, 1880-04-18
PETROLEUM Y. NASBY.
a Talk with the Toledo Humorist on
the Drama and Politics.
"1he Widow Bedoit" and Neil Buraess-Mr.
Locke's Two Coming Plays.
10 Political Boom in Ohio for Any One, but Desire
for tho Host Available Nan.

no follleal Boom in Ohio for Any One, but Desll
for tho Most Available Man.
Special Correspondence at The Chicago Tribune.
TOLEDO, O., April 15.-Happenlng to have a
evening III this city, knew that it could not
better employed than by making call upon tn
: FAMOUS dWcler ut the t'Confcdrit x Roads y
ana accordingly wendell my way In the earl
u'lrkncss towards tho ecgunt residence Of D.
Locke, Esq. hud n former slight acquaintanc
with Mr. Locke, and he welcomed me cordially
He was seated In the buck parlor, with lap
board aoross his knees, busly engaged in tn
mysteries ofa
PECULIARLY PERPLEuNG GAME OF SOLITAIRE
HIS youngest son-a bright boy of was assist
ing ~ his father, and yentured the observation
rs soon us bis futher had expires sed his fondnes
Tor the game, that "Papa gets tho board ever.
night as soon as he is through supper, and goe
| Mt it."
II consider it one OF the most mAgniticen
amusemcnts even invented" said the humorist
If any one Is troubled with sieeplesness hi
cannot better employ himself than in tho study
OF tho wonderful combinations thut may bt
brought out of these little slips of pusteboartl
Some Years ago wis greaLy annoyed by inso1n'
mia, and then 1t was thut got particular pleas
ure out OF this. If you want to talk with me,
can answer your questions and continue the
game If you will excuse 1ne.''
l. After some minor chat about certain parties
with whom We wero both acquainted the con-
vcrsation drfted, by easy stages, to that subject
concerning which he was evidently most inter-
| csted,-
THE DRAMA OF TO-DAY.
- newspnpcr-man or u playwright has no
business Offering an opinion on play, though, -
productions hui too little action and too much
conversation: "But tnon thut Is what Is always
said; and still We newspaper continue to
attonu the theatre. not to be amused ut al, or to
performance. If there is any to be hud. but
Ss Mtg Il cSxud svo a1a wsy
for inst'nce. would have nothing short OF the
School for Scandal; but TINT wouldn't pay. the
| in our best theatrcs. Tint is enough to rule it
out. In fact. the only real test Of whether IL pny
is good or not is whether It pcases the people or
| have too much action too little action; it
may DO TOO prosy or too poetic: but, II it
IS no doat p'q9e aSeat it tbe
learned criticisms in the world 20 for naught-
The people know what they want and they will
they wanted,-if they were willing to pay for it
aud get cheated.-who Is going to care? But
you may rest assured that, nine cases out Of
len, thnt which the people like hlls merit in it..
THE "W1DOW nEDO1T. =
us the rumor III regard to the sum you re-
Gelyea FOR your, dramatfzntion of the widow
BGdott cOrrGctT'
'' 1t Is exuctly correct. I sold the play. after
y very successful run, to Jack Hayerly, for So
ooo 1t wns cheap Ms dirt ut that too wouldn't
have sold out for twice that amount If it had not
been that had other business that was Obliged
to neglect to nttend to it. md tho time hAd come
when must bc Ut home. The play is still rum
i" So tt *sa s5Sx"sa ~set houses and brings
dra.natlzing the Bedott Papers p 0 ''''
. More than hltcen years ago. had the whole
ago. Pretty soon after 1t was finished encoun-
tered The obstacle which prevented my bringing
"What was that?" -;
NEIL BURGESS. .
Why, couldn't find an actor who would or
could take the character, Of the 1Ftdow. No
could well act it. Ono night, about u year ago,
drittcd into one Of our vnriety theatres here.
an and then saw Neil Burgess acting the part Of IN
OLD woman. saw {nHa moment that he had |
power as IN actor, and from that my m1nn !
turned to my manuscript OF the play. |
willingness to take hold16f the matter. we tried |
it here at home, and it t6ok we'll; and from that
We went on snccessf'llto
,,ood d9n .S,n: were the meanf Of giving Burgess
Yes; Int he was poi4nd to come out sooner
IL tine fea e s1 ana o1d
NEW RLAys.
" Are you writing anything now?"
should say so. am full Of business, you
may Judge. l am writing comedy for Il lady In
NcW York; and Hm engaged on something Il
littlc more extensive, in the form Of regular
dranln; though not quite that either It is
something between drama proper and melo-
aapqp you 9at caro- to give an outline
don't know how good they may be; they muy
never bring ME half that amount: but / pro-
pose to try them first anyway, and see.''
THE PRESIDENCY.
s. hot |