THE- SUNDAY OREGbXIAN. PORTLAOT, FEBItTJAKY 21, 1904'.
19
MATERIALISM CLASHES WITH FINE ARTS
Edward A. Mac Dowell's Reason for Resigning From Colombia University.
EW YORK, Feb. 15. (Special Cor
respondence.) It Is not often that
the resignation or a professor from
a college creates the feeling- and the talk
that the resignation of Edward A. Mac
Iowell from Columbia College has done.
Indeed, It has been the means of presenting-
comprehensively the true position of
the fine arts to America, and it may -well
fce understood that never until such time
It Is exposed brutally to the Intelli
gence of every thinking person will art be
able to exist in a truly healthy manner.
The name of MacDowell Is so -well
known that his opinion should carry au
thority. He is a man of very high Ideals
and generally artistic propensities. Per
haps MacDowell's greatest weakness lies
in that which in others often brings
strength; it Is that he iff too self-concentratedexclusive
to the degree of rob
l Irar himself of power. He has little con
tact with other musicians, and it Is alr
most a safe guess that he exchanges
opinions with none of them. MacDowell
is a great man but be would be far great
er were ho a man of more breadth than Is
possible to one who has been so closed
away from everything and everybody.
Always agreeable, always courteous, re
fjied and cultured, a thoroughly good mu
sician, there Is withal lacking that ele
ment which goes to make a man powerful
ard great. This is the contact with life
in every condition, with the people, "with
thtt slums, with tne ignorant as well as
with that which a man conceives to be
tho highest strata of society It Is this
which develops the power to hear the cry
cf rain and to know what It means. With
out this a man forgets his kinship with
humanity and Is deprived of the power to
interpret what he does not understand. A
crisis comes into the life of every man,
and this one in the life of MacDowell will
compel him cither to become very much
greater or to become attenuated to the
degree of insipidity.
The letter recounting the causes for his
resignation was made public to Columbia
University this week. It Is not without
interest:
It ia with some chagrin that I have to
report the small results my efforts have
brought to the development of art at Co
lumbia. The reason for this Is obvious.
Few colleges In the "United States consider
the flne arts (except belles lettres and
architecture) worthy f serious consideration.
The effect of this Is very powerful, for
most preparatory schools and women's col
leges have lmlted the universities' neglect
of art, and thus the higher education in
these institutions becomes Incomplete and
materialism chokes out idealism.
I have tried to Impress the "powers that
be"
wiin tne necessity of allowing no stu-
dent to enter the university without om
Knowledge of the flne arts. Such knowledge
may be very general and not technical. This
would force upon the preparatory school
the admission of the flne arts to Its cur
riculum. The present Ignorance of the in
coming student demands a remedy If the
courses In the flne arts are to give any
thing but the most elementary Instruction.
No student Ejfould attain his B. A. degree
without passing In at least two courses of a
faculty of flne arts.
In order to bring to a focus the art ele
ments existing In Columbia I proposed that
snuslc be taken out of the faculty of philos
ophy and architecture out of the school of
2alne, and with belles lettres form a faculty
of flne arts, to complete which painting and
sculpture would btlHdlspensable.
owing r niy,JAlllIty to persuade rich
Ta Cf (New lofS7Kto endowlstr a. chair of
rang and scisptwrc. the scheme, though
approved by "the powers that," was not
realized. Architecture took a vital Interest
In the matter, but failed to accomplish any
thing for the missing arts. The outcome
of all this was the establishment of a divi
M-R. MEEKEK'S HISTO'Ry
Account of Pioneer Life at Puget Sound Soon to Appear.
R. EZRA MEEKER, of Fuyallup,
Wash., Is about to publish a book
on pioneer life at Puget Sound. The
title will be "The Tragedy of LeschI, With
Pioneer Romlnlscenses of Fifty Years
Ago." The book will be ready about
June 1. Following Is Mr. Meeker's state
ment, dated Seattle, December 29, 1903,
which will appear as the Introductory
chapter of the hook:
Three years ago today I arrived at the
ripe age of three score years and ten,
supposed jo be the limit of life. Finding
that I possessed more ambition than
strength, and that my disposition for a
strenuous life was greater than my power
of physical endurance. I naturally turned
to other fields for work, that condition of
life so necessary for the welfare and hap
piness of the human race.
Many years before. It had been my am
bition to write our earlier experiences of
pioneer life on Puget Sound, and not
necessarily for the printer, but because I
wanted to. but never could find time; and
so when the change came and my usual
occupation was gone, what else would I
be more likely to do than to turn to my
long delayed work, the more particularly
being -admonished that it must be done
soon or not at all. And so, In a cheer
ful, happy mood, I entered again into the
domain of pioneer life, and began writing.
But this Is not history, you will say.
True, but we will come to that by
and by.
I had, during the Summer of 1S53, with
an Inexperienced companion, In an open
boat a frail skiff built with our own
hands crossed the path of Theodore Win
throp, spending more than a month on a
cruise from Olympla to the Straits and
return, while that adventerous travele
and delightful writer had with a crew
of Indians made the trip from Port Town
tend to Fort Nlsqually in a canoe. I had
followed Winthrop a year later through
the Natchez pas3 to the Columbia River
and beyond, alone, except a companion
pony that carried my sack of hard bread
or food, the saddle blankets for my bed
and myself across the turbulent rivers
and on easy grades. If Winthrop could
write such a delightful book, "Canoe and
Caddie," based upon such a trip, with
Indians to paddle his canoe on the Sound,
and with an attendant and three horses
through the mountains, why should not
jny own experience of such a trip be In-
-eresting to my own children and their
children's children, and so I wrote these
trips.
Did you ever, when hungry, taste of a
dish of fruit, a luscious, ripe, highly
flavored apple for instance, that seemed
only to whet but not satisfy your ap
petite I know you have, and so can ap
preciate my feelings when these stories
were written. I craved more of pioneer
life experieT.e, and so I went back to
tho earlier scenes, a little earlier only
to the trip in a flatboat down the Colum
bia River from The Dalles to the first
cabin, where Kalama town now stands; to
the pack on our backs from the C61umbla
to the Sound; to the three times passing
the road to and fro to get the wife and
fcaby to tidewater what a charm that
word tidewater had for me with a vision
of the greatness of opportunities of the
seaboard and I may say it has never lost
Its charm of tho great world opened up
before me, and so we were soon again
housed in the little cabin with Its punch
eon floor, "cat-and-clay" chimney, and
clapboard roof; Its surroundings of scen
ery; of magnificent forests and of con
stantly moving life; the Indians with
tholr happy song and fishing parties.
All this and more, too, I wrote, every
now and then getting over to the Indian
location. How could I help it? We had
sion of fine arts during my absence last
year. In this division of fine arts the Inclu
sion of belles lettres and music, including
kindergarten, etc, at Teachers College,
seemed ill-advised- To me expansion in this
direction befcre a fecus be attained means
a swamping of Columbia's individuality.
The division of fine arts thus acquires some
what the nature of a co-educational depart
ment store, and tends toward materialism
rather than toward idealism.
The research professorship offered to me
by the president consisted of my lending to
Columbia the use of my name with no du
ties and with no salary. I immediately re
fused It, as I was unwilling to associate
my name with a policy I could not approve
of. My department has been pecuniarily very
successful, and has given a large profit to
the university over and above expenses. For
seven years I have put all my energy and
enthusiasm In the cause of art at Columbia,
and now at last recognizing the futility of
my efforts. I have resigned the chair of mu
sic in order to resume my own belated voca
tion. In the very first sentence, Mr. Mc
Dowell shows that he has not looked
deeply enough for the scat of the
trouble, as it must be to him at the
present time. "We must accept the col
lege or university as the place wherein
to develop the Intellectual side of our
students, as it is generally accepted
that there must be a certain amount of
what is known as a common school ed
ucation before the student can enter
any of these great institutions. The
university would be a sorry place in
which to begin the study of grammar
Just as attempts have proven practi
cally futile in the way of creating an
art atmosphere In them. The taste
for art should begin to be developed
whllo the 'child Is in the cradle If not
before and should follow his dally
life through each school year, and by
the time he Is, ready to enter college
he will havo elthor shown such talent
that an artistic career will bo selected
Instead of the college course, or he
will have gained enough knowledge
of art and its effects upon his emotional
nature to show his appreciation of the
refinements of idealism, but not to the
extent of following a career for which
he is not especially fitted. It Is of
importance to create an army of music
lovers, but not to create an army of
music producers, and the same holds
good of any other art. I am using
music as an illustration merely be
cause the suject came up through Mr.
MacDowell. and for this reason It is
easier to present an argument for art
in the public schools, but the fact must
not be overlooked that any study the
principal element of which is esthetic
must create culture and refinlment,
and to bring about the best results
this must be inculcated in the early
years of education.
Mr. MacDowell's statement that ma
terialism chokes out Idealism Is so true
that it is superfluous to say so, but it
is also evident that in the sense in
which he uses the word, he does not
mean materialism at all he means
intellectuality. And what all the emo
tional arts need, most emphatically Is
that the balance he held by the intel
ligence as well as by tho spirit. The
study of art does not constitute Ideal
Ism, any more than the study of logic
and mathematics constitute material
Ism, so long as mathematics are not
applied to the question of how many
dollars can be drawn into onc'spocket.
Thus a man may be very Idealistic and
very material at the same time. Mr.
MacDowell's Ideals In art cannot be
questioned, at the same time he Is very
material so far as money matters are
concerned, and If it is his desire to be of
benefit to the cultivation of music in
America, he interferes with such a desire
very materially by the prohibitory price
which he himself puts upon his work.
I have understood that Mr. MacDowell
asks 524 for one hour's lesson to two
people, or $10 per half hour to one. Now If
there can be any other desire except to
been treated civilly, and I mav say, kind
ly, by them from the very outset, when
we, almost alone, were their white neigh
bors. I had been treated generously by
some, and had always found them ready
to reciprocate In acts of kindness, and so
we had come to respect our untutored
neighbors and to sympathize with them
In their troubles. Deep troubles came to
them when the treaty-making period ar
rived, and a little later upon all of us,
when war came, to break up all our
plans and amicable . relations. As I be
gan to write more about the Indians and
their ways a step further brought me to
the consideration of our territorial gov
ernment and the Government officials
and their acts. It gradually dawned
upon me this was a more important work
than writing of humble Individuals; that
the history of the commonwealth was by
far a more Interesting theme, and more
profitable to the generations to follow
than recording of private achievements of
the pioneer. It was but a step further
until I realized that I was fairly launched
upon the domain of history and that 1
must needs be more painstaking and more
certain of my facts, and so then came a
long rest for my pen and a long search
of the records, of old, musty letters, of
no less old, musty books; of forgetful
minds of the pioneers left and again I
was carried away Into the almost forgot
ten past.
An authoress once told me that she
never named her book until after It was
written. I could not understand, but I
now do. While writing of pioneer life
I could think of no other title than some
thing like this, "Pioneer Life on Puget
Sound Fifty Years Ago." a pretty long
title, but that was what the writing
treated of. But when I got on the Indian
question and came to realize what a
splendid, true story .was wrapped up in
tho darkness of impending oblivion; how
tho Indians had been wronged; how they
had fought for their homes and won
them: how the chief actors had been sac
rificed but the tribes had profited; I again
became enthusiastic over my theme and
over my ready-made heroes and before
STORIES OF
"W. J. Ferguson, who Is playing the part of
Monsieur Trcvour In "The Secret of Pollchln
elle." at the Madison-Square Theater, has been
on the 6tage longer than almost any other
actor playing a leading role la New York. He
has had some extremely amuslns experiences,
one of which occurred In the same dressing
room he Is now occupying at the Madison
Square, and with which Richard Mansfield Is
Identified.
Mansfield was Just about to produce "Beau
BrummeU." la which Mr. Ferguson tad been
engaged to play the part of the valet. During
the rehearsals of "Beau BrummeU" Mr. Mans
field was extremely doubtful of Its success,
and the night of the dress rehearsal his lack
of confidence reached the limit of discourage
ment. After the first act. while the stage was
being set for the second, he went next door to
Ferguson's room, and casting himself disgust
edly down apon a chair, said: "Well. Billy.
It's no use going on with this thing. It will
never be a success. I think Til telephone to
the newspapers to change our advertisements
to read that we will put on 'A Parisian Ro
mance for a few extra performances in place
of 'Beau BrurnmelV until we can find some
thing else to fill the gap."
"Nonsense, Mansfield, said Ferguson.
"What are yon thinking about? This play la
going to make a great hit, and I know It."
Ferguson was at the moment adjusting a new
wig. which he had bought. It was one of the
JL finest creatlc&s of tb wlgaakers art, and had
put that amount of money into Mr. Mac
Dowell's pocket, it Is -not evident, for he
must know better than any one else
that the success of a teacher depends
upon keeping his pupils for a long enough
period to develop his ideals in their
work. At this figure no one but the chil
dren of millionaires could avail them
selves of his services, and in addition to
this there is no teacher living who can
give the equivalent for $10 in one lesson.
If nine people out of ten were asked:
"What creates refinement and culture?"
they could not tell you, for these are elu
sive qualities not attributable to any one
Influence, but the result of several influ
ences, of which many are subtle and al
most unedefinable. These nine people
form the majority of the taxpayers in
the community, and how were It possible
to make them understand what goes with
the study of an art In addition to ac
quiring a certain mastery of it? The
part that any art plays in the psychic
and spiritual development cannot be ex
plained to them in any way which they
recognize as reasonable. Nevertheless,
it is an Influence that is clearly tangible,
and It unquestionably works for the bet
terment of the race.
If these nine people understood this fact
culture would come to the child from its
home influences, and whether or not It
acquired them In school would be of lit
tle moment. But the fact that It does
not. makes it necessary that this lack
should be supplied through the same ave
nues through which comes the general ed
ucation. "Whether this city or thai city,
or any city, considers that music In its
own particular schools is well-handled
makes little difference, as the fact re
mains that no public school vreats music
as an art. The men who should occupy
the chair of music in the public schools
must be men of the caliber of Edward A.
MacDowell, John Knowles Paine, Horatio
Parker then little difference would It
make whether Columbia, Harvard or
Yale paid any attention to music or not.
For music under their direction would
not mean only a little sight-reading, the
singing of a few school songs and a slight
knowledge of the fundamental principles
of music, but It would be founded on a
plan that would -bring about the results
so long and so earnestly wished for by
those who have the welfare of music and
of culture in this country at heart.
It is not impossible to realize that that
which some may put to one side as Uto
pian and impracticable can be accom
plished, but It will never be done along the
lines on which music Is treated at the
present time. The proper man will have
to be engaged cost what It may, and it
will cost a good deal by those who are
willing to subsidize such a department in
our public school system .for one entire
generation, after which such conditions
will have been created as will make It a
necessity and a matter of course. Be
yond this. It will create a standard for
music which will do away with the wan
dering minstrel who comes into every
town and sets himself up as "the great
and only," and who actually succeeds
In getting a following.
A new club has Just been formed In New
York City. It Is called the Portland Club,
and Includes tho young ladies from Port
land, Or., who are in New, York study
ing music, or who have taken up their
residence in this city. The first meeting
was held at the home of Miss Klolse Ed
wards, daughter of Captain Edwards,
formerly of the American Book Company,
who with his family now resides la New
York. The young ladies who were Invited
were Miss Anna -Rankin, Miss Imogen
Harding. Miss Evelyn Hurley, Miss Eina
Gates, Miss Edna Sternfels, Miss Hetta
Rivers, and Miss Marlon Bauer. These
young ladies gave an impromptu musical
programme, and as they express It them
selves, "talked a blue streak about Port
land." Miss Gates Is planning to go
abroad to continue her musical studies.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
I realized it, lo a new name took posses
sion of my mind and rang In It until
there was born the title, "The Tragedy
of Leschl."
When I come to think of It, there were
tribes that had never shed white men's
blood until grim war came, and that then
they refused to make war on their old
neighbors and that but one noncombat
ant settler had lost his life after the first
day of frenzy,of the Muckleshoot band at
the massacre of White River, that here
were men we called savages, fighting for
a cause, but threw themselves on the
track of the military arm of the Govern
ment and not against helpless settlers. I
had' myself been in their power and re
mained unharmed. I knew other of my
neighbors also that had been exposed and
remained unmolested; surely to tell the
truth about such people Is no more than
Justice I said to myself, I will write it
down and prove what I write by the
records and the best obtainable witnesses
alive, and having done so, will print it,
two books In one, 'two titles, yet but one
volume, "The Tragedy of Deschl," with
"Pioneer Reminiscences of Fifty Years
Ago." And so my title Is born, the book
written, and which if my life Is spared a
few months longer, will be printed and
launched upon a critical public
It Is natural that In the stirring times
of early days opinions would differ; that
neighbors, and even members of families
would look upon events from differing
points of view, and so out of this maze
I havo tried to state facts ana a raw just
conclusions. The chapter of this history
begins with the creation of the territory
and ends with Governor Stevens official
life In the territory In the period con
cerned. During that period, treaties were
made with the Indians: the war with
them was fought: massacres horrid to
contemplate were perpetrated by the In
dians and white by the Indians at the
outbreak, and the whites later murders
were committed, martial law prociaimea,
our courts Invaded with armed men, and
Judces dragged from the bench: our Gov
ernor in turn brought before the courts.
fined and reprieved by himself and many
other happenings unique In history are re
lated, and so, when my labor was finished
and my pen laid aside, my only regret
was that the work had not been under
taken earlier in life when memory served
more accurately, and my contemporaries
were more numerous. E. MEEKER.
THE STAGE
cost a considerable amount.
Mansfield viewed
It sadly.
"I'm sorry. Billy, "that you bought such an
expensive wig. for this piece will never last
over a week or two at the outside."
"Don't you believe It," answered Ferguson.
"Will you give me the price of this wig on
our 100th aightr
' "Indeed. I will." answered Mansfield, "and
mighty gladly."
How the play was produced, what a success
It was, and how it ran for not only 100. but
a great many hundred, nights Is now theat
rical history.
The fact not generally known perhaps Is that
Annie Russell, like many another successful
player, had no theatrical ambitions at the
outlet. She aspired rather to letters, and her
early wish was to be an authoress. But the
first manuscript she sent to a publisher was
returned with brief thanks, and In that re
spect she became disheartened at the outset.
Her fondness for the stage resulted from a
short excursion Into amateur theatricals, and
she made her first appearance at a church fair.
Then she Joined a dramatic club, and the rest
followed naturally. She relates the circumstances-
of her professional debut as follows:
"Miss Rose Eytlcge was coming to Montreal
to play 'Miss Multoa. and as she carried cslr
one child to play the boy Paul, she wrote to
the local manager requesting him to engage a
- girl for the part of Jeane. and to bare her per
fect by the time of the star's arrival. The
manager advertised for a Tonng girl, and
muT-iT-p took me -down. The part waa glvan to i
me. but when Miss Eytlnge saw -me at" the
first rehearsal, she was dreadfully put out, and
sent for the manager.
-What's. thlsT she cried, pointing to me.
" The child you asked for. he answered.
" 1 said a girl; not a child.' declared Miss
Eytlnge. 'Go and get me a girl, or a young
woman who can play a glrL'
'The manager protested that no such person
could be found, but Miss Eytlnge Insisted that
the town be scoured.
"The full significance of the scene had slow
ly dawned upon me. 1 retired to the wings
and set up a dlimaT howling. Then Miss
Eytlnge called me over" and- asked If I wanted
to play the part very much. I said I did. and
added that I knew the lines. Then' she went
through the part with me and seemed satis
fied."
'An Italian audience can be merciless and
cruel,' says Kitty Beck. "I have seen It ap
plaud an actor for sheer deviltry, and even an
actress, whose , only Interest was some gro
tesque mannerisms, or, perhaps, physical In
firmities. It can also be sufficiently apathetic
Friday Is always tho fashionable house and
Sunday the popular one, and on either of these
occasions Yonelll on the stage in one or Ms
great parts is pretty sure to bring out the best
qualities of an Italian audience. 'Receptions'
are rare; 'curtains' are few; 'pictures' are un
known; but the fervor with which the audi
ence follows a fine actor up to the top or nis
great passage tho hush the suspended breath
then the deep sigh the long Ah and the
shout of -bravo and finally the prolonged ap
plause, must be. I Imagine, an experience
worth living for. The programme Is changed
every night, or every alternate night, and It
Is no unusual thing for a company to perform
40 or 60 dramas In a short season. As a re
sult, the prompter Is a prominent performer
at every Italian play. He elts on a box on
the edge of tho auditorium, and bis voice Is
heard as a drumming undertone through every
speech that is spoken on the stage. The quick
ness of the Italian dialect Is strikingly ex
hibited In the facility with which the actor
follows the voice that comes up from his very
feet. It is a bad condition of affairs and very
disturbing to an audience. The actors' pro
fession Is not a good one In Italy from any
point. The rank and title of the profession Is
not remarkable, but the best Italian actors
are among the best to be found anywhere."
"How I came to dramatize Tars if al' hap
pened this way," rays Fitzgerald Murphy: "I
was sitting In the parlor of my flat In New
Tork Christmas eve, watching my wife lighting
up tne unnstmas tree ana Banging up mu
toys and watching the delight in the eyes of
my little girl, Geneva. T wouldn't exchange
my happiness tonight for all the wealth of
Rockefeller.' I said to my wife. I'd like to
have some of his wealth tonight," returned
she. 'Why. tonlghtt' I asked. 'So I could
pay about $G0 for a box at the Metropolitan
Opera-House and see the first presentation In
America of Wagners great music classic.
'Parsifal.' That set up In my mind a train of
thought. Only the wealthy could enjoy the
luxury of this classic, and $10 for an ordinary
ticket was too much for the average man and
woman who had to work for a living. Why
not make It possible to bring this great work
within reach of the masses? Why not? Here
was the opportunity, and somehow or other I
felt that I was the man. 'I'll do IL 'Do
whatr asked my wife, surprised. 'Make
play out of the opera of Parsifal.' "Why, Fltz,
you're crazy I It would be a sacrilige!' ex
claimed my wlfeiarhorror. 'Oh. I don't know,'
l replied. nicnara agncr v.-asu i u kimki
genius than Shakespeare, and It hasn't been
considered an act of vandalism to cut and con
dense Shakespeare and adapt his tragedies to
suit the acquirements of the modern stage.
I'm going to do to the Bard of Beyreuth what
Colly Ctbber did to the Bard o Avon.
-
Richard Le Galllenne has no great love for
the typical English girl. In his picturesque.
vivid way he described her one night at the
Lambs' Club In New York. Finally he said:
"I was walking down an English lane with
an English girl on an August afternoon. The
sun shone through a soft haze, and In the
green fields many white lambs played.
" " 'Is It any wonder. I said, 'that poets from
time Immemorial have made the lamb the era
blem of Innocence?"
"The young girl smiled radiantly.
" 'Lambs, she said, 'are Indeed delightful
animals; especially with mint sauce.' "
Joe Cawthorne has made as bfc a hit -it the
title role of the new Drury Lane extravaganza,
"Mother Goose." as he did In "The Sleeping
Beauty and the Beast," In which he played the
part of the Dutch nurse. Mother Goose comes
on the stage In one scene dressed for a fox
hunt. She rides a make-believe horse, and.
after dismounting, puts him through his paces.
The old lady dilates upon the wonderful wis
dom of the animal, and tells how good he 13
at arithmetic
"How old are you?" she asks.
The horse taps tho stage three times with
one hoof.
"How old Is this trick?', asks the dame.
The horse begins to dance and brings down
all his hoofs with a merry tattoo.
"How old is Ann?" Is the next question, and
the animal topples over and dies.
The two Hons used In "An English Daisy."
at the New Tork Casino, have made a hit.
Charley Blgelow. when he attempts to enter
the cage, is cot acting, nor Is It stage fright
It Is the real Simon pure article. Nothing can
convince him that the dope administered to the
Hons before they make, their appearance Is
strong enough to last through the scene, and
Blgelow Is convinced that the blood-thirsty
nature of the beasts will return some night
after he has entered the cage.
This recalls the story of the late John Stet
son. While he was managing the Globe The
ater. Boston, he engaged Miss Lillian Olcott,
an ambitious Brooklyn amateur, who had put
up enough money to obtain a Sardou play and
production. In this play two real lions were
used.
The piece was a failure. Btarved to death.
and did nothing on the road, but through
fall-down In the bookings Stetson was obliged
to play It at his Boston house. It opened
Monday night to nothing, and Tuesday's :
celpts fell below that. Starvation was writ
ten all over the place. Stetson could not get
out of playing the attraction. One . night
friend met him In front of the theater and
cald:
"Mr. Stetson, does Miss Olcott go Into the
lions' cage every nlgntr
Stetson replied: "No: I would give $1000 If
she would go In one night."
Clarence Drown was once playing a fly-by
night engagement among the wilds of Idaho.
and had experienced so calamitous a business
that It became a matter of how to get out of
town with his company with the clothes, on
their backs. It was tho last night of the
stand, and the aggregation was playing the
"Drunkard's Vision; or the Lost Nail," to
$14 boufe. when a little boy came down the
gallery stairs and addressed the manager-ad
vance-agenl-treasurer-ticKei-taicer (wmch was
Drown), sobbing as though his heart would
break:
"I want my money back."
"Whatr
"I want my money back."
"Tou want your money back?"
"Yes."
"Goodness, gracious! You are missing the
best part of the play. The second act Is now
on. Great stuff, my boy. Villain getting In
his deadly work. Drunkard's daughter dying.
and "
"I don't care: I want my (boo-hoo) money
back."
"Why, don't you like the play?"
"Yes; I Cboohoo-oo) like the play well
enough, but (boohoo-oo-co-oo) I'm afraid to be
up there all alone!"
Like the nobility, and gentry of England,
American actresses are going into business.
There Is one player who Is the silent not so
very silent, either, because she drives In a lot
of custom for her partner one In a thriving
dressmaking-shop. Neither is she a passive
partner, for during so-called vacations, when
she Is presumed to be climbing the White
Mountains, or carrying on a Summer flirtation
on the shore, she is gravely bending over her
task In the sewing-room of the dressmaking'
shop. She makes a tidy profit. Is free from the
fear of her landlady's wrath, and is gaining
broadening viewpoint.
Another fair player has a typewriting office,
where she keeps half a dozen girls busy mak
ing money for her. She has grown so haughty.
now that Independence Is in plain view, that
she refuses to "play out of New York."
A third keeps" a fashionable boardlcg-house
on Lexington avenue. A fourth has a profit
able chicken farm in New Jersey. Several are
dabbling in plays, and, other things being
equal, there Is no reason why they should not
write successful piays. xne cnances are mucn
in their favor, as against the literary person
who Is Ignorant of stage technique.
7
The origin of the term "dead heads." as ap
plied to those who witness theatrical perform
ances without purchasing a ticket, dates from
the time when ancient Rome was devoted to l
the theater. Every one who received the cour
tesy of a complimentary ticket was given such
tickets in the form of metal discs, upon whlcn
appeared a death's head. The term "gallery
gods," as applied to those who occupy the
highest gallery la the theater. Is of later or
igin. Decoration of the modem theater calls
forth considerable artistic taste, and the Ires
coes and paintings usually represent historical
episodes In the drama, or the mythological
characters so dear to the artist. In the dome
of -most theaters It will be noticed the artist
usually choses the style of decorations that
presents the gods, goddesses, nymphs and
cherubs of mythology. The occupants of the
gallery .being so near the dome, were first
poken of as being In the "region ot tne-goes.--
and finally were termed "gods" themselves.
Ethel Baiiymore. at a reception la Philadel
phia, talked about small audiences.
"Sir Henry Irving," she said, "once de
scribed to me the smallest audience on rec
ord. It consisted of one man. The play, nev
ertheless, went on In the provincial theater,
where, this one-man audience was gathered.
"But .the manager, between the acts, peeped
out from behind the curtain, and saw that tho
house was empty.
"Where is the audience?" he said, anxiously.
to the usher.
" 'He has gone out, sir, the usher answered.
to get some beer.'
" 'Will he return?' asked the manager.
H "Positively. He expressed himself as very
well pleased with the production."
Ah,' said the manager, with a look of
relief; 'then let the performance proceed. "
.
While her private car was lately oft the track
and bumping along at a fearful rate near Ter
race, Idaho, Mrs. Langtry held on to a table
and pledged a toast to the frightened members
f her company: "Here's to tho one who keeps
the coolest head." After running down a s.teep
grade for a quarter of a mile, the train vas
storped. Mrs. Langtry fainted when the dan
ger was over.
SOCIETY'S BAD CONDITION.
Evils of the Day and
Their True
Remedy.
WILDER VTTiTjTl, Or., Feb. IS. (To the
Editor)-! wrote a letter to Mr. J. H.
Ackerman some time ago in .regard to the
teaching of good breeding and etiquette
In the public schools. Tne matter has re
celved the hearty approval ot a great
many Intelligent people bf this part of
Oregon and has been commented on
great deal. I think it Is a matter that has
been shamefully neglected. As I stated
before, there are children who never had
a lesson in grammar or etiquette in thelr
Hves. There are parents who use very
inferior language, and consequently most
children fall into the same habit. Now.
do not want anyone to think I am doing
this to excite comment, but I think every
Intelligent man or woman in a position
to observe, will agree with' me on the
subject. Now, there Is an appalling con
dltion of humanity, even in this enlight
ened day and age, and especially as re
gards crime and insanity.
I believe good breeding and social and
moral etiquette, and the Just regard we
owe to one another as human beings,
should be taught In school, for as a mat
ter of fact a. certain per centage of the
rising generation would not learn or hear
of them anywhere else.
I believe a great deal of crime would
then be prevented. And as everyone knows
In nearly every paper we pick up
we see where someone has been killed or
robbed or someone has committed suicide
someone has sued for a divorce, or
someone else has eloped with another
man's wife, or someone else has wrecked
railroad train and killed a lot of peo
ple for the sake of a few dollars. There
are men who would sandbag another for
lo cents ana tninK tney naa none a creau-
able act In the sight of his peers. There
are men as well as women that Ignore
tho company of the opposite sex. There
are parents who unmercifully chastise
their own flesh and blfc-od and think they
aro tearhlntr a verv llmDOrtant lesson.
The-e are men who afnise their wives and
there are wives that abuse their husbands
and they take turn about and abuse
their children. It used to be thought that
to spare the rod was to spoil the child
It used to be thought that the old-fashioned
hickory was the best method of
Instruction In school. And I think It was
those methods of cruelty that are re
sDonsIble for a part of the predominating
condition of affairs today. Now let us all
that favor law and order prescribe a plan
to avert some of the prevailing conditions.
I have had the pleasure of reading Mrs,
Duniway's letter of February C. and she
seems to think that the right of woman's
suffrage Is the only Infallible remedy
But I will beg to differ with tne iaay as
to the ballotbox being the only remedy
for such ills as are set forth in her let
ter. Now. as a rule, tne mosr. rennea ana
enlightened women we have today are not
clamoring for woman s rights, w nat we
want is more parents that are retlned
ladies and gentlemen that are creditable
examples to the rising generation. And
I think it is an absolute necessity mat
the true regard we owe to one another
be impressed upon the mlnas or tne
voune. for it Is a hard matter to make
an old crooked tree to grow straight, hut
a tender sapling can be trained to grow
oulte stralcht- I would like to hear upon
this subject, especially from someone that
Is engaged in teaching. .
A. M. JEST, JR.
Apparently Escaped Attention.
PORTLAND, Or., Feb. 20. (To the Ed
itor.) Will you permit a friendly reader
to remind the elderly lady, who Is reported
to have said at the recent Charities Con
forence that, "When the women vote they
will do away with whisky in short order,"
or words to that effect, that women havi
been voting for 2o years In Wyoming,
ten years in Colorado, and eight years In
Utah and Idaho; and, although it is
claimed by the representative men of all
these states that equal suffrage has every
where raised the moral standard, caus
Ing political managers to put up cleaner
men for office than they did before they
were compelled to consider the woman
vote as a factor in government, this vote
has not "done away with whisky, nor
Continuous Programme
Today at the
HOME OF
VAUDEVILLE
?th and Washington.
TO ANY
SEAT
HEW BILL STARTS-MONDAY
A
R
C
A
D
THREE RENOS
Eccentric Marvels of the
vuiumj ire.
LESLIE AND
LANGTON
In an Original Comedy
Skit.
THREE
IY1ALVERNS
Artistic Acrobats.
JESSIE MORE
Sweet Singer of Illustrated
bongs.
STODDARTAND
WRENN
Promoters of Musical
Novelties.
THE AMERICAN
BIOSCOPE
10c
Moving Pictures of Strange
signis ax .Home ana
Abroad.
TO ANY
SEAT
Continuous BUI
Today 2 to 10:30
10c
E
MARQUAM GRAND THEATER
W. T. PANGLE, RESIDENT MANAGER
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Nights, Feb.
23, 24 and 25, 1904
Special Matinee Wednesday at 2:15 o'CIock
THE
B0ST0
WITH
Henry Clay Barnabee and William H. MacDonald
Tuesday Night
Robin Hood
Wednesday Night
The Serenade
Special Matinee Wednesday at 2:15 o'CIock
ROBIN HOOD
EVEXTXC PRICES Lovrer floor, except Inst 3 row, $2.00; Inst 3 rows,
$1.50. Bnlcony, firxt S rovra, $1.50; second 3 rows, 91.00; last C rows, 75c
Gallery, 75c and 50c. Boxes) and loses, 1 -SO.
SPECIAL MATXXEE PRICES liOvrer floor, except last 3 rovrs, $1.50 ; last
3 row, $1.00. Balcony, first 3 row s, $1.00; nrcond 3 rows, 75c; last G
rowH, 50c. Gallery, 25c and 35c. Seats nrc now selling:. Phone Main SGS.
MARQUAM GRAND THEATER
W. T. PANGLE, RESIDENT MANAGER
Friday and Saturday Nights, February 26, 27, 1904
Popular Price Matinee Saturday 2:15 o'CIock
THE MASTERS OF MIRTH
gSMURRAY&MACK
irt
40 Merry Melodious Fun Makers 40
In the Second Edition of the
Musical Ecstasy
A NIGHT ON BROADWAY
20MusIcal Numbers 20
RICHLY STAGED, HANDSOMELY GOWNED
EVENING PRICES Lower floor, except last 3 rows, $1.00; Inst 3 rows,
75c. Balcony, first G rows, 75c; last C rows, 50c. Gallery, 25c and 35c.
Boxes and loses, $7.50.
POPULAR MATINEE PRICES Adults, 50c; children, 25c to any part
of the theater.
The advance sale of seats will open next Wednesday mornlns at 10
o'clock.
has it made any appreciable attempt in
that direction.
it TrnnJii seem, rather, that equal suf
frage has opened a sort of 'scape pipe for
the emotional "Isms" which rage in the
four prohibition states where women do
not vote. Is It not significant mat prom-
THE BAKER THEATER
GEORGE X. BAKER, Sole Lessee and Manager. PHONE MAIN 1307.
PORTLAND'S FASHIONABLE POPULAR-PRICED PLAYHOUSE.
GEORGE L. BAKER PRESENTS
THE BAKER THEATER COMPANY
Week Beginning Sunday Mat, Feb. 28
The Case of
Rebellious Susan
A Clever, High-Class Society Comedy by
HENRY -ARTHUR JONES
THE FIRST TIME IN PORTLAND AT POPULAR PRICES
NEXT WEEK-THE TWO ORPHANS
CORDRAY'S THEATER
CORDRAY & RUSSELL, MANAGERS.
Portland's popular family theater. Evening prices, 15c, 25c, 35c, 40c and 50c.
Matinee prices, adults 25c; children 10 c. Telephone Main 992.
MIR. PHIL HUNT
Presents Last Season's Big Success
The Romantic Comedy - Drama,
DOWN BY
THE
Interpreted by a Splendid
Company, Including
iViiss Fannie Curtis
SEE The Hlnmlnated Cathedral.
SEE The Electrical Storm at Sea.
SKE The East Haven Light and Rescue.
SEE The Wonderful Electrical Effects.
SEE The Magnificent Scenic Effects.
SEE The Startles Mechanical Effect.
Thursday. Night
(The New Opera)
The Queen of laughter
bltion. whether In local-ontlnn fnrm. m-
as a straight Issue, Is hardly ever htasfl-
of In the enfranchised states? Jr
This is not offered in a spirit of ccntro
versy, hut merely to state a fact which
has evidently escaped the good lads at
tention. . SUBSCRIBER.
SE
A