Evening journal., 1892-03-03
PLOT FOR A PLAY.

The men were talking in the smoking
room after dinner. The Jew, Pereira, the
theatrical manager, so well known by his
marbled shirt collars aud his triumphant
neckties, stood before the fireplace, hold
ing in his hand small glass OF curacao.
1.-THE anecdote," said he, THE anecdote
everything depends on that play Is
good only II one can recount the plot in
five minutes. When an author comes 20
talk 10 me Of a comedy at my breakfast
hour, | stop him Immediately. Can you
tell me your business before / finish this
soft boiled eggi II he cannot, the play is
of no valuen
And Pereira swallowed his glass Of cura.
Goa.
81 am not dramatic author" said the
tall Maurice, the attache Of embassy, from
the depths Of the large armchair where he
was half hid but still, II you wish il.
Pereira, will tell an anecdote from which.
il seems 60 me, man In that trade could
get an idea. But the time It takes TO eat
an egg is very short"
well, grant you an omelet," said the
jew, with loud laugh. "But the ideas
for plots Of people Of the world-T mis-
trust H., as said the man who was about
70 be guillotined. But 60 aheadn
Very WELT The story made the rounds
OF the drawing rooms at Vienna when !
was there. There was then In Vienna a
physician renowned for his success with
heart disease. He was named-l change
the name naturally. for the thing was
tragic-he was named Dr. Arnold Scarce
ly forty years Old be had already a mag.
nihcent practice. lie was a handson.-
man; very elegant. with regular features
large blond wkiskers In the Austrian STYLE
but a pair OF eyes like an American-blue
aud cold as STEEL which flashed in the
light. A Russian family which resided in
Vienna-let us name them, II you will. the
Skebeloifs-called the doctor in oonsulta
tion on the case Of the daughter Of the
house. in whom the specialist recognized
after the FIRST examination the commence.
ment of aneurism IL must have been "a
delicate thing TO auscultate Miss Macha
just think OF i'll To apply his ear TO the
chest Of a beautiful brunette Of nineteen
years and knock upon her heart as il to
say, Can come inge'
Maurice interrupted the master Of
the house, mo vaudeville pleasantly. You
promised us a drama"
"You win have It, rest assured. Al
though they were received In good society.
these Skebeloffs were a little suspected.
They lived at the hotel. The father Skeb
elod had too many cords, knots and frogs
on his furred cloak. They had quite a
number Of servants, and the mothers dia-
monds passed for false With all this two
daughters 20 place, too beautiful TO be Of
any use-in fact. doubtful characters But
the doctor fell In love. He demanded Miss
Macha in marriage, was allowed TO make
his court, was married at the end Of three
months, and the Skebeloff family, sud
denly Disguised with Vienna. flitted away
90 new tables d'hote
"The DOCTORS wife, frau doctorin, as they
say there, was well received in Vienna
society. The newly married couple were
very interesting. The doctor loved Macha
both as his wife and as his patient. He
adored her and he nursed her This little
romance enchanted the sentimental. Al.
ready Mrs. Arnold, whose health was ia
all appearances re-established, showed her.
self often 20 the world, and even waltzed
there something's
. Notwithstanding her disease Of the
hearth"
'Yes. The young wife seemed so en-.
tirely cured that her husband permitted a
turn Of waltz, rs a physician; but believe
he would willingly have forbidden il as a
jealous husband. For the handsome Cap.
tain de Blazewitz--an Apollo in a white
uniform-was always the first to write his
name on Mrs Arnold's ball programme
and pressed her tenderly against his aig,
lets. Once more the old fable Of Mars and
Venus was revived"
Good, " said Pereira. 1T is clear enough
that your good natured people posed"
"PerhapsI One day the doctor discovered
a package Of letters'--
That's old-the package Of letters"
'Pereira, you are insupportablel You
may sneer If you wish, but In my anecdot'
there are some letters"
(which furnish to the husband the Ger
tainty Of his dishonor--is that not sol"
Certainly"
"And which make him conceive the pro
ject Of vengeancer'
do you know the story, Pereira2 II so
tell IL.
mo, my friend; but cut down, to use
term Of our trade. cut down, that is all
Then the husband avenged HIMSELF
by one Of those crimes which Away
remain undiscoyered"--
Then how do you know it,"
because the doctor talked. Yes, tn
kNAtA1 JUG ntAA1SAAf oASAAAuB W NnAt III
sistible that fatal need Of imparting S,
crets which exists i'm all men and whic
makes Of the Catholic confessional one q
the most'i--
I. Keep to your story, Maurice, keep t
your story"
Il won't say another word, grumble
the vexed young man.
!, Don't be angry said the grossly ms,
4 lent Pereira I'VE saved you the troubl
Of finishing your sentence. IL is the tru
theatrical style. See Scribe and Sardol
All in dialogue with points Of suspension
, ] am sick Of repeating it to the youn
authors. No stylel No knowledge
literaturel There have been plays ths
have failed on account Of an adjective n
d one knows what harm a metaphor may
So with romancesn--
in your turn, Pereira, said the mast,
Of the house. looking at the Jew with
e jeering air through his monocle. "Wh6
will you be through"
d 1T is just. Maurice, you said then thi
the husbandn--
q Imagined a terrible vengeance, but OF
permissible only to one Of his professio
:. Macha was not completely cured--he kne
u il well, the specialist-of this heart disea
e for which be had treated her during tV
q years with so much zeal and love. He n
dertook 10 replace her in her old stat
CURLING his wrath be compelled himse
= 70 maintain toward his wife the air Of
y dissatisfied, suspicious husband, and