The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-09-27
A PICTURE
PLAYWRIGHT
BY F. A. mitchell.

port signifying that he was a citizen
Of Holland appeared In the rear Of the
German lines and asked permission to
go through into Belgium. He was
taken before Colonel Diedrich, who
was charged with the examination OF
those desiring TO pass out Of Germany
to discover if they bore any informa-
ton that the government would not
care to have carried out of the country.
The traveler-Van Gassboch was the
name entered on his passport-was led
to the quarters of the colonel, carrying
suit case, his only baggage.
"Open IT," said the officer, pointing to
the suit case.
Van GassbOch laid open the case,
and the colonel directed a soldier to
dump the contents Gu table. This
done, the colonel drew chair near the
pile and, taking up each article it con
tanned, scrutiniZed it minutely. There
were some linen, brushes and combs
and other toilet articles. These he laid
aside and, coming to a roll of manu-
script, bounced upon it suspiciously.
What is this?' he asked, removing
1t from the envelope containing it.
"a scenario for a picture play"
The colonel turned over one page
after another, not reading them. but
looking for what might indicate mat
ter covering information of the Ger
man situation.
Il rir,ey he.
asked.
Suggestions for scenery to be pro-
duced in the play" was the reply.
What is this-a Zeppelin?'
"No, colonel; that is intended to
represent cloud"
HIN; you Dutchmen know nothing
about art
II don't pretend to be an artist. AS
| have told you, colonel, these are
merely suggestions. They are intend
ed to indicate to the artist what is re-
CURED"
Il should think so. Well, l must
read this manuscript, and l cannot do
so at once, so you must wait"
THAT is 10 be expected, only | trust
that you will not keep me waiting any
longer than absolutely necessary"
With this Van Gassboch was taken
to place where he was kept under
guard till the next day, when he was
again led to Colonel Diedrich's quar-
ters. Tie colonel seemed during the
interval u have thawed somewhat.
His man. was more friendly.
Il did let understand yesterday" he
said, why YOU came to Germany to
write your picture play. The theme
explains it. Where could you get the
material to present a play based on
the Faust of the immortal Goethe ex-
cept in the fatherland? Your play
will be wonder, l have read it all
That scene where Faust goes down to
hell will be very impressive when pho
tographed."
ut Is intended to be vivid"
'But why do you make the principal
scenes among mountains?"
Because mountains are so much
more impressive than plains"
81 see. Nothing better represents the
superworld than the Jungfrau."
"Or Mont Blame
"Ach, Mont Blanc is killed by it's
French name. The Jungfrau has the
proper sound. But here'-referring
to one of the pictures-'is some
thing l don't understand. 1t looks
more like a diagram than anything
else"
1T is diagram-a diagram of the
famous garden scene between Faust
and Marguerite"
Marguerite! Nein! Gretchen"
you are right, colonel l was think
ing of Gounod's opera.
Zach. Gounod was not the man to
write an opera on this theme"
1T should have been Wagner"
Yah, Wagner; the immortal Wag-
ner!' And the colonels eye lighted
with enthusiasm.
1.-THE picture play will have the Ger
man coloring throughout"
''That is goodr'
"And the heroine will be named
Gretchen"
THAT is good too.''
"And Mephistopheles will be called
der teufel'"
THAT is very goodr'
well. colonel. may go through"
At this the practical side of the colo
mel reasserted itself. His enthusiastic
smile subsidized into a severer look. and
he hesitated. Then he took the manu-
script to fireplace, separated the
sheets and held them near the flame.
He was testing for something written
in acid that would come out when eX-
posed TO warmth. Nothing appeared.
and, stepping to a case representing a
miniature drug store. he applied the
contents of several different bottles TO
the paper Finally. being satisfied. he
permitted Van Gassboch to past
through the lines with his scenario,
his linen and his brushes
No sooner had the playwright passed
| the lines than he began to talk Ital-
| ian. eschewing the Dutch language en-
| tirely. After being cloSeted fer some
| time with French officer high in
| command he hurried to the south of
| France and thence into Italy. handing
| his picture play TO the commander of
the Italian armies. Every tenth word
| IN 1t made up message giving mill
tary information, The pictures when
explained by key, gave numbers of
men at different points and munitions
/ Of war. 1.-The garden scene was q