The Sunday Oregonian., May 13, 1900, PART TWO, Page 17, Image 17

THE SUJHDAY OREKNIAN. POKTBAOT. JUlY- 13, 1900.
r
H2T' THF rMPAKTA-"Wl
IC " 1 1 IL IV A IV V -C, I
J ''I raS MM
wiiea the Clrcns Cosies.
They're camine to the depot fifty vans r In
the street.
And I hear the filssy clatter of & thousand
busy feet.
Then I hear the bossroan's orders then I sea
the rlcsers swlnr.
And I know It la the circus the same as every
Sprier.
The stars are -la the heavens, the eatm Is yet
to come;
Tet I hear the ansay axles and the never-ceasing-
hum,
And I see the solid cages, same thirty In a
row,
"The Greatest Show."
X watch the dreamy hustle, the stars are on
the wane.
And the line of Wff Quadrupeds leavs the
epeclal circus train.
And I see the yawning giraffe, with his rubier
neok so. lank.
And a herd of .Eastern Jumbos Just ahoul to
walk the plonk.
I aee the sea. of canvas, the sun is shining
bright.
And the tented show Is ready for the matinee
and night.
The sawdust will bo flying, pink lemonade win
flow
The same old rancid peanuts and the very
same old show.
Chicago News.
WITH ENTIRE FRANKNESS
"The Floor "Walkers" Racy Van Se
ville MasqHeradlBg as Farce
"Uncle Tom's Cab la."
A large part of mankind who frequent
the fojers find it convenient occasionally
to leave their sense of propriety at homo
In the care of their wives. It Is a sig
nificant fact that the tumultuous applause
that was accorded Ward and Vokes last
week at the Marquam did not come from
the men whose wives sat beside them.
The faces of these wore an uncomforta
ble, eheepish expression, that was strange
ly at variance with the noisy, free-and-easy
hilarity of their wifeless neighbors
around them.
"The Floorwalkers" is, in reality, vau
deville masquerading under the nameof
farce, and is fully as racy ns "A Run
pn the Bank." which was .given here,, two
or three years ago, by Ward and "Vokes.
With all its smart and flippant talk, its
daehlng swagger and vulgarity, it goes
with snap, has a brilliantly pretty back
ground, with a lot of pouting chorus girls
in flower-tinted gowns, together with an
enjoyable quartet of women's oIces, and
a droll addition, in the way of a literal
and serious-faced Hebrew, who ls more
easily humbugged than are Hebrews gen
erally. But notwithstanding all these al
luring fea.crs, Portland women who re
tain the old-fashioned bloom of modesty
on their cheeks and In their hearts did not
take kindly to it. For which let us be
thankful.
Daring: Snsrjsestlon.
On the whole, would not Ward and
Vokes presentation of "The Floor Walk
ers" be more effective lr Ward and Vokes
were left out?
This may sound like a rather daring
suggestion, in view of the close nature
of their relations with the farce which
they have given the public But at least
it is a suggestion made in the Interest of
good taste and refinement, for it Is not
easy Jo throw oneself Into an attitude of
admiration for repulsive sottlshness such
as their make-up suggests. Once begin the
process of elimination, however, and where
w ill It end? Only a few of the more harm
less Jokes would be left; only some sweet
trains from the women's quartet; only the
soft sheen of the trailing silken gowns:
only the shifting rainbow lights, and the
grace of the poelngs.Jsa Honolulu Queen"; J
only some droll Hebrew toms; only the
gaucherle of Margaret Daly Vokes, with
her prlmly-cut hair; only the dazzle cf j
brilliantly hued lights and clever ensemble.
What a pity these had to be mingled
with Bowery smiles and swagger and pert
ness. "Uncle Tom's Cabin.
The. Stockwell Company, at Cordray's
this past week, has furnished an interest
ing illustration of the Inroads being made
Into the pathos of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
by American humor. The cautious, peer
ing, catlike Marks, who runs at sight
of a pistol, has become the star of the
piece, and black Topsy, dressed in a bag,
with laughing, beadlike eyes, glittering
teeth and braids of queer, wooly hair
pushing themselves inquisitively into the
air on all sides, is, in his absence, the
controlling spirit. Uncle Tom's sufferings
are thrown quite Into the background.
He is lashed with such tender care by
Legree, and takes it so amiably, that the
audience takes It amiably, too. knowing
full well that he has a padded Jacket un
der his shirt. His death Is hurried over
as a rather unnecessary detail, to be
gotten rid of as rapidly as possible.
The pcene among the rocks, when Eliza
and George are making their escape, is
shorn of Its terror, when Marks, with
a sly twinkle, puts up his umbrella to
ward off the bullets. If the buffoonery
keeps on, who will say that some day
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" may not be made
over Into French farce?
As a dramatic venture, to "be taken
seriously, this play has long been a tar
get for Jokes. At one time, a company
vlpited Portland, advertising, as Its draw
ing card, a particularly large and well
trained contingent of bloodhounds. A lo
cal critic, after seeing the p'ay. rendered
the verdict: "The dogs did fairly well, but
were poorly supported.
An Excellent Toiisy.
Mr. Stockwell Is to be congratulated
upon the acquKtlon of so clever a Topsy.
Miss. Heffron showed such unquestionable
talent In this role that her essay of other
parts will bo watched with Interest.
And Miss Alice Lonnon gave an excel
lent Mudy of. Miss Ophelia, tall, square
formed, with her purse-lipped disdain for
shiftless Southerners. Mr. King Is suited
for more, genial roles than Uncle Tom,
but as this Is the first time he ever por
trayed the character, he was naturally
no seen at his best.
The scenery was unintentionally the j
cause of some merriment on the part of
the audience, particularly the cotton-picking
scene. MERIWETHER.
THE MAGISTRATE TONIGHT.'
Pinero's Famous Comedy by Steele-
well Company at Cordray's.
I. R. Stockwell and his company of
players will begin their second week's en
gagement at Cordraya Theater tonight,
by presenting Pinero's famous comedy.
"The Magistrate," which has been one
of the- successes of two continents. Its
original production in England placed It
among the most successful plays, and it
enjoyed e long and prosperous run. It
was finally brought over to this country,
and was first presented in America at
Daly's Theaterv In New Yrk City, where
it held the boards for 400 nights and to a
business that was entirely beyond the ex
pectations of every one. It was then
played on the road by John T. Raymond,
who appeared in the role of Oceanas
Poskett until a year before he died. After
that it was again presented at Daly's
Theater for another run. About the time
of the second Daly production, It was re
vived In London for a few weeks, but
met with such success that It was con
tinued for over a year.
After a. long season at the Boston Mu
seum, Mr. Stockwell secured the comedy
and first presented it in San Francisco
and on the Pacific Coast, proving himself
equally as successful as his predecessors
in the, part of Poskett a role which al
lows him full play for his abilities as
a comedian.
During Mr. Stockwell's first Coast tour
with The Magistrate," he had with him
such well-known peop'o as Rose Coghlan,
Maurice Barrymore, Henry E. Dixie, Mar
garet Craven and Charles Rlchman, who
was Daly's leading man Just prior to the
famous manager's death. Less than two
years ago Stockwell took the comedy
over to Honolulu, supported by Nance
O'Nell and McKee Rankin, where "its suc
cess was again repeated, and to this day
holds the record for banner business of
any one play ever produced there.
An excellent and Interesting plot Is car
ried out in -the four acts of "The Mags
trate." It deals mostly with the adven
tures of Oceanas Poskett, who Is led Into
all kinds of trouble by his stepson, a lad
of 19, whose mother (Poskett's wife) pass
es herself off for a very young woman.
The lad, however, is onto the ways of the
world, and takes Poskett out to enjoy a
taste of high life, which finally ends In a
hllar.ous spree, from which arise many
complications and laugnable situations.
The fun commences with the rise of the
curtain and Is continuous to the end of the
play.
Like that of all of Pinero's comedies, the
dialogue of "The Magistrate" is bright
and snappy, the action rapid, and there
Is a dash and Aim about it that allows
not a single dull moment. The cast Is as
follows:
Mr. Poskett L. R, Stockwell
Mr. Bullamr. Worrlngton. Stewart Allen
Colonel Lukn Lawrence Griffith
Captain Horace Vale H. Gittus Lonsdale
Cls Farrlngton Max Stelnle
Archllle Blond. Wjke Charles King
Isidore Francis Tale
Sergeant Lugg Charles Nixon
Inspector Messlter JCelson Lealtt
Contnb1 Harris Edward Roland
Agatha Poskett Nevada Heffron
Charlotte Vcnlnder Mary Scott
Bcatle Tomllnson Lyda Powell
Popham Florence Pomphrct
FROM PRESS TO THEATER.
Soceeasfal Manager! "Who Graduated
From Journalism.
Marc Klaw, of Klaw and Erlanger, who
helped to organize the theatrical trust,
was once a reporter on a Louisville paper
and not very long ago, either. Daniel
Frohman was at one time a contributor
to the New York Tribune. A. H. Canby
was doing newspaper work in.Philadel
phla before he became associated with
Francis Wilson, and Charlie Strlne, of op
eratic and dramatic managerial fame,
was once a reporter on the Ledger, of
the Quaker City.
George Broadhurst was formerly dra
matic critic on the Minneapolis Tribune,
and Augustus Thomas was a reporter on
the St. Louis Post-Dispatch when his
little play, "Edltha's Burglar," came ouc.
C. B. Dillingham shoved the pencil In
Chlca'go, and Frank L. Perley was a
Washington (D. C) reporter before he
started in to boom theatricals.
Charlie Hoyt was a well-known figure
in Boston newspaper circles before he
wroto his first play, and began his Jour
nalistic career as a suburban reporter on
the Post of that city, at 5S per. Subse
quently he succeeded "Ben" Shillaber
("Mrs. Partington"), In charge of the
"All Sorts" column of that sheet, and
also become the Post's dramatic editor.
Ben Stern used to fill assignments on
a daily paper In Buffalo, and A. W.
Dingwall, Jacob Lltt's general manager,
was a scribe on the Milwaukee Sentinel.
Kirk La Shelle was dramatic writer on the
Chicago Post at one time, and Julian
Magnus started In active business life on
the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
J. Austin Fynes, Proctor's general man
ager, was a reporter on the Boston Her
ald until he left the Hub for New York
to become the dramatic and, subsequent
ly, the managing editor of the Clipper.
He was afterward connected with the
New York World.
W. G. Smythe was a. hard-worked re
porter on a St. Louis Journal, and E. D.
Stair, the latest of the big magnates to
come o the front, confesses to having
served his time on a small country news
paper. And there are others.
PLAYS, PLAYERS AND PUBLIC.
As to Knoli) o'Tennessee" Changed
Attltnde Toward Staffe.
ASTORIA. May 9 -To the Editor.)
I witnessed a performance of Hal Reld's
"Knobs o'Tennessee," the other evening.
I think that after Reld wrote "Human
Hearts," he came to the conclusion that it
was not quite "up to snuff." and so went j
to work mind, I am Just fancyfylng now
rcwrota the play, changed the location
of the plot from the "hls of Arkansas"
across the Mississippi to the hills of Ten
nessee, named It "Knobs oTennessee,"
discovered there was Just enough differ
ence in the two plays to let each travel
on its merit, and found he was the pos
sessor of two money-mailing plays instead
of one. His "Knobs" is what the gal
lery boys style a "rattling, rip-roaring,
mel-er-dram-er " There are villains gal
ore, heroes in plenty, sorrowing mothers,
weeping heroines, plenty of shotguns and
a dog; the only other adjuncts the ,play
lacked were the heartless money lender
and the Irresponsible mortgage.
Still, if one goes deep enough, he finds
something more than noise to the piece.
The theme is a pretty one, and although
the principal characters are "moonshin
ers" outlaws, in a sense the dramatist
has pictured their love of home and dear
ones In a way that appeals to the heart.
The characters are very well drawn, with
the exception of one or two, and the
quietness of each curtain appealed to me
particularly; in this, one is reminded of
"In Missouri." A play that can touch
the heart, I care not how roughly it may
be told, Is sure to have some good In it,
and this much at least can be said of
"Knobs o'Tennessee."
It is my move. I Jump from one play to
the subject In general. Have you ever
thought of the great change that has
swept over this country in a compara
tively few years with regard to the the
ater and player-folk? I think you will
observe this particularly in the relation
ship between theater and press.
Not very long ago, only the papers in
the larger cities had what is known
as the dramatic critic on their staff; now
it Is a poor paper Indeed that has not
a regularly appointed critic, whose sole
duty Is to keep "tag" on all perform
ances and write them up. This Is not
only so with the daily papers, but with
tho weekly and monthly magazines; even
the church publications have opened their
columns to the theater. It is in only the
last edition of the Christian Herald that
an article appears, descriptive of the
play "Quo Vadls." and, what Is more
interesting, the article. In every way,
speaks In praise of the play.
Another Incident that can't but help en
courage theater folk and silence those
who are prone to criticise Is, that, at "The
Players" a New York club organized by
the late Edwin Booth, and composed al
most exclusively of actors was given a
dinner, some few weeks ago, at which the
host was none othor than Bishop Potter,
of the Episcopal Diocese of New York;
the Bishop is an honorary member of the
club.
I admit that there Is plenty of room for
improvement on the stage, and that the
average actor Is not quite ready to put
out hl wings and fly. but I contend that
it is only a bigoted puppet that will throw
mud at the theater.
S. TERRY MKEAN. JR.
GLEANINGS FROM THE WINGS.
Sfatters of Interest to Playgoers and
Actor Folic
Harry R Roberts, the talented young
Australian actor, has gone to Los An-J
geles under special engagement to Mana
ger Frawley to play tho leading charac
ter rol in "The Red Lamp," one of
Beerbohm. Tree's creations.
illes Dirnn(?.i Mnvn rnimppo Ammlitor
of the late Frank Mayo,-has decided to
adopt the stage as a profession, and will '
make her debut next season In one of the
She I don't know what to msJce of ray lltt
-He Why don't jou moke a prima donna -of
Llebler Companies,
out of school.
Miss Mayo Is Just
Clarence M. Brune has eccured from
Melbourne MacDowell, says the Dramatic
Mirror, all the late Fanny Davenport's
productions of Sardou's plays, viz.: "Cleo-
patra." "La Tosca." "Fedora" and "GIs-
monda." and he will exploit them next
season, with Mr. MacDowell In the char-
acters he has been Identified with for
many years. Mr. Brune has alM nro-
cured from Mr. MacDowell "Theodora-
SES.-f SS? "J???.
Bernhardt and Lillian Olcott, and he is
now in New Yoik arranging to make a
spectacular production of It early next
season.
The theatrical branch of tho Murray
family is well represented on the Pacific
Coast at the present time. Colonel J.
Duke Murray has just finished directing
the tour cf Paderewskl; Frank Murray
is manager of the Frawley Company, and
George H. Murray, in San Francisco, is
in charge of the great spectaular pan-
tomlme "The Evil Eye."
Mrs. Leslie Carter's success In "Zaza"
to London "was Immediate and overwhelm-.
ing. The leading- critics are unanimous
in their praise of the American actress,
-whom, they compare favorably with the
greatest foreign artistes. The immense
audience at the Garrick on her opening
night rose and cheered the .favorite Ameri
can, and shouted for David Belasco, who
hates nothing so heartily as e does being
lionized.
Sir Henry Irving has the reputation of
being Ihe best before-the-curtain actor on
the stage. In point of effectiveness he
probably Is. but he gains his sway by
statesmanship, not by eloquence. In fact,
says Peter Robertson, In the San Fran
cisco Chronicle, It is likely the absence
of smoothness is a part of his method,
living's aim is to say the same thing
each time. In slightly a different way.
He is always the "people's servant ; he
is always "grateful beyond expression,"
both for himself and for Miss Terry, but
he varies the relative position of the
phrases and he generally speaks several
sentences which fit nicely to the perform
ance of the particular evening, His refer
ence to Shylock, onva recent occasion.
"Poor fellow, he hadn't much, to be grate
ful for," was an example of his style of
apt comment. So was his reference an
other night to Chicago's "great buildings
and great weather."
"When he has finished speaking, the Im
pression left is that he has meant every
thing he said. A great many actors would
give much for this same .power of falter
ing utterance.
SPRING IN NEW YORK. ,
"Tie Matinee Girl" Finds Life Well
Worth. Llvlns Then.
Writes "Tho Matinee Girl" in the issue
of the Dramatic Mirror of April 28:
Spring comes to us hero in New York
all at once. We go about turning on the
steam heat and calling down maledictions
on the Janitor today, and tomorrow we
are hustling around to get pansy boxes
for the windows. Shirt waists blosaom on
all sides, sailor hats begin to poke them
selves Into sight, and we can throw up our
hats safely confident that Winter has had
his quietus. v
New York has been compared to a
woman. It is never the same bewilder
ing, charming, disagreeable, fascinating
and dull In turn. It Is never more charm
ing than in Spring. To "The Matinee
Girl" the theaters are never more alluring
than In the Spring. They have all the
value of a prize that we are about to lose,
something that we have been content to
possess without enjoying. But when the
Spring comes and we feel that the season
Is In Its last throes, we are like the little
boy at the party who couldn't eat any
more and whose pockets were full, but
who cried because his capacities were not
limitless!
We blessed New Yorkers, possessing
Now York, don't half know how well off
we are. It Is only when one has been
away, stagnating In Philadelphia, getting
glaced In Boston or "resting" at some
Winter resort, that the glory of this old
town breaks upon the vision like a sun
beam coming through a cloud. Coming
Into the bay well, that feeling of own
ership that one feels as the harbor opens
its beautiful arms to us is something to
think about. The croaking of the tug
boat's whistle and the chunk of the tug's
stride through the water sounds like
music. The picturesque, bewildering line
Of the city's roofs breaks out against the
sky fantastic, wonderful as an enchanted
land. You take off your hat to the Bar
tholdl statue and throw it a kiss, and
music plays all around you.
That's how you feel when you get back.
You tread over the cobblestones as though
they were daisies, and jou drink in great
breaths of the old mlcroby air until It
makes you tingle. Then you drift Into a
theater and you hear a few songs and a,
few Jokes, and you get glimpses of Broad
way florists' windows and fruit shops like
gleams of the tropics, and you shake
hands with yourself and exchange con
gratulations with yourself on being alive.
Actors exiled on the. road for a season
know all about this keen thrill of happi
ness that sets In as soon as the foot
spurns the pavement of Broadway. A girl
who has been out on the road for her first
season wroto ma the other day. "My
dance has made a hit, but just wait until
I get back to New York. I'll do a solo
'ha' no ???" JZ ?"
one ejse in tne company Is doing. "We
.don't dare to talk to each other, or we'd
RIGHT IN HER LINE.
pw " mmgmm mtm?m
Ie sir. She is continually Quarreling with everybody and finding fault with ererythlnjr.
her?
break down. We haven't even mentioned
New York for 18 weeks!"
Symphony Concert.
nhx"JL n " w " , lf" V?!
Q6 J iSS'LSi
in. f ' is v, ni w.w V.
S'kn0wn ! and notSS SZFn
Zm be X SKi,? w.SSfi IS
,! 5 ?f?!,lst on ?ta .occaIon: The
???. -,- J.e5CiLeu. 6CeE ns n aay "
1A 1 lr- DriAAni "C-tA !. 4lj.M -m .
balcony, first six rows. ; last sir rows.
25c
N. B. The gallery will not be opened.
Same Old Dlnpatc.
"Dlnglebat has original ideas about
family government. He says every home
should be a little republic, where univer-
sal toleration prevails, and every one has
a voice In the government."
"Yes, his family Is managed on that
plan, but he and Mrs. Dlnglebat have the
i same old wrangle once in awhile as to
which of the two shall be President.1'
Philadelphia Press.
CORDRAY'S THEATER
LAST. WEEK
THE
The
A Superior Comedy
Tremendous
FRIDAY NIGHT, MAY 18, OREGON NATIVE SONS' NIGHT
SALEM'S MUSIC FESTIVAL
MARKED SUCCESS CROWNS WORK
OF VALLEY CHORAL UNION.
Commendable Rendition, of the Great
Oratorios, "St. PaaP aad "The
Creation, Last Week.
The second annual May Festival of tha
Willamette Valley Choral Union was very j
successfully conducted at Salem on
Wednesday. Thursday and Friday even-
inn of lnst wwk. Thk fMMvni th r-
suit of four months' hard work on the
part of tho leading musicians of the Wil
lamette Valley, has been one of the great
est undertakings of Its kind in tho history
of Oregon, and as its promoters look back
over the work that has been done, they
are astonished at the confidence with
which the task was assumed. From the
standpoints of both artistic and financial
success, the festival has surpassed all ex
pectatlons. The accomplishment of these
results has been made possible by Indefati
gable work on Uie part of all concerned.
Uninterrupted harmony has prevailed, and
all have worked zealously for the common
end.
The Willamette Valley Choral Union is
composed of the choral societies of Eugene,
Corvallis, Albany, Salem and Dallas. The
members of these several societies were
trained under their respective leaders, and
i,J i i Xi i ul, i ,y?l
were united In one grand chorus for the
rendition of the great oratorios, "St. Paul"
and "Creation." The production of these
two works required much more than tho
formation of the chorus of about 100 voices.
Four soloists of state reputation were In.
duced to participate in tho grea musical
event, and an orchestra was organized
from the best material available. A group j on the morning of January 10. 1SS3, Rlch-of-
artists was secured for a concert on r ,,, T.foofloM .v , T ,, ...
the opening evening of the festival, and
a programme of hlgb-class music was pre
sented.
Opening Concert.
Tho concert last Wednerday evening was
opened by the Hidden String Quartet, com
posed of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald L. Hid
den, Emll Thlelhorn and Ferdinand Con
rad. The quartet was accorded hearty and
well-merited encores. A "Salem critic said
of tho performance: "There Is not the
slightest suggestion of the machine-made
about their music, and through It all "vi
brates a certain human note which finds
Its way to the heart of even the least cul
tured." A soprano solo, "Jeanne d'Arc." by Miss
Ethel Raymond, of Salem; violin Concerto
In G- minor, by Leroy Gesner. of Salem;
-
contralto solo. In two parts, by Miss Rita
Hansen, of Eugene, and a piano sonata in
E minor, op. 7, by Edward Tillson, of
Salem, were all well received and appre
ciated by the audience.
But the W PaTt of the Interest in
the festival centered in the two oratorios-
' Paul." on Thursday evening, and
"Creatlon.".on Friday evening. The latter
dlw the larger audIcnce was h
. better understood because of the fact that
, it is more familiar to Salem music-lover
Of. both of the oratorios it may be said
that there was not a hitch throughout.
The former was conducted by Francesco
Seley. dean of the College of Music of
Willamette University, and the latter by
W. Glfford Nash, director of the Depart
ment of Music of the University of Oregon,
Eugene. By their manner of conducting
the oratorios; both gentlemen earned the
approval of their auditors. Each wielded
aa energetic baton and inspired the chorus
with confidence in themselves and their
director. In both productions the choni3
did excellent work, according to local crit
ics. The voices are said to have been well
balanced, especially on Friday evening.
and every member of the chorus, It is re
Beginning Tonight, May 13
MATINEE SATURDAY
L. R. STOCKWELL CO.
-IN-
M
agistr
PINERO'S BEST DRAMATIC EFFORT.
Presented With
Success
Elaborately Staged and Beau-
tifully Costumed
ported, seemed inspired with the beauty
and grandeur of the music. For precision
of attack and power of tone, they were
awarded high praise.
' Work: of the Soloists.
The work done by tho soloists Is said to
have been excellent, and to Insure them a
hearty welcome on any future occasion
when they may appeair before a Salem
audience. Mrs. Rose Bloch Bauer, of
Portland, is reported 'to have fulfilled the
expectations of tho audience as a dramatic
soprano. Her rich, full, flexible voice,
poscesslng great sympathy and power, sur
passed the anticipations of the most crit
ical, and her efforts received an ovation.
Miss Lillian Hoblln, of Salem, sang
I sweetly in her contralto part, showing full
i appreciation of the composer's Idea, and
I J- TV. Belcher, of Portland, is sold to have
I"?' J j" ?" 'enr .3?
nu iuicuuy wen miuwu in ciueui music
circles, and Is a general favorite there
He has a rich, sympathetic voice, which
he used with dramatic fervor. He was
generously applauded, especially at the
close of his cavatlna, "Be Thou Faithful
Unto Death," in "St. Paul." Irving M.
Glen, basso, of Eugene, was commended
for his clear enunciation, combined with
unusual smoothness and volume of voice.
While it is difficult to select any one part
that deserves greater praise than another.
popular comment indicates that he did hl
best in "Rolling and Foaming Billows."
The orchestra, made up of the best play
ers that could be obtained In Portland,
Salem, Sllverton, Corvallis and Eugene, Is
highly praised by the conductors of both
oratorios.
On the whole, the festival was a great
event In tho progress of high-class music
in the Willamette Valley, and It la the
purpose of the musicians who labored so
I ,, ,,. ,f , , v ,,
effectually for its success to keep on with
the good work.
HELPED MANSFIELD TO FAME.
Physician Advised the Actor Hovr to
Piny Raron Chevrlal.
ard Mansfield, wok up in New York,
probably a trifle nervous, because he was
to appear In a new part that night, and
certainly unknown so far as tho public
was concerned. The next morning he
awoke to find himself famous. As Baron
Chevrlal, In "A Parisian Romance," pro
duced by A. M. Palmer, at the Union
Square Theater, he had taken to himself
the chief honors of the production, and
had made a comparatively unimportant
role the principal part In the play. The
morning newspapers gave full columns to
the review, and Mr. Mansfield's name was
starred In the headlines, as It has been
almost ever since In his own playbills.
"Mr. Mansfield," said Mr. Palmer the
other day to a Philadelphia Post corre
spondent, "had been playing the part ot
the chancelor in Gilbert and Sulllvan3
comic opera, 'Iolanthe,' and met with an
accident in Baltimore which caused him
to leave the road. He returned to New
York and I engaged him for the Union
Square Stock Company. When I accepted
'A Parisian Romance I cast Mr. J. H.
Stoddart, who played old-man parts, for
the role of the baron. But he declined
it. and I asked Mr. Mansfield if ho
thought he could play It. 'I'll try, he said,
and he set to work at once.
"One day at a rehearsal I noticed a
stranger in the front of the house. I asked
Mr. Mansfield who he was. He said that
he was his physician, who had been help
ing him study the part. The Baron, you
know, is stricken with paralysis on the
stage, which deadens one side of his body.
The night of the first performance Mr.
Mansfield made the greatest hit of the
play, and his success, and1 that of the
play, was at once assured."
BELASCO'S PET SUPERSTITION.
nis Belief la Coal as Brlnser of
Good Lack.
"Of course," writes Vance Thompson, in
the Philadelphia Post," the theatrical peo
ple of America have quite an Interesting
collection of superstitions. They know as
well as you or I do that If the final line of
a play Is spoken during the rehearsals the
jjlay will falL Only In America there are
prophylactics against bad luck. The best
of them is that practiced by David Belas
co. He makes it a rule to pick up every
piece of coal he sees on the street. They
aro better, he believes than horseshoes.
When he takes off his overcoat after com
lns in from a walk, it rattles like a
Noah's ark. In his library there Is a
wholo corner filled with these offerings to
luck.
"A few hours before one of his plays
w'as to be produced, I" was walking up
Fifth avenue with Mr. Belasco. After we
had gone a half-dozen blocks, I noticed he
was troubled.
" 'What la Itr I asked.
" 1 think I saw a piece of coal we were
talking so Intently I am not sure, but let
us go back.
"We went back five blocks and found a
little, three-cornered piece- of coal. Mr.
Belasco's face brightened.
" 'It will be all right now, he said, and it
was.
"Should you ask him now the reason of
his play's extraordinary success, he would
tell you it was due to the fact that Mrs.
Leslie Carter carried that piece of coal
when she went on tho stage. And to-day
it is set In gold. I have never tried coai,
I have no faith in black cats; but horse
shoes "
DISPUTED PRIVTLEGE.
Unlqae Claim of Cholsesl Family to
Box in Paris Opera Comiqnc.
For more than a century past the
Choiseul family has had the right, ac
cording to a. correspondent of the
Pall Mall Gazette, to a box, at the Paris
Opera Comlque. Almost every time the
theater has changed hands, or has moved
from one site to another and the Opera
Comlque has had frequent vlcUsltudes of
fortune the attempt has bzen made to
suppress the privilege, but on each occa
sion the pretensions of the Choiseul fam
ily have been confirmed, after long liti
gation. As Is well known, the Opera, Comlque
has been rebuilt as a result of the terri
ble fire or 1SS7. M. Albert Carre, the.
manager of the new theater. Is as little
satisfied as his predecessors at being
obliged to concede one of his best boxes
for nothing, and so far he has refused to
allow the Due de Marmier and the Due
JOHN F. CORDRAV, MW
LAST WEEK
USUAL PRICES
do FltzJames. the representatives today
of the Choiseul family, to enjoy pos
session of their free seats. In conse
quence they have brought an action,
against him.
The box was1 originally granted by Loots
XVI, In 1731, to the Duo de Choiseul, is
consideration of his having built the or
iginal Opera Comlque at his own expense.
During the revolution, the then Due d
Choiseul returned to Paris after the Ter
ror to find all his property confiscated,
but his rights to the Opera Comlque box
had been left intact, so he took up his
residence in it, and slept and lived in tha
theater for several months.
"W1H Give Up the Ghost.
"Rumor," says tho New York Press,
In a. recent Issue, "declares that the Gil
der 'Quo Vadls gives up the ghost this
week. The fight was bitter, but the re
sult was expected. Associated with her.
Jeanette Gilder had Alice Kauser and
Bessie Marbury, lovely ladles both, and
intellectual. 'Literary people,' as John
Stetson called them, rallied to her sup
port Placards were put on the dead
walls, announcing that the Herald Square
play was the- only play worth talking
about and warning the public against tha
villain Stange.
"Yet the end has come, and Stango,
the villain, emerges In triumph from a
conflict that threatened his overthrew.
The authorized version bites the dust
while the unauthorized and. so to speak,
piratical play, remains until hot weather
drives It out of town. The sympathy or
gallant folk Is with Miss Gilder, but their
dollars are with Mr. Stange. While the
three Graces are weeping in Herald
Square, the villain has lied to Europe to
produce his 'Quo Vadls' in London. These
be parlous times for lovely ladles. Olga
Nethersole and Zaza Carter have escaped
from their recent woes, but Miss Glider,
Miss Marbury, Miss Calhoun, Miss Kaus
er, Mrs. Rlggs and Mrs. Langtry are
daughters of Nlobe and in a wilderness
of woe."
Theatrical Ethics.
Edna May's divorce suit has put on rec
ord, says the New York Sun, through the
evidence of competent witnesses, a code
of theatrical ethics which seems to be
rather complicated. The evidence thus far
has shown that there is a wide difference
between the ethics to be observed when a
theatrical company Is playing a season's
engagement In Now York, and the coda
which prevails, without criticism, when tha
same company goes on the road.
Miss Kingston testified that the defend
ant and the co-respondent held hands much
of the time when they were in the cars to
gether, She admitted that a certain
amount of holding hands might be expect
ed on the road, but not all the time. Other
witnesses testified to the freedom with
which, the defendant visited the co-respondent's
room, but they qualified tho
force of their evidence by saying that
on the road a certain amount of "bohe
mlanlsm and good-fellowship" (prevailed
which would not be recognized as good
ethics in town.
The line between these two codes of eth
ics seems to be perfectly clear to all the
theatrical witnesses and they were evi
dently amused by the apparent Ignorance
of these distinctions on the part of tha
lawyers. A
mVINGS REMINISCENCES.
Sir Henry Tells of Booth, and Mlsa
Charlotte Cashman. ,
"I formed the acquaintance of American,
players sooner than may be generally
Imagined," said Sir Henry Irving, while
he wa3 in Chicago. "In fact, I almost
hate to go as far back In tha past as It
will be necessary for me to do to tdl
of the time I first met Edwin Booth.
"It as in Manchester, in 1S60. when I
was a youthful member of the stock com
pany there. Edwin Booth came as a star,
playing a Shakespearean repertory. I
played Polonlus to his Hamlet, If I am
not mistaken, and had parts more or less
minor In 'Richelieu and 'Othello.' I don't
recall that I attracted his attention In
any marked degree. I thought him a
great tragedian, and I never changed my
mind.
"It was four years before that, how
ever, that I met the first American play
er. It was Charlotte Cushman, and sha
was appearing as Meg Merrllles in 'Guy
Mannering,' in a tour of the provinces. My
part required that I should sing as well
as act. I was not pleased with it, but
after the engagement ended. Miss "Cush
man was kind enough to take me aside,
compliment me for some of the things I
had done, and point out where I might
improve. "Keep on,' she said, 'and you
will be heard from some day.' I -wanted
no higher praise."
EVENING OF LAUGHTER.
Amateur Theatricals of the Unita
rians This Wecfer.
Every ono who wishes to enjoy an even
ing of laughter, unadulterated by moment
of dullness, will be given the opportunity
next Friday evening at Arion Hall, oa
occasion of the amateur theatricals of tha
Unitarians. Mrs. Grace Watt Ross and
Mrs. Tarpley, who are In charge of tha
affair, are a sufficient guarantee for its
success. Dancing will be a prominent fea
ture of the evening. The play that pre
cedes the dancing is a clover one-act fares
by Juliet Tompkins, entitled "The First
Time." Following is the cast:
Sylvia Garden... Mrs. Lawrence HI Knapp
For the first time a model.
Nina Miss Grace Cranch Eliot
A little drudge with a. big heart, for
the first time in loe.
Mrs. de Soto Beans
Mrs. C U. Gantenbera
A wealthy and eccentric widow, for
the first time domineered.
Wilfred Burton Mr. Maurice Cheal
A landscape artist, for the first time
defying his Ideals.
Frederick Torrington..,Mr. Frank Dekum
An actor, for the first and last time
utterly fooled.
A bust of Michael Angelo
For the first time a confidante.
Hanford' Drops Oat.
Wagenhals and Kemper, who aro said
to have made enormous profitn on tha
tour of Louis James, Kathryn Kidder -and
Charles B. Hanford, close their season
May L Hanford will cease to be a mem
ber of the star triumvirate at tho end
of this season. His successor is not yet
named. And thereby hangs a tata.
ate