Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-25
CHA1. NeEvox IMk1Tn1eA Play

would result. When 1 read over my
'bloods.' however. l can see that whatever
else they may be they at all events are
written simply and naturally"
McEvoy declares frankly that the play
which has made him never would have
been written had it not been for Bernard
Shaw. And it Is like as not that the
younger man never would have done as he
did and sought the acquaintance of the
elder had he not suddenly discovered
that they were near neighbors. This dis
covery was made by McEvoy shortly after
he had escaped from London and gone
to live at his fathers cottage in Hertford-
shire. Shaw. who makes point of spend
ing as much time in the country as posi-
BILE. was living At Harmar Green. close by
and McEvoy saw and recognized him at
the railway station which both used for
their infreGuent trips to town.
Dined With Shaw.
To, the boy who was writing plays in
fields and on hillsides Shaw represented
the master" and the temptation to try
to know him was too strong to be resist
ed. so. after much hesitation. McEvoy
wrote him letter which he says he would
have given much to have back as soon as
1t had dropped into the box, and asked
Shaw's permission to come to see him.
The letter was posted one evening and
the next morning it's author Unexpectedly
found himself face to face with Shaw at
the railroad station.
Il suppose" said McEvoy, that I must
have looked so exceedingly guilty that he
knew in a minute who 1 was; anyhow he
came sup at once and asked II 1t was
who had written to him? By this time ]
had become aghast at my own presump-
ton. so / said SO and asked him to consid-
away, but he wouldn't hear of it,
my dear fellow" he said. II was de-
lighted to get your letter, and" said Nc
Evoy. Ito cut a long story short. he
asked me to dinner that night. and we
soon got to be very good friends
moved away from Hertfordshire. the
scene of their first meeting. and were
neighbors again in the famous white
Horse Vale" of Berkshire, which no one
Days" will need to have recalled to him.
Here it is. not far from the famous
Blowing Stones and in the center of
one of the most glorious stretches of
country in England that McEvoy's IA
nous tent stands. and that the young
except for my horse as he says, -"of
which Thoreau never would have ap-
proved"
The Shaw Twinkle.
Vantage. the first home in England OF
Richard Croker, is the town nearest to
McEvOy's camp. and there his mother
lives in an old mill that was also the
young playwright's home just before he
took to the simple life altogether Nc
Evoy discovered this picturesque old
place soon after his fathers death, In
1905, and went to live there forthwith.
and when Bernard Shaw. in his turn de-
cided to leave Hatfield. he came to Wan
tage. at McEvOy's suggestion, and took
up his abode at a vicarage close by.
1T was while Shaw was at Vantage"
said McEvoy, that l sent him my first
play, and asked If he would read 1t. 1t
was a farce comedy. and I'm sorry to say
that In 1t the hero broke his neck. Well.
a day or two afterward got q card from
Shaw asking me to come and see him.
and when got there he received me with
scorn.
MY good man." he said, what do you
mean by wasting my time In making me
read such rubbish as that play of yours?
What on earth do you suppose people care
whether a man like that breaks his neck?
Such people ought to break their necks. "
But" said McEvoy. ALI the time saw
q twinkle in his eye, SO was not wholly