MASKS
with
Jim’s Beast, Tides, Among the Lions, The Reason, The House
One-Act Plays of Contemporary Life
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Especial notice should be taken that the possession of this book without a valid contract for production first having been obtained from the publisher, confers no right or license to professionals or amateurs to produce the play publicly or in private for gain or charity.
In their present form these plays are dedicated to the reading public only, and no performance, representation, production, recitation, or public reading, or radio broadcasting may be given except by special arrangement with Samuel French, 25 West 45th Street, New York.
These plays may be presented by amateurs upon payment of a royalty of Ten Dollars per performance, payable to Samuel French, 25 West 45th Street, New York, one week before the date when the play is given.
Professional royalty quoted on application to Samuel French, 25 West 45th Street, New York, N. Y.
Whenever the play is produced the following notice must appear on all programs, printing and advertising for the play: “Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French of New York.”
Attention is called to the penalty provided by law for any infringement of the author’s rights, as follows:
“SECTION 4966:—Any person publicly performing or representing any dramatic or musical composition for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of said dramatic or musical composition, or his heirs and assigns, shall be liable for damages thereof, such damages, in all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subsequent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and representation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year.”—U. S. Revised Statutes: Title 60, Chap. 3.
To
GARDNER and MARICE
SOUVENIR OF HAPPY DAYS IN THE FOREST
WHERE MUCH OF THIS WAS WRITTEN
In the prefaces to my five previous volumes I have sufficiently explained my reason for play publication—not as a substitute for production but as an alternative sometimes compelled by the exigencies of a highly commercialized theater. Further, I have stated in other places why I have so frequently turned to the one-act form.
The present volume is dedicated to no thesis, though perhaps the title may offer some hint of the underlying motive which has prompted this series.
G. M.
December 23, 1919.