The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-11
PUDDIN' HEAD WILSON
The Agreement With Mark Twain 10
Dramatic the Story.
ONLY A VERBAL CONTRACT
There We're No Formalities. NJ ereIy
a Mutual Understanding = Now
the Play Is Coming Money and
Is an Interesting One.

Though there is nothing in "Puddn
head Wilson" that is suggestive of min
ing camp life, both Mark Twain, who
wrote IL. and Frank Mayo. who made a
play of it, are products of Western
mining camps, so far as their public ca
reers are concerned. Twain began life
as mining camp reporter and Mayo as
a mining camp actor.
1T was I'm that great Nevada camp,
Virginia City, the two young men first
met, back in the sixties, and a friend
ship was formed that lasted third of
century" said John II. Martin, who
represents Mr. Mayo. to a Standard re-
porter in Butte yesterday. Both have
made fortunes since then and lost them
again.
About two years ago. when Twain's
story. Pudd' nhead Wilson, was run
ming as serial in the Century maya
zine, Twain and Mayo met on Broad
way in New York. Mayo wanted a
play and the money a successful one
would bring him. and Twain was in
condition that would not consistently
allow him to disregard propositions
likely to bring financial results.
Now ! will tell you just what oc-
CURED there on Broadway in a driz-
cling rain; and it's the only contract
that exists to-day between the mining
camp humorist and author, Mark
Twain. and the mining camp play
wright-actor. Frank Mayo:
Hello. Sam said Mayo; step i'm
here a moment. 1 want to talk with
you.' at the same time indicating a
doorway that seemed to offer shelter
from the inclemency of the weather.
Frank. amt you mistaken? That
doesn't look like a place where they
sell It, replied Mr.. Clemens.
" oh. stop your fooling, Sam; l want
to talk business with you
well. fire away. Frank; but don't
make me lose my dinner. for you know
that's a serious matter with me-
1 want to dramatize one of your
stories
(which oner
"'Well. what's the matter with 'Pud-
d'nhead Wilson, the one now running
In the Century?
"'All right. go ahead; If there's a
play in 'Pndd'nhead l know you can
get IL out; don't bother about me, go
right along
We'll. but how about royalties?'
oh. never mind about royalties
you go ahead. We won't disagree on
royalties. Now I must get on or
shall lose my dinner. Good bye.
hope you will find a play in Puddn-
head
"As I said before" continued Mr..
Martin. that's all the contract that ex-
lists to this day between Mark Twain
and Frank Mayo as to Mr. Mayo's
play. 1t is coming money and will
make many thousands of dollars in
this. its first season. Marx Twain, who
is lecturing in far off India. has only
seen the play once.
by an arrangement with Charles f.
Evans, proprietor of the Herald Square
theater, New York. who is Mr.. Mayo's
partner in 'Pudd'nhead Wilson,, and
under whose business direction Mr..
Mayo Is playing II. Mr.. Mayo and Mr.
Evans are remitting TO Mark Twain's
agent I'm New York royalties on 'Pud-
d'nhead Wilson that i'm the aggregate
amount to a snug income of themselves. |
Now, does not this incident show that
the old. unsefish fellowship they both |
imbibed in a Nevada mining camp has |
lasted for 30 years and withstood
third of a century of the hidebound
business methods that prevail east of
the Missouri river?"