The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-04
Howe Will Give Happy Ending to
''StOry of a Country Town."
Now Making big ADAM Hero
in the Last Act.
LETTER A FORGERY.
Comedy Character as ExpOser of
Clinton Bragg's Treachery.
Author Says He Is Emf husiastiC
Over the New Idea.


THE Story of a Country Town." the
Ed W. Howe drama, adapted from
the book of the same name, which Mr.
Howe wrote twenty eight years ago,
is to be changed, it became known to-
day, so that the drama viii have a
happy ending and so that Big Adam,
the principal comedy character VIII
be the hero of the play.
Regarding the changes that he Will
make, Mr.. Howe writes:
Il intend to change the third act,
introducing Big Adam, and making
him the hero. The idea was suggested
family in a letter written by Topeka
banker. I have forgotten his name.
but I recall that he was president OF
the bank.
las the rewritten play will be SEEM
the letter sent Joe by Clinton Bragg,
turns out to be forgery, late in the
third act. Big Adam discovers the
fact by making mysterious visits ana
these visits cause Margie to become
Jealous. Big Adam goes well with
the audience and this change will
greatly improve the character The
ending will be pleasant and the change
will help the play in many ways The
first and second acts will be changed
very little am very enthusiastic
over the new idea and it comes into
shape easily"
Like Fourth Estate at First.
Perhaps. the greatest criticism that
has been made against the drama of
Mr.. Howe has been the morbid end
ing of the play as originally written
1t was similar something that made
1.-The Fourth Estate" the great Amer
lean newspaper play by Joseph Medill
Patterson, a failure when originally
produced at Wallack's theater, New
York.
liz 1.-The Fourth Estate" as origin
ally written. Wheeler Brand, the prin-
cfpaI male character managing editor
OF the Advance shoots himself after
having sent to press against orders,
the paper containing sensational eX-
pose of a federal judge He has done
this purely through his sense OF honor
as seen to be due to the constituents
of the paper and at a time when he
might have desisted and won the
hand OF the daughter of Judge Bar
telmy, the girl he loved and to whom
he was engaged up to the time when
the crusade against Bartelmy was
started by the paper
The owner of the Advance, after
having started fight against corrup-
ton through the social ambitions OF
his family was prevailed upon to De
sist Later he promised Brand that
if given proof of Bartelmys cor
ruptness he would continue the cru
SADIE Brand obtained pictures OF
Bartelmy in the act OF paying him
n bride, also through trick in the
have a stenographer take down the
words of their conversation. 1t was
this thing in newspaper ISarlance re-
ferred to as a STORY" that the owner
OF the Advance had refused to print,
even after his word had been given.
Patterson Made Play Success.
Following the failure OF THE
Fourth Estate which was attributed
10 the fact that few outside the news
paper field could appreciate the feel
ing that caused Wheeler Brand to Kill
himself. the play was rewritten so
that Bartelmy entered the mechanical
department OF the Advance within
few minutes of press time. There he
found out that Brand had decided to
disobey orders. He pleaded with
him in vain and offered his daughter
as a sacrifice. Judith Bartelmy, the
daughter, who a short time before
had pleaded in vain with Brand for
her father, had not departed as Brand
had supposed and unknown to both
Brand and her father heard the con-
Versation- Thereupon, she repudiated
her father and chose the man she
loved.
After the play had been rewritten
1t was q success and now it not only
is considered the greatest newspaper
drama on the American stage, but it
has been a success in every way.
When THE Story of a Country
Town. was first produced last Mon
day night, there were many who crit
icized it on similar score to that to
which is attributed the failure of the
originally written THE Fourth
Estate.
In the Atclison Globe.
In the Atchison Globe, from which
Mr. Howe recently retired after 80
years as editor. Mr.. Howe says:
Harry North, of the North Bros.
Stock company, which is presenting
the play, writes the author: We are
writing that You may have official
and authentic information that your
play ia increasing in popularity with
each performance. We are sure that
the audience which completely filled
the theater tonight, went home better
satisfied with your play than with any
We have yet offered them. The COM
edy went with rush and vim that
was as refreshing as it was new to
us and to our patrons. Big Adam
and Margie scored at every turn. And
there was so much sobbing in the last
act that we had to let up a little. Ned
and Agnes got much more out oil
their scene in. the second act than on
previous occasions, and altogether it
was bigger success than at any of
the earlier performances. Looking
forward with much pleasurable anti
cipation to Lady Preston's dinner next
Sunday afternoon, and to seeing the
AtchisOn people at night, I am sin
cerely your friend.
HARRY NORTH
'The statement above refers to the
attendance last Wednesday night, the