Show his dramatic dramas c model by WILLIAM G C POMEROY ferguson who wrote rote plays argued that it if artists need deed models why not playwrights but N here are the playwrights to get them ferguson was engaged to be married to a young lady to whom plays romances indeed all ideal things were as real as they were objects of art to her betrothed it had often occurred to him when he desired a model for some especial scene to deceive cherinto her into a like situation and put tier her words into the mouth of his character the trouble was that he bear to subject abject her to a strain she was such au a delicate sensitive clinging little thing that he was afraid any tragic experience would result in positive injury to her however ever at one time he had in view a play in which the hero confesses to the heroine whom he loves and who loves him that he Is a criminal her lovo love for or him is so strong that she cannot discard him but consents to devote herself to him tor for life in an endeavor to help him outlive the effects of his crime and become a self respecting spec ting and respected citizen later it turns out that be has confessed to a crime committed by his bis brother whom he desires to save ferguson know that if he made such a confession to his rosalie she would take it all in earnest it would be a se serious rious business for the girl but lie would get a model for an emotion that would result in certain fame and prospective 8 spec tive profits surely rose would forgive him when she knew why he had deceived her especially when comforts would accrue from the royalties that come as a result of the deception cep tion there was a side issue to the matter that was tempting it would be lovely to have hate rose act according to his bis ideal that Is to show such love for him that she would cling to him de spite his crime and the denouement would be very pleasurable one night be called upon his fiance and before she came down to receive him hid bid one of these little phonographic machines for taking in the human voice under the sofa in order that he might put her exact words into the dialogue of his play she ste shepred pred playfully into the room but stopped on tile the threshold observing the dreadful expression he had assumed oh harry what is it rose sweetheart how can I 1 tell you tell me what speak at once 1 I cannot you must dont fear tor for me I 1 can bear it 1 I dont know how I 1 could have done it done what rose in a moment of madness I 1 w was as tempted to Wb what at commit a forgery the little machine under the sofa was getting it all down there was now a brief lut interval erval a moment of fearful suspense for the hero one of emotional indecision for the heroine ferguson had bad made an attempt to put the dialogue in his play using his inventive powers thus tar far the real and the ideal coincided the next lines as he be had written them spoken by bi the heroine were oh harry hairy how could you have done it lut but when rose roe spoke them they were different she stood looking at him with a heaving boson basou and flashing eyes then pointing she spoke her part you just walk out of that door and dont let me ever see 3 ou on again ferguson was astonished not only that she could treat him thus but that shy be should show so much strength under the ordeal Is there no hope he moaned hope no you been fooling me with your high toned talk about honor and inte integrity grit and all that a and nd yet you have been weak enough to commit the hobt contemptible of rimes id rather have had you commit mit murder rose pose it if you cast me off I 1 shall go down d down iowia from this point becoming al nt last a hope hopeless lebs wreck on the sands with you to lean on 1 I dont want a man to lean on me I 1 prefer to lean on a man thank you fergusoh Fergus ou od stood looking at her tor for a few moments then a sickly smile broke 0 over y er his face As a model for an ideal self sacrificing woman who loves her lover so well that she will cling to him though he confesses himself a criminal youre I 1 not biot a success what do you mean ive been stuffing you I 1 wanted to see how bow you I 1 would act it if I 1 confessed myself a criminal well I 1 hope youre satisfied 1 I 1 am I 1 wont make any more such confessions 1 I dont think you will willa why because I 1 dont want a lover who will use too roe for any such purpose good evening and goodby and she swept out of the room I 1 ferguson spent more thought on appeasing her lhnn he gave to his play however he be succeeded in time and is 1 now married and Is still a playwright the incident revolutionized revolutionize his his work ne he abandoned the heroic and turned a complete somersault into realism and happened to have hare the faculty for working realistic scenes in with what are commonly called the dramatic laws but which are at bottom human nature |