On the point of Nat's excellence in performing the drama, the following conversation took place after this public entertainment.
"You ought to be an actor," said Charlie to him. "You are exactly cut out for it, and every one who heard you the other night would tell you so."
"So far as that is concerned," answered Nat, "the profession of an actor is the last one I should choose."
"Why?" inquired Charlie. "I thought you was in love with the business."
"By no means. I have told you over and over my object in going to the theatre, and in forming the Dramatic Society, but you always appear to doubt me. I would not be an actor even if I could be as famous as Booth."
"You would not? and yet many seem to think you have a taste in that direction, and I have thought so too. But tell me why not."
"Because I have little respect for the business as a profession. It affords a brief pleasure to an audience for a short time, and that is all it amounts to. I think it is a good discipline for us in the Dramatic Society, and I know that I learned some valuable lessons at the theatre, and I am still of the opinion that a theatre might be so conducted as to prove a source of innocent amusement, and not a curse."
"You couldn't make many of the people in this community believe that," said Charlie. "They think it is a gone case with you since you have favored theatricals."
"I know that," replied Nat, "and they would not believe me if I should tell them what I have you, so that I see no way to convince them but to wait, and time will do it. I would carry bobbin all my life before I would be an actor."
"Well, what would you be, Nat, if you could have your own way?" inquired Charlie.