The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-15

upper corner. 1t looks ike y l.,
but ia reality it is G. n. No. L. mean
ing General Notes, Page No. l. Then
there is a small line, meaning Note
No. L. then a criss-cross and then
these words: The Henrietta, Rose
dale, School for &c., and Drame de
Societe.' Now, this all brings back to
me these thoughts: To my mind the
four plays here mentioned represent
four great classes Of social charac-
ter. consider the possibility Of each.
and finally decide that my new play is
to be drama of society; further along
you will see a ANAL o. indicating
Note o. the usual criss-cross Is fol-
lowed by the word or and then
comes a note which in some fashion,
just what cannot as yet say. is to be
duly incorporated in the new play.
thus: 'The New Sexual Idea Let mo
explain this.
do you know that this world 10
rapidly passing in the direction of new
and sensational ideas. concerning the
sexual relations? No longer is woman
kept in ignorance of the laws OF ma
ture; no longer is she educated to look
upon marriage as her end in life. The
professions, the business houses are
being thrown open to her, and she is
using her talents for her emancipation
from the bondage Of marriage. She is
gradually learning to regard with In
difference the contemplate cognomen
of old maid Now this idea leads to
the next, as set down in the notes un-
der NO. s. or 81 as you SEQ it; that Is.
The Girl Bachelor"
But where do you get your ideas2"
I ventured, deeply interested.
From the world; from travel; seldom
from books. l have these ideas simply
because l do not allow myself to step
into my study and write play, ont of
my inner consciousness, SO to speak. !
make it an invariahle rule never to
write line till have thoroughly de-
veloped the situations That is the de-
sired end. Not the plot, mind you,
but the situations. You ask where /
get my ideas. / will tell you how /
came to write The Henrietta That
will illustrate. You knew it is play
of Wall street. l was going one day
into the Lotos club. when met q dear
friend of mine named Meyers.
He had green patch over
his eye. Hello. Meyers said, what
ais your oh, nothing he responded.
Got struck by something's" oh, no.
the eye is all right; it Is only droop-
ing Of the eyelid,' was his half-hearted
response. The eye is all right he
went on; then passing his hand pathet-
icaIly over his forehead he added
YEARLY: 1t is all here, Howardr
eWhat!' said, aghast. Wall street"
he said.
"'Wall street, The words kept ring
ing in my ears. was at work on a
play at the time; concluded to drop it
and try to write of that terrible, re-
morseless iend, speculation! Three
months after, going again to the club,
/ saw beautiful picture on an easel
in a corner; went up to tt and re-
gsrded it attentively; there was
small card on the frame; Bonded low
to read the inscription, and started
back as though struck by . blow.
What read was this:
Presented to the Lotos club by the
late iamented Mr.. Meyers Think of
it, the late lamented Mr.. Meyers-snd
in three months! That decided me. l
went into Wall street myself. Day
and night haunted the place, seeking
light ON as fascinating subject rs
ever appealed to human heart.
found two classes of workers in the
street. One is all nerves, the other as
cold as ice. l tell you Wall street
represents the 6ercest kind Of gam
bling in the world"
Bronson Howard keeps all his notes,
aside from the first drafts on the pa
pers above altudedsto, in small books,
neatly bound in leather and orna-
mented with gilt trac;ngs. He has
them numbered witk1 the letters OF the
alphabet He has already scrubbed up
enough books to reach SO" In these,
he keeps all sorts of information, one
item after another, in the most per-
picking fashion-to any but the dre-
matist himself.
SoA n6o ic(OAAtOA 90 ShCSo hOSo
books may seem, to the dramatist they
suggest mines of wealth, one day to be
dug up and hammered into the pure
gold in some drama Of life. For tween
ty-three years now this man has been
working for the cause OF dramatic art
AS founder and president of the Amer
lean Dramatists' club Mr.. Howaravas,
the other day, presented by fifty tan
tlemen with a magnificent silver lev.
ing cup. Mr.. David Belasco gave the
banquet In small wreaths of laurel
are the names of Mr.. Towards best
known plays-"Saratoga," 1.-The Bank
er's Daughter" "Old Love Letters"
Young Mrs. Winthrop" The Henri
eta" and "Aristocracy." On the cup
is q design bearing the two traditional
masks, symbolic Of the stage, while
near by is an American shield, over
which rises the sun-the rising sun of
American dramatic art
To Bronson Howard and the rising
sun-all hall
JOHN HUBERT GREusKL.
FIRST FemaIc-"Nhat business are
you engaged in?" Second Female-'I
am book agent" +. F--"What have
you to do?" $ F-''Nothing but talk"
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