The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-27

n
Everybody has heard Of the enterprising in
dividual who wrote to Victor Hugo, Alexandra
Dumas. Octave Feuillet and half dozen other
well known French dramatic writer's, requesting
them to act as umpires in awarding premium
to the best five act play to be written expressly
for the Philadelphia Exhibition, the said prize
comedy or drama to become the property OF the
liberal ~ impresario, who would have it trans
lated into English and acted all over the United
States.
La We Pdrisienne, humorous Paris weekly,
hits off the preposterous and ridiculous project In
the following neat and peculiarly "Frenchy"
style:
Wishing to participate in the festival of Ameri-
can Independence, La we Pd1saeame mas sud-
composition to sundry well-known playrights,
and has received the following replies from
aessrs. Meilhac and Halevy-(the populur
authors OF most Of Ofenbach's tibretta) -Adolphe
and Victorien Sardou, the literary father o.
"L' OncIe Sam:
GEMS article 1st OF your programme speci-
fies that 'tne piece must be founded upon some
event Of American history This opens a wide
field. What episode shall We select? Ii the play
easier. The action would take place on the
Boulevard des Capucines, in front OF tho Cafe
American. Dupins would play the part OF .
wealthy Yankee, seated at one OF the tables and
slipping sherry cobbler. Baron, dressed as AL
opera ticket vendor, would accost him, whence q
desultory conversation about Paris, women, ID.
Halanzier, ETC.; after which fascinating dialogue
the curtain would fall.
s'But we must not forget that the play is in.
tended for the New World, and is to be per-
1aFn q audience.
composed OF all the citizens OF the United States,
including the newly annexed redskins. We must
hence choose among the subjects sppertaining
to American independence the one which COM
bines simplicity and popularity. Now, it Is uni
versally known in America that Washington once
presented watch to lafayette, and the recent
recovery Of that lost tmepece gives still greater
'actuality' to the subject.
"Let us, then, take up this admirable theme,
and adopt for one piece the taking title Of
80 washinAson's Watch:'
"This will at once create sensation in the
play bills.
Gas regards the plot, we have no suggestion
limited to the selection Of subject. Permit us
to hint, however. that it ought to be quite as
simple as the idea ITSELF Do not forget that you
are addressing mass OF spectators o. varied Ca
pacity, and that you must be understood by
every one irrespective OF Color, We insist upon
this last point since as q consequence OF the
war of secession the negroes now patronize the
theaters. Any ill-s0unding reference to color
would, therefore, set portion OF the public
against you, and the Introduction OF comical
master, however proper at the Ambigu, would
not be received with unmixed laughter.
.Yours, ETC., ME1LHAo AND HALEvY."
This suggestion having struck us as highly.
Adolphe D'Enney, the only author in our opinion
who mas the ability to construct grand popular
drama on any given subject. That we were not
mistaken the following letter abundantly shows:
Messie,us - The subject Of Wassington's
Watch may, like any other subject, furnish l in.
stifened. LIE us first examine the requirements
Of the programme. As set forth before me they
are threefOd:
First-A very important female part, exhibiting
the sentiments OF a young and gerry sympathetic
heroine
Second-A first mans part, written in the
same s'puauce."
Third-A comical type, indispensable by way
Of opposition.
which the plot is logically evolved.
Let us suppose that Lafayette has broken the
watch given to him by Washington He takes it
to watch max in order to have 1t mended, but
the latter, being greedy and ambitious man,
toricaI relic, and conceiving the bold idea OF
appropriating it by making one exactly like 1t,
which he intends to return to Lafayette.
Fortunately for the latter, however, the watch
maker has q daughter who will be "the young
and sympathetic heroine" of the piece. She has
discovered the dishonest purposes of her father
and is determined to thRart them. This is the
first act. A.,
Second Act The matchmaker has completed
the second watch Hisdaughter offers to carry
it to Lafayette, intending, as soon as she has 1t
in hand. to substitute the true watch, which
her father has hidden in drawer. The watch
maker consents, but just at the moment when
his is about to depart, the door is open
ed and Lafayettes abide. camp-second sym
pathetic role-comes to claim the generals watch.
The young lady is compelled to give him the
bogus one, but rs she does 30 she exhibits some
emotion, which the aid-de.camp, knowing him
self to be a sympathetic fellow, at once inter-
prets to his own advantage.
Third Acc-In q short monologue, which allows
her to display the noblest sentiments the heroine
first expresses the intention OF revealing the
swindle perpetrated on Lafayette, but fihal duty
counter balances her sense OF honor, and she will
not compromise her father. She then conceives
the bold plan Of en ering Lafayetts's house dur
ing the night and Of taking advantage Of his be-
ing asleep to substitute Washingtons gift for the
watch he wears with mistaken pride. -.
Fourth Act.-Ihe young heroine has glided
into the generals dwelling, but in order to enter
his room che must 60 through the one in which
the aid-de-cawp sleeps. She hesitates not, and
at the witchiDg hour, when Morpheus scatters
his peoples over elumbering mortals, che opens
the door, and i. moving softly towards the gen
erals room, when suddenly her hand is caught
in burning grasp by the aid d lie who sx
recognizes him, utters piercing shrek, and
faints away-whereupon the curtain tails.
Fifth Act-The heroine has been recognized
VIII. n issuing from the aid-de-camp's room by
the clearinghouse keeper, who is an old friend
Of the family, and who hastens to inform the
matchmaker Of his daughters. esedpade. The
father arrives upon the epot, and in the presence
Of all the boarders he disowns the unworthy
child who dishonors his name. The young. pirl
swears that che ia innocent, and the sympathetic
abide camp takes his solemn oath that she
speaks the truth, hut the Infatuated father per-
sists in denouncing them.
Then HE daughter, driven to despair, allows
the truth to escape her. This revelation strikes.
the matchmaker like thunderbolt-he blubbers,
equivocates, and finally confesses his crime, and
asks forgiveness Of the aid camp, who gra-
clously bestows it upon him in exchange for the
hand Of his daughter.
The wedding will take place; the aid-de-camp
himself will substitute the simon-pure watch for
the bogus one, and Gen. Lafayette will remain
in blissful ignorance of the drama OF which his
time niece has been the cause.