The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-28

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VO\WGWGHNA when large ma
,NzNZ/M 9LJ Jority of American
lllESCiSNSDt V} theatrical mana
NA 81 gers are assidu-
W0 ~ ously engaged In
II ZGAN asseverating that
good plays como
only from the other side of "the pond, ;" tby
personality of the man or woman who up
sets this delusioniis a subject Of which til.
public at large and the uckling Sardous"
in particular delight to read.
Genius is very rare thing, aad thes
are always lots Of purchasers aftes It In
fact. so shrewd IA manager as Mr. Fsold OF
the BoSton Museum, has ordered frou
Miss Merington serious play called
"Goodby," which will be produced IA o..
tobor or November.
On thu surface Captain LstaoYblair"
appears to the outsider only "a a play
which WAS given ut trial mattaaa laat
spring. and produced ia August ~ the Ly.
ctum thoater. New York. was curious
To know how this young woman, CENTRALLY
ignorant OF professional theatrical matters.
had been able oven TO secure hoesanR for
her play from Mr.. Sothern. and I confes,
that tho story AZ told mo by Mis- Moring.
ton. has increased rather thnn dtsaia,she.l
my surprise. ~
Miss Moringlon has long taken al inter.
est In amateur theatricals. She has lady
friend OF similar tastes, aud tho embryo
playwright was constantly suggesting that
this, that or the other thing would mako a
pretty sceno. AS Miss Merington IL a lady
OF high literary attainments. as her con-
tributions to the magazines via at,eae.
her friend. who Ia also an iutisnats 90.
qaintance of Edward Sothern. suggested
thnt she adopt dramatic writing rs a pro
fession. AMI promised TO send My Sothesu
To see her. AS. the actor wax at that TINA
Aadly In need Of play the preliminary
portion OF the prugrhmms wont t.rvu,sA
, without hitch a.
Three years ago Ms. Sothsrn fres visited
Miss Merington at The request Of tile mu-
tual. and In this cnse it must be admitted
helpful. friend. The interview oa that ~,
caSion was not particularly conprehep
sivo ono, as the actor only explained 10 IL.
aspiring playwright the limo Of ch1raotsrs
which he desired TO play. Among other.
he mentioned that the Irish gentlemsa
would be typo now to tho stage
For few days Miss Merin9ton busted her
mind with concoctinK interesting stories re
volving about The central figure OF an Irish
gentleman Then she wrote first act. sey-
eral times too long, which she sent TO MIR.
Sothern. who paid her another visit in tho
following spring. and told her very frankly
that her work was unaotAble, but the story
NJ detailed to him possessed vitality. Then
be went away. and Miss MerinKton. in.
stead OF becoming disheartened, resolutelv
set to work. rewrote tho frat acA and after.
ward finished the play.
On the occasinns of Mr.. Sothernis nox,
visit. after tho close of tho season. he OK.
planned that while ho liked "Iettarblair."
az tho piece was then known very much.
ne believed Shnt IL would DO more To his
intGrast TO play Henry Arthur Jones'
THE Dancing Girl" during his next tour.
He advised her TO sell her comedy 70 any
one who would produce it promptly, but
also told hor that II sho cared TO wal.
until he got ready he would put it Oh.
Later in The season. after Lhoro had been a
good deal OF revising done, My Sotherp
notified Miss Merington that ils would
give "lettarbl'dr" IA trial matinee at tn,
l,yceum. This WIS done. and tho pres.
notices were on TIM whole extremely favor.
able, although thoro wure manifest crudi.
tics to which Mis-, Merington told me thnt
even she way uut' blind. NNaxL morning
Mr.. Sothern delighted the hopofui author
with the announcement that ha had do
cided To us1 'Lettnrblnir'' fos Ito SEASON
NJ l802-a
Miss Merington spent part OF the pnsA
summer with that prince Of kindly meu.
Joseph jefferson BY his advice much
pruning was done, and two irrelevant char
actsrs we're rnlhlessly eliminated. SO that
the piece M produced at the Lyceum las,
month Atooi forth u nearly fnulLIrss piece
of dramatic construction
Mis- Merington is probably less thar
twenty-five years old Her face denotes
the strongest intellectnality and she has
terSe and Ncisivo manner Of EXPRESSING
herself which Is positively captivating
She is tIl. rather slender, and though nos
robust In constitution is devotse OF
es~iuimiiiH She lives in little cottage