Evening journal., 1910-05-06

terest' sort TO American history, these
articles have distinctive value all their
own.
Some years after John r. Raymond, who [
died IN 1886 had made his great histrionic /
hit as Colonel Mulberry Sellers in a dra-
matzation Of Mark Twain's book, "The /
Gilded Age" q character, according TO
one authority, "that became completely 1
identified with his own breezy opttTism,'
met him one afternoon as he was enter
ing the old Wizards Hotel Iva Washington
lie beckoned me to one sids.
Il have made up my mind to buy play
written by David ID. Lloyd, Washington
newspaper correspondent you probably
know" he said. 1T is callei For Con-
gross Mr.. Lloyd read il TO me tlis morn
ing, and 1 am going 10 pro luce i. just as
/ soon as can close my present contract.
why" 1 said, what do you wi,ni with
now play, Mr. Raymondg The Gilded
Age ought to be good for ten years yet
II has given you national reputation and
should he making you rich"
Tho comedian smiled a dry sort of smile.
"Oh, that play has given me reputa-
tion, all right" he said, "but reputation
is not milk and honey, and that's why 1
ana soon going to be done with The Cid
ed Age forever-yes. forever. / have got
tired Of playing Colonel Sellers to packed
houses and finding out, when figuring up
accounts, that I have made just about
enough 10 pay the expenses of my com
pany and to draw for myself ham fat
ters' salary"
Everybody has supposed that you were
making fortune out Of the play" 1
said.
Mr. Raymond struck the familiar att-
tude OF Colonel Sellers in the play, when
that worthy, in describing the eye-wash
says, There's Millions in it,! "Oh,' ex-
claimed Raymond with upifted hand,
there's millions in it-there's millions in
it-but they are for Mark Twain and not
for John II. Raymond.
You see, it's this way. When the book.
The Gided Age. appeared 1 got one of
the first copies aud the instant 1 ran
across the character Of Col. Sellers sald
Raymond. that's your part You're a
sort of Col. Sellers on the stage, and you
ought to be good Colonel Sellers on the
stage So 1 arranged for the dramatiza-
tion Of the book, got a company together
and played It 'on the dog I'm western New
York. 1t was go, and then, suddenly
heard from Mark Twain. 1 met him by
appointment.
Look here he sad 'youce been tres
passing on my domains. You've been tal-
ing my goods. The dramatic rights Of The
Gilded Age are mine. But for all your
trespassing there isn't an actor anywhere
that can do Colonel Sellers as you can.
because. John. you know, you are Colonel
Sellers TO the life
q" Cad TO hear you say it, Mark i re-
piled. but what's in the wind?'
'Wen said Mark. 4 want to do the
play over a little differently 1 want you
TO play Colonel Sellers. l want you to get
the company together and rehearse It,
and then Wen make few dollars between
us
1--WE came to the contract and 1 accepted
the terms that Mark Twain proposed. /
fond.y counted on at least $4,000 a year
for myself; his royalties were to be paid
on rising scale-and we have played at
such good houses that tho scale has risen
out of sight. How much do you think, 1
have paid Mark Twain this year in royal
ties?"
I couldn't guess.
We'll" said Raymond, II have paid him
a little more than 100000 and the season
isn't over yet In addition TO that I have
given a part TO his young protoge, VIII
liam Gillette. lie plays the awyer in the
court room scene He's family friend Of
Twain's and lives in Hartford.
$50, you sec. here ] am. the bigger the
profits the less John T. Raymnd makes
my fifty thousand year has never ma
terialized. And that Is tho reason why
have been looking for a new pay and why
next season 1 shall produce Lloyd's For
Congress and open right here with 1t il
Washington. Then let's see If Mark Twain
can nnd another Colonel sellers on the
Rialto. I'm New York, or anywhere else
Copyright, 1910, by e. J. 4-0wards)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
"The Duel in the Dark that Was Mo-
Fought"