his book was published, his morning mail brought him an interesting
letter from a prominent New York manager, pointing out the dramatic
possibilities of When Knighthood was in Flower and asking for the
right to produce it. While this letter was still under consideration,
a telegram was received at the Shelbyville office which read: "I want
the dramatic rights to When Knighthood was in Flower." It was signed
"Julia Marlowe." Mr. Major felt that this was enough for one morning,
so he escaped to Indianapolis, and after a talk with his publishers,
left for St. Louis and answered Miss Marlowe's telegram in person. At
the first interview she was enthusiastic and he was confident. She
gave him a box for the next night's performance, which Miss Marlowe
arranged should be "As You Like It." After the play the author was
enthusiastic and the actress confident.
At Cincinnati, the following week, the contract was signed and the
search for the dramatist was begun. That the story would lend itself
happily to stage production must have occurred even to the thoughtless
reader. But it is one thing to see the scenes of a play fairly
sticking out, as the saying is, from the pages of a book, and quite
another to gather together and make of them a dramatic entity. Miss
Marlowe was determined that the book should be given to a playwright
whose dramatic experience and artistic sense could be relied on to
lead him out of the rough places, up to the high plane of convincing
and finished workmanship. Mr. Paul Kester, after some persuasion,
undertook the work. The result is wholly satisfactory to author,
actress and manager--a remarkable achievement indeed!
Mr. Major's biography shows a fine, strong American life. He was born
in Indianapolis, July 25, 1856. Thirteen years later he went with his
father's family to Shelbyville, where he was graduated from the public
school in 1872, and in 1875 he concluded his course in the University
of Michigan. Later he read law with his father, and in 1877 was
admitted to the bar. Eight years later he stood for the Legislature
and was elected on the democratic ticket. He served with credit one
term, and has since declined all political honors.
The title, When Knighthood was in Flower, was not chosen by Mr. Major,
whose historical taste was satisfied with Charles Brandon, Duke of
Suffolk. And who knows but that the author's title would have proved
just the weight to sink a fine book into obscurity? Mr. John J.
Curtis, of the Bowen-Merrill Company, suggested When Knighthood was in
Flower, a phrase taken from Leigh Hunt's poem, the Gentle Armour:
"There lived a knight, when knighthood was in flower,
Who charmed alike the tilt-yard and the bower."
* * * * *
Transcriber's note--typographical errors corrected in text:
Page 15: Gentlema replaced with Gentleman
Page 102: way replaced with was
Page 154: extra 'the' removed
Page 306: Garcon replaced with Garçon