The Washington times., 1916-04-29
BY FLORENCE z. YoDER.
ttrTSHE' more important the
parsonage. the easter the
interview" 10 the general

IfrT<HE' more important the
parsonage. the easter the
interview" Ia the general
rule. and drop Of conso-
lation offered the supposedly In
trepid explorer into the realms OF
personalities.
However seemingly comforting,
this promise never smeliorstes IN
the slightest degree the confusion
attendant upon the first few mo-
ments OF actual conversation with a
celebrity.
IL is In their power to make one
comfortable, or uncomfortable, beam
with confidence. or shrink into q
mere semblance OF a human being.
Hut II was not fifteen minutes
from the time the chat with David
Bclasc0 began, that he had already
obligingly provided meat for several
interviews. smiled. frowned, regis
tered interest. hope. despair, cha
grin and had otherwise delivered q
bona hde assignment.
which he discussed and which is a
message pertinent to everyone who
Is a playgoer, was his appreciation
Of the duties of the audience. 10
him the audience is the actual stage
director.
ON the no less formidable subject
thon spring In Washington, with
which the conversation had started,
we slipped quite naturally to a dis
cussioii OF comedy ana after that
there was nrihing to do but sit AMI
watch. and listen.
"A comedy is never "a comedy,
never 2 play. until It is played before
an audience. he. said softly. His
voice never raised above this quiet
tone-yet he spoke distinctly. with
lust a trace Of lisp or accent Of
some sort.
1T is almost impossible to tell
what If to be successf and what il
not. One may read and re-read and
plan for what seems to he a sure
this is great. this will go. Play this
up" He paused and smiled. ma king
a gesture forward with his band.
That Ia what you cali Il In your
nI.ee%,snsres, I.e,n world. isn't it7" he asked.
And from then on IT. seemed N
inn.Ss.s sm.se sig II try ,: to -. spssi p n The
and express hir1seIf in manner
which would bo most e.Isy for a
newspaper erson to grasp. 49, =
He Dat sideways. with one leg
crossed over the other. on a straight
backed chair. during the whole inter
View. which lasted an hour. He II
not RiTen to nervous movement and
only used the bic white hand ms a
means o. expression. Incidentally,
they. are quite the most beautiful
hands we have ever seen. They
are lnrge. but not too big for
his size. medium height. The ralm
Is massive. ana firm. with long nm
gers. firmly placed ut the palm. but
tapering cut IN perfect prorortion.
They were well-kert hands, the nails
oval and cr-ed for. hut not the
hands OF n djlettante. In fact. thew
wcre spiled-just enough 30 to re-
wo"kar.
He held nm eyeriasa case. which he
fnsered when he was not plnc,,irS
reminiEcrntlv AZ the grnv hair which
fe1 IN two drowning locks over his
temples. A slight frown between
his eyes .wrs constant. but his look
wns never languid. or meaningless.
Some rrrnosc seeped ever &, shine
behind tn" brown eyes which he ad-
rittcd with wry face, "werr not
vers rncd-.always a veil over them
IT seems"
His mouth is sensitive. hut firm,
inclined to be somewhat thin-lipped.
until one realizes that the seeming
thinness is rather dne to firmness of
cast. His hgure Is stocky, the