The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1904-05-04

Aut' nun, hlote tlheiy W your own
stupidity"
~ do my work conscientiously and
do not spare Myself"
"Playwritlng is not work. A play
wright should be a poet. A poet is
born, not made"
But your grace does not understand
what | mean by the stupidity of the
readers They are too stupid to read
my plays"
why soT'
They are taken up with reading
their own
you shall not find such fuult with
me. l will read your play, but warn
you II | find in it the slightest trace OF
a plot against his majesty or goes your
head"
THANK heayenr replied the author,
raising his hands and eyes. Il am at
last to receive hearing"
Take him away" said the duke,
"and bring him to me on the morrow"
The author was led out, dancing
along gayly as though the hope OF
years uuu Deen realized.
"Methinks," remarked the duke as
he watched the retreating Cabot, play.
writing must be hard field to enter.
would not wonder If this young man,
knowing of my interest in the drama,
has himself put out suspicion that
he is carrying messages between these
villains, who are seeking to enthrone
the pretender to secure my reading of
his play. Well, he shall receive justicy
at my hands,"
The next morning the playwright
was marched again into the presence
of the duke. The young man looked
eagerly at his grace to read his fate.
While there was no evidence of the
dukes having been delighted with the
play, there was none of his having dis.
covered anything reasonable in it
ARTHUR Cabot" he said, do you
mind what l said to you yesterday
about the constitutional makeup of q
playwright"
Il do, your grace. You said that a
playwright must be born to his work,
or, rather, his play-in other words,
that 1t must be all play and no work Z"
very true,' replied the duke, "and
l have found your production all work
and no play"
Your gracem exclaimed the young
man, starting back as though to es.
cape blow
"And as for plot" continued the
duke, there's not vestige of a plot
In any one of the Eve acts.''
your grace! Have mercy!'
81 have a mind" the critic went on,
ito throw you into prison for cooking
up plot of another kinda plot to Sc.
cure my reading OF your manuscript"
but your grace, will you not keep
1t till another time? I'm sure you will
see Its merits on second reading"
"A second readingr' cried the duke.
hurting the manuscript at the would
be playwright. "Begone! / have no
time to spend porting over your worth.
less trash. You're lucky that do not
pay you Its value-a lash for every
line"
cringing to the very floor, the play.
wright gathered up the loose sheets
and made his exit.
Two days later, mounted on a feet
horse, booted and spurred, he rode into
a camp containing not over a dozen
men, but all Of prominence.
what news?" was the cry.
'The prince is with us!"
Have you his written agreementT
II have"
How did you escape the vigilance
of the dukeg
BY this time the messenger had dis.
mounted and taken roll of manu-.
script from his saddlebags.
Listen" lie said. knowing of the
dukes partially for the drama, wrote
a play or pretense to play in which
l embodied the princes message and
the details OF plan he suggests for
US. Then attempted to pass the
lines, was arrested and carried before
the duke. He read the manuscript and
found no plot, no play. 1 will show
you more plot than is 10 be found In
all the plays of Christendom."
Stepping to a fire, lie seized a brand
and, selecting certain page Of his
manuscript. held 1t to the heat. Brown
letters appeared, giving plainly the
message:
We are with you heart and soul and viii
accept the throne that rlghtfuf1y belongs
to US. THEEBoLD, x r.
This was not all. Every tenth wort
of the manuscript, read together, gave
minute details OF plan for overturn.
Ing the existing government.
A few weeks later. when the rising
had been successful, the duke was led
before the young man who had posed
Is an author.
"Your grace" he said. you were
pleased to consider my production all
work and no play. You were correct
In acknowledgment of your critical
discernment you win not be moIested.
Indeed the prince viii offer you an i'm
portant post 10 the new government"
F A. mitchell.
Il beg your pardon, DOCTOR said the
toast master after the dinner was over
for introducing you inadvertently as
professor"
That's all right replied the prin.
cipai speaker OF the occasion. .sTha
title fits me better than doctor does. /
profess to be q doctor. but I get mighty
little Dracticov