davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1916-10-29

unto the Brocktons what the latter
would do unto them. Ruth Brockton.
their guest. has Just left the room to
dress for dinner, when the senior
Palmer closes the door after her, and
the following scene occurs:
CRuth exits. Grace goes TO lower
l. end OF table. Mrs. Palmer TO upper
end Of table. Tom takes a few steps
up stage and gazee after Ruth. Ed
Palmer crosses and closes doors. Tom
turns to find the two women looking
at him across the table. The atmos-
phere has changed now to one OF sup
pressed excitement. The hall door
flies open and Phil excitedly dashes on
and comes on TOMS left.)
Phil--Say. Grace just told me about
Ferris. How the devil did he got on
to us?
Grace Ito PhiD-whats the differ
ence now? (To Tom) Are We going
to stick around here until he gets US?
Phil turning to Tom)-Why by this
time he has probably connected us
with every Job We ever pulled OF.
Mrs. Palmcr-My God. after watt
Ing around all this time are we going
away with only two OF her pieces?
Palmer. Sr. (going down on Toms
R)--Listen. We followed you on
here from the West because you said
the picking was better. Well. we
haven't picked UP a damn thing since
we've been here and now we're liable
to he picked up ourselves.
Phil--Yes, and we've Just been eat.
inr our heads off for q crack at those
The sun., 1916-10-29
Surprised byte ecdv@ @inheB octoh home
Max Ma Author Of the Latest Crook Drama Describes the Big
Moments of His Play Tells How He Came Write 1t
and Of His Beginnings Playwright

am glad for his sake as we'll as my
own that his faith in 1t was justified
realized when writing tho play
that II I wanted to write a successful
crook drama I should have to get
away from the conventional stun with
its sympathetic thieves, fourth act ref
ormations and all the other appurte-
nances Of the crook melodrama. So It
occurred to me to make It a play that
was at once real crook play and at
the same time a satire on the crook
play
thought that a mixture OF farce
and melodrama would he the best mode
Il expression for this idea. So tried
to evolve a story that would have all
the laughs OF farce. the laughs that
come from the diaphragm and loosen
the purse strings. and the so-called
twists" or surprises that the audiences
of crook me.odrama had been accus-
toned to from the best plays OF that
description. THE SUN in commenting
on my play the morning after its pre-
miere was kind enough to say OF my
efforts that nothing quite like 1t had
ever been seen on the stage In New
York" That was Just the effect hat
desired to produce-laughs. surprises
and, above all. novelty.
How I hit on these big moments o.
the play can't exactly say. don
think any author can. guess itt
partly inspirational. partly luck. Th'
germinal idea had in the short story
and l had a clearly defined notion o
the treatment wanted. Getting thu
laughs and twists was a matter OF hare
thinking and the intervention Of Prov
idence. I need hardly say that Provl
Ldence intervened usually when
wasn't thinking at all. az II not TO In
terfere with any ways and means m!
unaided intellect might devise.
Probably one Of the biggest moment
Of the play comes toward the close o
the second act when the Palmer fam
lily, supposedly society people, who's
Jewels are being coveted by the neigh
boring gang OF Brocktons. are re
vealed to tho audience as gang o
crooks themselves lying in wait to d.
The sun., 1916-10-29

struction, a step In the right direction,
but weak in two ways. Not all who en-
ter such classes have any further men,
tai equipment for the work than the
mere desire to write plays. AS the
sense of drama Is strong in most peo-
pie, the result is large classes and
small percentage OF real ability. The
second weakness Is that these classes
are constituted. generally speaking. or
young people who have not yet lived
and have therefore Retrospective on
life. Only In exceptional cases does
one write life without having lived 1t.
The tragedy OF 20 is sometimes the
bathos Of 35.
receive q great many amateur
manuscripts. i have never Yet re-
celved one that cor1d under any cir
cumstances have been produced in Its
original form. Quite frequently there
is an idea distinctly worth while. 1t Is
one OF the tragedies of playwriting
that the best ideas are conceived by
people who cannot possibly make them
into actable plays.
Years ago l did play reading for a
large New York firm. ] was writing
plays then. and ] wanted to find this
elusive and vital thing called tech
nique. / had read many published
plays and. like perfect service. the
technique was so smooth that 1t
evaded me. I might perhaps find 1t by
| its absence.
1t was a startling experience, These
people who submitted plays were often
writer's well known in other fields,
mon and women whose names COM
manded attention In story or article.
! But when they touched the drama
they apparently went wild. They did
things that were not only had play
writing but were had Judgment. They
committed. absurdities. 1t was not
only that they violated the unitiee.
rather approve OF violating the uni
ties They violated common sense.
1t was apparently not the ohsesson
OF stage limitations. Some of them
evidently did not know that a stage
has any limitations. It was and Is not
the fear OF mistake in technique
They murdered II with neither fear
nor remorse. Why was It? Why is
it to-day? I believe It Is psychologist
cal Even ignorance OF theatrical fun
damentals viii not account for the
variation between writer's output
for book or magazine and for the
stage.
Some one has said that our labor
trouble Is not only a matter of capita
and the workman. 1t is n three sided
problem Of capital. labor and the com
munity And sometimes ! think that
|
The sun., 1916-10-29

Why. you poor boob. what chance do
you think you've got with her? II she
doesn't know you are a crook she will
know II. and then what1l she do?
why, she'll run from you like she was
escaping from a wild animal.
Mrs. Palmer-What are We going
to do?
Phil (taking q step down and throw
ing Grace around to his left and
facing Tom)-Yes. Como on. Let's
have a showdown.
Palmer. sr. down r. taking step
toward Tom)-what are We gong to
do?
Tom driven to speaking at last)-
What the hell do you think we're
going to do? (He looks defiantly
around and from now on until cur
tain takes charge OF the situation and
dominates. Turns to PhiD Phil. you
and I clean out that Brockton house
tonight.
Palmer. Sr.-what about met
Tom Cturning to him)-You stay
here and look after tho women.
Phil tpleased at the turn thing.
have taken)-Good; have you located
whore they keep the stun?
! Tom--No. and we haven't time &c
| find out She dropped a hint that the
stones were all there. and we know
there's no one in the house except the
butler. II he won't tell Willingly
where the treasure chest IL with q
meaning look at Phil. ne crosses dowr
lefO guess we know how to make
him. CPhil crosses over right to enc
of settee.)
Palmer, Sr. Cat extrame r. enc
OF settee)-what's the dope after VI
get the stones?
Tom (turnins and facing up stage
South America. Buenos Ayres. Nov
sit down all Of you. ue goes NJ
c.. gets armchair and places 1t dowI
C.. Phil and Ed Palmer sit on settee
Mrs. Palmer down l.. near fireplace
and Grace behind table L. Now
we're nailed the moment one Of thes
stones shows Its face on tho marke
up here.
Phil-You can bet we are.
Tom--The war closes Europe. bu
there are lots of rich ginks down II
South America and they're gettinl
richer every day. SO get ready 4
The sun., 1916-10-29
Mary Roberts Rneha Says Position of Drama From Standpoint Ava
Plays Is Chaotic and Tells What Experience Has Taught Her

elements OF n drama are the ethical.
the aesthetic and the technical, and
that he must observe certain laws
OF art. such as perspicuIty. proper
ton, variety, illusion, proba bility,
contrast, &c.
Not word, you perceive, about
which is the right side OF the stage,
and the left. and that "up stage" docs
not mean climbing to the flies or
down stage going through the trap
door,
These people--for my lawyer corre-
spondent Is but a type-these people
cannot enter university courses, cam
not learn from books. and seem to gain
nothing in method from close observa-
tion OF the play. AS a matter Of fact
such observation develops the critical
rather than the constructive faculties.
II makes for analysis, not synthcsis.
II produces critics, not playwr!ghts.
The fact is that playwrlting cannot
be taught out of book any more than
skating. Various valuable hints can
he given. But there IS only one way to
work for the stage and that is TO work
with the stage. In other words one
must have had the experience to get
the experience. Which ia vicious
circle and cats its own tail.
There is. OF course. another element
which deals not with the amateur but
with the professional writer. The
manager, often untustly accused,
passes part of the blame on TO this in
dividual and is Justified in doing so.
The drama is a part OF the expression
OF tho national life 1t should reflect
the national life. BY its failure to do
so it distorts us In the public mind.
BY our failure even to attempt 1t we
show lack OF national spirit.
I wonder,
The rewards Of playwriting are to
tho Few. They come not as reward
OF merit but as the result OF a per-
feet combination in illusion, a com
bination OF cast, manager, production
and play, plus tho mind OF the audi
ence. Let any one OF these factors
fail and the illusion is destroyed. F>or
example, writing this to-day. am
reasonably certain that 1t will 20 tC
the eyes and minds Of my audience
without change. But suppose had
to see 1t put In blank verse and recited
over tea table by lady In jade ear
rings To people who had eaten n heavy
dinner and wished to be amused.
The average writer of recognized
standing has a market ready for wha,
he writes. lie knows what it vii
bring him In money, and he can tel
fairly well how 1t will be received
He Is not dependent on an illusion
which may be destroyed by so small
a thing as Il cat walking onto the
stage in a love scene.
For next to the astigmatic psy
choloGy of the playwright the dram,
dies most often by the puncturing O
The sun., 1916-10-29

raise their hands above their heads.
Brockton secs Jewels on tablet Well
take charge OF those Just to avoid ac-
Cidents. Tony, get his gun. Nerdi
takes gun from Tom and crosses and
stands guard at door l.. u. Ed WILL
son. get his! Indicating Phil. Will
son takes his own gun and Phils from
Phil and backs down in front OF settee.
leaving Phil up between settee and
piano. To Tom): Now stand away
from that table. tTakes wallet from
table and puts it in his pockct)
Mrs. Brockton enters Il. T.. carry
ing burglar kt) Mrs. Brockton-
Why. George, what was all the noise
about? ISees Tom and looks at him
In amaZemcnt. You-tputs kit at
| foot of steps and crosses down to II. of
table.)
Tom (who has moved down c. and
stands with his back to audience. very
cool and collected) How do you do,
Mrs. Brockton?
| Mrs. Brockton Coming r. C)-Now
what's the meaning OF this?
Tom tsmiling and moving up c., fac
Ing them)-I suppose you are all Won
dering what we're doing here? Wen
It's easily explained. Miss Brockton
was worried about her Jewels and sent
us to fetch them
| Brockton and Mrs. Brockton
tstartled) (Nerdi stands
looking at Tom with amazed express
sion. Wilson smiles and mods his head
az Rrockton rs II TO say II told you
so.D
Tom--Luckily We got here just ir
time to discover him turning and in.
dlcating Wilson, ransackIng the house
Phil taking a step down stage)-
Yes. in another minute he'd have beer
on his way with them.
The sun., 1916-10-29
By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART.

n TO one familiar with the situa-
M tion can question the chaotic
and despairing position OF the
drama from the standpoint Of available
plays. Probably the situation is not
any worse than It used to be. II is
only more apparent. There are more
theatres to be supplied and change in
public taste which Is not necessarily
deplorable has relegated tho classic
drama to the background and de-
manded plays Of contemporary life In
! its place.
The supply Is not equal to the de-
mand. Indeed there is practically no
supply at all. The result Is much
acrimonious discussion. much gratui-
tous distribution OF blame and-no
solution of the question. Naturally,
since We insist on dealing with results
and not causes.
| Tho plain truth Is that playwriting
has to be learned like any other art.
But 1t can only be properly learned at
the theatre itself. Only actually work.
ing with the stage, not the theoretical
stage but the wood and cement and
tormentored stage. can give the tech
nique-for the want Of less reviled
word-of the theatre. That Is why
plays must always be rewritten in re-
hearsal, unless they have been put to-
gether by some one so familiar with
the stage that he writes his play In It's
actual dimensions. They have. other
WISE to be cut to At.
Writing without this knowledge OF
the stage is precisely like making a
pair of shoes for feet the shoemaker
has only seen a few times and never
measured.
am tired OF theorizing about the
theatre. This Is a practical question
II we had as many stages In our gar
dens as we have pergolas, and II anna
teur acting were to become as popular
here as In England we would soor
have all tho plays We wanted in actable
shape.
We would have some way to learn
how
The tea cup" drama of England has
always seemed to me a distinct de-
velopment of the British fondness fol
amateur theatricals.
Tho fact iS, Of course, that theatri,
cal writing is highly specialized work
as much so as miniature painting. FOL
instance. Only those who have strug'
glcd with the limitations Of the stage
know the intricacics Of its technique
| tn to hnt
plication, theatrical technique Is In It.
| self not "A rigid thing of laws. like
grammar. hut fluid and changinl
thing, where the impossible OF yester
day IL the possible of to-day.
Here and there in recent years uni
. versities have taken up dramatic con
The sun., 1916-10-29

scatter the moment we pull of the
job.
Palmer. Sr.-who's going to take
charge Of the stuff?
Tom-None of us.
All (startled)-Whati
Tom-werl pack 1t in a box and
(Looks sround at them.) Isn't that
all rightf (They all talk at once Mn
answering)
PHIL don't know about that
Mrs. Palmer-I don't think 90.
Grace-I should say not
Palmer. SRI hate to see It get out
OF our hands.
Tom-In cnse OF trouble We don't
want 1t found on us. do WEI (They
all settle dow /. again) (Hold posi-
tions until curta,n)
Palmer. SRI guess you're right.
Tom (turning to the Others a. he
addresses them. To Mrs. Palmer)-
Now you and Grace travel by the way
OF Frisco. (Turns to men) Phil. you
and Ed go by way OF New Orleans.
I'll follow by way Of Panama. To
avoid suspicion. you and Grace are a
couple of tourists travelling for your
health. Phil. you and Ed are down
there to look over the cattle country.
and I'll go down and open Q FIRST class
jewelry store. Now. have you got
that in your heads?
Mrs. Palmer-I understand
Grace-Thank heaven. We get away
from here at last.
Phil-You've said something.
Tom-Well, that's all there Is TO T.
(Sits in armchair c. lights cigarette }
| Palmer, Sr.-Thats all.
Grace hope so.
Tom-Well. 1t looks like a good
days work for us.
CURTAIN.
The sun., 1916-10-29

equipment including q sincere desire
to work and learn.
Now and then / receive letters like
this. Che writer is in middle life.
lawyer, we will say. He has lived and
felt and has grown with the years
The theatre appeals to him. He has
an idea for play. Sometimes he
sketches it in. although again he may
be cautious. / might use it myself!
He has bought book or two on
playwrit!ng. He knows, for instance.
that plays consist OF introduction. de-
vcopment. crisis and denouement or
catastrophe. The books say that the
The sun., 1916-10-29

at once. his own and that OF the SNUG,
critical and apt to be damning crowd
beyond the footlights.
lie gets astigmatism. Bernard Shaw
has II. but It is amusing astigmat!sm,
and We do not mind it.
1t is the absence Of the single view
point that has spoiled so many nearly
good plays for us. And that difficulty
is psychological. 1t applies. however,
largely to. those who have learned at
least the rudiments OF the art,
There are those who have no way
to learn the rudiments of the art. al
though they have every other mental
The sun., 1916-10-29
Ba MAX MARGIN.
"O the author Of q play the big
moments in his production be-

ITO the author of q play the big
moments in his production be-
4 gin with the rising OF the cur
tain on Act l. and end when the drop
Of the final curtain sends his audience
out of the theatre. II the play is sue
cessful II becomes just one big mo-
ment. and an explanation Of how he
came to write Il resolves itself into the
same simple motive of success that
actuates men in any field OF endeavor.
had always wanted to write play.
Years ago when was marking time
on the New York newspapers and re-
porting the big moments OF actual
dramas for the daily press I was stor-
Ing up experiences. situations. big mo-
ments for the theatre In theatre we
call the Broadway playhouse. I hated
the journalistic treadmill, its grinding
routine. its set habits. its poor and
6uctuating returns. believed that
had an inventive turn Of mind: I felt
fairly confident that I possessed that
indsnnable mental quip known as dra-
matio instinct.
Besides I wanted money and the
things money win buy - leisure and
solitude when I wanted them and work
and company when preferred them.
The big moments a. we'll as the little
moments Of every play. successful or
otherwise. originate here.
30 I sat down and wrote q short
story which sent to the Associated
Sunday Magazines. Three days OF ex-
psctancy and then . check arrived
Another story followed and then an
other, with the same result. and before
! know It I was under contract with
Street 4 Smith to furnish them with
short stories. gave UP tho newspa.
per gams entirely. finding that I could
earn five times as much money as a
writer of fiction.
But after q few years even nctior
palled had saved some money;
gave UP writing short stories, betool
myself to the country and embarked
on . career a. playwright In ad
dition to my other impedimenta car
ried with mo the plots Of more thar
200 short stories which had writer
in the course OF my career as a rapit
fire fiction manufacturer. Among
these was story called mot in Type.
which contained the basic idea o.
"Cheating Cheaters."
My first two plays were "See NJ:
Lawyer" and "The House OF Glass.
After considerable difficulty and "pla.
peddling" OF the most persistent kin,
secured producer for the latter, tn
firm OF Cohan & Harris. Then fol
lowed long siege OF waiting-tha
waiting which to the beginner In tn
game is probably the most exquisit
form OF cruelty ever devised by tn
mind OF man. Later A. II. Woods &C
cepted "See My Lawyer" and gave It
production. Tho House OF Glass
made its metropolitan debut the fol
lowing evening and proved a success.
About two years ago was sittin
with a party OF theatrical friends /
the Hotel Knickerbocker one evening
The talk fell to crook plays and 1t wa
the consensus OF opinion that tn
crook play was so dead that even
miracle couldn't galvan!ze It. Th
public was tired OF It; its day wa
pastI within the Law" had set
standard that another play could n,
seach-so ran the talk from the Wis.
ecsss who controlled the destinics
NJ American theatre. They q,
The sun., 1916-10-29

BTOCKtOn tdHXIOuSIy 10
say that Ruth sent you for themf
Tom-Yes. and I'm glad for her
sake that we arrived when We did
Wilson (starting for Tom)-Why.
damn you. didn't you---
Brockton (coming down c. puts up
his hand stopping Wilson)-stay
where you are, I'm taking charge Of
this. To Tom) Strange We didn't hear
you coming in. Isn't II customary on
entering a house to ring the bell'
m-Naturally-but you see. We
didn't expect to find you at home
We thought you were on your way 10
Chicago (Hls voice trails on as the
lnexplicable circumstance OF the
Brocktons being at home dawns on
him.)
Brockton (sees his puzzled expres.
sion and hastens to explain)-Yes,
yes, so we were, but We were Inter.
cepted at Albany by a telegram saying
the case has been postponed. Didn't
Ruth receive our wire?
Tom--No. I'm quite sure she didn't
Brockton Exchanging look with
Mrs. Brockton)-Then l had better
call her up at once. What's your
number?
-One-three-three.
Brockton-Hello. Hello. Hello, I
don't seem able TO get any answer
Why. the wires have been dscun-
nectcd
Mrs Brockton-Maybe some one cut
the wire.
Tom--It wouldn't surprise me n the
least. Isn't that the first thing they
usually do? Before we're thT nigh the
chances are we'll find out that this
man (pointing to Wilson) is a danger
ous criminal My car IL outside;
don't you think l had better go for
the police?
Brockton-We won't he in any hurry
about the police. II might be wiser
first to hear what Ruth has TO say.
Don't you think so, mother?
Mrs. .Iruckton-By all means. !
| always hate any dealings with the
police.
Tom-Perhaps you're right, He
can't get away and there Is no haste
about deciding what TO do with Inn,
| So come on. Phil, we'll drive Mss
Brockton right over.
Brockton-Oh, before you GO hadn't
YOU better let me have the key 10 tho
house?
Tom-The key
Brockton-If Ruth sent you for the
jewels she must have given you the
key.
Tom-Yes, she did give II 10 me, but
the fact IA / misplaced II. | thought
had put II In my pocket, never
missed It until got here. That's al
ways the way, you never do miss
thing until you try TO find II.
| Brockton-Wcll, how did You get ny
Toni must explain. Miss Brock
| ton had n premonition about this fell
low tpointing TO Wilson, and when We
arrived here ! saw light through the
shade and a figure moving about, ''
| course l wasn't sure what was going
on. hut decided II he was M 10 any
thing I'd catch him unaware Ana
! having misplaced the key, We came
/ through the window.
Brock'on-Do You often enter houses
, that way?
Tom--Are YOU intimatinG
Brockton-Nothing. I am in'IrIN'
ing nothing. But the fact rem Ing we
found you covering our butler Win
gun.
pna.,., ,''u ~" W" ...,se---
,a.,e ,. .r.
-. ~" -" TO-
i,,.n ,i '','' w. w., rr.,, all
' ,, s.,,
,,i ,,,,oir H - -. -, .,,,.,. All wa
~ .''l t, w.. .,&ar
l' ".H' W - -
~ '',' ~, wv ,, ,''','' ,,,.,, ,,,,.,. ,,,,
n. - ,, 49, ,t.l,. lrs.r.
The sun., 1916-10-29

Tho scene in the third act wherein
the Brocktons discover Tom Palmer
and his associate trying to rob them of
their jewels has proved highly sue
cessful with audiences. Tho scene oc-
ours In the Brockton home.
Brockton-Throw up your hands.
tTom. who is at table r. c.. and Phil.
who is struggling with Wilson down
L.. turn with startled exclamations and
The bee., 1916-07-25
News of the TOwn
"Good morning! Have
you seen The Courier?
lYanEvillt'I best paper."

Ross Baugh who has been quite
ill for several days is no better.
Main Street from MalUnevs corner
TO the Parsonage being graded ano
rocked adding much to the looks of
the street.
Mrs. Elmer Withersr oon and son
Eugene will leave in few days for
Irving where they will reside.
The macadamized road between
Darlington and Madisonvllle will be
completed within two weeks prob.
ably. This extends from Darlington
city limits to MadisUnville city
limits.
Miss Ruby Peyton, Of the II, f
Bacon Co., OF Evansville, Is spend
ing her vacation in Darlington visit
ing friends.
FOR SALE-Several used sewing
machines. Prices range from so 90
to 5000. Ask about them at The
Bee office.
Mrs. Guy Ashby entertained the
b. d. f. Club last Tuesday.
Quinn Moore and Robert Ewing
we're at Dawson Sunday.
Mr.. aud Mrs. Ed Harris were in
Mortons Sunday.
Misses Cammye and Eileen Fox
returned from Louisville Sunday.
Mr.. and Mrs. Duuning and child
rem went to Providence Sunday.
Miss Verna Galloway spent Sun
day 10 st. Charles.