs right in the middle of the show the leading Gentleman has went and died and the Understudy has took His place and it is the most awful job that has ever fell onto a theatrical management in the entire history of the American drama,” he says. “Because in this here political play there is no way that the Understudy can ever have a chance to rehearse with the rest of the company, one minute He is just a sort of callboy sitting out on a cracker-box and the next minute He must put on full regimentals and walk out into the spotlight and make a speech. And that means Miss Riggs a most dreadful problem for the rest of the cast that has got to get behind and support Him and for the stage-directors and the scene-shifters and worst of all the critics that has got to write up the show next morning. And that is the God’s truth about my job and why I have got to have help so bad and you as a good loyal citizen and the daughter of a great actress has got to understand me and help with your great experience.”
Well Mom of course I am floored. All I can do is to sit there and at last I says, “Mr. Edgerton I have heard what you tell me and I suppose it is right but I hope you won’t mind it has shocked me so that I do not think I can eat no more Chinese dinner,” I says, “but I will go home and think it over and decide what I can do to help my country.”
Your bewildered daughter
Mame.
LETTER XIV
IN WHICH I GO ON A STRIKE
Dear Mom:
I have not saw Mr. Edgerton for three days and I am just as glad because it has give me time to think things over and get your letter. You are right I suppose if we cannot get what we want in this world we have got to make out with what we have. I know that you would not of chose to live in the gas-house district of Camden New Jersey if you could of had your own way nor would I maybe of had so many brothers and sisters.
Well Mr. Edgerton did not call up. I have noticed that gentlemen likes to have you pretty and cheerful and if you take things too serious and worry them with questions they do not call up so often. But all the same I had to get over my shock of hearing him say that the work he does for the Spokesman up there in the big white house is only a sort of a play and that I have got to get used to the idea of not telling the truth about the Spokesman. And then too I am wondering what Mr. Edgerton’s wife is doing and if she is going to tell on him and me and I am sore because she should think that because I am a manicure girl I cannot be fit to know her husband and help him with his politics.