The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-05-05
6be PLAYWRIGHT
fOriginal.1

A young man was led into the pres
ence of the duke. He was of an intel
lectual cast of countenance and wore
his hair long. The officer who had him
in charge carried roll of manuscript,
which he handed to the duke.
Whats this?" asked his grace Of the
prisoner.
"a play"
"Who are your
arthur Cabot"
"Your occupation?"
can author"
"Was ever play of yours produced
upon the mimic stage?"
no, your grace"
ITO what do you attribute your Ill
successW
THE stupidity Of the readers
'Tut, man; more likely to your own
stupidity
Il do my work conscientiously and
do not spare myself"
"Playwriting is not work. A play
wright should be poet. A poet is
born, not made"
But your grace does not understand
what l mean by the stupidity of the
readers. They are too stupid to read
my plays"
"Why so?'
"They are taken up with reading
their own
"You shall not find such fault with
me. I will read your play, but warn
you if find in it the slightest trace Of
plot against his majesty off goes your
head"
THANK heavenv' replied the author,
raising his hands and eyes. II 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 had been realized
"Methinks," remarked the duke as
he watched the retreating Cabot, 'play-
writing must be a hard field to enter.
l would not wonder If this young man,
knowing of my interest in the drama,
has himself put out q 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 justice
ut my hands,
The next morning the playwright
! was marched again into the presence
j 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 a
playwright
II do, your grace. You said that q
playwright must be born to his work,
or, rather, his play-in other words,
that it must be 'all play and no work
very true" replied the duke, "and
have found your production all work
and no play"
| Your gracer' exclaimed the young
man. starting back as though to es-
cape a blow.
| And as for plot" continued. the
duke, there's not vestige of plot
in any one of the five acts"
Your grace! Have mercy"
Il have mind" the critic went on,
Ito throw you into prison for cooking
up plot Of another kinda plot to Sc
f. cure my reading of your manuscript"
: but, your grace, will you not keep
it till another timer 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! l 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 q fee,
horse, booted and spurred, he rode into
q camp containing not over a dozen
men, but all of prominence.
what newsw was the cry.
The prince is with us!''
Have you his written agreement"
II have
How did you escape the vigilance
| OF the dukeT'
By this time the messenger had dis
mounted and taken a roll Of manu-
script from his saddlebags.
Listen" he said. Knowing OF the
dukes partially for the drama, wrote
play or pretense to play in which
embodied the princes message and
the details 2f plan be suggests fol