The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17
IN LESS SERIOUS MOOD.
BY CHARLES D. soUTH.

BY CHARLES D. SOUTH.
Eugene I. Sawyer, author, actor, dramatist
ana ali-round newspaper man, has written
play whlch may soon appear on the boards OF
can francisco theater, and this play, without
doubt, Will excel four-ffths of the alleged
dramas that are annually folsted upon US from
lhe East Sawyer is a genius in his way Had
ne Deen content to abide in the field OF humor,
lame ana fortune might have blessed MIN
years ago. As a comedian, too, he is said 10
nave been prince of mirib-provokers. 1t is
told OF him that a body OF Good Tempiars in a
country town studied up "Solon shlngle" and
got Eugene to play the title role. The re-
hearsals were carried on without the stars
presence, the local actors learning their re-
spectlye cues to nicely. The eVentful
evening came, and with it came Eugene. Inc
Play ran along all right until Sawyer's turn
came to say something. lie said 1T, and Kept
right on.
Eugene's previous stage experience had been
with people who were never troubled by the
loss OF "cue," ana his fatal facility OF words
dumfounded the Good Templars. They
waited for the "cue" that never came. Once
In while Eugene woul d stop and look around,
as II 10 Invite word from somebody else NO
word coming, he started in again. and acted
the whole play. He told all the funny stories
he could recall, and the play was enthusiast
cally applauded from beginning 10 end. me
audience finally became so interested IN Eu-
gene that they stamped and called for him
whenever he wasn't on the stage. But the
GOOD Templars never again invited eugene TO
assist them. While the sun was shining the
stars could not be seen
Sawyer didn't realize satisfactory income
from his humorous sketches and he got started
on stories OF the sensational type. As Eastern
periodicals offer inducements for that sort OF
literature Eugene has been reeling OF serial
ffar al IlG
stories are full of action, and thrilling Incl
dents abound. From Sawyers scrapbooks, by
the way, very good history of California
could be compiled, for he has pasted away
everything he has deemed worthy OF preserva-
ton since his career as a writer began about
thirty years ago. He is rapid worker, and In
the space OF couple of weeks may turn out
tale that viii bring him from $50 to $500.
Joaquin Murietta and Tiburcio Vasquez the
bandits, were among Eugene's earlier heroes,
but latterly he has been reveling in mystery
stories, literally besprinkled with rudy gore
He is capable of better things.
But the men ton of the new play recalls
Sawyer's first venture in the dramatic llne 1t
was some fifteen or twenty years ago, when
Eugene was the shining light OF newspaperdom
in the Garden City, that he put into effec. his
idea of a war play. 1t was written from neu-
trail standpoint, being entirely devoid of sec
the Northerner and the Southerner might find
equal pleasure. The best home talent avail
able was secured. There were two heroes and
two heroines in the cast. For the Southern
hero and heroine Eugene selected John T.
Malone twho afterward played with Booth and
Keene) and Miss Eleanor Calhoun, who has
but recently made q brilliant success on the
European stage
The Northern hero and heroine were repre-
sented, as it happened, by lesser lights among
the amateurs. This blunder laid that drama
on the shelf. The production was under the
auspices of Northern patriotic organization.
Despite the fact that impartial critics praised
the play IT was tabooed by the very people who
had been counted on to boom it--and all for
the reason that the Southerners seemed to
have too much the best of it. Had Mr. Malone
and Miss Calhoun been cast for the other two
heroic parts the play would have received an
ovation. But Eugene T. Sawyer may yet give
to the country play that will win popu-
lar plaudits, and it is just possible that he may
do that very thing before long.