e of the screens. We are all going up
to the Atlantic Ocean Island to see them taking you in the "White
Pearl" pictures.

_Refusing to go to a public banquet:_

That's the first free thing that has been offered me this year. But
there are three things my physician forbids me from doing--to eat,
drink, or talk.

_To a manager:_

There are no bad towns--only bad plays!

_On hearing that an actress in his employ had reflected on his
management:_

In this message I am charged with neglecting your interests. This
is a shock to me, because when one neglects his trust, he is
dishonest. This is the first time I have ever been so accused, and
I am wondering if you inspired the message. I think it important
that you should know.

_Being adjured by one of the family to take more exercise:_

I drove out to Richmond. Then I walked a mile. Now I hope you'll be
satisfied.

_To his sisters (he lived then at the Waldorf, but joined the family at
a weekly dinner up-town):_

I am sending you a cook-book by Oscar of this hotel. You may find
some use for it.

When he came to the next weekly dinner he was offered several choice
dishes prepared from Oscar's recipes. "I see my mistake," he said. "I
wanted my usual home dinner. You give me what I receive all the time at
the hotel."

_To Alfred Sutro, in London:_

Give us something full of situations, and we will give you a bully
time again in America.

_To William Seymour, his stage-manager, about a performance of one of
his plays:_

When you rehearse to-day will you try and get the old woman out of
too much crying; get some smiles, and stop her screwing up her face
every time she speaks. Of course, it's nervousness, but it looks as
if she were ill.

_To one of his associates:_

Miss Adams's receipts last week in Boston were the largest in the
history of Boston theaters or anywhere--$23,000. But I had some
others which I won't tell you about.

_To an English author in 1913:_

At present the taste is "down with light plays, down with literary
plays." They want plays with dramatic situations, intrigue, sex
conflict. There is no use in giving the public what it does not
want and what they ought to have. I am just finding that out, with
much cost.

_To a French agent:_

It seems a little reckless to be asked to pay $2,50