The morning Astorian., June 28, 1908, SECOND SECTION, Page 14, Image 14

THE MORNING ASTORIAN, ASTORIA, OREGON.
SUNDxVY, JUNE 28, Wftt
14
I Benton's
Comedy J
i
ty rrtitricK Whit:
Copyright, 1907. by Frederick White.
w
mEN Benton's comedy was
published In a leading mag
azine no one was more sur
prised than Benton himself.
Of coarse he had received the editor's
acceptance and a week or two later a
tfrj satisfactory check, but the full
realization of what It meant did not
come to him until after months of
waiting be saw with his own eyes his
wn work under his own name. It
' was the first time, and Benton felt
certain responsibility.
If any a man has had the same feel
tag on the birth of his first child, and
Benton was simply experiencing some
sf the pride of fatherhood. For a time
to struggled with the desire to adopt
literature as a profession, but as the
. weeks passed and he failed to find
kimself heralded as a genius saner
thoughts prevailed. Woolen goods were
ki demand, and so were his services as
salesman. Some months afterward
I received this note:
Kt Dear Mr. Benton At the request of
tte Hillside Dramatic club I write te ask
jwax permission to use your play, "Maids
ad Widows," at our midwinter enter
tainment for the benefit of the orphans'
teme of this place. We have all read
rout comedy with great interest and ap
preciation and think it just what we need
tar our purpose. Trusting that you will
ETjtnt our request, believe me. very cor
dially yours.
ELIZABETH RANKIN VAN CLEAVE.
Benton felt very much gratified wbe-
be received this note. He was appre
ciated, after all. He at once indited
toe following reply: ,
My Dear Miss Van Cleave It will a
ford me the greatest pleasure to give you
permission to use my play for the benefit
C the orphans' home. It is always grati
fying to find one's work appreciated, and
J assure you that the Dramatic club has
jny best wishes for a successful repre
sentation of "Maids and Widows." Very
sincerely yours.
JOHN AUSTIN BENTON.
' He wondered If the members of the
dab would gather about Miss Van
Cleave and regard the signature of the
veil known author and playwright
with awe, and he began to think of
writing a four act tragedy. One morn
he was agreeably surprised to find
another letter in the handwriting of
Miss Van Cleave.
; "Thank you so much," she wrote.
Tor letting us use your play. We have
had two rehearsals, and everything
arems to be going nicely. Will yon
please tell me if Alice is supposed to
tall in love with Henry at the break-
last table, or is it when they are on
ttetr way to the golf club? I am to
Jay Alice, and I do so want to make a
access of the part
"By the Way, I find my aunt, Mrs.
Baker, is an old friend of your moth
rV Is it not strange how small the
world is after all?
Do you consider it necessary for
Eenry to kiss Alice in the last act, as
the book says?"
' Benton whistled as he perused this
aote. He remembered having heard of
lis mother's friend, Mrs. Baker, and
fids most be her niece, the beautiful
Hiss Van Cleave.
That evening he wrote the following
letter:
Dear Miss Van Cleave In my opinion
Alice did not fall in love with Henry at
the breakfast table. That would be ask
ing too much of any girl. , Eleven o'elock
a the golf club is a different matter.
r Under the circumstances I should con
aider it necessary for Henry to kiss Alice.
He really could nt help It, you know, for
Alice is a charming girl.
' I am glad that tile play is progressing
wen and wish yen every success.
ed, i
merely yours, JOHN A. BENTON
On Tuesday evening Benton received
note from Mrs. Van Cleave inviting
WITH A PLUNGE THEY STARTED.
aim to ran out to Hillsdale the follow
ing Saturday to witness the presenta
tion of his play and also to spend Sun
day with them. Mrs, Van Cleave spoke
f her sister's friendship for his moth
er and In closing stated that he would
be met at the station by some member
f the family. A convenient train
reached Hillsdale at 5:30 o'clock, giv
ing him time to dress for an early dln-
Benton accepted at once and speit
the intervening hours In wondering If
the author would be called upon for a
speech. On Saturday afternoon he
boarded the train, suit case in hand.
AH the way to Hillsdale he wondered
It Miss Van Cleave would be the one
to meet him. It was only an hour's
run from the city, and soon Benton
stood upon the platform. He looked
about him, noting the well kept, pros
perous appearauce of the place and the
many handsome traps and carriages
awaiting their occupants. A groom In
surprisingly tight breeches came up to
him and, touching his hat, inquired,
"Mr. Benton?"
"Yes," said Benton. "Mrs. Van
Cleave's carriage?"
"Master nnrry awaits you In the dog
cart, sir," replied the man, possessing
himself dexterously of Benton's luggage
and leading the way across the plat
form. Benton followed. A boy of six
teen or so was endeavoring to calm a
mettlesome cob that was trying to see
how straight he could stand on his
bird legs without falling over back
ward. "Chuck those things in behind.
Burns, and get to bis bead," he or
dered. "How de do, Mr. Benton? Ex
cuse my not shaking hands and climb
to." ,
Benton waited for a moment of com
parative quiet and then climbed iu.
He was not accustomed to a horse like
this, and the boy noticed it at once.
"He hasn't been out for a week," he
explained, "and be feels good. Let him
go, Burns." And, with a plunge, they
started, the well trained Burns clutch
ing the rail and -swinging up behind
with the greatest imperturbability.
Once on the straight road leading from
the station the cob settled down to a
good steady gait, and Benton began to
enjoy himself. Young Van Cleave was
surprisingly easy for one of bis years
and kept up a constant flow of talk.
"That's a corking good play of yours,
Mr. Benton." he said. "I'm going to be
James, and I'm dead letter perfect.
Got my clothes last night, and Aunt
Fad thought I was the new man and
asked me to get her a glass of water.
Say, can't James come on in the last
act with a letter or something?"
Benton good humoredly said that he
thought it might be arranged and In
quired who was to play Henry.
"Oh, Artie Brown, and he thinks he's
the whole show. Wanted to kiss W
every rehearsal. Said he didn't want
It to go wrong the night of the play.
Sis couldn't see it and said she
thought that was something a man of
his experience could do without re
hearsing. Rough on Artie, for he
knows it all and likes to have people
think he's a regular 'killer. Whoa,
boy! Easy now," to the cob as they
turned Into a private roadway and
whirled up to the steps of a fine old
colonial house.
The groom was at the cob's bead be
fore they really stopped, and Benton
climbed down and followed young Van
Cleave into the house. Mrs. Van
Cleave welcomed him cordially and In
troduced him to her daughter and the
members of the house party, some of
whom were to take part in the play.
Miss Van Cleave showed him the mu
sic room, where the performance was
to be held, and exhibited the stage,
which was already set for the first act
"Do you not feel very important,"
she asked, "when yon consider that
you are really responsible for it all?"
"No," said Benton. "I cannot say
that I do. After all, the real responsi
bility rests with the players."
"You cannot shirk your share so
carelessly," she said, laughing. "Stand
or fall, you are one of us in this, and
I shall see that you receive your full
measure of praise or blame."
"Let us hope, then, that it will be
praise for all our sakes," he said, with
an admiring look at her.
"Seriously." said Miss Van Cleave,
"I do hope you will not be disappoint
ed in us, and you must not be too
critical."
"I shall not be disappointed in you,"
he replied decidedly.
While Benton was dressing for din
ner some one knocked at bis door.
"It's mo Jack. Can I come In?"
said that uugrammatical young man
in an excited tone of voice.
Benton opened the door and inquired
what the trouble was.
"Here's a go!" said Jack. "Artie
Brown has busted his leg or some
thing and can't act. Sis Is having a
fit, and the others are Just wild. It's
too late to put it off, and what are we
going to do?"
"Is there no one else to take the part
no understudy?" Inquired Benton.
"No One knows it except the prompt
er, and she's a girl. Father has Just
come In. and he's tearing his hair. He
plays the old man, you know. Got a
bald wig and whiskers, and he'll die If
he can't wear 'em. Say, what can we
do about it anyhow?"
Another knock at the door, and Mr.
Van Cleave, Sr., appeared.
"Pardon me, Mr. Benton, for Intro
ducing myself in this unceremonious
manner," he said, shaking hands, "but
this is a serious matter. The tickets
have been sold, and It Is too late for
any postponement. My daughter hrts
suggested that possibly you are suffi
ciently familiar with the lines to take
the part, or. falling that, to read it It
is asking a good deal, I know, but if
you could possibly do It it would be a
great relief to all of us, besides helping
us out of a very embarrassing predica
ment" Benton's head whirled. It was an
unexpected role that he found himself
called upon to play. It is one thing to
watch others act and quite another to
do it oneself. However, he was a self
reliant young man, and. as it hap
pened, he was familiar with the part
of Henry.
This was the character into which he
hud put lilsowu'iualvldtiullty. Step by
step and sltuntiou by situation he had
made Henry act and talk as ho himself
would have done under like clrcuin
stances. So, while It would have been
almost impossible for him to take any
other nart without nrenaratlon. In this '
case he felt that he uilcut venture unon
It without danger of absolute failure.
It was a risk, but under the circum
stances he did not feel justified la re
fusing. .
"I think I might do it after a fash
ion," he said gravely. ' I should like to
bare a glance at the book, and I shall
have to look to you all to help me out
with the business." , '
"You may count on us for every as
sistance In our power," said Mr. Van
Cleave. "It is a great relief, and you
re placing us uuder a lasting obliga
tion." "I hope you will be able to say as,
much after it is all over," said Benton,
"but in any event I will do my best."
Jack brought him the clothes that
the unfortunate Arthur was to have
"I SHALL HOT BB DIBAPPOIHTED TOO."
worn, and they proved to be a very
presentable fit
Before the curtain was rung up Ben
ton found time to go over some of the
more Important scenes of the play. He
was very much relieved to find him
self quite at home in both lines and
situations.
A short time later he stood in the
wings listening to the announcement
of the accident and the request that
the andlence would kindly overlook
any lack of smoothness in the part of
Henry, as the gentleman who was to
play It had stepped into the breach at
a moment's notice. Then, after a few
hurried words of direction from the
stage manager, two very flurried
young people took their places for the
opening scene and the curtain went up.
Now, there are certain psychological
processes which prevail under certain
conditions. We are mystified by tbelr
apparent unaccountablllty. We raise
our hands in helpless incredulity and
exclaim, "How inexplicable!" when
there is rothlng strange abouMt if we
remember that youth and propinquity
work hand In band to carry out the
universal behest. One each at least of
these processes and conditions con
fronted Benton as he stood on the lawn
before the clubhouse an hour later.
He had done well, and he felt strange
ly exalted. He knew he was John
Benton, but It was a new personality
that cloaked him. He was in love in
love with a girl whom he had met yes
terday for the first time or was it to
day? He was waiting waiting impa
tiently and giving voice to his inmost'
thoughts in words that were strangely
familiar. He saw her coming slowly
through the trees and started forward
to meet her. They seated themselves
on the clubhouse steps. They fenced
with each other lightly, but with an
undercurrent of feeling. He loved her
he loved her and in a moment he
would tell her so. Ills heart bounded,
for he knew what her answer would
be.
," "It is only since yesterday, but It is
enough. A week, a month, a year, and
It would be the same. A hundred
years from now, and it will still be the
same. I love you. Will you be my
wife?".
She arose, and he followed her. Her
eyes were cast down, and her hands
hung limp by her side. He seized
them in his own, and his compelling
gaze forced her to raise her eyes to
his.
"Answer me," he sold.
"I love you," she said falteringly as
she swayed toward him, and he clasp
ed her In his. arms, and only bis ears
heard the added "dear."
He kissed her full upon the lips.
There was a roar of applause. From
the wings people flocked upon the
stage clad in golfing attire, their faces
strangely red and white. Then he re
membered. Still holding the girl by
the hand, he led her to the front It
was his place to repeat the epilogue.
The others formed a half circle be
hind them. He spoke:
"In what may seem a very short
space Alice and Henry have met, loved
and settled the question, quite to their
own satisfaction. May we hope that
the match and the manner of its mak
ing meet with your approbation? And as
the curtain falls let those words, typl-
fylng the end of the old and the begin
ning of the new, close our story 'and
so they were married.'"
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