The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-03-18

There was a pause which neither
Mary nor had the temerity to break.
We were much subdued since the be-
ginning of that dinner, and was about
to bring in the weather to relieve the
situation. when, looking up, found
that he was examining. US, ,intently
with an entirely new expression.
But" and his voice was very SOL
! emn, almost reverent, "but-it's the
best plot I've heard for years"
Mary came up against the edge Of
the table with bang, while ossi-
fed.
Its strong. there isn't weak spot
in it, and what's more-it's new. AS
| far as l know, the idea has never been
used before, nor the time. nor the
country, nor the characters. 1t ought
to make great play"
After awhile l felt sensation return
ing, and as the roaring in my ears
died away, I heard her voice asking il
he would advise us to go on with it.
60 On with it? Don't fail to go on
with it! Work on it carefully. make
1t more exciting and tring in some
stunning effects. For instance, why
not have that battle on the stage?
That would look all right-sunset be-
hind the fortress of Quebec-or sun
rise, whichever you want, lot Of Brit
ish and French soldiers with flags, and
band or two. You've literary mate
| rial enough for three plays and not
| enough action for one scene. The &C.
tion wust tell the story without a
spoken word, If necessary"
We were too happy to speak-suc-
cess seemed within our grasp, and no
amount Of prospective work or trou-
BILE mattered.
More than a year had passed since
Mary had come to me with her idea
for play. During six months of that
time she had been with me in New
York to help in the process Of
pushing things; and we had learned
how small a part Of producing play
is the mere writing of 1t; and that
beyond this pure preliminary, it is an
| occupation for business promoter or
| a walking delegate We haunted the
! offices Of manager after manager, and
| made change after change in the
manuscript. One wanted 1t longer
We stretched it; one wanted it more
melodramatic-we peppered it with
fights; one wanted it more soulful"
we introduced mystical verse at
short intervals. Each character in the
cast had played many parts. From
E noble, self-repressed gentleman, Gen.
Montcalm had become an impossible
combination of swashbuckling brag-
gard milksop, and sentimental cad
Alenes affections were vibrating con-
fusedly between the general, the vii
lain and the spy; and her character
had been torn to shreds. We got used
to pushing ourselves in where we
were not wanted; to insisting on talk
ing to people who did not wish to hear
us; and a crust began to form over
our sensibilities.
We had drlfted to little East side
boarding house. Our money had faded
away and weshad found work. The play
had become merely haunting men,
ory in the background of our minds,
and we spoke of 1t remorsefully as of
trusting friends whose character we
had DETAINED.
One day a young musical composer
called at our lodgings and suggested
a scheme which gave us new hope.
His idea was to combine our play with
some composition of his own, and dis
pose of 1t to a manager who made
speciality of extravaganzas. He was
an energetic business man. and it was
hardly five weeks before this new ar
rangement was completed. He had
persuaded the manager to put it on ex
perimentally. ...s
The first night arrived-how we
had looked forward to it year ago!
We were seated in the managers box
alone
When the music ceased the curtain
rose on a bewildering mass of color;
there was the fortress Of Quebec, but
instead of the weather-beaten French
regulars, it was garrisoned by the
pretty feminine soldiers in white and
gold, and as they performed an intri
cate march, they sang bright. catchy
song. A charming figure in modern
Partisan gown tripped lightly forth;
twirling a chiffon parasol. 1t was
Alene-our Alene-the French girl of
1765, the highborn demoiselle whose
love had driven her to break the
chains of convention and given her
courage to face the dangers of New
France. After swirl of skirts and
preliminary pas seul, she. warbled
mellifiuously that she'd
Always be true to Billy,
To Billy, Billy. Billy.
In this touching sentiment she was
joined by the villain, habited in a