Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-06-25
\ "DARK"DRAMATIST
"Cicatleman to see you, sir. "

i but he would take no denial
 "Confound the fellow" said Mr. Qu;llct, drawing down his pen. I'm busy. cant possibly see him. Where have ycu left him, Jane?''
 In the hall, sir.
 Il say. you ought not to have d ,ne that. Ten to o:ic he's somo thieving tel- low after the hats and umbrellas, But ! vuu girls from the cOuutry''-
 Mir Outlet did not complete his sen i tp,5ce, for st that minute a tall, dark man walked calmly into the room, and | after lowing tn the astOnished owner of l the h.nsa. with the hlsndrst and most 1 >,.If I,.,,.->sel If smiles. said suavely:
 II wish tn >vo yuu i'll private, sir. ' Jane. tho huuecmaid. seeing threaten inGs If d storm upon her masters face nud not caring to await its uutburst, l thought il discreet to take the visitors hin;. Sn she slipped hurricdly out of tl.r room. Mr, Outlet and the intruder stood facing each other. "Pr.y. sir, to what au indebted for the honor If this call:' demanded Mir. l QuilI2,. g!ar;ng at the stranger through t!l> cytEla>S.
 ltEEltl Ilc u N li1dlns tShSu lue rth,~. with q smile and q bow,
 II will trouble you. sir, to ho as brief as r :,>iblc," said MT. Outlet impa- t:,ntIy My time is valuable, and I cuYuut aTu-d to waste it Now, then, | what k 1t Y Il Want:
 II see it stated i'll The Referee. Mir. Outlet. that you are writing tragedy fv~ production at the Erectheum. May .l>k yuu, sir. if that statement is cor r,>t:"
 "Yru may ask, ." replied MT. Quillot ] frcczingly. but whether give you an | answer ur not is another matter. I must fir, I,gu, at that you have the goodness to explain i'll what way my literary en- gAgc!uvut> concern you, sir. "Thvy-or rather this particular one -cuucrrn mr very nearly, as I shall Stun show you. I wonder now. sir, whether this tragedy of yours is yet cumplrtcd:"
 "Crun my word, retortcd Mir. Quil- let, drawing himself up, II must really decline tp grutify your curiosity"
 Well, it k uf no great moment, said the other Let mo put it to you i'll this way: Yvu are writing, or have writt,n-it doyS nut matter which-a ] tragedy fir production at the Free l thCun. II may he d strong tragedy; 1t nllv be q weak one. But. whatever its | quality. I can put into your hands an original W,rk uf my own, compared with which yours. sir, will read as weak ;S rap.'
 "Yuu are too tiattpring. sir. upon my word" gaSped MT. Quillet, astoundcd, aS well ho might be- by the fellows br;,Lcn assurance.
 "Thc p!ay If which speak, " contin- u,d the stranger, disrcgarding Mir. Outlet $ sarcasm, and producing a roll of mAnu>'r. .pt from his pocket. lis this. I wvu;p it myself from first to last. And I vrutur tn assert that il is one of the most powerful tragedies that have ever |, cn written ill the English tongue.
 Thp stranger spoke >n earnestly and W ith such d genuine conviction of the truth If lis own words that Mir. Quil- let, who N,d> kind hearted man at bot t';u. 1N;~ r...lccd q : Tt If rcvulsiun in | his fee T! < His s,usruf anger at tLr frl l,W 's IT.: umUtiun s.Ivc way to a sense If pity. riinEl,,d with contempt. It was evident that the man was one If that, alaS. too numerous band of amateurs who ur' bitten with the tragic muse and | cheat IhrmSrlvrS into the belief that their miserable productions are some thing phenomenal How many of this class there are-ayo, and how impOSsi- managers and dramatic authors really know.
 I MT Outlet therefore checked the whitening rctort that rose to his lips Now tLut he realized the class of mortal he had 10 deal with, and saw that he was an object for pity rather than for anger, hr adopted more affablo tone, No doubt little judicious humoring would hr the quickest way to got rid of hln.
 "Ah, we'll" he said, ''yuu wish me to read your play, 9ather' I am very busy and camp; attend to it now, but if yuu will leave yrur manuscript here, to- gCther with yuur name and address, l shall 3e plca>rd to o&lanro through it at my leisure and return 1t to y,n with my opinion upon il.
 The stranger smiled knowingly and shook hlS head,
 No. no!" he answered. "Yuu must excuse mc, Mir. Outlet. but really 1 ki1.,W tl' time If day, sir. Would you I'uk uJ il if I lrit il here: Not you. It has been to six managers. and hls been returned l,y all six as unsuitable. But mt one If thcm had read it. That know vvry well, fur 1 gulnmrd tn,
 sheets |, grthrr here and there aS q test
 and Mllrn th, manuscript came back tn
 gum Wa> still undisturbcd. "
 'WrM. lr'k h,.-,,.' ,j3, lated Mr
 Quji!"!. A.uAi,.I angry again. "Wha
 the devil do yuu want, sir: Yuu don expect me to read your cumfounded pla here and now, Go yuu:"
 No, I d. Lrt, w;Ls the urbane reply p "Th"n what ill the name of hcave P d. yuu cNIn~t:'
 l II expect yuu to listen while req y the play aloud tn you, the stranger Tt turned, folding his arms and regardin MT. Quillrt with tho callnest of stares.
 Tie luttrr's patience was utterly brc
 ken down by the ouol impertinence (
 the demand.
 We have had enough of this. sir, = said Mir Quillrt withoringly. "I mus
 wish you guud day, There Is the door. a The s,rang,r drew himself up to hi ,; full height. his tall, powerful fran Il quito dwarting the insignificant propol
 tionS of MT, Outlet.
 II shall decline to move. sir, he sai
 coolly, until you have accedcd to Ill
 request,
 This is monstrous-outrageou = gaspcd MT Outlet, Tn my own house
 I'll-Ill summon the police. I'u'-
 None of thAt, please" said u
 stranger, quickly interposing himsel
 as the other made movement towa1 the bell rope Don { provoke me al