Middletown transcript., 1903-04-18

his letter S,
These letters were a daily re
neWed source of some pleasure
and more bewilderment to Mar
tin. He could not realize his
own success, of which there was
one outcome. His book had been
of absorbing interest and en-,
chanting delight to himself.
That it was no less interesting
and delightful to the great world
seemed to him incredible.
While he lay awake in the
night and planned it, the book
had been no less real to him than
his own breathing. During the
hours in which subsequently he
had written it, it had yet been
as actual and vital to him as the
hand which guided the pen; but
the moment the book was pub
lished, he lost it. Instead of the
thrilling JOY which he had often
imagined himself experiencing
in the presence Of his frstprint-
ed book, he had a lonely little
feeling toward it that made him
begin to write a second book.
It will be seen that Martin had
temperament. He also had
youth and an almost childlike
simplicity of outlook.
The author of "Laurel Crown
was kindly to a degree. Seven
Of his letters were requests for
autographs. Martin wondered
why anyone wanted his auto
graph, but he cheerfully wrote
his name seven times. One cor
respondent requested the author
ship of the quotation with which
"Laurel Crowns" was concluded.
She inclosed no stamp, and the
quotation was from the quality
of-speech in "'The Merchant of
Venice" but Martin courteously
wrote reply.
Usually, he had little difficulty
in answering his letters, but this
mail had brought three, each of
which demanded much more than
q signature, postage stamp or
a slight introduction to the plays
of William Shakespeare. Mar
tin read and re-read them within
creasing embarrassment.
The first was from his publish
ers:-
Dear Mr.. Page it said eau
tiously. If, as we are inclined
to understand, Winfield Stone
solicits the dramatic rights to
"Laurel Crowns;" we would
strongly advise you to accept
his offer. He is, as you are
aware, the most powerful theat-
rical manager in the country
and then the publishers reiter-
ated their strong advice.
The second letter was brief to
the point of curtness:-
Martin Page: Dear Sir: Il
want the dramatic rights to
"Laurel Crowns.
Winfield Stone.
1t is obvious that Martin would
have had no dilemma whatever
to face had there been no third
letter, but there was a third let
ter.
It was written on a small sheet
Of heavy, white paper, at the
top of which, in old-blue ink,
were the letters J. c., daintily
embossed in a fantastically OBJ
scure monogram. The hand
writing was heavy and black and
expansive. To persons who like
to find a revelation of character
in SO arbitrary thing as chirog-
rophy, it might have suggest
ed impulsiveness. The letter
itself more than suggested i'm
pulsiveness.
Dear Martini it said, Don't
tell me you have already let
someone else have the dramatic
rights to ssLaurel Crownsn l
want them! The part of Ruth
why did you name her Ruth?
Just fits me, precisely fits me;
and 7 want to star in it. Yes,
I do! To-day I went up and
told Winfield Stone that I was
tired leading and wanted to star.
Indeed, ! did. He looked at me
refect;vely. | thought he was
going to say: Exactly; and I will
Star you! But he didn't! I
cannot -star-you- he began
in that drawl which he some
times uses, and I was so furious
that I instantly left the place.
without waiting for him to say
another word. The idea of his
saving lie could not star me!
Don't you think / can act well
enough to star? The idea of
winfield Stone
Bat I shall star myself, if you
still have the dramatic rights to
81 laurel Crowns Will you
dramatize it-or get someone
,rho is used to dramatizing
thingsG .,