The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-10-25
THE BUREAU
OF PLAYS
1t Brought Out Some
Curious Facts
By EDWIN b. HENRY

L StdTleu my CdTeeT dS u luedlIlCul
manager. had no trouble in getting
actors-indeed, it was all l could do
to get rid Of those l didn't need They
would beg for trial sometimes with
tears in their eyes, and since l am of
a sympathetic disposition my feelings
were often racked almost beyond en-
trying to make living on the stage,
they nearly drove me distracted.
As for getting rid of the playwrfghts,
l found It q much easier matter. Most
plays l received were sent by mail or
express, and when found unavailable
all l had to do was to send them back
by the way they had come. True, now
and again an author would bring his
play to my office and tell me all about
how he got on to the theme and the
suggestions that led to his happy hits,
and after occupying three-quarters Of
an hour of my time he would go away
satisfied he had made an impression
that would insure his work special at
tention. l had a reader whom l kept
all day poring over these manuscripts,
and after the authors departure /
would toss his production on the read
er's desk without a word. He knew
that he was to look into 1t and make
a report upon it.
After paying my reader his salary
IN
didn't pay me to keep him. Not that
he was incapable of doing the work
assigned him, but little or nothing
came in that it seemed to me was
worth producing. So ! discharged him,
and after that 1 relied for plays upon
such playwrights as had established
| regulations.
1t was about this time that I became
inoculated matrimonially. The young
lady upon whom I placed my affec-
tons was Miss Jenetta Starkweather
and well worthy the love Of any man.
Unfortunately she had a father who
was very dlflcult person to handle.
In early life he had tried his hand at
acting and playwrighting. After
brief time at each he had failed as
signally at one as at the other.
1t is needless to say that when l was
introduced to him as a suitor for his
daughters hand my calling was great
ly against me. Few persons have fail
ed in any artistic line who have not
| blamed almost any one except them
selves for their failure. Among actors
the person blamed is the manager. who
| will never assign an aspirant part
in which he can show his powers. Play
wrights blame the manager because he
will not produce their plays.
Old Starkweather, who, having fail.
ed histrionically, turned his attention
to the leather business and made for
tune at IT, had passed the principal part
of his life grumbling at theatrical man
ayers, whom he accused of being the
cause OF turning him from what he
was fitted for to that which was COM
monplace and altogether uninteresting.
Be this as 1t may, there was not bet
ter buyer or a better seller in the
| leather district than old Starkweather.
When applied for the hand of Jenet-
head to foot, and / could see that some
thing was moving him against me. He
spent u long while talking to me about
my affairs, then, after a thoughtful
pause, said:
my daughter seems to have set her
heart on you; why I don't know. I
never could find out why her mother
I,- nj NO
cussedness, suppose. But Jenetta
seems to want you, and her marriage
with you will give me an opportunity
to go into q line that / have always
wished to enter I wish to prove that
the reason there are no good plays on
the boards or very few Of them Is
that the plays sent in by playwrights
who have not achieved reputation Is
owing to the fact that the plays are
not read. | am ready to put up the
money to hire corps Of readers to
read carefully all plays that are sub
mitted for examination and to produce
| on the boards those that are found to
| be merltOrious. / wish to be silent
partner, having nothing to do with the
management Of the, business. How
would you like to be the active part
nerT"
II was plain that Jenetta might pass
peaceably into my possession II l
| should consent to enter upon a scheme
which would take up great deal OF
my time to no purpose and would sink
considerable money for my prospective
| father-ln-law. / set him down for one
of those persons who "knOw II all" and
believed that any attempt to convince
him Of the fudlity of his proposed en-
terprise would be useless. By such at
tempt l would risk losing his daugh-
ter; by consenting l might possess her
at once. was anxious for an imme-
diate marriage and chose the latter al
tentative.
II would be very happy, Mr.. Stark