The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-03
Roebuck Tells Why He Wrote Rzau
sixteen-Year-old Blancy An.
swers People Who Want to
Hear About Beatrice.
by DANIEL DE Won, JR.
George Il. Rocbuck.)

a FEW years ago everybody that knew
me called me an egregious ~blockhead.
Possibly 1t was due to the fact that j
plished brick-presser In the city OF
Richmond. 1t was while holding this
title that the sleeping ambitions OF
my shapeless Cranium were awakening
into activity. 1t was then that / start
cd TO work on an idea that had all the
prospects OF q brilliant failure. Then
came the mos, precarious moments OF
my cventless career.
You sec l was famous for lying uu-
der the big cedars at the home and
having all kinds Of dreams. | wanted
TO go to Africa and hunt lions and
tigers and be called The Great Hunt
err. So you can imagine the surprise
of my friends when l told them that
l had resolved TO resign my dignineu
office as president Of n he United Brick
Iressers of Richmond"
rcnrmnn Comes on Stnrc.
The first man 1 told was rearman.
and s~traightway he said he would
help me out. Now Pearman was one
OF those dreamy-eyed individuals In
search of Inspiration. He thought he
had a great idea In his head that
mad to come o u else he would burst
or be contemplating suicide within n
week. lie told me that it was not his
fault that the idea was there. lie had'
got UP some kind OF scenery. ana
wanted to Try it out, so l agreed to
let MIN fix mine UP that way when the
time came. So Pcurman and | s,aTT-c
out on 4 trip that would have made
one OF Richards trips to the Holy
Land look like . cents worth or hot
'amales when you haven't had any
thing to cat for a week.
We shook hands on the corner of
Twelfth and Main streets and swore
by everything above and below that
we wouldn't stop until Beatrice or
the Cumbcrlands" had been given It's
tlrst performances and Pearman's new
scenery tried out. Two months later.
on the night of September %. | had
the pleasure OF facing over 1890 PEG.
pie en- grande tenue. alid told them
that thanked them very mucl, FOR
coming You see | was due TO say a
lot more. but somehow | couldn't get
the words out OF my mouth. 1t was
such a shane. for ! had worked 50
long and hard on that little speech.
rhty didn't seem TO mind 1t, though.
and by the fuss they made hougnt
had made the speech OF my life.
Spring time Love Song.
NOW YOU VIII say ] am not telling
Sou why l wrote "BeatriCe." am
going 10 start right low. have re.
ceived many letters from people who
nave seen the show asking me 10 write
THIS little cpistle and tell why wrote
Beatrice SO here goes.
The sweet memories OF homc-of a
dark-eyed little playmate | had LEFT
BACK IN those dear old hits, So i,
came TO be that a little maid. with no
finery. but only her golden face. her
wlld brown hair and her foolish
lrocks and fusSery. her scarlet mouth
and her coa%ing manner. her adorable
adorablcness came back TO me In the
twilight hours OF my dreams. 1t was
then l decided to reproduce those old
scenes over again.
! told Pcarman all about my dreams.
and he was a ready sympathizer with
me and told me that l was n great
Kid and that ] would make n man on,
oil myself some day. felt like kiss
ing Pcarman when he said that. for
1t was the first time anybody had told
me anything like that for many a long
day.
The next evening pearman and i
walked UP to the Academy Of Music.
lie licked UP a brickbat anu told me
TO 20 in and find Leo Wise. and &c that