Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05

month later, she planned to 60 abroad with her
family and asked me to 60 to New York with her to see
dollars and came to New York, carrying my two book
manuscripts with me. After sending huge bunch of
ton of watching the vessel steam away, and also the
post morem sensation of realizing that here alone
in New York. without friend, without job and with
nothing to my name but solitary dollar in my pocket
and my two novel manuscripts under my "How
Horao Alger would have loved to know mel" thought,
and then tramped off on the hunt for work.
finally obtained job reporter one of the news
papers at fifteen dollars week. and turned my manu-
scripts to agent. week later l received my
first fifteen dollars and with it my discharge. More
job hunting, and finally another reportership with the
same remuneration. In the meantime, publishers
returning my manuscripts with beautiful precision.
After thirty-sx of them had turned down my Castle
Comedy, rewrote the first chapter, changed the title,
it back the first publisher who had rejected it
and it accepted! This publisher had rejected
my other too; but after he took 3The Castle Come
fine story" he told me- aWhy didn't you let me see it
long ago." l srniled-in my sleeveand said nothing.
" Rehearsing His Play
A FTER @The Castle Comedy" came out, got let
ter one day from Walker Whiteside, the actor ask
ing to dramatic it for him. kept reporting, and
finished the dramatzation in exactly six days. taking
play by Clyde Fitch as working model sent the play
to Whiteside, who then playing Southern one
night stands, and was so happy that began writing
plays by the Wholesale debating them to stenographer
who had an office to the @Tenderloin office" of the
newspaper for which covering that police precinct
Sometime later got telegram from Whteside tell
ing to hurry down to Macon, Georgia, and help
hearse my play gave up my job borrowed fifty dol
lars, and made ready to 60 to Macon. knew abso-
lutely nothing about rehearsing play. did not
know the simple stage directions such as RUE,
LUE., etc.; having five hours before my train left,
l sought out Miss Florence Rockwell an actress whom
had met and asked her to give few tips about the
workings of the stage. Accordingly, when l got to
Macon, l threw out my chest, made my voice as Of
fcialy gruf could, and told Whiteside u ready
to rehearse my play Two hours later the actors got
together the stage and began to "rehearse them.
After had succeeded in tangng things up in elegant
manner Whitesde said to me- "You are plain fool!
Ill rehearse this play myself"
ton of my play 1t about, and the strange
thing about is that this day neither Whiteside
myself has the slightest idea why The Castle Comedy
produced This is absolutely true 1t is one
may have known but he evidently cared to tell
anybody. The scenery had been painted the costumes
purchased, the paper printed. But the play
the light of day.
Others Thought They Wanted 1t
I AFTER on took the manuscript to James K. Hackett
II who told that same night that he liked it and
would produce it. felt SO happy that went out and
spent the last four dollars had in the world for fine
big supper. Then 1 went home, went to bed and
dreamed of the fame and fortune that were to be mine
The next morning was awakened by loud knock at
the door. Iopenedt. messenger handed me a bundle
from Hacket. The said, II must have been crazy
last night. This play is absolutely good"
had got my old reporters job back again, and kept
plugging away at the drama" 1 tried to make the
play into woans play; that is to make the star part
a woman's instead of, as it originally was, mans
finished the work and took it to Miss Bertha Galand,
who liked it we'll that she promised speedy pro-
duction Two weeks later my play came back again
covered that she would have tights in the lead
ing role And Miss Gaand had no such intention.