Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-05-24
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Sleepers In the Astor Library Hoyt
Writes His Plays-The Tenement
Boys and the Bicycle.
Especial Correspondence

Many regular attendants at the pub
lie libraries would not stand a very
leuient test as to cleanliness or proprie-
ty of dress if the officials chose to esanb-
lish such standard, and one very good
evidence Of this is found in the condi-
ton of the catalogues in the Aston IL
brary. Tt has been found that q fire.
uuent change of the volumes produces
result not commensurate with the
amount of work involved. The appear
ance of many of the readers there is of
a kind to suggest wonder as to their
presence in the library, and some of
them are frequently in a pitifully
wretched condition. AS matter of
fact the most regular among the read
ers at the public libraries are men who
are evidently of very small means.
Spotting the Loafers.
But those who come to work and
those who come merely for the sake of
repose are recognized by the attendants,
and the latter are made to understand
that there is no place in the libraries
for them It takes some little time,
however, to find this out. It is still pos
sible to see men i'll the libraries sound
asleep, and there are often men who ap-
pear to be working with enough time on
their hands to enable them to make
haste as slowly as they please. The
difficulty the officials usually have is to
determine when a man has come to the
library really to use it, They are nat
urally compelled TO rely on the appear
ance of things, but even with lndul-
gence they are able after awhile to dis
cover the men who are there for bust
ness and those who are merely resting.
How Hoyt Writes His Plays.
''That's the way [ work out a play,
remarked Mr. Charles Hoyt the other
day, after. he had just finished telling
the plot - what will probably be his
next comedy.
GA good idea for plot strikes me, -
he went on, and I think about it a few
days and add little to it, and then [
get hold of some good fellow and tell
him about it. Maybe he will suggest
some addition. Maybe think of some
thing new. Every time I tell it it gets
little longer, until finally I've got all
three acts mapped out. Then I get it
down on paper.
The plot Of Mr.. Hoyt's new play?
Well, don know that he would want
me to tell it TO you just yet awhile. I
will tell you, though, that the plot is
full Of possibilities, and as far us he's
got-he has two acts roughly sketch
ed now-the story is very amusing.
The hero IS q rather colorless young
man from q small town in Connecticut,
who is the deacon Of his church and
who as such comes to New York to en-
gage the singers for a choir. Well, he
gets into no end of scrapes of course,
and-but, there, maybe I've said too
much already.
Give got tour booked for next sea-
son. said Mr.. Hoyt, land I've got
some people engaged, but the play
well, maybe it'll be this and maybe
TIL be some other. Z don't know.
Playwright Potter Proved It.
Ed Sothern, the actor, tells an anus
ing anecdote about himself and Play
wright Paul Potter It was while they
were rehearsing "The Victorian Cross
at the Lyceam. Sothern thought of
good piece Of business for certain
scene, and the next day at rehearsal he
introduced it.
'Capital!' exclaimed Potter. ''Where
did you get it?''
''Why, it's original protested Soth-
ern Il thought it out myself. -
ooh, pshaw!' remarked Potter cts
been used before, and I'll prove it to
you.
"And, by Jove," says Sothern, "he
did too He brought me an old book of
French plays, written don t know how
many years ago. in which that identi-
cal piece of business was all worked
out. Iguess it's as Potter There's
nothing new on the stage. %
A Novel Bicycle Scheme.
Margherita Arlina Hamm tells Of
novel and ingenious benefcence which
has been inaugurated by members OF
the Woman's Auxiliary of the Universe
ty Settlement. They purchased bicy-
Gle and put it in the custody of COM
mittee of boys connected with that in
stitution. The boys acted as agents and
rented the machine to other boys in the
neighborhood whom they knew well at
the rate of 10 cents an hour. The in
vestment proved better and worse than
was anticipated. 1t is very popular and
pays as nlSn sometimes DIS d COLLAR d
day and averages about So cents.
On the other hand, what with boyish
recklessness, the tumbles of beginners
and the necessary collisions in the
crowded streets of down town, it does
not look as if the machine would more
than half pay for itself.
A Second Machine to Be Purchased.
If it does pay, a second machine will
be purchased until there is a little stable
of wire horses.
It is clear, however, that the commit
Tee can do better the next time. If, in
Etead of stv1e and modern imnrOye-