Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-21

anu icNl we Snail near VI Tic 0lcSudH
operate invasion of the east.
PLACING A PLAY-Every one knows
that many of the biggest dramatic sue
cesses in this country have been plays
that were hawked from manager to-
manager, sometimes for years, rejected
all along the line, until at length some
one, shrewder or more daring than his
fellows, undertook its production and
made fortune by his enterprise. Eugene
Walters Paid in Full has such an eX-
perience. Mr. Walter was almost al.
unknown playwright when he sought
purchaser for this piece. To be sure. he
had written Sergeant James and The
Cndertow." but in neither case was the
result brilliant. Consequently, he had
little prestige when he went about offer
ing Paid in Full His experience shows
the difficulty a new playwright has in
getting a hearing. 1t is hard to get a
play read by an author who has not had
success. So Mr.. Walter went from one
TO another. to nearly every producing
theatrical firm in New York city. BY
every one his play was rejected. MI
Bella SEQ, who declined Paid in Full in
manuscript, was so impressed by it when
it was produced by the Wagenhals &
kemper company In New York that he
saw it seven times in succession. then
Immediately engaged Mr.. Walter to write
a play for him. He was ready to accept
unseen anything this young dramatist
turned out The play he obtained is The
Easiest Way. Meantime, Mr.. Walter
had been reduced to absolute want.
Largely his pride was responsible for the
fact that he was without lodgings and
was pennieSs. There were friends in
plenty who would have helped him out!
for he numbered acquaintance by the
score among newspaper and theatrical
men, who would cheerfully have stood by
him, for such is the disposition of follow
ers of these callings. Mr.. Walter was
shelterless. also he was hungry that sum-
mer morning that he went into Wagon
halls & kemper's office with his play. He
met Mr.. WagenhalS upon whom he
made so favorable an impression that the
manager consented to read his play and
give him an answer the next day. Mr..
WagenhalS has since said of the first
impression that Paid in Full produced
upon him
The appeal it had for me was its in
tense reality. 1t was what newspaper
men call human interest story Also
it contained a new idea and treated of
live subject
Next day Mr.. Walter came for his an
swer. Mr.. Wagenhals told him that
from first reading he had a favorable
impression of the piece. However, he
wished the opinion of his associate. Mr..
Kemper. He asked Mr.. Walter to leave
the manuscript for further consideration.
He promised TO communicate with the
author and wished to know; his address.
Then he learned that the playwright had
been sleeping for two nights on a bench
in Bryant Park. and that he had taken
his place in the bread line at a we'll
known bakery which gives away loaves
TO those in waiting That was all the food
he had had. Mind you, Mr.. Walter need
not have endured this sort of thing. He
could readily have borrowed money had
not his pride prevented. Touched by the
young mans tale, Mr.. Wagenhals ad-
vanced him money, got hold OF Mr.
kemper at once, went over Paid in
Full carefully. decided to produce il,
and next day signed contract with Mr..
Walter, paving him liberal sum in ad-
vance. 1t is estimated now that his roy
alties from all sources net Mr.. Walter an
income of between $1,000 and $1,000 a
week.
A SINGERS PROGRESS.--Louise Gun
ming. who comes TO the Belasco Theater
tomorrow night in ''Marcelle,' is a native
of Morristown, y. J. Her father was a
Baptist minister, and her first public APP