The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-02-19
My
Management
1t Was Not Wise, but the
Gain Was Considerable
By THOMAS R. DEAN

90
1t was not long after l became a
manager that | 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 ac-
copied more plays than could use in
several years a young lady called at
my office and asked permission to sub
NIT play. told her that it would be
useless for me to read any play unless
it promised a phenomenal success,
whereupon she looked at me out of a
pair of very beautiful blue eyes and
said she was quite sure her play would
be phenomenal success. l could not
but smile at her confidence. since it
was difficult to predict such result
even of a work by an experienced
playwright.
What could 1 do? l took Der manu-
script from her. agreeing to look it
over and if l should find it meritOrious
would read it carefully. The young
| lady asked when she might call for it.
and l told her would drop her line
when / had read it. This seemed sat
isfactory to her. and she took her de-
parture. leaving with me very pleasan:
remembrances of her.
But not having a spare moment i for
got all about her and her play. A
note from her reminding me that she
had left a manuscript with me and
/ would be pleased to be informed what
had been done with it. | determined
/ to return it with the usual thanks and
few complimentary words. but
We who must deceive authors have so
many butts that it would not be worth
while to specify this one. | went to a
| closet where l kept manuscripts hand
ed in for my inspection: but. although
/ / went over all of them carefully,
did not find ''Constancy." the one
wanted. Then l remembered that |
had taken it to my home. But | did
not find it there. | usually stopped at
my club on my way home and some
times at other places. l must have
left it somewhere, but inquiry failed
to elicit any trace Of it.
However, hoping that it might turn
up. ventured to put the authOress
Of wrote her that had read enough
Of her play to become interested in
it, but bad been so busy with those
was preparing for the boards as to
prevent my giving it the attention it
seemed to deserve.
The truth was that l was having
plays had brought out and was losing
money Indeed. most managers were
in the same fix. There was but one
play. "a Sylvan Butterfly" that was
successful. but that had enough sue
cess to make up for all the failures.
Hearing Of the new attraction. | went
| to see it and was delighted with it.
Its theme was one that will always
appeal to human sympathies. ! won
dered If the manuscript could have
/ gone the rounds, as most manuscripts
Of plays by unheard of authors are
apt to do. certainly would never
have turned it down if it had been
/ offered to me.
| / didn't find the manuscript of Con
stancy" and was much troubled about
it. Another month passed. and the
pretty playwright called at my office
and asked for her play. She said that
other playwrights were getting their
productions on the boards and she saw
( NO reason why she should not do the
same. Mentioning "A Sylvan Butter
fly" she said that her own play was
Just as good and if produced would
attain equal success.
Being used to the estimate play
spoken my mind l would have told her
that there were ninety-nine chances
I'm hundred that if her play was pro
duced it would be Il iamentable fail
ure As it was. could only look wise
and say nothing. But when l saw
tina: her eyes were wet | broke down
and told her that had read enough OF
her play to warrant my paying her
$500 for her play my object being to
compromise with her for that amount
for having lost the manuscript.
/ At first she secuted the idea of ac.
cepting such a sum for IL Play which
she fancied. as most young authors
fancy. would make fortune. but
represented TO her the cost would in
| cur and the risk in staging her play
and she finally consented to accept
my offer. but stipulated that. since
she had never made but one copy OF
her play. must not cakl On her foi
another. Glad to get out of the scrape
by paying stipulated sum. | agreed
to this and gave her a check for 500
in payment for a play that had never
read and did not possess.
This embarrassing matter having
been put out of the way i began tC
show the young lady some attention
Indeed. Miss Alice Woodruff and | be
came gradually fond of each other
She did not trouble me about her play
except to indicate desire to have il
produced. put her off for some time
Then one day. when by my devotion
had got her into a condition TO bear q
disappointment. told her that the
reason l had never returned her play
was because 1t would not do for the