The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12

managers consulted agreed that 40 audi
ence on earth would tolerate such a revolt
ing story as that narrated in this play.
But once having written o play, even a
play that had been rejected, I was no longer
immune. / determined to write other plays.
Winter and summer l spent hours dreaming
plots and writing dialogue. When / had
finished my second play, / approached Otis
Skinner, TO whom / oonlded my hope that
the role OF the hero would appeal to his
artistic instincts. In the corner Of q cafe,
he abandoned himself to my mercy for nearly
two hours while / expatiated upon the plot
and read part Of the manuscript. II some
one we both knew approached our table,
/ hastily hid the manuscript under the table
cloth, for even at that early stage Of my
career as a playwright 1 had q horror Of
being caught red handed with the manu-
script Of an Enacted play. Mr. Skinner
perceived my embarrassment at once, and
each time / hid the play as some one APP
preached he would say:
Eyes, agree with you that the climate
OF Hawaii Is delightful. / hope to 60 there
next summer
Then the alarm having subsidized as the
visitor departed. he would resume wearily:
well, our hero was about to be shot.
How does he get out Of the fxf'
"And I remember that az / explained. the
actor remarked;
"Ah, that is your grand climax. That
scene should not be In your second act. but
at the end Of your third act
But there are only three acts b the play,
Mr.. Skinner n .
Then you should write another act.
A good play should be In four acts. Here
your hero 10 about to be shot as 4 spy
W by, II he IL shot your play ends. You
have no play. Therefore you save him.
Howl All, that trick must be the climax
OF the play. Write Il all over again, my
dear sill, and then / will tell you what I
Good, kind Otis, Skinner. You have
never played my play. but o gave up
two houTs OF your valuable time TO showing
wherein I had wasted two months. Never
mind, your advice wa good.
Il selected Henry Miller as the star OF my
third play. We sat up very late on various
occasions discussing the plot, and he after
ward wrote me many courteous notes
explaining why he could not produce the
play Yet ] have only. sentiment Of the
accept my manuscript. In those days l
was much DISCOURAGED. / thought IL dread
fully unfair Of MIR. Miller to prefer q Henry
Arthur Jones play when mine was available.
But gently ana cOufteouhiy mr., hIileT b1ue"
stepped all overtures, and at last j con-
Guided my play must be bad. read Il over
again recently. and now i understand why
Mr.. Miller declined. II Is indeed positively
and emphatically bad.
sWhen | began TO write my fourth play
/ concluded to create q star role for a woman
as statistics proved there are moro feminine
stars In America than there are male stars. 1
argued that therefore the chances Of accept
ance were correspo dinghy greater. Mary
Mannering had the honor Of being the first
star 10 whom | sent my fourth play. Miss
Mannering must have liked my play, for
she has never returned X. Fortunately /
retained several other copies. n was thus
supplied with ammunition TO use In other
directions, In justice 70 Miss Mannering
/ should add that the lady wrote me three
beautiful notes. each expressing her regret
that she he'd not found time 70 read the play
but would surely do 30 In the near future.
The play undoubtedly lies buried In the
bottom OF a trunk at some storage ware
house. and, for all care, long nsyh remain
there.