The way these gentlemen and ladies fairly flew into the wings astonished Jessie. They acted more like frightened children, afraid of a school-master than like ladies and gentlemen who were great heroes and heroines of the drama. Jessie stood quite still, not a little bewildered.
"Excuse me; but were you ever on before?" asked one of the girls, eyeing Jessie curiously.
"No," she answered; "but I do hope I will get along. I am very anxious to learn."
At this there was a great deal of suppressed tittering, which rather nettled Jessie.
"You must have wonderful confidence in yourself to attempt to play your part to-night, with only this one rehearsal. Aren't you afraid you will get stage-frightened?"
"I used to take part in all the entertainments that we used to give at home in the little
