The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-15
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Discussing the difficulty of
n unknown playwrights in getting
manuscript read, David Belasco said
the other day:
TN a majority of cases the plays are
not read, nor even looked at. But the
managers like to make a man think his
play has been read, even if they have
to reject it. When I was a young man
I went with a manuscript to a
to whom I afterward sold several PLAYS.
My copy was tied up in a neat roll,
with a kno Of pink tape. I knew that
knot, and I knew that the manager
or his reader couldn't tie another one
like 1T if he tried.
"'Come in two weeks he said.
II went, and the play was handed
back.
"Have you read it? 1 inquired.
"'Sure,' said the manager. Read it
myself. Sorry, it won't do
II united the knot, unrolled the man
uscript, and laid on the managers
desk sixty-four pages of white paper
without q mark on it,"
Kathryn Kidder tells his incident
that happened when she was playing in
Mime. Sans Gene:
II was playing the part of the blanch-
isseuse in the laundry scene ard was
busily engaged ironing, when "a cat
which had it's home somewhere about
the theater came walking onto the
stage. I thought this would furnish a
good opportunity to give a realistic do
nestle touch to the scene, and so, whe
puss came purring up and rubbed
against me I stroked her fur, spoke to
her, and then, for fear she might be
~distracting, 1 picked her up and put
her down on the nearest place at hand,
savings. HThpre. nllSSV. 20 to S1aan'
The cat curled up contentedly, and
1 went on with my lines. SudL-nly I
was aware of a murmur among the au-
dience, which increased to a ripple of
laughter. 1 realized something was up
and. turned instinctively to look at pus5.
ner, among the irons on the red hot
range"
A small son of a well known insur-
ance man was given a SIS bill to buy
Christmas presents for his parents and
little friends. Among the articles he
purchased was a very handsome cup
and aucer for his father. The little
boy had never been known to keep a
secret, and when he arrived home, his
mother cautioned him whatever he did,
not to tell father about the present
which had been purchased for him. All
went we'll until the father came home
to dinner.
We'll. Ned" was his greeting, did
you buy all Jul presents?"
Yes, father, and L bough one for you,
and it's "a
'Thank you,'' exclaimed the father.
very much amused. and, pray, what
was it?"
II mustn't tell. But mother, If father
guesses it, l won't be telling, will II"
His mother shook her head. After
ten minutes OF very far fetched guess
ing, the child felt that he could stand it
no longer, so, putting his elbows on the
table, and looking at his father. he said,
in the most pleading tones:
Father, why don't you guess a cup
and Saucer?"
One of the latest stories of the strange
Stoddart, the veteran actor, and is of an
Incident he witnessed in Louisiana, on a
recent tour through that part of the coun-
try.
II had an afternoon lay-or in this
Louisiana town." said the actor, and
with nothing to do roamed about the
place. Finally I got to the court house
and went in. A negro trial was on, and a
typical old darkey was one OF the wit
nesses. He was fixing the time of the oc-
c%urrence of the trouble, and said it was
half-past 3 in the afternoon.
How do you know 1t was half-past
3" demanded the lawyer for the other
side.
why. II know 1T was half-past 9
by my watch. I kaowed It, stammered
the darkey.