davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
Photo by Arnold Geu,he

other in his career, thinks of writing a
play. | do not want to seem immOdest,
but l honestly believe | have suffered
more at the hands of ultra self-confident
young "dramatists than most players.
Most of the notes that come to me
with play manuscripts contain somewhere
this sentence, "This drama is eminently
suited to you because of your PERSONAL
ity." One amateur dramatist from Mum
ce Indiana sent me six years ago play
that he had entitled Ethel Barrymore
Imagine!
My speaking voice, some people have
said, possesses peculiar throaty tones"
or something to that effect. WE'LL plays
have been submitted to me by playwrit-
ing neophytes that We're actually built
around my voice. One of the manu-
scripts was called, in fact, "The Voice.
1t had been written for me, the writer as
sured me- and, although was meant for
the star part in it, | was not to reveal my
self to the audience until the final cur
tain. My voice was simply to be heard
off stage! The plot concerned a man who
travelled all over the world in search of
the owner of wonderful voice that he
had once heard at an American summer
resort At the last mnute-after five
long acts laid respectively in the United
States, Chile, China Egypt, and Agicrs =
the man was to discover me and marry me-
The Commonest BIunders
I + a playwright has one great passion in
the world it is to present his plav per-
sonally to the actor whom he wants to
see act it. Plays are thrust at me by ac-
quaintances who come to my dressing
room; they are thrust at me as | go from
the stage door to my car; they are thrust
at me at afternoon receptions, and even
at those intimate little parties after the
thrater. At night, when | dream of be-
ing in Il horrible situation, | am never
surrounded by the points of swords and
lanccs, but by great spectral amateurs
with sharpened manuscripts sticking out
toward me.
You would think, in these days when
so much is written about plays and play
writing, that the young person who set
out to write a play would have some
slight knowledge Of the rudiments of tech
mic. Yet some of them have not even a
sense of time. Not long ago one of my
acquaintance announced enthusiastically
that he had sent to my hotel manu-
script that he had written expressly for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09


1895, my uncle John Drew seized
me by the left hand. which had
~ awkwardly thrust out to him in
my excitement and nervousness, and
pulled me before The curtain of the Empire
Theatrr, which had just been applauded
up for the sixth time on the third act of
Henry Guy Cartoons comedy, THAT
Independent Young Person" was
playing the little role of Katherine in the
play, the first part had ever had, and
this was my first appearance on the stage
But if | was excited and nervous, it
was not because | was making my first
appearance: it was because of mana
single, solitary, lonely looking man with
black mustache, whom had never seen
before!
When | made my first entrance on the
stage he was sitting down in front and
looking at me as if he We're trying to hyp-
notize me. felt his eyes 60 through me
like sharp knife. His cold stare made
me so nervous that ! shook every time
came out on the stage. The next night
the eyes We're in the same seat. The night
after that | glanced out of the peephole
in the curtain before the performance be-
gan, and beheld the eyes as usual in the
same seat in the third row. 1t upset me
so that had difficulty in remembering the
few lines in the play that fell to my share.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09

me. l turned to a friend and said "Ill
wager the play is five hours long" lost.
1t was seven.
Many amateur playwrights would send
managers to the poorhouse, they are SO
extravagant with their scenery. The
props required in six-act drama by one
wealthy man who makes his home in
Paris most of the year would have fur
nished a good-sized apartment hotel.
Nor was a little school teach, up in the
Tennessee mountains any less liberal. In
her MARY, a Play of Rural Life" re-
Gently sent to me, there We're only nine
acts and thirty-four scenes The girl
wrote that she lived on mountaintop
and could see four towns on clear days.
! suppose she found the temptation ire
sistible up among so much scenery. But
there is usually freshness and naIvete
about these plays that makes them good
fun to read, even though their produce
ton is impossible.
Dodging the Highbrow
THE one person | would beware OF,
even above the most amateurish of the
amateurs, is the cut and dried dramatist,
the person with technic but without
ideas. There are men and women of my
acquaintance who have been writing for
years and have never got beyond the pro-
ducton of a one-act play at a charitable
bazaar. They write in a stereotyped
fashion an average Of two plays year,
spring and fall.
know one woman who has sent in two
plays every season since have been star
ring Her leading character is always a
young woman, and the title of the play
is always single word. One, for in
stance, is called Fate, another "Hor-
ror," another Love" | fancy that as
long as there is a dictionary there is hopc
She confessed to me one afternoon that the
moment she saw an elemental word she
Immediately saw a drama. She is a good
"horriblc example of the class of people
who know something of the manner in
which plays must be constructed, but
absolutely nothing of what must be in
them.
1t seems to me that everyone who has
been to theater or even to a moving
picture show writes "plays." I've had
them from Ambassadors, Senators, and
even Mattresses. | believe there isn't a
class of people represented among my
acquaintance that has not sent me at
least half-dOzen manuscripts.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
My First Playwright

WHEN | came to the theater in the
morning to answer a rehearsal call |
found the man waiting for me near the
stage door. started to run past him;
but he checked me with low bow and
very polite Il beg your pardon" and as
he smiled he reached back suddenly and
pulled out of his pocket one of the deadi-
est weapons in the world,--a bulky play
manuscript.
II have watched your work carefully
for three successive nights" he said, "and
| believe you have Il good future ahead
Of you. ! think you are just the actress
| want for my play, the first | have ever
written, and want you to read it, and if
possible enact the leading role. Here it
is" and he thrust it into my hand.
Too frightened to know what to an
swrr, brushed past him and slammed the
stage door thought he was crazy. OF
course, as | look at it now, he was nothing
of the sort. He was simply an amateur
playwright | was Hattcred, anyway,
that a play should have been written for
me Cl was very young them, and sat
down and began reading it during spare
moments while the rehearsal was going on.
When | had finished it | turned to my
Uncle John. "Oh," exclaimed, cts
Splendid.
He took the bulky manuscript from me-
"What is it," he asked.
"A play" answered.
He ran the pages back over his thumb.
"Do you know, my dear Ethel, how long
it would take to act this play" he in
CURED with bland smile.
about two hours" replied. You
see its only nincty-tivc hundred pages
long.
Uncle John smiled more broadly
"Iour trouble with amateur playwrights is
just beginning" he said. at would take at
least twenty-four hours to act this play
Plays About My Personality"
THAT was a long while ago; but my
Uncle Johns prediction was true.
have had enough adventures with anna
teur playwrghts and amateur manu-
scripts during my years on the stage to
fill a library.
Almost everyone, at some time or
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
The Frenchman's Genders

MY uncle John Drew relates fairly
relevant story of a member of the
French consulate, a young attach6 who
could barely speak English. He had writ
ten play and had it translated The mo-
ment he met what he called "un vrai
artist" he Immediately gave him the
manuscript In it the hero had to de-
scend to the bottom of the ocean in
submarine boat. This and other highly
advanced" situations made the play i'm
possible, and Uncle John returned it.
"Thank you SO much for reading it,
said the Frenchman. Il hope that have
not cockroached on your time.
Not at all, replied Uncle John. "Only
you did not quite get the right word. You
mean hencrodched."
"Oh see. drawled the attachd. II
get so frightfully mixed in your gendcrs
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
He Needed the Money

THE tyro playwrights are not writers
par excellence. Some of the epistles that
chase the manuscripts into an actresses
hands are wonders to behold Here are
two samples that | have received lately.
The first was from hopeful playwright
in little town in Nebraska:
trust you will see your way clear to pro-
duce my play Immediately, because you can
play the leading role as no other woman on
the stage can, and because | need the money.
1t took me eight long days to write this
drama, and, because of its sheer oddity.
am sure it will make very big impression:
of the Dead" and all the acts are laid in
cemetery by moonlight. Your role is that
of vivified piece of tombstone sculpture
representing young woman. You move
about among the spirits of the deceased
preaching the gospel of peace on earth. And
you can do it best of all, because the public
like you and will go to see you whether they
like my play or not. Therefore. can't you
send me the first instalment of royalties in
advance?
Note number two was penned by
woman in Pittsburgh. This was its tenor:
For years l have kept picture of your
lovely self on top of my bureau, and it has
finally inspired me to help you out by writ
ing play for YOU will send it to you as
soon as it is written, which will be within
the next three days. l call my play THE
Decision of Fate, and, in order to write of a
subject that l know intimately and under
stand, have chosen for my subject yourself
and myself The plot relates my admiration
for YOU throughout the Years, and of my
final resolve to dress and look like YOU Of
a regular correspondence that springs up
between u.s. and of the final duplication Of
your soul in my body | wish, if you use the
play, that you will print this line on the
programs and billboardS, under title, "A
drama of psychology
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09

H\ the night of September %,
1898, my uncle John Drew seized
me by the left hand. which had
~ awkwardly thrust out to him in
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
NEWS HE'D BEEN SUED
FOR $500 A SURPRISE
rFrom Tuesdays Daily.I

George Dunlap of Hope, sued by
his wife in district court yesterday
for a divorce and $4,000 alimOny,
came to AbiIene this morning He
did not know that he had been
sued and that the sheriff was ON
the way to Hope to serve summons
uoon him. A friend here sprung
the story, which Mr.. Dunlap We
hemently denied after reading the
petition filed in court. He doesn't
desire publicity, he says, and went
to Marion, where he says his wife
now is, to settle out of court, If
possible. The court order calls for
Mr.. Dunlap to pay $50 suit money,
$50 temporary alimony, and $3.50
attorney fees.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
7O-FOOT FALL FATAL
ENTERPRISES MILLER KILLED
ACCIDENTALLY TODAY
Henry Swader Falls From Bin At
Top Of Hoffman Elevator
To The Bottom

Henry Swader, an elevator man
at the Hoffman mills at Enterprise,
fell 70 feet from the top of bin in
the elevator to the bottom, about Z
clock Monday morning and was
killed instantly. The accident was
not discovered until after Mr.. Swad-
er's son and another man had dump
ed a carload of wheat on top the
body in the bin. A half hour or more
after the accident occurred, Mr..
Swader's son became anxious, about
hie father and began to search for
him. Fearing. that he had fallen
down the bin, the whegt was taken
out and Mr.. swsder,s sltfeless' body
zs-a ~
Just ASi the accident occurred
was hard determine. 1t us
thought thar Mr.. Swader may have
lost HIS roofing on the board which
was laid across the bin, or the
board might have broken while Mr..
swader was crossing it to attend to
some part Of his work. He was
and about 43 years old.
Besides his widow, seven children
survive
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
ONE LONG, DEEP MUDHoLE
SO j. +. Johntz and o. A. SterI
Found Overland Route from Colo.

]. Z. Johntz and o. A. Sterl re
turned home this morning from
Colorado. A good many people dc
that OF course. but few return home
as did this pair, Their story sounds
like life in the trenches when the
rainy season is on. Mr.. Johntz and
Mr. Sterl left Stratton Park, Thurs
day noon In the Johntz car, and sub
Inarined, held up now and then by
rains that made the roads impassa-
BILE, until Saturday night when they
reached Russell. Sunday they re-
sumed their journey, and after
slushing through mud hole after
mud hole, reached Ellsworth, where
they were compelled to leave the
car. They went on to Salina on
freight, and came home on an early
morning Union Pacific, loaded down
like immigrants.
Heavy rains have put the roads in
frightful condition all the way to
Colorado. At Dorrance is a mud
hole a mile long, and farmers make
a business of waiting there with
teams to pull out automobile tour
lists who attempt to drive through.
However, Johntz and Sterl didn't
have to be pulled out once, although
they had rope handy If it should
be needed. At Ellis, traction en-
CINE was resting on a bridge, the
wheels sunk drought the platform
and Johntz and Sterl made a IL
mile detour before they got back
on the main road.
Mrs. Johntz and children. Mrs.
Sterl and Miss Bess Hoffman re-
NAMED in Colorado.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
BALDRIDGE HAS GOOD
CHANCES TO RECOVER

Benjamin Baldridge, Harrington
brakeman 4who was shot in the
stomach and dangerously wounded
at LatimerI when he attempted to
put a gang of hoboes Off freight
train saturday, ts-in .stormont hos
pita1 at Topeka, with good chances
for recovery, ot
Herman sydow of Waco, Tex, a
harvest hand. is alleged to have shot
Baldridge and was bound over for
trial in district court at his prelimiE
nary hearing at White City satur-
day.
A special train took Baldridge to
Topeka. where he was operated up
on at once.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
STOCKHOLDERS SUES DIR. BALL
Edwards 90. Farmer Charges Fraud
In Sale of Stock

Kinsley, Kan, Aug. 2.-Charging
that the pr. Ball cooperative mail
order house, at Kansas City, has de-
rrauded him out of $SS2.OO by SELL
ing him so shares of stock in the
Hall Manufacturing Co., Thure Carl
ION, a well known farmer in North
Brown township has brought suit
in the district court of Edwards
county against the Ball Manufact-
uring Co. and J. A. Dooley, it's
agent
He was granted temporary in
junction to prevent the Ball Manu-
featuring company from selling or
in any way disposing of a certifi-
cate Of deposit for $500 and check
for $3.50 which he gave them in
payment for the SO shares of stock.
, incidentally, Mr.. Carlson disclos-
es the fact that the Ball company
has never delivered to him any
stock whatever, but retains his
check and certificate of deposit.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
FRED BAKER SHUT 'EM OUT
Abilene Boy Still Knows How TO
Fool the Batsman

Fred Baker, an old Abilene boy,
stiIl retains his pitching arm. He
was yOuHg boy when he left here,
but showed promise Of being a
world beaten. In game at Aber-
deen, Wash, recently, Baker pitch
ed for the bankers of the city in
championship game with the law
yers, and shut them out while his
teammates got 16 runs. He is now
cashier of the Hayes & Hayes bank
in Aberdeen.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
wife ASKS $4,000
GEORGE DUNLAP. HOPE, SUED
FOR DIVORCE AND BIG
ALIMONY
Mrs. Dunlap Declares She Has
Earned That Much by Doing
Mans Work on The
Farm

In suit in which she asks a di
vorce and $4,000 alimony from
George L. Dunlap, wealthy Hope
farmer, Mrs. Bertha Dunlap de-
clares that in the twenty-eight years
of their married life she has earned
that much as her share in their
property, and that even at the age
of Sc years, she has been milking
thirteen cows, separating the milk
by hand, feeding the calves, slopp-
Ing the hogs and cooking for the
hands on the farm. She asks a d.
vorce on the grounds of extreme
cruelty, neglect of duty and adul-
terry. Mr.. Dunlap is one OF the
wealthiest farmers of South Dickin-
son, his wife alleging that their
property, which is worth more than
$4,000. includes 1860 acres Of
Dickinson county land and 24O acres
If Marion county land, all worth
$50 or more per acre; cattle worth
approximately $4,000; horses worth
$4,000, old wheat worth $500 and
new wheat worth $4,000, beside 9TH
or farm crops, implements, stock
and cash on hand.
For years she has taken abuse
and curses, Mrs. Dunlap alleges,
but the climax came on June last,
when her husband threw her down
upon the floor and struck heavy
blows on her head, and ran to get
a shotgun with which he threaten
ed he would kill her. She fled,
Mrs. Dunlap alleges, out of the
house in fear for her life and hid
in a hedge until her children came
home. Her children at other times
prevented her husband from mjur-
ing her, Mrs. Dunlap alleges. Mrs.
Dunlap is now living at Hope, but
not with her husband.
When they were married. Mrs.
Dunlap alleges, she gave her hus-
band $1,000, and since that time by
their joint efforts they have become
wealthy. She has worked in the
fields and done a mans work all
these years, the wife declares, and
now that she can no longer live with
her husband she asks $4,000 as
her share of the property. Her
husband, she. says even after they
became wealthy, refused to give her
he ordinary comforts of life.
The Dunlaps are the parents Of
sight children, who are: Mrs.
John Hoffman, Charles Dunlap, Ada
dunlap, Mrs Harry Jacobs, Mrs.
herman Berbohm, elastic, Florence
md Drama. The latter two are
minors and Mrs. Dunlap asks their
ustody.
W. H. Carpenter of Marion Isl
lrs. Dunlap's attorney.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
BIG Dixie HELD, But
WILL BE MADE BETTER

Under the supervision of George
Rush, township trustee, the big
dixie along Mud Creek northwest Of
town is being put in better cOndi-
ton. Contrary to the report, the
dixie was not washed away, although
It was cut into by the water in spots.
The water just went over the top
of the dixie, and the washing made
the roadway too narrow. With
dirt and shale MT. Rush is doing
fine job and the dixie will serve its
purpose better than ever and the
road viii be wider and have firm
err base.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
FOUR PRISONERS FREED
BY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
from Tuesdays Dally.l

Four prisoners were released
from the county Jail by order of the
county commissioners today They
are: Jose Peinie, sentenced to 80
days for breaking into box car at
Navarro; Charles Ward, pleaded
guilty to trespass at county farm;
James Gill and Alvin Mesnard, BIZ
cycle thieves, all completed their
sentences. Charles Conant, awaiting
trial for wife desertion, has the
prison to himself now.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
FIX COUNTY LEVY
FIXED BY COMMISSIONERS AT
2.45 MILLS
Bridge Fund Raised lilo Because
or Flood Damage-The
County Valuation Is
$45,91O,8S5

The county commissioners today
set the levy for 1916 taxes at 2.45
mills.
The bridge levy was raised Ito
of q mill because of the flood dam
age which will necessitate consid-
cradle expense to rebuild small
bridges. The sinking fund was
lowered 2-10 of a mill, the interest
fund $40 of mill and the road
fund ITO Of a mill. Other funds
are unchanged. The county valua-
ton is $45,910,6S5. Abilene's val
uation is $4,71S,836.
The levy by funds:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
BIG PUMP HAS BUSY
SEASON AFTER FLOOD

The big electric centrifugal pump
has been working overtime carry
ing flood water irom the west side
sewer across the creek to the sewer
or the east side. The pump was set
going Saturday afternoon at 3, kept
going all Saturday night and Sun
day mp to o'clock in the afternoon.
The pump was started again Mon
day morning and again this morn
ing. All the water from the flood
ed cellars on the vest side runs
into the sewer.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
WIN Bulld New Home

M. ]. ROsproy, who opened an
automobile tire repair shop here re-
Gently, has purchased j.. s. lifts
lot and dwelling house on West
Second, andfps wifi 'rebuild the
house and make a new home. The
Tiff house was almost totally de
stroyed by fire few months ago.
Mr.. inf has bought the old DR..
Curtis residence on East North
sixth, next to Simon shoekey.s
home. and win tear down the house
and buiId.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
benjamin Gump Buried

~ Funeral services for BENJAMIN
sGhIfp, eldest son of r. J. Gump OF
Holland, were held at 2 O'Clock
Monday from Mt. Pleasant church,
the Rev. Mr.. MannOn officiating.
Burial was in the cemetery there.
Mr.. Gump was IS years Of age.
Beside his parents, several brothers
and sisters survive.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
Took Rest of scherer's wheat

Took Rest of Scherer's Wheat
When Chapman Creek backed up
in a drew on G. A. Scherer's farm
near Chapman a week or so ago, Mr..
Scherer lost about 100 acres OF
shocked wheat. Last Friday, Chap
man creek rose again and Mr..
scherer lost the rest of his wheat,
12O acres.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
washout At CarneIro on U. P.

As fast as a big wrecking crew
could repair q 600-foot washout
near Carneiro on the Union Pacific
Sunday afternoon, Spring Greek
dubbed over again and the wreck
ing crew again had to repair the
damage. The morning trains went
through late.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05

For the week ending August 2,
IasB. Miss Martha Carter, Mrs.
III y. Carter, ]. C. Ferguson, chas.
j Fisher. Ed. Frankenpole, Frank
Gonzales, Jerry Harris. (2); R. L.
Klrby. SCI s. 9Th street; A. J..
TittE. Miss Irene Schwartzman, w.
4. stewart, Miss Gladys Taylor.
PERSONS calling for the above mail
win please ask for advertised mail.
ons cent WIN be charged for sane.
wv. A. Matteaon. P. N.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
WILSON TO RECOGNIZE
CARRANZA. SAYS PAPER

Washington, Aug. 3,-The Times
this afternoon says:
president Wilson has definitely
decided to recognize carranza, ae-
cording to a well authenticated re-
port which spread through Wash
ington this afternoon,
This action, IT is said. win be
taken within two weeks"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
Notice

Having disposed of our stock OF
furniture to-, w, H. Burnham, we
wish to thank the people of Abilene
and vicinity for the generous sup
port they have given us in helping
to make our business a success and
hope you viii give our successor the
same hearty support that you have
given us.
Mrs. J. E. VANDERBILT & Son.
3yfw
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05
Mn. Hence Funeral sunday

The funeral services OF Mrs. L.
Hene were held in Enterprise Sun
day afternoon from the Methodist
church. The attendance was very
large, and there were many flowers
Mrs. Hene. was q resident Of Enter
prise for more than IS years.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-08-05

The Ball Manufacturing COM
pany has sold considerable stock in
this county and maintains a branch
warehouse and office here. In ad-
dition to the stock, buyers certifi-
Gates" which cost $25 were sold, on
the representation that holders OF
these certificates could purchase
merchandise from the company at
wholesale prices. Because Of the
notoriety gained by the Ball COM
pany as a result Of the state inves-
this suit will be watched
with interest.