Middletown transcript., 1903-04-18
The Dramatic Rights To Laurel Crown"
BY ELIZABETH AcoR4cKEM
BY ELIZABETH McCRACKEM.

Ruth!
He read the letter again. O
course, she must have it, if sh'
wants it, he said, simply; bu
| still, a man owes something Il
his pub fishers. If Winfield
Stone produces it, it will double
the sales of the book; and wha
a blatant idiot people will thinl
I am, if they hear I've refused
it to Winfield Stone! His face
suddenly flushed. They will say
I let Jeanette have it because
4 love her. Martin stopped
and read Jeannette's letter again
Well, I do, he said, boldly, but
she wouldn't want to have
everybody saying it. She won't
let me say it, and she does't love
me. Your FRIEND he read
aloud from Jeannette's letter.
wish she wouldn't emphasize il
so!
Martin took the great mana
gers letter in his other hand
He smiled, grimly. 1t was Sc
different from Jeannette's letter
in outward semblance and sc
Identical with it in spirit.
AS he held the letters side by
side and stared at them in per
plexity, he started. Jeannette's
letter was dated a day in ad
vance of Winfield Stones. Mar.
tins face cleared as if by magic.
I might have thought of that
he cried. Hers was written first
Careless girl, she forgot to mail
it, as usual! That settles it! He
turned to his desk, and quickly
began to reply to the no longer
vexatious letters.
To Jeanette he said:-
My dear girl:-Of course you
may have the dramatic rights
to Laurel Crownsn What do
know about starring? But ]
think you act well enough to dc
anything. I'll dramatize it, or
you can, or we'll get someone
to dramatize it, just as you pre-
fer.
Martin concluded the letter
with several additional betrayals
of his naive ignorance in regard
to the practicalities of dramatic
affairs. AS be had inferred, Mar
tin knew little about starring;
but he had known Jeanette
Curtin from her childhood. The
dramatic rights to "Laurel
Crowns" were by no means first
among his possessions to be be-
slowed upon her. Martin was
aware that Jeanette might not
use Laurel Crowns" to large
advantage; but he was very gen
tie, and so he was happy in the
mere giving of his love and his
bounty.
Taking out another sheet of
paper, he wrote to Winfield Stone.
His letter was as laconic as the
managers own
Winfield Stone: Dear Sir:-I
have already disposed of the
dram attic rights to "Laurel
Crowns.
Martin Page.
Martin slowly blotted the let
ter. Won't he be surprised,
though! he thought. He has
always had what he said he want
ed. It's a pity Jeanette has
quarrelled with him. He was
making her career-and I don't
believe she knows how to star
by herself, even in "Laurel
Crowns.
Jeannette's letter had fallen
to the floor. He reached for it,
and laughed as he again unfold
ed it. I've read it enough times,
he reflected, to know every word
of it! Let me know instantly,
she says. I didn't notice that!
Well, I will!
He sprang to his feet, seized
his letter to Jeanette, and tax
ing his hat, rushed to the door.
He threw it open, and then stop.
ped short. A girl, a charming
girl, who curiously resembled
him in appearance, stood at the
door, her hand lifted in the yery
act of knocking. She broke into
a low, surprised lsugh. Why,
Martin, what in the world.
she began. Her voice had mar
velous ringing tone, as soft as
it was clear. Winfield Stone had
said that this voice was more
than half of her professional
equipment.
Oh, Jeanette! Won't you come
in! Martin said. I got your let
ter this morning, and I was lust
going to get a messenger to take
an answer to it. He looked at
her and smiled, mischieyouslv.