The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-04-13

VII SOIuC"udG :"
ry : ! E: ::: T.: :: =; +: i
sig ht, and
thought I would
be able to add to
it materially it I
could but find the thing I wanted.
Paris did not seem the old Paris.
found some of the fine shade trees
cut down where the barricades had
been erected, and here and there on
the walls of the little houses in the
Rue Santierre, where I lodged were
the marks of bullets-the scars of the
rage of the terrible commune.
wanted new thin e
that would fill the house and my
pockets as we'll.
Just then this new drama seemed a
dream, a vision not to be realised, for
some of the finest things in that line
had failed, and the dramatists were
taking their wares across the channel
and even to the United States.
I advertised for manuscripts in the
proper channels and retired to the up
per rooms to wait. I knew it would
be long time before l could find just
what needed, and when I thought of
the stuff would be expected to read
the useless dialogue and the poor
humor-I fairly shuddered.
My one friend and confidant, Mon
sieur Jadet, 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.
81 told you so,' he would say. t'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 barri-
cades aud such until a year has pass
ed. That one terror paralyzed the
brain; it has palsied the hand, and
no drama, monsieur, no drama! Sacre!
Why do we wait for that which can
not Gomez"
And then he would walk to the win
his face darkly sober.
We waited for three weeks. Day af-
ter day picked up new manuscript,
but soon laid it down. IA dozen lines
we're enough.
One afternoon when l had come in
from walk through the denuded
boulevards l 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-
= ously upon the pile of rejected dramas
on the table.
I was struck at once with the beau
ty of the girl, for girl she was, not
past eighteen, with fragile but be-
witching figure and a face almost
transparent in the sunlight.
You are Monsieur M-?' she
asked, half timidly, showing me two
rows of snow white teeth.
I replied in the affirmative and she
seemed to smile again.
II am Mile. Vivien," she answered,
modestly taking from beneath her
shawl little roll of paper at sight of
which seemed to fall back
Was it another drama?
You have advertised for a DRAMA
she went on. 'And see! I have
brought you one"
took the roll and was about to un-
tie it when she interposed hand.
when I am gone, if you please,
monsieur" she said. 81 will leave it
with you. l will come-when shall I
return for your verdict?"
Plying the girl, I told her had re-
ceived so many manuscripts and that
l feared hers would not be read for
some time; but she said quickly:
II will come tomorrow! You will
read it tonight. 1t may be better
than strolling through the stree is, ;"
and before I could reply she had
arisen and was gone.
l heard her footsteps OH the stair
and then lost the sound of them.
Half an hour later [ was looking up
from the manuscript with a startled
face. 1t had come! I felt that held
in my hand the very thing I had
sought, and with the drama clutched
in my grip went over to the window
and breathed hard, yet joyfully.
l.
toss Claire" and saw at once that
the young heroine would captivate
the hearts of the tickle Parisians if
anything could.
The girl who had brought the
drama had left no address and I did
not know where to look for her, so all
had to do was to wait. She said she
would come the next day.
dared not show the play to Mon
sieur Jadet, but resolved to wait till I
had made arrangement for it's pur-
chase. l would keep the secret all to
myself.
The next day Vivien came back.
Modestly dressed and intellectual in
appearance l had taken to her, and
wondered if she were not the daueh-
ter of the play wright.
II have examined your drama, -
said l.
And you like it!' she started 81
thought you would, monsieur"
1'1t is very good
She clasped her thin hands and
looked at me-