The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-20

disclosed to me-
The 'sdistinguished poet ard dranat-
ist'' was Stephen Phillips. For months
before he had been closely associated
with Mr.. Tree. who was at that time
producing one of his plays. "Herod."
1t is, of course, quite possible that Mr..
Tree never talked with Mr. stephen
Phillips about play to follow 'Herod,'
but it seems strange that Mr.. Phillips
should have worked out the scheme of
just such a play as Mr.. Tree had in
mind. 1t is a strange coincidence.
The scope of "Odysseus and Fene-
lope" as outlined by Mr.. Arthur to Mr.
Tree was as follows:
"The dramatic incidents Of that part
of the Odyssey Of Homer (handled
freely and without undue respect to the
text of the poem, yet without doing it
violence either) from the decision of the
Olympian gods, to liberate Odysseus from
the fowery gives of Calypso down to his
return to his home In Ithaca and the
scattering of the wooers who have been
rioting in his halls and suing his wife,
Penelope, to choose a husband from
amongst them"
The MSS. of the scenario covered four
teen pages, and the action and course
of the play was thoroughly explained.
For six months this scenario was in the
hands of Mr.. Tree. The day following
it's return to Mr.. Arthur. Mr.. Stephen
Phillips appeared with the outline of a
play around the same character. Mr..
Tree, it was explained to Mr.. Arthur.
was not in love with the subject and
would not consider a play based on these
incidents. Mr.. Phillips plan was at oncs
accepted.
Ulysses was written and Mr.. Tree
is now appearing in the play in Lon
don.
Twice unfortunate, for he had a SINH
lar experience a year or so before, Mr..
Arthur prepared part of his drama,
but as he had no hope of it's accept
ance elsewhere in London. the work was
not completed. A short time ago the
young man came to New York, where,
in spite of his former discouraging exper-
fences, he hopes to secure place for
some of his work on the stage The
fragment of his drama. recently pub
lished. was written before the scenario
was submitted to Mr.. Tree and it shows
something of the quality of his work.
If the whole drama had been completed
the fragment would have been the second
scene of the first act. 1t represents the
trials of Ulysses and the attempts of
Calypso to secure his love.
The following extracts are taken from
a copy of an edition which was recently
published privately:
CALYPSO.
Why,
why will thou for ever chafe and
mourn
And bruise the brow against the rock
of Fate
TIE deathless gods have set inviolable,
And gall thy life with sorrow and re-
gret
When, woulds't thou but fling wide the
door of thy heart
Ind welcome in the Joy that knocks
at it.
Thy soul would lose these humors and
thy days
Flow sweet and lucid as a summer rill.
ODYSSEUS.
To ioin the ocean of eternity!
To which all time is but a summer rill:
And unto time the petty fife of man
Is but bubble in the summer rill:
And here my bubble fast evaporates,
signs.
So do / groan. o, goddess, we poor men
Have but brief breath: and if we breathe
it ill.
And work but half the purpose born in
us,
Better we had not been.-our life to be:
For when our destin'd course OF days
is run,
However our feet nave porne us over
the path,
In sturdy, stumbling, feeting tardy wise;
Whether our eyes have sought one stead
fast goal,
Or glanced aside or hindward all the
way;
Whether we've stood erect on rugged
sleeps,
Or slirt and smirchd ourselves in mud
and mire;
Whether we've lost or won the envied
prize;
We may not ever tread lifes track
again
others, perchance. but this one never
more.
And therefore am sad and comfortless.
/. who have head and hands that crave
employ,
A sheathed sword eating its own keen
edge
That use had whetted still!-I might
have smooth'd
Lies path for two loved mortals,
haply more,
And roll'd a rock from off the worlds
rough road.
Or bridg'd a chasm DER, that those to
come,
When L have pass'd might walk with
firmer> feet;
I might have rear'd manly monument,
And on it men in after times had gaZed,
Nerying their force to emulate acts.
o nymph! could mortals strive against
the word
OF the deathless powers. the grief that
rends me now
Had never been: this will and these
iron hands
Had made the stuff that feeds grief
into deeds.
When shall | ever do a deed again?
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