The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-02

us with more than enough courage to
p" tn Frohman and tel him OF the
idea.
Yes" sad F'rohman. II know the
play. Tree did 1t N London. II ran
i've nights there; | should think II
would run ore uilht in New York"
and with hat ended a plan which
might hgv been tried II i'rohman him
self had thought OF frs; or # i mad
not been put 10 h.m In that form which
always !rritdtod him h,,,usc il eX-
cluded him. Bat no play Was ever too
difficult. too costly 81 in any way be-
yond the reach Of his people one he
had decided il should be theirs. The
mInuscrip; in hand, he would read i
over II over again IN preparation for
his reading it 10 the star. That was
always Il touchy occasion. The chill
dren had 10 ne please. with whatever
new game father brought home: Their
smallest doubt or hesitancy provoked
sCald.ng sar,lsm. He read plays after
his own quaint manner, but with as
founding skill in v.suali2lng every
scene dnl character. We were On ship
board returning - London, and |
knew he had among the scores of
manuscripts in his stateroom Il new
play by Barrie. He had given me
everything else 10 read but the one
manuscript ! was most curious to see.
Finally he decided To- read it TO me
ITS called The VIII" he began;
lawyers office, OLD fashioned; desk
let. desk right, wiz iuw there; door
LEFT centre back. seated old LAWYER
u his son. John Drew comes In with
his wife. John Drew is a loves!ck
ninny; so is his wife. John wants
to make a will. and his foollshly SUI
perstitious wife is afraid he'll die II he
makes a Will. So it begins" And then
he wou.d read To the end with perfect
emphasis and entire self-loss, now
, crouching low 10 assume old age or
rearing his shoulders to mimic con-
ceited youth or shaking his voice to
simulate grief. Sometimes | would
burst into uncomfortable laughter, not
at the matter, but the manner of his
~play-rcading, as when he would say,
"Nazimova IL n murderess she poisons
! fer husband because she's in love
, with n niger which only meant
that Nine. Nazimova was scheduled
that season to play Bella Donna
and Frohman was getting ready to
read me the play. But loving laughter
as he always did, il could never come
: too Unexpectedly for him not to Join
in; his vanity forbade him even TO
think he could ever be laughed at.
IL Frohman lad ever had n motto,
II ought to have been, 7 the greater
glory of M stars" He lived for them
as intensively as he loved them: most
of them he made wealthy. though he
died pool from hahitually turning the
earnings from one play into buying
and producing others. Bat woe to one
of them trat crossed him. took a ster
that seemed like managing herself, got
married, or was seen too frequently
In cafes. Her name was never spoken
or listened to again.
How can I ever thank you. Mr.
rrohman, for this wonderful honor
Nv name is in electric lights over TN
theatre. saw II tonight for the mrs
,in,.. oh. do so want 10 thank you
said one OF them 10 him after n thrill
ING debut in Der first star part. 'BN
telling mo two years from now Una
You're still grateful ana sun peIleV'
in me" he answered His charm wa
81 Irresistible, his determination 50
overwhelming, and the confidence ~
inspired 60 colossal that II was mare
for anybody, the greatest or play
wr;chts or the greatest or stars u
DENY his wishes: but any
hodv did so, and Il separation followed
ouick as n hasl the rebel was out o
his mind and al. the devotion that one
was theirs was transferred to another
The wonder vas that IN England AM
In America, over "A period OF wenty
i've wears. not more than II or NV
M these famous actors or hc'resse
ever thought they could plan so wei
for themselves as he could plan MOS
of them could not face the agony o
an opening performance IN Ne" ior'
unless Frohman, seated In an out o
l,ha way corner behind the scenery