The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-27
moLLIg ELLIOT sEawELL
She HISS Dramatized Her Story. MAID
Msrian"-Other Woman DraDatisss-

Msrian"-Other Woman DraDatisss-
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK, Feb i5.-ft - announced
that Miss Mollie Elliot Seaweu has dram
affixed her story, :'Maid Marian" and that
1t is TO be st once produced by Rosins
Yokes
Miss Seawell has TINS given evidences. -
other successful novelists q her sex have
done, of the tendency which exists nova
days 10 combine the dramatic art with THAI
of fiction writing.
In recent essay Mr.. David Cryssie
Murray suggests that in the near futnrs
literary development win ind its highest
expression upon the stage. partly because
dramatic t<iumphs are speedier and give
greater fame, and partly because the Pc
cuniary rewards which follow success ara
very much larger than novel writing can
bring n these days
Miss Seawell certainly hss the literary
instinct, She is Virginia girl, OF slight
figure, great earnestneSs, almost impetu-
osity Of manner and speech, a charming
teller Of anecdotes in the private circle
and for time was n most interesting news
paper correspondent Il was in fact IS
Washington correspondents that she gained
her first successes. and she has written for
almost every one OF the greater journals %
the country. From correspondence she
went 10 fiction. and has written two or
three tales for youth which have not been
excel!ed by any modern writer Of stories
for the young. and also serials which have
commanded approval from those Of ms
ture years. She has also experimental
49,
while showing dramatic instinct. indicated
unfamiliarity with dramatic form and the
technical requirements Of the stage. II this
new play should prove a success Miss Sea-
well Will probably get a greater fame and
she will certainly receive more money than
all her tales have brought her.
Mrs. Burnett, who was at the height OF
her fame and living in Washington Just as
Miss Seawell was beginning her literary
work in that city, learned some years ago
that the highest rewards Of literature. at
least so far a. money and temporary recog-
milton are concerned, come from plays.
She has told herself the delight which this
discovery gave her. She had written one
novel which had great popular success,
THAT Lass o Lowrie's," and two other
stories published seriAlly. which scarcely
maintained her fame She had also writ
ten great number OF short stories, but AL
her efforts in this direction brought her =
comparatively small amount Of money
Then the inspiration seized her 20 writs
a story for the young using one Of her own
sons as the model for the hero. This was
published in st. Nicholas, and Little Lord
Fauntleroy" re-established the fame which
Mrs. Burnett gained with the story of Jean
Lowrie She got a fair price for the story,
but the profits gave her no idea of the lux
ury of wealth.
There are two or three dramatic man.
ayers in New York who have very sad
faces when they are asked 70 recall their
experience with Mrs. Burnett and the man
uscript OF the play, Little Lord Fauntle-
roy" She offered it to several managers.
Some Of them treated her with brusque-
ness. some with courtesy and some with
indifference, but they all declined even 20
look at the manuscript. When at last the
play did get upon the stage. andit made \
hit, Mrs Burnett found that instead Of
being the beseecher she was che besought.
Managers offered her thousands Of dollars
guarantee and handsome royalties. and it
was her turn now 70 do tho smiling. Shs
began to realize tho delights Of having .
bank account. Her profits sometimes ran
as high as 81 200 70 81 300 a week. and she
Is reported TO have received In all nearly
Sl00 600 as her share Of the earnings Of this
play.
This experisnce led Mrs. Burnett practi-
cally 10 abandon the novel. She had
entered into some contracts, however, for
stories which she was and Is compelled 20
fulfill, and when these stories are written
she viii probably devote herself entirely TO
play writing.
She has produced two plays since Lord
Fsuntleroy" was staged. and without much
success This has been due entirely 20 the
fact that Mrs. Burnett did not understand
the laws of dramatic construction "Faun-
tleroy" itself Is very imperfect as a work OK
art, and nothing but the extraordinary
interest in the character ard the brillisney
with which IL was played alternately by
the boy Tommy Russell and little Elsie
Leslie saved the play. Mrs. burnett, how
ever. has the dramatic instinct, and as som
as she learns what stage requirements arc
it is quite likely that she will produce -
successful play as ''Fauntieroy."
There are reports that kmelis Rives
Chanler il also to try her hand at play
writing. Her fame IL 10 great that she
will have no difficulty In getting any play
that she writes produced, although thers
Is every probability that it would be neo-
essary first TO subject it 70 the revision oe
stage manager. Mira Chanler has %
course, TO the highest degree, the dramatic
instinct, and she would be quite likely 70
conceive situations OF intense dramatic
power Therefore those who see gsnius
in her novels viii not he surprised il she
produces a play which bears the stamp Of
genius upon IL.
Miss wilkins. the writer Of New Eng
land romances and sketches. who has
within yearo- two won 10 Rrea: repute,
has also been urged 20 dramatic SONS Of
these sketches. She has humor, pAtbos
and the capacity for constructing elective
climax. and II abe will write = play which
il a. true 70 life rs arc her sketches, and
which contains a story. as mos Of these
sketches do there are spleudid chances for
dramatic success for Der.
L J. EDsAKpA