Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-06-26

tiOns of Mr.. Outlet.
"I shall decline to move, SIR" he said
coolly, "until you have acceded to my
request"
'This is observation-disclosures
gasped Mr. Outlet ''In my own house !
I'll-I'll summon the police. Pip
"None of that, please" said the
stranger, quickly interposing himself,
as the other made movement toward
the bell rope. "Don' It provoke me- am
dangerous when aroused. LII this matter
I intend to have my way. Come, MIR.
Outlet, be reasonable. I offer you a
compromise Listen while read the
first act (it is very short), and if at the
end you really wish to hear no more I'll
take up my papers and leave the house
without another word. "
Mr.. Outlet was speechless and stood
painting with indignation. But the tall,
devil may care looking stranger, with
his flashing eyes and determined face,
frightened our nervous little friend more
than he would have cared to admit
''Come," continued the other. ''Is it
bargain?"
cit is absolutely scandalous, retort-
ed Mr.. Outlet, inwardly resolving to
follow the stranger as soon as he left the
house and give him In charge at once.
"If you persist in this outrage, I'll take
care that You regret it. P"
''I do persist" he answered, with a
careless laugh. "I'll chance the conse-
quences. Pray take a seat while am
reading. Act the first!''
Glaring on the bold intruder with
scathing glances Of impotent wrath,
Mr.. Outlet sank back in his armchair.
He would have summoned assistance by
shouting out, but he was deferred from
this by two considerations that
the stranger looked every inch the man
to resort to personal violence; second,
that it would have made himself appear
in rather ridiculous light. No; the
safer as we'll as the more dignifed course
was to remain quiet for the present and
to give him in charge the moment he
left the house. On that course Mr.. Quill
let most firmly resolved.
The stranger unfolded his roll of
manuscript and began to read, taking no
notice at all of the others sulky scowl.
The fellows voice was musical and ex-
pressive enough, Mr.. Outlet was forced
to admit to himself. And the tragedy
we'll, there was something in it, after
ALL At the end of five minutes the en-
forced listener had forgotten to scowl.
At the end of Is he was intent and in
terested. At the end of so, when the
first act terminated, he was sitting SPELL
bound.
''Shall leave off here?' inquired the
stranger, cor shall go on? lam ready,
you know, to stand by our compact. -
$50 on--go onp' said Mr.. Outlet,
with wave of his hand. Every trace of
anger and resentment had left him. 1t
was evident from the expression of his
face and from his whole delneanor that
he was alive to no other sen-ations than
those produced by this extraordinary
play.
With kindling eye and heightened
color, the stranger proceeded, his deep,
musical voice never missing point nor
slurring light and shade. The motif of
E110 tldScuy--tO Nlut cliO ACltlOfoSitseeoiOA
of the devil in human shape-was OBJ
viously far from original, but the treat
ment of the subject was absolutely SO,
differing both in details and essentials
and differing for the better-from every
previous conception. Itbreathed through
out an air not merely of powerful tragic
interest, but of genuine reality and nat
ural consequence, which hurried you
forward to the fatal climax by series
of irresistible developments. Long be-
fore the end was reached Mr.. Outlet,
who was far from predisposed in the
strangers favor, saw that the piece
would be fortune to any manager and
inwardly confessed that his own just
completed tragedy, on which hitherto
he had rather valued himself, would be
literally extingu1shed by the blaze of so
powerful production.
But the wonderful strength and terri
BILE pathos of the denouement soon oblit-
Grated from his mind everything in the
shape of sordid calculations and left him
only conscious of an overwhelming sense
of tragical emotion.
"There'' said the stranger, laying
down his papers, and regarding Mr..
Outlets expressive face with look of
placid triumph "What do you say?
Does the piece justify the strong meas
ures have taken to force it OH your no.
tice or does it not? Speak, sir!'
"It-it's masterpiece" gasped Mr..
Outlet. GA work of genius-a splendid
tragedy There is no man living, and
very few dead, who could have written
it'
''I believe you, was the quiet reply.
"It stands alone know it. And now I
give you your reward for having heard
me to the end. Take this tragedy, write
your name upon it and produce it at the
Erectheum for your own!'
"Eh-er-I don't understand you, :"
Mr.. Outlet calculated, supposing that
his ears had deceived him.
my words were plain,'' replied the
stranger. my meaning equally so. l
make you a present Of my piece-out
and out-with 10 reserve, except that
you offer it to Billhurst of the Erec-
theum, in lieu of the one which you are
now writing"
impossible" cried Mr.. Outlet.
Common honesty forbids me to appro-
pirate your work like that. Why, man
alive, do you not realize that this trag-
edy is worth money to you? 1t means
name and fortune"
"Bah'' laughed the other scornfully.
"What do want with either? I have
long enjoyed too much of both. All
desire is to have my tragedy produced.
In whose name, or to whose profit, l
care not straw
''But, really" objected Mr.. Outlet.
"I"-
''Pish-my friend, none of these butts.
With my eyes open and in good faith,
make you an offer which, while it suits
me, is highly advantageous to yourself.
If you are too proud to accept-well,
there may be others less squeamish. But
| you have your chance"
''Pride is not concerned in the mat
ter, replied Mr.. Outlet. "But how can
bring myself to put my name to an
other mans work? 1t would be species
I of literary forgery"
Nothing of the Sort" was the ener-
getic reply. "The play is my own in ev-
/ cry sense. have an incontestable right