The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-03
Touching Onand Appertaining To-
Wives and Husbands Who Are Authors

spread popularity OF one siiupic poSD
ton propounded by Lorin F. -Deland-
He is--or was--an advertising man,
and it became his duty one time to
spread abroad the value of a certain
line of ready-to-wear trousers, or
pants.
MIR. Deland determined to employ a
catch phrase, one that would attract
attention and he advertised thus:
DO you wear pantss"
The question took. 1t went all over
the country. Even the fact that Mr..
LELAND invented the celebrated flying
wedge for the Harvard football team
and devised other plays meant for the
downfall of Yale, was lost sight of In
the Juror created by his little ques-
tion. His epitaph undoubtedly will
contain that immortal query: do you
wear pants.
But TO get back to the selwyns and
Baby Mine"
Margaret Mayo made the dramati-
zation Of The Marriage II William
Ashe." played by Grace George. and
| 1t was such a success that sne was
commissioned by William A. Brady to
make an adoption OF Sardou "Di-
vorcons.' which did more to raise
Miss George In her position as an
actress than any previous play. Miss
Mayo also wrote Polly OF the CIR
GUS" one of the most successful plays
lof its sort ever written; and Its sue
cess still continues. At this point wife
was ahead of hubby. He was having
some big plans, while she was havins
bfg success.
| il was while Mr.. Sslwyn was work
ing on The Country Boy that his
wife, Margaret Mayo. was writing one
| OF the biggest and best laughing sue
| cesses OF this decade. baby Mine.
she got har idea from an article IN
the newspaper. One morning, while
she was giancing over the paper,
| headline. reading, Adopt babies,
caught her eye. 1t was under Cni-
cago date, and 1t told that In Chi
cago alone there were at least two
| thousand daduies tondling infants
that were not their own. but babies
| adopted by their wives. and the fatn-
ers were none the wiser. This appeal
| ed to her as a topic for a play, ana
laying down her paper she sat down
at her desk not to leave 1t until the
wee hours of the morning Her
thoughts came to her rapidly, ana she
wrote on and on, and finally COM
pleted an outline of the comedy, her
idea for the title being borrowed
ia hies.'A
| Then, with the manuscript under net
arm. she wendell her way to the gen,
eral offces Of Conan y Harris. and
I there read her play. This firm laugh
ed at the situations. and compliment
| ed her on her efforts. but they couidn
| possibly produce anything new tha'
season. Then she took the manuscript
to William 4. Brady, who previously
had produced her "Divorcons. BRADY
told her he would read the piece al
| his earliest opportunity. Then TIRES
weeks elapsed. and she hadn't heart
from him. Exasperated by the delay
she called upon Wegenhal q hempeF
| who heard the play, and told her they
would consider It. She had begun *
give up hopes. but upon reachins
| home there was telegram from MT
Brady. saving that he had read "a
! play. and Had decided to give il a trial
He also suggested she rechristen tbs
| piece ~Baby Nine" THIS suggestion
was gratefully received and acted upon
and after Miss Mayo had spent bur q
week on the play. soothing It here
and there, il was put into rehearsal
The result OF her labor il now theatre
| cal history.
BABY Mine.'' which win be sseu
here at the Academy Theatre We'd
nesday and Thursday. april 1911. ons
I 81 the greatest successes OF recent
| years, and IL credited with being the
only two-hour- and a-half show. con,
tanning a thousand laughs. actual
count. The day after It's first perform.
| ance. the critics almost unanimouss,
| commented upon the excellent tech
| nique'' OF the piece, and the ludicrou,
situation. To this. however. the Al
thorees replied that she knew absolute
/ " nothing OF technique not hay
/ tnE read over half dozen plays u
her life. and she attributes her sue.
aeaa IN ..ptnrs luck". Int he that M 1,