The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-02

's~ ~S S''~'
These are the confessions of one who
has been guilty of writing dramatic
press notices used in informing the pub
lie in advance of what they will see If
they attend the performances mention
ed or what they will miss if they do not
attend.
Everyone who has ever gone to more
than three theatrical performances, on
the strength of what they read in the
| advance notices prepared by the press
agents, knows just how much depend
ency they can put in these notices.
Now that the new year is beginning
and everyone expects to do better, l
know of nothing L can forswear that
to forever refuse to write any more
theatrical press notices. 1t really wasn't
my fault that was drawn into it. 7
took the first fatal step to help a poor
theatrical manager who could hardly
read or write but who was trying to
elevate the public by means of the
stage. He succeeded in doing a little
elevating, about as high as the peanut
gallery of the theaters for the most Of
the audience attending the perform
ances of his attraction, sat up there I'M
der the roof
This man hunted me up one day with
a careworn look on his face and a ten
dollar bill in his hand He wanted
come press notices about his new star,
Ge-s ldine Imogene DeSoufrere, who
was to appear in q wonderfully well
equipped scenic production of THE Fate
OF a Woman's Whin.'
Now in truth he admitted that he
didn't know what in the deuce the play
THE Fate of a Woman's Whin' was
about but he had q chance to buy
half car load of three-eighth twenty
four sheet hthograph stands printed to
be used for such a drama. The COM
pany selling them wished to get rid of
the old stock Autographs and agreed
that If he would buy the half car load,
all that was left. that the company
would also supply the lines of the play,
which went with every half car load.
The man bought the Autographs at a
low figure and got the play thrown in.
AS part of the bills read that the win
some little comedienne Geraldine Imo-
gene De Soufrere" was the star of the
play then the man had to hire some
one to be Geraldine He hadn't found
anyone yet who would accept the job
at $l4 a week. The lowest bid he had
received was SIS week but he was
quite certain he could find some one
who would come down to the size of his
pocketboOk
What the man wanted was some red
hot press notices about Geraldine and
the ''Woman's Wllim." He didn't know
a blessed thing about Geraldine or the
whim. Neither did I but he had to
nave the press notices at once, so as 10
get ready for the opening night in order
to pay the first weeks salaries the first
day his players came together. The
dress rehearsal would be the initial
production in this case.
The man spread out lot of the lithe-
graphs SO as to show me the pictures
that were on them. AS the pictures
We're supposed to be from the play the
press notices would have to agree with
the pictures. That was the only re-
0uirement that the man made.
The press notices had to be done that
night He was willing to engage
stenographer and to help me in spread
ing out the pictures. After supper we
went to work in the room of the dollar
day hotel where he was stopping. He
spread a big "a sheet stand on the floor
so we could see the pictures. The "A
sheets covered the entire floor and he
tables and chairs up on the bed so as
to make room for the Autographs. The
stenographer, just graduated from
short hand school, agreed to hammer
the typewriter while I dictated. He
was to get 20 cents an hour. When we
got through the bill for typewriting was
$125.
The first "a sheets laid out on the
floor showed picture of a breakWater,
a pier, two men struggling, a man
with a bulls eye lantern looking on
small patrol boat, with a big headlight.
coming toward the wharf in the dis
lance. n woman WAS running lOWaIQ
the two struggling men firing a revolt
yer in the air. Now we supposed that
the woman was Geraldine, the heroine,
and that she was trying to save her
lover by firing the revolver to attract
the patrol boat. On that superstition [
went to work. walking around that "a
sheet stand and debating to the type
writist as I travelled and discovered
new features in the picture.
The first press notice ratified off was
as follows: ION the night of - Man
ager J. Romayne Pierrepont will pre-
sent at the - opera house his great
comedy drama of life in London. en-
titled The Fate Of Woman's Whim-'
Manager PierreDont has especially en-
gagged that world famous comedienne.
Geraldine IEnogene De Soufrere. direct
from the Opera Corniuue Paris. to ap-
pear in the role Of Lady We're DeVere.
Miss DeSoufrere is a wonderfully hand
some woman besides being one of the
most accomplished actresses now be-
fore the American public
The theme of the play is the deter
mination of Lady We're DeVere to out
wit the villainous coterie of plotters
who have determined to force her to
marry a scoundrel. Lord Darby on the
threat that if she does not her
brothers life shall pay the forfeit.
"Rather than be welded to such
villain Lady We're DeVere would sooner
die, but she prefers to live to wed the
love OF ner $lriHOoQs fSeBludlu DeCOuE-
sey. the son of a nobleman whose for
tune is as great as hers.
1.-THE Fate Of a Woman's Whim"
abounds in throbs and thrills for the
audience. One climax quickly follows
another. The five acts abound in genu-
inc heart interest. The play is concise
and dramatically written There is not
moment that the action drags. The
plot abounds in plots and counter plots,
and through it all runs the beautiful
story of love and devotion.
1.-THE climax of the play is reached in
the third act. when the realistic strug-
gle between Lady We're DeVere's BROTH
er and Lord Darby takes place on the