New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-29
By IRWIN EDMAN

l. want to; we had a hard time con-
vincing even the press agent. But on
Friday. the thirteenth of April, neither
my friend Clarence nor had seen 1.-The
Thirteenth Chair" If we had waited
much longer we wouldn't have had to
500 il at all. Neither Of us gets about
very much. but between US we had
nicked IN all the big lines in the play.
We could have pieced together the
whole thing, if we had put our minds to
it. Clarence knew by heart the line
"Who Killed Spencer Lee" and |
knew how we'll Margaret Wycherly act
ed the old medium and such young
woman. too, and how dark the house
got during the seance, near the end oil
the first act.
We decided to 90 once and for all TO
see how it ended If for nothing else
Just to get even with the people who
had all winter refused to tell US the
plot. because they thought it would
spoil our evening when we saw it. More
over. Clarence's folks insisted on his
going. as his ignorance made 1t ter
ribly embarrassing when there was
company. And. of course, they blamed
it on his family and his bringing up.
We had heard that il was impossible
n Get tickets at the last moment. but
Clarence was always one for buckinS
his head against the marble wall Of
a box Office. SO at 500 we flung our
money in the face of the box Office
man. hoping to capture two seats b.
sheer momentum. with the assistance
of 81 we did
We settled in our seats just as the
curtain had risen. had told Clarence
not to bother about programmes, as
we both practically knew the play line
for line. We hadn't been going to par
ties for nothing all winter.
Il began in the drawing room OF
man who YOU could tell from the fur
niture was the biggest man in the
Street. He was lecturing his ne'cr-do-
we'll and charming son on the money nc
spent for flowers. Clarence, who is very
quick at detective work, whispered to
me: There are only seven chairs IN
that room. Where does The Thirteenth
Chair come in -
They'll have to bring in more later
I suppose." I said, impatiently. THE
acts only begun. 7 bet that young fell
lows going to kill Spencer Lee"
you're crazy" Clarence corrected.
"He is Spencer Lee. and the old guys
his father; remember reading the
criticisms"
IN the course of the next twenty min
utes we discovered that the young fell
low. Spencer Lee, | had no doubt, was
wasting his fathers fortune, and that
his father was sending him out to San
Francisco to start life over again. Any
body with an ear for drama could tell
that the first act was coming to a close
and there wasn't a seance in sight.
Clarence began to grow idgety. He
rudged me. took out his watch and
pointed to the time. "And not seance
in sight: I'm sure it was in the first
act, too"
Nonsense" protested with convic-
ton. at comes in the third act, after
the old medium ups and kills Spencer
Lee"
"You boob, She didn't kill him. 1t
comes in the first act. remember see
ing tine pictures in The Graphic You
mark my words that seancell be along
any minute now"
The lady to the left successfully in
terrupted our speculations by. turning
her opera glasses carefully upon US and
lemarking that some people left their
manners home in the record cabinet
when they came to the theatre.
When the curtain went down at the
close of the first act, without even the
mention of seance, and with tho
young fellow curling up on the sofa
after his father had discharged his
valet, / turned to Clarence in triumph.
Between the first and second acts Clar-
ence hunted under the seats in the last
row for a programme. He came back
without one, and consoled him BY
telling him It was much more fun 10
figure the thing out from memory.