Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-12-30
THE MAN WITH Is
THE PATIENT SMILE
Iorlglnall

WHEN N9S iuAlHllS tbe olympic"
said the veteran manager, zone day
was stoRaed ON ths street by a cadaver-
Gus, thrcadbare, hungry looking chan
who asked II | was Mr.. Fuller. the
manager. / told him was, where.
upon he pulled from his pocket roll
of manuscript, play, and asked me TO
read 1t.
"'What do you call ity asked.
"."A Lucky Find The hero loses
his fortune aud finds 1t again in the
third act. The heroine
Eyes. yes; I'll oblige you
"'Be carefuliof 1t. Its the only copy
/ have. and it's not copyrighted
"'All right. I'll take care of it,
II had to go T. several places before
returning to MY Office and must have
laid the manuscript down somewhere.
At any rate I never thought Of it
again till one day the playwright came
to my office. For my life l couldn't
remember where had seen him.
Have you read my playf he asked.
Your play? oh. yes; now remem-
Der. No. l haven't had time to get at
it yet
Meanwhile l was trying to think
what play it was and where 1t was.
All right he said. with winning,
patient smile. I'll call again.
''As soon rs he had gone / hunted
high and low for his manuscript, but
it was nowhere to be found Finally
I recalled taking it from him and going
to several places afterward, but what
places they We're l couldn't remember.
/ was very busy at the time, too busy
to take any definite action In the mat
ter. Indeed, there was no action to
take except TO confess that I had lost
his play. In week he was back.
Haven't got at your play yet l
said. Then. fearing he would ask for
it TO take 1t away, added: I'm going
to have some time next week Could
you wait till thenY
"'Oh, yes he said. with the same
smile.
"'If you need little help. | could
let you have flyer while we're wait
ing
"'Oh. no. I've had a bit of luck late
ly. l don't need anything
"'Well. come week from Saturday.
I'll be ready for you
when he called again. was ready
for him-with excuses: Couldn't more
than get through the first act. 1t
opens well. Let me see The next few
days I'll be very busy. butt tell you
what I'll do. l don't like to work Sun
day. but in this case I'll do it. Come
in Monday week
"'All right he said, with the usual
smile. Don't hurry. When l saw you
last, I'd just got 500 first payment on
a play, and today got $500 more; so.
you see, / can afford to wait
Meanwhile / was lying awake
nights worrying over the matter. After
he had told me that he had sold play
] worried all the more. for a claim
from him for damages would now be
good. Ii his play were successful. he
might make me pay large sum. There
was nothing for 1t but to put him off
as long as possible. He came again at
the appointed time. Fortunately had
a cold.
"'You see the condition I'm in
said, coughing. "A mans not fit to pass
on a play when he has TO blow his nose
between the lines. Beastly weather
we're having. On Sunday l thought
every minute I'd surely choke But
I've got through the third act
"'CIimax all rightT
"'Capital Notwithstanding / had a
coughing spell was much affected
"sCryr
"'Cry? My eyes were all water
"'Climax or coldT He was as seri-
Gus as a tombstone.
".Oh, both. You come in here a week
from today
Il was getting tired of that smile of
his. Such a man was too angelic to
live. Instead OF writing plays he should
be sitting in heaven with all the heroes
and heroines who have died on the
stage from an excess of virtue. l de-
termined that at our next meeting I'd
sound him on the subject of buying
his play for as small sum as he could
be prevailed upon TO accept. When he
came again l said TO him:
"'Your play win never do in the
world, You've got an anticlimax, an
impossible situation. in the second act,
and the whole scheme is undramatic.
But l can use part of it for a curtain
raiser. Would you take hundred dol
lars for itT
There was no verbal reply-only that
COMPOUNDED smile. drew my check
book and wrote him check.
~ can't take this he said. Some
body has got hold Of my manuscript,
and the play Is to be put on at the Ma
tional'
II turned pale. He smiled.
Say, my friend, what II you take to
let me out of this?
"Tf you'll give me the hundred dol
lars for keeping me waiting III call 1t
square
"'Take 1t and welcome