Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-03-13

My
Management
1t Was Not Wise, but the
Gain Was Considerable
By THOMAS r. DEAN

0oseessoeOeeossSSSsssSSSsS
1t was not long after became a
manager that I was besieged by play
wrights who desired their productions
put on the boards. could withstand
the men and the elderly ladies', but
when it came to pretty young women
It was very hard for me to stave them
off, One day when l had already nc.
copied more plays than could use In
several years young lady called al
my Office and asked permission to sub
NIT a. play. l told her that 1t would be
useless for me to read any play unless
It promised phenomenal success
whereupon she looked at me out of q
pair of very beautiful blue eyes and
said she was quite sure her play would
be a phenomenal success. I could NOT
but smile at her confidence, since II
was difficult to predict such result
even of work by an experienced
playwright.
What could 1 do2 1 took her manu-
script from her, agreeing to look II
over and IL l should find 1t merltoriouf
would read 1t carefully. The young
lady asked when she might call for 1t
and / told her would drop her line
when had read 1t. This seemed sat
lsfactory to her, and she took her de
parture, leaving with me very pleasant
remembrances OF her.
But not having a spare moment for
got all about her and her play, A
month passed, and one day received q
note from her reminding me that She
had left a manuscript with me ant
would be pleased to be Informed what
had been done with 1t. I determined
TO return 1t with the usual thanks an(
a few complimentary words, but
We who must deceive authors have 81
many butts that ID would not DO wortl
while to specify this one. I went to {
closet where kept manuscripts hand
ed in for my inspection; but, although
1 went over all of them carefully,
did not find Consistency" the one
wanted. Then l remembered that
had taken 1t to my home. But l dlt
not find it there. usually stopped a
my club on my way home and some
times at other places. must hav'
left 1t Somewhere, but inquiry failet
to elicit any trace Of 1t.
However, hoping that 1t might turf
up, l ventured to put the authoresi
off. wrote her that had read enough
of her play to become interested II
1t, but had been so busy with thos'
l was preparing for the boards as T.
prevent my giving it the attention 1
seemed to deserve.
The truth was that l was havinI
about that time hard luck with tn
plays had brought out and was losin
money. Indeed, most managers wer
In the same fix. There was but on
play, "a Sylvan Butterfly" that wa
successful, but that had enough sue
cess to make up for all the failures
Hearing Of the new attraction, wen
to see It and was delighted with II
It's theme was one that will Away
appeal to human sympathies. won
dered IL the manuscript could hav'
gone the rounds, as most manuscript
Of plays by unheard Of authors ar
apt to do certainly would neve
have turned It down II It had beef
offered to me.
didn't find tho manuscript or Con
stancy" and was much troubled abou
It. Another month passed, and the
pretty playwright called at my omc'
ana asked Tor her play. she SAID tina
other plhyWrlgnts were gettlhg tneil
productions on the Doards ana sne sa"
no reason why she shouid hot 90 th'
same. Mentioning "A Sylvan butter
NY she snld that ner own piay wa,
JUST as good ana IL prouuceu "ouio
"cIulh equni SUCCESS; - -
being useu 10 the estiin"te p,uy
virgins attach 10 tnelr p,nyS' u i,no
spoken my nlinu woulu naVe 'o'u nei
tnat there WERE ninety -niiio '"anee'
IN nuhureu una. II ner p'uy wnS pr
uuceu F" "ouiu Do laiien'"p'u iai'
ure. Az II was' couiu on'y iooh WIS.,
anu say hothine' put "nch Sn"
tnn' ne, eyes "eto "1' ! DioAe W" = !
una toiu ner 'nut l"u re"u enousi "
neI piuy " WARRANT NY pay'ns "ei
wv ior nei phuS' NY oDI . 'eIne y :,
coniproiniSe WIN ner iol tna. ""'o""'
'or nuVils ioSt .ne iil"nus'iipt
NJ niD. quo 'eou'ee - '"o 'ue" " -, ~
cep'ins quo" a sum ,oi " pI"' W.