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REPRESENTATIVE WOMEN OF NEW ENGLAND


years the dramatic editor of the Transcript. In her first assignment under Mr. Jenks he gave her a lesson which served as a basis for all her future work in that line. He asked, "Do you know what the word critic means?" Somewhat confused, she answered, "Perhaps not in the sense you mean." "Go to the dictionary and find out," he said. She found the original Greek word meant one who discerns. Mr. Jenks said, tersely, "Always bear that in mind, and don't confuse the discerner with the fault-finder." Under his teaching her abilities developed, and in 1889 and 1890, while Mr. William Apthorp was in Europe, she wrote most of the first-night criticisms for the Transcript. During her connection with the Transcript she conducted a very interesting column called "Library and Foyer," signed "Dorothy Lundt." It was original and clever, and was much appreciated by Transcript readers. Her work on this paper continued uninterruptedly for seven years, when, in 1894, she suffered from acute nervous prostration, and for eleven months lived out of the city and retired from active life. Upon her return she was greatly shocked to learn of the recent sudden death of her beloved "Father in Journalism," Mr. Jenks.

For a number of years Mrs. Sutherland was dramatic editor of the Boston Commonwealth, and since her return to active work, in 1896, has contributed to many newspapers, being dramatic critic of the Daily Journal for several years. Most of her time, however, has been occupied with another line of work, that of short story and play writing. One of her first plays presented was given performance at the Hollis Street Theatre in October, 1895, by Charles Frohman's Empire Theatre Company. It was a one-act Southern play, entitled "Mars'r Van," and was written in collaboration with Mrs. Emma Sheritlan Fry. It afterward ran for four weeks at the Empire Theatre, New York, and was also successfully given throughout the West. "Rohan the Silent" was written for Alexander Salvini, and was accepted by him, to be used in connection with "The Fool's Revenge," which it was his intention to include in his repertoire for the season of 1896 and 1897. It was produced by him at a trial performance at the Tremont Theatre, Boston, May 28, 1896, and it is a notable fact that Rohan was the last role ever created by this actor of great promise. "Fort Frayne," her next attempt, an emotional drama in four acts, was written in collaboration with Mrs. Fry and General Charles King. Its possibilities as a novel appealed to General King, and, with Mrs. Sutherland's consent, he worked the plot into one of his fascinating stories. It met with a large sale, reaching its fifth edition. The play itself, on account of Mrs. Sutherland's illness, was not completed until 1895, and soon afterward was produced in both the East and the West. Its first presentation was in the fall of 1895 at the Schiller Theatre, Chicago, where it had a four weeks' run. In 1897 and 1898 six one-act dramas bj' Mrs. Sutherland were put on the stage, the initial performance of each being in Boston. The first of these, " Po White Trash," was produced by Henrj' Woodruff (for whom the role of Drent Dury was written) at a special matinee at the Bijou Theatre, Boston, and later at the Lyceum Theatre, New York. It was also given in the season of 1898 and 1899 by the Frawley company in the West. The other dramas are "In Far Bohemia," "A Comedie Royal," "A Bit of Instruction," and "At the Barricade." These, with three plays which have not been produced, were published in book form in 1900. They deal with varying phases of life, and some have won marked popularity and favor. In 1900, collaborating with Mr. Booth Tarkington, she helped to dramatize the latter's novel, "Monsieur Beaucaire," which was brought out by Richard Mansfield in October, 1901, and enjoyed long and exceedingly successful seasons in America and England.

Many of Mrs. Sutherland's writings have tlealt with army life, and she has many friends in both the army and the navy. She has silent much time "in garrison." At one time when some especially dear friends were stationed at Fort Warren, she had a den fitted up for herself in one of the old casemates which was used as a prison dming the Civil War.

In s])ite of her busy life she has found time for social affiliations, and her home on Commonwealth Avenue is a literary and artistic