“I should like very much, if possible, for you to give over a little time to Unitt, in arranging the models of your new play. I want to commence on same, just as soon as Unitt is through with his present work, so as to have the production ready, when we open with ’Liberty Hall’ here. “Yours truly, “CHARLES FROHMAN.” A BAFFLED ENTERPRISE IN CHICAGO. Belasco, though his disagreements with Charles Frohman were, for the time, amicably adjusted, was not acquiescent to remain in a position which, continuously maintained, would have kept him still a carrier of bricks to the theatrical buildings of other men. He was now forty years old. For more than twenty years his lot had been chiefly toil and hardship: experience had taught him that “living is striving”: abundant opportunity had been provided for him to learn the truth so tersely stated by Wendell Phillips that the world is made up of two kinds of persons,--those who _do_ things, and those who stand by to tell others how things should be done. Though not embittered, he was in danger of becoming so, and he felt more than ever resolved to _make_ a place for himself in the managerial field, if he could not _find_ one. “I, too,” he has said, “as well as Charles Frohman, had my dreams of a theatre _of my own_,--a place where I could do things in my own way,--and _I meant to have it_!” Finding it impossible to obtain support such as he desired and a satisfactory opening in New York (notwithstanding Charles Frohman’s offer to furnish theatres for presentation of “The Heart of Maryland”), Belasco now determined to try R. M. Hooley, of Chicago, who had manifested interest and confidence in him, during the engagement in that city of “The Ugly Duckling”; who, perhaps, remembered his early mistake in refusing “Hearts of Oak,” and who certainly, like all other theatrical workers of the time, had been favorably impressed by the success of “The Girl I Left Behind Me.” Belasco at first wrote to Hooley about Mrs. Carter, but, later, he visited Chicago, for the purpose of stating his project in detail. There he found that Mr. “Harry” Powers, Hooley’s agent and business manager of his theatre, was strongly opposed to the idea of bringing out Mrs. Carter in that city. Powers frankly said: “I have advised Mr. Hooley to have _nothing whatever_ to do with your venture. This is the most fashionable theatre in Chicago: Mrs. Carter is not wanted here, and we cannot afford to make enemies.” Hooley, however, was in a more propitious mood, and expressed himself willing to rely on Belasco’s judgment, if he really believed that in Mrs. Carter he had a fine actress and also that he had a suitable new play in which to present her. Belasco fervently extolled the ability of Mrs. Carter, and read to him “The Heart of Maryland.” Hooley was favorably impressed and agreed to produce the play, presenting Mrs. Carter in the central part, provided that Belasco would agree to give