The Press., 1889-08-08
used my play you might as we'll tell me

fused my play; you might as we'll tell me this."
 .sMy dear Nash, ? replied the unlucky manager, driven thus into corner by
 man whom he didn't care to offend, "you must swear to me on your honor as gentle
 man not to split on me, and I'll tell you this--the play is by low. church parson who died recently, and his heirs are two |aanctimonious old women who wouldn' t go
 into theater to save their souls, theaters
 being in their minds pits of Tophet and sinks of iniquity--but who are quite willing to accept the low price they've asked for the acting rights. Why, I've already heard 1t claimed by half dozen men as their own; but I've never .contradicted any of
 them I can't" "A grand idea flashed through Mir. Nash's
 mind. All he said. though, was, Thanks, old man; you can rely on meF and for
 the rest of the evening he wasAnwontediy
 silent and preoccupied.
 Next day he called in B. place, and, after discu3eing various indifferent sub- iects, he reh parked casually to Miss Tren- Edlesham,:
 "By the way, you haven't asked after Imy play lately. I shall want you to re- tdeem your first promise and go on keeping I your second. The first night of my play will be on the 4th. Jimmy Claxton has
 had it in rehearsal at the Athenseum for some time but I shall not acknowledge the authorship, as am going in for serious I Work-politics and that sort of thing, you
 know with an eloquent look at Miss I lDorothy-ssand don't want to be looked upon as merely playwriter.
 "I'm so glad, said Miss Trendlesham. .sAnd you will tell me what its about now, ] won't you? | sI'm afraid mustn't. I've promised ! Claxton won't tell any one explained
 to him I must tell you I was the author, and he said all right, if could trust you so that's all dare tell you"
 Il After this MT. Nash rose to go, having an uncomfortable lump in his throat, and his heart beating with unpleasant vehem ence. A worse horror, however, was II : Istore for him, for, as he left the house, who lshould be entering the hall but Jimmy Claxton himself.
 : "Hullo l" said that worthy, didn' know you knew the Trendleshams. Don : lgo yet-come back r .I ssOan't possibly-must be of good tIbyl" and the unhappy man rushed away ;. Directly Mir. Claxton made his appear
 tance Miss Trendlesham began speaking tt } him about the new play which was creating ssfsc much curiosity. He stoutly refused t' say anything about 1t, and at last Mis- } Dorothy, exssperated by his good -humor ed resistance, said to him "Well, l knov { 1this-it was written by young man wht lis friend of mine, and you've met hin here"
 F '.Alas poor humanity" thought th' 1, manager, and then he added aloud -l"Well, since you know, I suppose he tolt si you-I'm certain he's told no one else } and as conclude he has sworn you to SC crecy, as he did me, I Isuppose there's n'
 harm in my confessing."
 : ssThat's right-I only wanted to be Ger tain: and now we won't talk about it an, l more. as he, know, doesn't wish it men II tioned." And SO the conversation ended Fl After this Miss Dorothy Trendleshan : treated MT. Nash with much greater con sideration than before-a fact which wa not unobserved by Neall.
 .I A few days before the eventful first nigh B Mr. Neall called at the Trendieshams', ant a in the course of the conversation he re !. marked to Miss Dorothy: "By the way ' fI want you to go to the first night of thi 1. new play by the unknown author, at tn ! IiAthenmnm. I'm told that it will be inter
 testing, and I've bought you box. 2 "Thank you, MT. Neall r said she 3 ssBut my mother and have promised t efRo with MT. Nash he has box also. stNash! What does he want there O
 the first night, should like to know?" ez dlaimed the author. Miss Trendlesham laughed little SCOTT q ffnl laugh and said H expect he ha ftnore right there than either you or . But, she added-the irresistible cruelt
 1d& the female nature triumphing for me
 Iment oven in Miss Dorothy Trendlesham
 superior mind -"what about your play
 Mir. Neall ?"
 ssWhst could be, the fate of play
 (which Miss Trendlesham refused to tax tany interest ?" said he, bitterly. et "Oh, am so sorry ]" she quickly F
 Iplied. 'sI wouldn't have asked you if 1had thought that" and she could nt
 finnish the sentence.
 +l 'sOf late you have hardly taken any il tterest at at all in my work" said Neal e rather peevishly; ''but I'm going to as c you to do me favor with respect to th'
 ssaipt ssrE P''y' p ~hi you Fe"0 the n"n' ', stOf course I will, said she, now tho 7. loughly humbled. "Send it to me t Il night" And he did SO, and the fair Do v tothy, having opened the manuscript whe J she went up to dress for reception, r U fused 10 put 1t down until she had read tt s whole play carefully through.
 Az she read she was amazed-amaZed' E the perfection of the language, the intere
 1of the plot, the brilliancy of the dialogu
 and the amount of technical knowleds n idisplayed in the MS.
 ; Ten minutes before the curtain rose ( o the eventful night MT. Richard Richmor ,. Nash, with Mrs. Trendlesham, and h. n daughter, took their seats in box D. M 1l Nash was very nervous and excited. Stil d he felt perfectly safe, for he had bee i, round behind and Claxton had been :, sphinx like as before, only remarking tn