The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1909-11-11
AN ANONYMOUS III0.:.E
By HELEN v. TURNER.

admit the visitor The E!r1er ,.ii,arcti
with d roll of ui;inllS.ript
M. Rostand." said the nlanl:er. AID
vancing effuSively and Ing in! h
hands Of the visitor in his. II am de-
lighted to see you"
Pardon. sir: YOU have mistaken the
name 1t is Nostand. not+ l:oStand.
| am not the author Of 'Cyranu de
Bergerac.'"
NO: you are not. but You are Il
nephew Of the celebrated i.oStand
and have come from Paris to America
incOgnito to dispose OF play written
under the guidance of your uncle"
The visitor stood looking in aston
iShment at the manager. then said:
May l ask how you became aware
of that?"
81 was Informed by an anonymous
note"
"Parbleu. 1t was agreed between
my uncle and myself that | should
come over here and offer my play for
what it is intrinsically worth Unless
you will give me your promise not to
betray my identity my plan has
failed"
You need not go further with your
work. | am ready to make you an
offer for it,
II prefer that 1t shall stand on its
merits"
1T shall. If it is not worthy Of pro-
duction it shall not be placed by me
on the boards. take especial pride
in giving to the public only such plays
as seem to me to be meritorious."
But you said you were ready to
make me an offer for mine"
"Certainly. knew that your uncle
would not consent to your offering an
be inferior which he had supervised"
The visitor. who had meanwhile been
invited to take Il seat. sat tapping the
roll in his hand with his fingers. He
was. evidently dissatisfied with the
turn the affair had taken.
Come. Nj. R0Stand. or Nostand. if
YOU prefer" he continued II will
take your play home with me tonight
read it and give you an answer to-
morrow. pledge you my word that
if I think it will not be acceptable to
the public | shall decline it and you
shall be free to offer ii where you like
I agreeing to keep yonr Serr-t."
''Since YOU alrendy possess that Sc
RET" replied the author. with evident
reluctance. Il can do not hin" but what
manuscript! with YOU till tomorrow
morning at hat huur?"
Ten D'clork.' Nine if YOU prefer it ~
II will call ri TO- shall rely upon
you to ignore ne and my uncle's repu-
tation in The matter and produce my
play only if you consider it meritori-
ous"
"Certainly' .
"Remember that my own name. Nos
tand. must he published as the au-
thor. not that of my uncle"
The manager Stroked his beard COM
placently and looked at the author
through a pair of shrewd. twinkling
eyes. e..
IFS the play I want" he said, mot
the name"
a"er. returning To his desk. opened a
draw and took ont a printed form of
contract. the blank spaces of which he
proceeded to fill. Then he unlocked a
safe. put NJ. Nostand's manuscript
within its steel doors. shot the bolts
and. taking up his hat and cane. left
the ,theater.
The next morning at 10 o'clock the
manager was in his office awaiting a
call from NJ. NoStand. At II o'clock.
when he had not appeared. the brow
of the man who had fiattered himself
that he had secured a prize began to
darken. But. remembering that he had
the play locked in his safe. his COM
placency returned to him. At 1870
the author was announced. He was
received with distinguished considera-
ton. The manager handed him the
contract he had prepared.
whats thiS?" asked the author.
CHANGING ut the document
You think" said the manager,
thar $1,000 advance payment is not
enough Very we'll. l will make it
$40 $50"
Zen thousand" repeated NJ. Nos
tand in amaZenent.
And the royalty l will double as
we'll"
DO you consider my poor efforts
worth so much?''
"Certainly 1t is the work of an ex-
pert"
How do you judge Of that"
AS an expert. 1t is plain that the
scenario received an enormous amount
of attention before word Of the dia
logue was written. though the dia-
logue shows the influence Of the au-
thor of 'Cyrano.' The play will be a.
grand success
Where is the manuscripts
''Never mind the manuscript. Let
us proceed to business. Read the con-
tract?''
THE manuscripts cried the author
inn