The sun., 1916-12-31

tOnCeTtB ana Out
most Of them had never seen a play.
when I determined to get UP a benefit
for the Red Cross.
at was great fun. First We had a
minstrel show. They had never seen
one In their lives. Neither had I, for
that matter. But that didn't make any
difference. It's a case Of the old rhyme
OF The Purple Cow anyway. except
that 1t ought to be turned around.
I'm sur I'd rather be a minstrel show
than see n any day.
ours was a huge success. And in
the middle Of II. IL. Margaret Wych-
erly. being Of sound mind. II you
~please-did give an exhibition dance
on the stage with the aid Of one Of the
| young men Of the place. He had
never seen the new waltz or the fox
trot. but I taught them to him. ]
adore dancing. and this struck me as
being my only chance ever to do 1t on
II real stage. So l took the chance
and We made a hit.
And then-well, and then we did
the frs. act Of within the Law with
q few changes IT makes a perfect one
act play.
My father took the part Of Glider,
the employer. And he did remarkably
well. too. The only trouble was that
at rehearsals ne had a tendency to
weep violently over my SORROWS as
Mary Turner. When, as the stern
Glider. he should have replied to me
with cold heartlessness. ! would hear
only an unmistakahle sound OF choking
sobs and would look up to ind large
tears rolling down his face.
You see the sound Of his "
daughters voice saying those heart
breaking lines was too much for him.
getting him used to II. But IL all went
beautifully in the end. And II you ask
them up there II I can play Mary
Tvrner-well. ! only wish you would.
We made $50 too" she added
after a pause. (which wasn't half
bad for a little town like that. now
was ~"
Before Mr.. WELLER had left he had
admitted that although that young
husband promise of his has now been
cancelled he has no intention Of ceas-
ing to write plays for his wife-al-
though he plans to write some for
other folks too.
She'll play this role three years"
he began. when she interrupted with
a protest that was half entreaty, half
threat.
II will mott" she declared. "a per-
son has onlS so much life anyway:
and two years is enough OF II to give
80 playing a single role"
Well said Mr.. WELLER. what I'd
Ike best would he for her to play
Shakespeare. Aside from Ellen Terry
she Is the best Portia ] have ever seen.
I'd like above all things for her to
pay Hamlet. But Of course playing
Hnmlct is a luxury. It's Just self
indulgence. 7 suppose there are BY
actual count more people who want
to play Hamlet than there are that
want to see II. That's more or less
discouraging. even to a sangulnc mind
AS far II my own work is con
cerncd. ia like to provide a series oil
plays for Miss wycherly to use in rep
ertory. We nave no good actress play
ing repertoire now. know my wife's
possibilities In that direction. For in
stance. I want to write a play In which
she would take the part Of a child
She cannot play an ingenue part. but
she Is wonderful as a child"
II know I'm younger now than
was when I IA l6." murmured Mis-.
Wycherly.
That gives you an idea OF my opin'
ion Of the range Of her possibilities
doesn't it?" continued her husband
From Portid and Hamlet and Ipht.
~oenid-I'd like her to play wit,el
Bynner's version OF that-to an ole
Irish woman and a young child. You'll
believe ] meant II when I said she wa:
a perfect instrument"
Apparently Mr.. WELLER wasn't coins
to he n copy cat and sag ME too
to Mr.. Manners's domestic tribute. II,
must praise his wife, as he writes hi
plays. In his " way. His lilo PEI
cent" compliment was all to the goo,
too. So were those mad dashes int,
his wife's Don IL read 10 her his h.:
scene before the ink wns fairly dry OF
the paper. So was his declaration tina
she Is a perfect instrument for which
to write. II was. In his own words
very pretty" And II was "A good dea
more than pretty. 1t was quite true