The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23

and wailing and crashing his teeth be-
cause the william is about to foreclose
the mortgage, or whatever it is they
foreclose.
"Well, during the first part of the
play, through the conversation between
the father and the beautiful daughter,
you understand, it seems that the mort
gage is due that very day, that very
but it has to be one-act play, you
know, and I'll have to sacrifice some of
the suspense to develop the plot.
"Well, the william wants to marry the
daughter, and that seems to be about
the only way to save the home, sweet
home. Now, this father is tender
hearted and all like that, but the poor
man is so excited over the idea of losing
his home that he is almost willing to
have his daughter marry this dreadful
person.
80 then the william comes in. Ter
rible-looking person, my dear, with slick
hair and black moustache. And he
stalks over by the fire and stands there
with one hand thrust in his coat, like
Napoleon, or George Washington, or
whoever it was, and in the other hand
he waves the mortgage. And he grlnds
his teeth, and says in low, VICIOUS,
communicating tone, Let me marry
your daughter, or you will go out into
the cold, cold, wide, wide world Oh,
yes, forgot, it's winter time, and that S
another reason why it would be In
convenient to leave home.
And, just then, the door opens and
the girls little brother comes tearing in
with his great, big German police dog.
Well, the dog runs around the room,
terribly playful, you know, and bumps
right into the william and knocks him
down and the mortgage falls into the
fire and burns, and SO does his hand,
and the home is saved! You know how
intelligent German police dogs are! l
think that comedy relief will go well
after the terrible suspense OF the tlrSt
part, don't you!
After all, it's terribly easy to think
of a play, SO you all must write one and
compete, too. Mrs. Allen said they
would present three one-act plays on the
night the prize play is offered, and she
hopes that the others will be by Ala
bama writer's, too. OF course, even II
you don't get the fifty dollars, 1t Will
be simply marvellous to see your play
produced.
And Mr.. Sold said he would see
that the contest and the best plays were
mentioned i'll the Billboard and the |
Drama and other magazines like that.
\ on may wake up and find yourself
famous vet, like Shelley or Chauser, or
whoever 1t was.
"Oh, | forgot to tell you, when you
send in your play be sure to sign II
with Il pen-name, then put your real
aame in an envelope. You see, tnere re
such a terribly lot of clever and already
famous writer's in Alabama, and some
If them may write plays, and the com
nittee who is to select the prize doeSn
want to know who wrote the best one
until after the decision is made. You
see why; of course, it's really such
fair arrangement.
The contest will close on February
|. and as soon afterwards as possible
the committee will award the prize, and
then the play will begin to be rehearsed
1t simply excited me to death to think
about it!
In case you all do compete, remem-
Der that plays must be original and IN
lust one act. You can see by mine
what a lot of action can be crowded
into one act, and no TRANSACTIONS are
nor adaptations from stories,
unless the author himself makes one OF
his plays into a story. That sounds
but you know what mean.
I'm really getting the most power
full thrill out of this thing, l feel like
I'm going to do something really worth
while After all, all we need is a
chance, what was the Bard of Avon
said, what immortals these fools be-"
please be sure to tell all your friends
about the contest, and let's send in a
lot of plays. There's talent enough
here, and this will develop it. And
now, l bid one, no trumps.'