The Progress., 1894-10-27

wanted new drama-SOmcthlng |
that would FIJI the house and my
pockets as we'll.
Just then this new drama seemed a
dream, a vision not to be realized, 1or
some Of the finest things in that hne
had failed, and the dramatlsts were
taking their wares across the channel
and even to the United States.
advertised for manuscripts in the
proper channels and retired to the up
per rooms to wait. knew it would
be long time before | could find just
what needed, and when | thought OF
the stuff would be expected to read
the useless dialogue and the poor
humor-I fairly shuddered.
My one friend and conhdant, Mon
sieur Jadet a little man with the
blacklist eyes that ever sparkled, used
to climb to my room and walk over to
the table and run his hand through
the dramas that were accommodating
there.
ST told you So" he would say. "You
get enough, but not what you want.
It won't come. Paris is still SILVER
ing over the commune, and it won't
come out of the shadow OF the barrl-
cades and such until year has pass
ed. That one terror paralyzed the
brain; it has palsied the hand, and
no drama, monsieur, no drama! Sacre!
Whv do we wait for that which can
not Gomez"
And then he would walk to the win
dow and look out over the city with
his face darkly sober.
We waited for three weeks. Day al
, ter day picked upa new manuscript
but soon laid it down. A dozen lines
were enough
One afternoon when had come in
from walk through the denuded
boulevards found my room occupied.
Pierre, my janitor, had let my Wis
, itor into the room, and she sat in my
, chair with her eyes resting half jeal-
Z ously upon the pile Of rejected dramas
Q on the table.
: was struck at once with the beau
u tv of the girl, for girl she was, no
!. past eighteen, with fragile but be
y wi.ching figure and face almost
=. transparent in the sunlight.
D. you are Monsieur NJ" she
y asked, half timidly, showing me tw'
10 rows of snow white teeth.
s. Ireplied in the affirmative and shf
10 seemed to smile again.
81 am Mile. Vivien," she answered
ir modestly taking from beneath he
shawl a little roll Of paper at sight
=. which seemed to fail back.
Was it another drama?
"You have advertised for drama,
Ia she went on. "And see! l hav
u. brought you one."
or took the roll and was about to ur
u, tie It when she interposed hand.
ly esyvhen am gone, if you please
e, Monsieur" she said. II will leave
o., with YOU. I will come-when shall
he return for your verdict"
m. Pitying the girl, l told her / had r
on ceived so many manuscripts and thu
~ I feared hers would not be read II
some time; but she said quickly:
10. 81 will come tomorrow! You wi
read it tonight. 1t may be bett
mr.. than strolling through the streets
and before could reply she hi
- arisen and was gone.
I heard her footsteps on the sta
and then lost the sound OF them.
Half an hour later was looking
from the manuscript with stArtl
face. It had come! I felt that l he
in nv hand the very thing / h
sought, and with the drama clutch
in my grip went over TO the wind'
! and breathed hard, yet joyfully.
The drama was called "The Coz
II IS Claire" and saw at once tt
tie young heroine would capt'v'
tie hearts Of the tickle Parisians
anything could.
The girl who had brought
drama had left no address and
not know where to look for her, so
had to do was to wait. She SAID
would come the next day.
and I dared not show the play to M
hen sieur Jadet, but resolved to wait IL
bet had made arrangement for its I
With chase. would keep the secret al
pity myself.
to The next day Vivien came pa
test Modestly dressed and intellectual
luid annearance I Ind taken to her,
Inc wondered IL she were not the dao
A.. ter of the playwright.
leas. . n"e
rulv said l.
t'uy "Ana YOU like i'll" she started.
ton. , thought you would, monsieur"
vera at is very good
tion. She clasped her thin hands
and looked at me.
deal "Your father, tho playwright
Kid 81 have no father! / came to r
reak- an orphan, from the district OF hi
from Lorraine. l walked all the way
when ! was helped little by
drug. Prussian soldiers"
man "But the drama? How did
,yruP bring it along without losing A9
ereIy 81 did not fetch it with me
~ sieur. II was produced here. but le
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