New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-04

can love rnammon. he can preach agnosticism.
he can even worship Emerson. and Yet remain
an esteemed and accredited member Of society
But let him beware that anybody knows he en-
joys 1bsen,"
Poor Atwen loves Ibsen. too said Forbes.
Perhaps that's the matter with him. He goes
around declaring that some day America Will
realize that the intellectual drama Of the Nor
wecian is the style which must mould our ma
tional drama The trouble with Atwen is, he
hasn't'-
Pass the salt please" said the press agent
and shut up on Ibsen."
Yes" said the red headed advance agent:
here comes AtwelL Hen 90 the talking now"
Every one turned toward the door. The long.
narrow room. hung with theatrical pictures and
decorated with beer mugs on the ceiling beams
was alive with hurrying walters and incoming
/ or out going customers. jostling each other at
the narrow entrance in the centre. The air
/ heavy with tobacco smoke and noisy with the
clatter Of dishes and the of carriages from
/ the street. for it nearly the theatre hour.
Calm IN the midst of the confusion, Atwel
stood on the top step Of the entrance and sur
veyed the room. He was tall thin, stoop Shout
dered, with black hair and large, black eyes
! that gave an un-Saxon aspect to his smooth
/ shaver face. He might have been a Of
. thirty. or h might have been older. 1t all de-
pended whether the wrinkles about his mouth
/ were made hy dissipation and strong emotion
. Cr 10y the slow chIsel Of time He wore a brill
liant new waistcoat. and swung q cane jauntiiy
H. his hand as he calmly took in the scene.
"Ye gods" cried the advance agent Hes got
+ Shakespeare down and out this time. sure, He
wears ais apologize look even when he's writ
ten a two hundred night success and bought
a new vest on the strength Of it. But this time
Na l.-. new
yesJ Iuto the bargain
lie looks almost handsome" said Forbes
He looks almost successful said April ton.
He looks If he'd buy drink" said the fat
press agent. Hi! AtweIl" he called raising his
voice.
With q nod Of recognition Atveu came down
TO them. h shook hands ali around and pulled
up a chair Back Ga the RiaIto again thank
God" he said
Yes. and were all glad to see YOU said the
red headed advance man, with q wink II the
others. "Whatu you have TO drink
Ncthils, said AtweIL
~ h4tr' came the astonished chorus Even
the eN2ectaat waiter looked iucreduIous.
No AtweIl continued. nothing. I'm on the
water wagon iii my new Ilay has been pro-
llle3"
Ny how thirsty youu get"' said the red
headed one. with another wink.
on the contrary SAID Atwell, with some
. asperIty, but not without a sense Of the dra-
matte effect his words would produce. 1t has
| already leen taken 10y Frothman for Richard
SOuthneLts use SouthlelL, il fact was to read
Il this afternoon"
The deHu-' exclaimed TIE fat press agent
/ with quaint sincerity
That's about What I said when FrOthnan
took IT, laughed Atwel good uaturedly. "Of
course, South1eld Is the only man who can play
the lead. I wrote it with him in view But
/ I've been thrown down so many times rv the
/ als suns that sent the piece to every man
/ eSer II town before Frothuau read it. II was
The old story til I struck Frothman. I was
pretty wei down with The blues, l can tell you.
Dut The contract Is as good as signed now and
40 more Of this hand-to-mouth life for me,
III make = name now and a fortune, not earn a
living and the jeers Of nay friends I've been
an advance agent for the last time IA grunt
from the red headed one.l I'll make my pile
and my reputation now. and DO work that's
worthy Of thinking man.
"a hats the play about" asked Appleton.
automatically heading of an evidently very
red headed retort from the slandered member.
Wei, 1 don't want TO give it away too much
before the production Is settled" said AtweI.
but can promise you it is q great play. a
great playl'
/ "Humrh-" said the advance agent
r-F - l. .,