sr 18 THE . SUNDAY OREGONIAN, POBTLAND, MAY & -iSfll. HOW MUCH OF ANNA EVA FAY IS A FAKE? An Expert Explains Many Things That Seem Mysterious. PRICES were cut to fit the character of the performance in "McFadden's How of Flats" at the Marquam, so there was no cause for complaint from those who expected gilt-edge musical comedy. The chorus was a beauty show, but the singing was mediocre. Jerry Sulli van, as the dwarf, was ludicrous in his grotesque work. There was more novelty In "A Girl From Dixie," which was tuneful, spark ling and well staged. The best .work was done by Clifford Leigh, who was really clever in his portraiture- of an English nobleman, who didn't belong to the haw haw brigade. Many of the songs caught the fancy of the gallery. Conan Doyle's immortal detective, Sher lock Holmes, was the star attraction In "The Sign of the Four" at the Baker Theater, and Howard Gould gave a care fully finished study. Thomas Oberle was sufficiently realistic as Small, the peg legged convict and Teresa Maxwell made a praiseworthy stage adventuress. The tableaux at the end of each act were well worked up. Bucolic melodrama In "The Punkin Husker" held attention at Cordray's and, considering the prices charged, the show Is an excellent one. The best event In the play Is the horse-race scene. George Mor rison was sufficiently funny as the lazy chore-boy. ' The Arcade, Bijou and Orpheum vaude ville theaters had shows of good merit, Interesting and amusing. t "WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES" Farewell Week of Nelll-Morosco Com - pany at the Baker. "What Happened to Jones" will be ho offering of the new Nelll-Morosco Com pany at the Baker Theater this week, be ginning with the matinee today, and 'it will be with the most sincere regret that the numerous patrons of tills popular house, as well as the theater-goers of. the entire city bid farewell to this most ex cellent organization. .For seven weeks It has been presenting a most splendid line of high-class plays which Portland has never before witnessed at popular prices, some of which were entirely new to the city. "What Happened to Jones" is an ex tremely comical farce and deals with the adventures of an Irrepressible hymn-book drummer of that name, who, landing in a small town, naturally attends a prize light which happens to be on and when the place is raided, escapes and follows a certain professor and his young pros pective son-in-law to their home. Things begin to happen right away. The professor In an unfortunate moment, has been inveigled Into attending "In the in terest of science." and now in order to help the drummer escape, lends him a suit of clothes that had arrived for a brother, who is the bishop of Ballarat, and who is momentarily expected home after hav ing been away for a groat many years. The rest of the family enter, and believ ing the drummer to be the bishop, a part Into which ho naturally falls, the difficul ties begin In earnest. The situations and mlxups which follow are little short of wonderful and form as bright and laugh able entertainment as one could desire. "MY WIFE" AT CORDRAY'S. Platt-Stevenson Company Opens a Week's Engagement Today. Commencing this afternoon the attrac tion at Cordray's for Monday, Tuesday, with "Wednesday matinee and night will be "My Wife," presented by the Platt-Stevenson, a sterling organization, which comes to Portland with the indorse ment of critics along the route of its travels. The company Is said to be a well-balanced organization, which gives a clever and Intelligent performance, and the press speaks in a tone of praise for Hayden Stevenson and Miss Mollso Campion, the leading man and leading lady. Each is young and talented and has made notable progress in the tneat rical profession. "My "Wife" Is a modern society play, fuch as the better class of theater-goers always enjoy. It Is presented by the Platt-Stevenson Company In- a. thorough manner, and nothing is left undone to make the story as strong and Interest ing as the author Intended. "East Lynne" will be tne bill for the rest of the week. This is a play which requires no introduction, for Its stand ing on the stage was long ago realized and acknowledged. "East Lynne" has been one of the few stage classics and has caused more damp 'kerchiefs than any otner emotional drama written. "East Lynne" tolls a story which Is ever new and teaches a moral which is always needed. The. leading role of Lady Isabel! is considered the best emotional role on the nlstrlonlc boards, and every lead ing woman of two continents has essayed this difficult' and trying part. During the engagement at Cordray's Summer prices will prevail, and the peo ple of Portland are assured a flne per formance and one worth more than twice the admission. BOER WAR OFFICERS COMING. Gen. Joubert and Captain O'Donnell to Give an Illustrated Talk. Next Tuesday night. May 10. at the Marquam Grand Theater, the Boer war heroes. General G. D. Joubert and Cap tain Sheridan O'Donnell, will give an illus- HARRY MESTAYER, "WITH THE NEW NEILL-MOROSCO COMPANY IN "WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES." AT THE BA KER THEATER. trated talk on the Boer war. Popular jjrlces will prevail. The advance sale of seats will open next Monday morning atj 10 o'clock at the box office of the theater. The Boer war of South Africa Is unique. It stands all by itself In the catalogue of wars. No other war can be compared to it. The Boers were not trained sol diers and yet as fighters and tho ability to win the victory over overwhelming numbers no soldiers in all the world have ever excelled them. In this respect Xeno phon's Immortal ten thousand can more nearly be compared to them. Captain O'Donnell will speak for 25 minutes on "The Tactics and Humorous Incidents of the "War." General Joubert will speak 45 minutes on "The Early Settlement of the oBers In South Africa." Both will be Illustrated with 60 views. OPENING OF THE LYRIC. First Vaudeville Bill Will Be Pre sented Monday Night. The week Lyric theatrical event of the coming will be the opening of the New Theater on the corner of Alder and Seventh. Monday. May 9, at 7:30 P. M. This house has the distinction of be ing the largest and costliest family tha ater on the Pacific Coast, seating. with comfort 700 people. It Is absolutely fire proof, and has five large and easily acces sible exits, and Is positively the safest family vaudeville theater In the city of Portland and on the Coast. The conveni ence of the public has been looked after, and no expense spared when the comfort of the public was being considered. The stage is the largest of any family vaude ville theater on the Coast, and can ac commodate any of the big vaudeville acts easily. Tho bill this week for the opening night will be one of the strongest ever seen in the city, and not one of these acts has ever appeared In Portland before. The programme embraces the highest salaried artist ever brought by any popular-priced house to the city: Arthur & Carlisle's refined comedy sketch team; the Travdolas, jugglers, hoop rollers and head-to-head balancers; Andy Rice, monologlst and Jew Imper sonator: the Great Walsteln, champion roller skater of the world; Raymond G. Baldwin, the baritone soloist and picture melodies, direct from New York; the De Garnos, meteors of the air; Nellie Bruce. In her contortion dance: and last, but not the least, the Great Vitascope pictures, Edison's latest film, the Coast Guards responding to signals of distress taken in actual life, making a great hit in New York and San Francisco. Messrs. Keating & Flood promise much in comfort, attention and high-class talent to the patrons of the Lyric, and every promise will be kept to the letter. One price only, 10 cents. Performances dally from 2:30 to 4:30 and 7:30 to 10:30, Sundays from 2 to 10:30 continuously. Don't forget date of opening, Monday night, May 9, 7:30 P. M. MERRY BILL AT THE BIJOU. Commencing Monday Night, New Vaudeville Programme Is 'Offered. A bill of unusual Interest Is announced for the coming week at the Bijou Theater. The large audiences that have been In at tendance at this handsome new theater are loud in their praise of the attrac tions offered. The handsome new opera chairs that were ordered sometime ago have arrived and patrons may have the pleasure of attending and enjoy every mo ment. Commencing Monday and the entire week the following bill is offered: Lombard Bros., comedy conversational ists; the three Campbells, marvelous jug glers, direct from the Orpheum circuit; Phillips and Merrltt. comedy sketch art ists; Zara and Zara, athletes; Miss Louise Du Pont In illustrated songs, and tho very latest motion pictures on the Vita scope. ARCADE STAR VAUDEVILLE BILL Best Programme of the Season Be gins With Monday's Matinee. The greatest vaudeville bill of the sea son will open at the Arcade Theater, Seventh and "Washington, tomorrow, com mencing with the matinee at 2:15. There will be eight star acts, and owing to the length and diversity of this entertainlng programme the management announces' that the performances will begin at 2:15 and 7:15 P. M. in order to give the show without abridgement. Today the bill is continuous from 2 to 10:80 P. M., and the last performances will be given of last week's diverting programme. Search the world over and no more varied vaudeville programme can be found than that which starts at this theater tomorrow. Olio, producing the electrical sensation. "The Red-Eyed Mon ster." is the headllner. Lola Fawn is a singing soubrette. who appears as "The Girl From Muggsville." "The Musical Hearts" have one of the best acts on the modern stage, producing a musical nov elty act, In which their famous 51000 chimes, the largest ever made, add to the cvarming effect. Paul Stanley is a char acter comedian with as many jokes and nnrttra am a lnrar1 hfl nrfrwxt Aw Aft f that will interest the young folks is that of the Qulnn Trio, the greatest Juvenile auletes that the world has produced. The Qulnns will be the rage among the juvenile population, and a boy will be unlucky Indeed who does not see the clever feats of these youngsters. Starin and Ricklln are two versatile exponents of the laughable comedy sketch. They Introduce many up-to-date specialties and there are no dull .mo ments while they hold the stage. Her bert Carlton will Blng Illustrated songs in a mello- baritone that pleases.. The bioscope with its pictures framed In gold and the vltagraph in the lobby will flash the latest sensations in the moving pic ture world. "Week-day matinees start at 2:15 P. M. and evening performances at 725 P. m. ORPHEUM'S STAR ATTRACTIONS Many New Acts Are Offered on This Week's Bill. The attractions offered by the Orpheum Theater are not of the ordinary and the management arc to be congratulated on offering such excellent features. Many new features are promised for this week. The Austin Sisters, dashing trapeze artists and other popular features which have filled the Orpheum the past week, will continue again this week. The Aherns, balancers: "Waldron Bros., German come dians; Miss Cad Franks, In illustrated songs; John P. Brace & Co., In a new one-act comedy; the original Mullally Sisters: Gibbon and Hale, comedy acro bats; Miss Myrtle Franks, the fashion plate soubrette; the great Arneldo, Port land's favorite; Mae N. Vernon Mont gomery and Canton, musical comedians; Misses Montez and Claus, duettists; George A. and Lizzie Bird; Winters and Summers, eccentric artists and dancers; Mann and Franks and the latest motion pictures complete an excellent bllL - DURBANO'S ITALIAN BAND. ' To Play Engagement of Two Weeka at Washington Park. The Portland public will have another chance to hear Durbano's Italian Band that made such a big hit at the Marquam a short time ago. With today's matinee at 2 o'clock, there begins a two weeks' engagement at Washington Park, Twenty-fourth and Washington streets. Concerts will be given every night, ex cept Monday. Durbano's band is comprised of 32 star musicians and soloists, many of whom played with Creatore and Ellery. Washington Park accommodates SOOO, and owing to this large seating capacity the price of admission will only be ten cents. The park is provided with a large pa vilion and a dance programme will be given after each concert. REQUESTED TO REPEAT PLAY. "Aristocracy," One of Neill-Morosco Company's Most Popular Plays. Hardly a week passes but Manager George L. Baker, or Charles Eyton, who is directing the interests of the new Nelll-Morosco Company, receive requests to repeat some play which they have pro duced recently. Of course it would be Im-Rosslble-to comply with all these requests, though probably If they were numerous enough as to any one play, they would no doubt cause the matter to be seriously considered. "Aristocracy," which was re cently produced by the ne Nelll-Morosco Company, has been considered by a great many people who saw it to be one of the most beautiful and Interesting plays ever presented In Portland, yet the week's busi ness was one of the smallest of the com pany's season, strange as It may seem. Now for the last two weeks, since "Aris tocracy" was closed, letters have been coming In every day, some times two or three a day, signed by prominent Portland people, and requesting that It be repeated before the company closes Its engagement. Appreciating the Interest shown by all the writers of these various letters, the man agement both of the Baker Theater and the Nelll-Morosco Company express1 their regret at not being able to comply with the requests during this engagement of the company, inasmuch as the engage ment closes Saturday night, the 14th, and the production of the last plays, namely, "The Sign of the Four" and "What Hap pened to Jones," had all been arranged for several weeks ahead. These are mat ters, contracts for which must be closed with Eastern people who control .the plays, manuscripts and parts sent out, all scenery painted and rebuilt, and In fact a great many details prepared in advance and which cannot well be changed except at a great extra expense. However, the requests have all been forwarded to Oliver Morosco and George L. Baker, who are now In Los Angeles, and it is quite likely that during the next engagement of the company In Portland they will decide to repeat the play. COMING ATTRACTIONS. Burlesque at the Baker. One of the most Interesting and enjoy able events of the theatrical season In this city will be the appearance of Mo rcsco & Baker's Casino Company in the Weber & Field musical burlesques, com mencing Sunday, May 22. The company Is one of the most perfeot of its kind and Includes some of the best talent ob tainable. Among some of the principals will be Rice and Cady, who have no equals as German dialect comedians, and who have acquired a National reputation in the Weber-Fieldlan roles. Sidney De Gray, a dashing Juvenile comedy artist, has been brought out from the East and Is a versatile artist, being able to sing, dance and act with equal grace and abil ity. Bobby North, who Is unexcelled in character parts, assumes the roles made famous by Sam Bernard, and is a dis tinct success as a Hebrew impersonator. Joseph Dalley assumes the unctuous and Irish-character parts and Is a general favorite with the public Miss Lou Har- l low, late prima donna with the Eastern Chinese Honeymoon Company, appears in the leading female roles. She is a very handsome woman, with a superb figure and a voice of rare quality and sweet ness. Flossie Hope, who charmed the San Franciscans for two years with her won derful dancing, is a member of this com pany, as is also Lillian Levey, a very graceful fancy dancer from Southern Cal ifornia. In addition to these there will be a chorus of dancing, singing and show girls, all young and pretty. From all ac counts of their charms, they will work sad havoc in the bosoms of the Portland young men. Among the earliest burlesques that will bo given are "Fiddle Dee Dee," "Hurley Burley and The Royal Family," "Holty Tolty," and "Twlrly Whlrly." The Four Cohans. Tho Four Cohans and their big com pany, under the management of Mr. Fred Nlblo. In George M. Cohan's latest mu sical comedy, "Running for Office," will be produced at the Marquam Grand Thea ter Monday and Tuesday nights. May 16 and 17. 3f George M. Cohan's always busy brain has produced several new and bright mu sical numbers, and each has been pro nounced a gem by the public. For bril liant, catchy and tuneful airs, Mr. Cohan holds the first premium among the Ameri can songwriters. In "Running for Office" his latest efforts are "The Football Girls," "Sweet Popularity," "Kid Days," "Root, for Riley," "Flirtation on the Boach," "I waat to Go to Paree, Papa," "If I Wero Only Mister Morgan," 'Til Be There at the Public Square," "Reubens on Parade," and others, all of which have caught the public fancy. The production ia splendidly mounted with new and gor geous Bcenery. The advance sale of seats will open next Friday morning at 30 o'clock. Ney Star at Cordray's. Coming to Cordray'B, May 16, Is Isabel Irving, the talented young actress, who Is now starring In a dramatization of Winston Churchill's novel, "The Crisis." Miss Irving is tho second of the big at tractions sent to the Pacific Coast this season by the Independents. "The Crisis" has had a remarkable run in the East and is considered one of the best offerings of the season. "Roger Brothers In London." Klaw & Erlanger's big musical comedy production, "The .Roger Brothers In Lon don." will be the attraction at the Mar quam Grand Theater Friday and Satur day nights, May 20 and 2L -Professor Beggs' Class. Professor Beggs' class of talented pu pils In fancy dancing will give an enter tainment at the Marquam Grand Theater Friday night and Saturday afternoon, May 27 and 28. "Brown's In Town." Among the early attractions booked for Cordray's is Mark Swan's popularJ comeay, "Brown's in Town." There Is a laugh in every line. STAG ELAND. James O'Donnell Bennett, of the Chicago Record-Herald, went to 6ee a cheap "thriller" the other night, and as a result of his expe rience, writes of the melodrama as an Institu tion as follows: "To clear and temper and to sober the pro fessional playgoer's Judgment no experience Is more profitable than attendance upon one of the queer melodramas of contemporaneous life which flourish In the outlying theaters of a large city. "These plays, contemptible as they are by every artistic canon, are not Inconsiderable factors In the amusement field, either financial ly or as a means of entertainment for many thousands of people. They receive scant at tention from the newspapers, and almost never any critical analysis, but, so for as mere num bers are concerned, they certainly interest and amuse as many men and women as do the more pretentious, though no more sincere, plays presented at the standard playhouses, and over which a great critical pother often is made. "Seeing one of these plays and studying one of the audiences that loves them, you will dis cover that the difference between that play and that audience and the play and the audi ence at a theater of loftier pretensions is only a difference of degree. "That In Itself la a thing worth learning. "Knowledge of What la beautiful and true in art may be acquired in two ways: First, by study of only that which is true and flne, and then by Investigation of that which Is neither. The contrast thus afforded will be very helpful. Its chief value Is that It will disclose almost unerringly what Is mendacious In the thing that pretends to truth and beau ty, -but that Is, after all, only mediocrity and fustian masquerading In fine clothes, exalting Itself through absurd puffery, and hiding Us lack of solid qualities beneath a gorgeous scenic Investiture. The one 1 saw was as much a problem play. In its rough, crude, vulgar way. as any drama of the Plneros, the Henry Arthur Joneses, or the Ibsens. It depicted a conflict of human will, the peril of surrender to selfish desires, the war of passions, the clashing of strong, positive natures. Its pathos made the women cry; its comedy roused shouts of laughter; Its moments of suspense held the audience to breathless attention; Its climaxes caused hurri canes of applause. ... ' "There were the extremes of criticism, and In their tittimntft ulernlflpanpi thpv rt!1 nnt differ materially from the comments one hears ) from cultivated playgoers- who give their at tention to the works of, for example. Dr. Ib sen. Mr. Winter's observation for many j ears has been in effect that all Dr. Ibsen's play are 'such a bunch of nonsense.' And, on the other hand, there are women of cultivation and good mentality who pay the tribute of tears to the sorrows of Mrs. Alvlng and of Nora." Many years ago McKee Rankin was managing a stock company In Pittsburg. He resided In the suburbs, and was accustomed to take his train at a small crossing, where the cars for the city slowed up. The gateman at the point became acquainted with Mr. Rankin, and they had many little confabs while awaiting the arrival of the train. One night the railroad man said to Mr. Rankin: "I have an invention which I think is a good thing. I need about $500 to put it In opera tion If you have that amount I will give you a half Interest In It." Mr. Rankin examined the device, and thought It was a good thing, but told the gateman he didn't have the money to Invest Just then. The latter continued to seek his financial aid, but was unsuccessful, and In course of time Mr. Rankin went away from Pittsburg. The actor traveled In foreign lands, and met with his ups and downs, until some time later he returned to Pittsburg to play an engagement. After the performance on the opening night, there came a knock at Mr. Rankin's dressing room door, and In response to his "Come in," a tall, finely dressed gentleman entered. The visitor remarked that Mr. Rankin did not know him, and the latter employed the pet phrase that while his face was familiar, he couldn't Just recall the name. "Don't you remember," said the stranger, "the gateman with whom you chatted when you were managing a stock company here, some years ago?" "Oh, yes," replied Mr. Rankin. "I remem ber you now." "And don't you remember that I wanted you to put in $500 for a half Interest In on Inven tion of mine?" "Tee," said Mr. Rankin. "I do recall tht Incident. How did the thing come out?" "Oh, very good," returned the visitor, and be handed Mr. Rankin bis. card. The actor took a bit of pasteboard, and as ha read the name "George Wcstinghouae," he knew that once he had been offered a half Interest In the famous airbrake for a song, and had let the opportunity slip. Two Portland boys who have met with much success In the theatrical profession are Her bert and A. M. Miller, who are. now visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Miller, at 679 Bast Burnslde street. Herbert Miller, who. by the way, Is only 11) years of age, probably the youngest leading man in the business, has been playing leads with the Bennett-Moclton company through New York State and New Hngland during the past season. He- Is said to be a romantic actor of unusual ability, his favorite roles being Ed win Dantea and Michael Strogoff. He baa also done Jean Gautean in "Sapho." Chauncey Olcott tells of an old negro who was chargrd with having stolen a hog. The facts were all against him. He had no coun sel, and when the Judge asked him If he wanted & lawyer assigned to defend him, he declared that he did not. "But you are entitled to a lawyer." the court explained, "and you might as well have the benefit of his services." "Yoah Honor Would Jeaf gimme some cheap white-trash lawyer," the old darky replied, "and he wouldn't do me no good. If it's Jes de same to Yoah Honor. I'd depen' on de ig n'rance ob de court." Some reformers work In a mysterious manner to effect the regeneration of the race. The ubiquitous Carrie Nation Is now appearing at one of Chicago's most notorious dime museums, and is being exploited In the advertlsemept of the bouse after this, fashion: "If you smoke or drink, come and hear your self abused by Carrie .Nation, the noted Kan sas saloon-smasher the proselyte of prohibi tion the relentless repudlator of rum the con- THAT the transference of thought by means of mental telepathy is possible, few candid people will question, that it is probable an inves tigating public does not hesitate to concede, that it is a certainty we are assured in positive terms by the most eminent psychologists of the world, who, after many years of patient re search and study in psychic phenom ena under most rigid and crucial tests. fprescrlbed by their own directions. have given us as a result of their la bors this important conclusion. The English and American Societies for Psychical Research have divested, spir itism of Its superstitious garb and placed its phenomena under well known scientific laws. All psychic phenomena are classified, as mental and physical, the latter being vary rare aqd difficult to produce, and will not be considered In this brief article. Tho ability to receive mental impres sions is not universal; only a few, speaking comparatively, are possessed of this remarkable power. Anciently they were known as witches, more re cently as mediums, and at present as sensitives. Scientific investigators have reached their conclusions respecting mental telepathy by observing phenomena under rigid tests, wherein leger demain is quite impossible, and dif fer materially from public tests, such as the people of Portland have recent ly witnessed and which are often taint ed with fraud. For this tho public is ,th part responsible because of the ex cessive demands it places upon the sen sitive. Psychologists have discovered that when the conditions are adverse, for ex ample, when the minds of the audience are antagonistic to the claims of the sensitive, the results arc apt to be- very meager. To satisfy the demands of tho people, who would cry failure if only the genuine work were produced, vari ous artifices are resorted to. Among the means most commonly employed arft "signal words" and mechanical de vices by which the questions or other Information are communicated to the sensitive. Signal words, to which may be added TheModernTheatrical Manager No Longer Picturesque, But Strictly a Man of Business RESENT day theatrical man agers make their friends as far as possible among persons out side their own business," says the New York Sun. They like to belong to clubs to which the members of their own profession are rarely admitted. They keep assiduously away from the places to which their as sociates habitually go. Having reached the standing of business men themselves, they seek the society o men of Import ance In other lines of business. Charles Frohraan, perhaps. Is an excep tion to this new tendency. He is entirely absorbed In his business. He lives at Sherry's, in a comfortable, but not lavish, suite of rooms, and usually has a country house, which he occupies in the summer months. He dlne3 usually in the company of one or two congenial friends, generally men of his own busi ness or allied with It, and Is not Infre quently seen In the society of dramatists and actors. When Paul Potter Is In this country he and Mr. Frohman are often In each other's society, and during the Winter that Charles Hawtrey played In New York he and Mr. Frohman were together at dinner In the Holland House nearly every night. But all public dinners he avoids, and even the first nights of his own plays are often given without his presence, because he objects to any kind of publicity. The cuisine at his country house, near Port Chester, Is under the care of a. cor don bleu, whom Mr. Frohman brought from Paris. Here, during the late Sum mer and. early Fall months, after his Lon don business has been completed and be fore the winter season has begun here, Mr. Frohman lives In quiet, and unosten tatious luxury, enjoying his yacht, his automobile and his chef, with his friends, but above all, thinking, talking and hav ing his greatest pleasure out of his busi ness. Daniel Frohman takes more interest In society than any of the other theatrical managers. Until his marriage lasjt Win ter he lived with his sisters on the upper West Side. Now Mr. and Mrs. Frohman divide their time between this home and their unique apartments In the New Ly ceum theater, where they have arranged a suite of attractive living rooms," to which they occasionally resort when they have been kept out late or donot for some other reason care to take the long trip uptown. Mr. Frohman delights In entertaining. He loves to gather his professional friends around him as well as those from society. Sometimes at dinner.' Mr. Frohman gath ers stars enough to supply the entire the atrical syndicate. At one of his dinners last Winter Mr. and Mrs. Sothern, Julia Marlowe, Mr. and Mrs. Faversham, Mr. and Mrs. John Drew, Mrs. Langtry. Clyde Fitch and Henry Miller were among the guests. Mr. Frohman Is devoted to music, and, although not a performer himself, he manages to make music, for he has en deavored to make up for a lack of mu sical education by the possession of nearly every known kind of mechanical appara tus to play the piano. At all of Mr. Frohman's dinners he makes It a point to have as guests sev eral persons who will be Interesting when they are thrown together. He will have, for Instance, two dramatists whose views are not the same on the subject of their profession and who can be relied on to make the conversation brisker by their differences. Sometimes it will be two dis tinguished actors who thus are pitted against each other, and at other times a brace of musicians. Abraham Erlanger, head of the theat centrated castlgator of the cigarette." Kansas certainly should feel proud. Apparently, Manager Shields looked carefully to the matter of color scheme when he en gaged the extravaganza company which will appear at his park this Summer. Trie leading woman, who. by the way, was the prima don na of the Wilbur Opera Company two years ago, the principal soubrette and each of the eight girls who compose the pony ballet have auburn hair. May Edouln was walking down Fifth avenue. In New York with a friend, when they met on Individual to whoos sweeping bow she returned merely a glassy stare. "I thought you knew Blank." remarked her friend. "I do," replied Miss Edouln, emphatically; "I know him well enough to cot him." "Big BUI" Devere, for years famous in "A Black Sheep" and other Hoyt successes, as well as the author of "Walk, You Sucker," and other catchy verses, died In a New York hospital last week. At one time he was Sberl Iff of a wild and woolly Colorado county, and earned a reputation as a gun fighter, He was GO years of age. Ralph Stuart returns to New Tork May 2. for a two weeks' engagement In "By Right of Sword." It will be his farewell appearance In that city the present season. On May 29, In San Francisco, he begins a 20-Week tour of the Pacific Coast. A. M. , Howard is manager of the Howard Dorset Company, on organization well known signal signs or movements, are often . ouiiujcu o) persons wno uo uut even possess the ability to receive mental messages. For example, the supposed sensitive, heins blindfolded, is asked by tho manager, who passes among the audience, "What Is this?" holding up a watch. "What" signifies watch; if the emphasis Is placed on "what," it is a gold watch, if on "this," it is a silver watch, thus employing the same words to indicate different things. A hun dred code words so employed constitute a vocabulary by means of which a vast amount of information may be com municated; and the uses to which such devices may bo put, ar,e many. To illustrate, the questions that people write for a public performance may be roughly classified. They may bo em braced under such subjects as lost arti cles, romance, business ventures, trav el, etc. After I know the contents of a question, X am able by a signal word to convey the general purport of it to the blindfolded sensitive, and while she is discoursing on this I give another hint word that enables her to become more specific, the name having been obtained by other methods. If the sensitive can see me, signs may be employed instead of words. I was one of a committee of three to go upon the stage to witness the cabinet work during one of Miss Fay's per formance's. After the cloth was pinned about our necks, I put one hand back into the cabinet. This interfered seri ously with the movement of the tam bourines and the guitar. The manager was signaled to and, stepping near to me, requested mo to keep my hands with the other gentleman's to my left. The mechanical devices for communi cating with the sensitive are many and are varied to conform to the theater In which the performance Is held. Tablets or pads of sensitized paper on which the pencil makes carbon-like, yet Invisible, impressions, are sometimes used. These being developed reveal the question writ ten on the leaf next to them, which the writer retains. The following example illustrates an other method. During one evening of Miss Fay's work, things were not moving smoothly while the questions were belngH answered; conditions seemed to be ad verse. Several names were called In quick succession, and answers deferred for a few minutes. The manager who had collected the written questions from rical trust and partner of Marc Klaw, has. since the election of his brother to be Sheriff, associated more and more with politicians, and his theatrical friends out side of his business relations, are few. He lives far up on the West Side. Hls'wjfe is Interested. in many charities of the church to which she belongs, and is also an active promoter of other benevolent enterprises. Mr. Erlanger is powerful man to look at, although not tall, but he is much stronger even than his appearance sug gests. He has a trainer who works with him regularly, and when he made hl3 first trip to Europe a few months ago, he took his trainer along, rather than miss his exercise during the trip on the steamer. Like Al Hayman, he represents the high est degree the modern conception of the theater manager. He is a man of busi ness, Just as a banker or a merchant There Is none of the old-time suggestion of bohemlanlsm about the theater man ager of the day. Mr. Hayman, who Is commonly reputed to be the richest man in the business, spends part of his time in this country and part of It In Europe, traveling in his yacht or resting at one of the foreign spas. Think of such a course of life and the theater manager of 25 years ago. Marc Klaw, who Is associated with Mr. Erlanger In the control of the theatrical syndicate, lives In Winter In an apartment-house uptown with his two sons, and in the Summer goes to his house at New Rochelle. He Is devoted to the edu cation of the two boys, with whom he spends most of his spare time. One of them has artistic talent and is to be a, painter so soon a3 he Is old enough to go to Paris to begin his studies. Ho Is not yet sufficiently mature. In the opinion of hl3 father, who Is probably not unaf fected by his desire to keep the boy near him as long as possible. But Mr. Klaw has almost decided to allow him to go to Paris next Fall. David Belasco, who Is unlike the rest of these men in that he controls every artistic detail In his theater as well as Its business features, conforms much more to the older Idea of the manager. The tendency of theatrical affairs In re cent years has been to concentrate the business end of the enterprise In the hands of a manager and to hire the best artistic talent available to direct the ar tistic phase of the business. But Mr. Belasco, like Augustln Daly, looks after his theater from one end to the other, and that makes for him an entirely different kind of life from that which his col leagues are able to lead. He cannot be In his office all day, but must wander from his paint galleries to his cellar when he Is preparing the pro duction of a new play. At such times he literally lives in his theater. He keeps his actors there with him much of the time, but even in their hour of recreation he is compelled to be occupied. Hlo home is on the upper West Side, and there, with his wife and two daugh ters, he spend his moments of leisure. He Is usually in the office of his theater until late every night, going through the details that he has had no time for dur ing the day. He often has his assistants come to him there late at night that he may have greater quiet to discuss with them some feature of a new play. It may be some novel scene that he has thought of and wants to talk over with his scene painter or It may be that a novel effect has sug gested Itself to him and he wants to dis cover from his stage carpenter if it is practicable. While he conforms in more ways than any of his colleagues to the traditional Idea of a theater manager, he is not In the least lacking In business aenmon on 1 In his management of his Interests during In the Middle West and South. The brothers will remain here until the middle of July when they will return East to resurat taint ments. Arrangements are now being perfected foi the appearance In America next eeason of Tomaso Salvlnl. the great Italian tragedian, and Portland may be included In the tour. Duse is also a possibility for next season. ' Robert B. Mantell U having so much success in "The Light of Other Days" that his tour has been extended to July 1. He begins his next eeason October 1, in New York, with an elaborate revival of "Hamlet." . E. H. Sothern's coming engagement in "The Proud 'Prince" Is his last appearance in this city In any role except a Shakespearean one, as for the next five years he appears In Shakespearean plays entirely. With Richard Mansfield, E. H. Sothern, Mel bourne McDowell, Rodgers Brothers, Leslie Carter. Maude Adams and Isabel Irving yet to come, the local theatrical reason promises to end In a blaze of glory. The San Francisco Dramatic Star recently publlshed an excellent likeness of William Ber nard. ofi the Baker forces, and labeled It George Allison. They might at least have printed Mr. Alison's came correctly. Frank Dupree, who became famous 20 years ago as the author of "Lasca." which was orig inally published in the San Francisco Argo the audience frequently paused" at tho bear-robe covered step leading to the stage. On this he placed his hand, palm downward, and leaned upon It as if to rest. Immediately after the curtain low ered, accompanied by some friends, I went to -this step and examined it. Precisely where the manager had placed his hand, and concealed by the hair of the robe, we found an opening had been made in- the board about six inches long and one and a half inches wide. We pulled the plug out and found that It had been hinged on tho under side by means of tacks and a piece of leather. After the question or a brief! of it is behind the sqene It may be easily communicated to the sensitive. The blind folding of the eye, scholars assure us, seems to be of material assistance, but the use of a. large sheet to cover the en tire body to better "retain the magnetism about her person" seems to have escaped the notice of psychologists who make a specialty of thl3 kind of work. During the last evening of -Miss Fay's performance, the hole In the 3tep was not used. We- obtained the following data: In thirty-two minutes flfty-nlno different names were called, fifty-four questions were read, a few verbatim, and three incorrectly, and fifty answers given. Fourteen questions were read before they left the questioner's hand. Earlier In tho evening about half a dozen large paste board pads had been passed among tho audience on which to place paper while writing the questions, but they were not generally used. The large cabinet work occupied seven minutes, and the small cabinet sixteen minutes. Her cabinet work Is quite clever. Tp understand It one should take Into account Miss Fay's physique, her frail, delicate form and the fact that years of experience make one an adept at this kind of work. Ince but few of her pa trons were interested in this phase of her entertainment, a further discussion of It Is superfluous. In conclusion I wish to call attention to another class of exhibitions usually termed "mind reading." A committee takes some object and hides it, going and returning by different circuitous routes. The operator being blindfolded seizes the hand or wrist of one of the committee and proceeds on foot or by team In a crowded street to find the object. The spectators think It mind-reading, but it Is not. The man whose wrist he holds un consciously moves his arm the way tho operator should go. It Is simply "muscle reading." FRANK: J. VAN WTNKT.re recent -years he has revealed the posses sion oi great Dusmess skiii. Vi nen the business of the day, or rather of the night, is over, Mr. Belasco, who is as abstemious as he Is untiring, usually goes with one or two intimate friends to a chop-house on the West Side to eat a frugal meal before going to bed. He Is so likely to be at his theater by 9 o'clock the next morning that his employes have a theory that he never sleeps. The two Shubert brothers are the new est comers In metropolitan management and are the youngest that ever played so Important a part In theatricals here. They live at an apartment hotel and are to be seen almost every night in a chop house to which members of their profes sion often resort. They sit usually about a table with some members of their business staff, discussing vast achievements for future plans. With the enthusiasm of begin ners, they enjoy the night side of theat rical life In New York in a way that men longer In the business would find Impos sible. William A. Brady Is another enthusias tic patron of this uptown chophouse and is usually found with the two young man agers, with whom he is associated In business. Harrison Gray Flske devotes part of his time to the management of the Man hattan Theater and is usually found In the places that other managers do not frequent, since he is as a rule at war with them. He lives In a hotel on Madi son avenue, where hls-wife also makes her home when In the city. Mr. FIske's diversions are chiefly literary, and he has time In spite of the duty of conducting a newspaper and managing a theater to try his hand at playwrlting occasionally. Jacob Lltt lives in Yonkers and spends much of his time there, delegating his duties in managing the Broadway in a large measure to his lieutenants, with whom he keeps in constant touch. Oscar Hammerstein, the most pictur esque among all the theater managers and the one who has built most theaters, hves with his family on the upper East Side when he is not in his theater. He has also rooms at his theater and has fre quently lived in them for a month at a time. He has been in the theater almost con tinuously now for the past three weeks engaged in planning the new Summer sensation for his roof garden, the nature of wnlch is a profound secret. If It is a failure nobody will be so quick to ad mit It as Mr. Hammerstein. Ho is different from other managers in that particular also. He has been heard while watching his roof garden pro gramme to make amusing criticisms of the artists he engaged abroad and found disappointing. Once he came up to a Sun reporter. "Isn't that fellow rotten?" he observed In passing. "And to think that I am pay ing nim $100 a week! Isn't it robbery?" In addition to his theatrical interests, Mr. Hammerstein has his inventions that keep him occupied, and he has a com plete workshop in his theater. He Is rarely seen In any other theater, and any "Who's Who" biographer who tried to name his diversion would find it difficult. He has none outside of his work. Alf Hayman, who Is a member of the Frohman forces, made his appearance unostentatiously as a theater manager this year with the most successful musi cal farce of the Winter, and Is destined soon to be a more Important operator. He has as his principal pleasure golf, which he has played for some years with greater, skill than the average. C. B. Dillingham, who has in West Fifty-ninth street one of the handsomest bachelor apartments In town, is devoted to automcblling and has three machines that represent a cost upward of $40,000. He has a handsome country house at White Plains, which he occupies for as much of tne Summer as he does not spend in London. naut. Is now stage managing DeWolf Hoppera revival of "Wang." The dramatization of Lew Wallace's "The Prince of India" has been given to J. I. c. Clarke, and the jlay wHl probably be produced during the coming season. The Rogers Brothers' aggregation, which la underlined for Portland In the near future, travels in a special train of 12 cars. During the week of May 23 the Bostonlana will play their -iast engagement In New York as a complete organization. Mrs. Flske once wrote a play entitled "The Rose." which was successfully produced by Roslna Vokes. Joseph Jefferson's present five-week tour end ed last night. He goes to Buzzard's Bay for the Summer. Julia Marlowe Is appearing in New York In her revival of "When 'Knighthood Was in Flower." Maude Adams will be seen In but 35 -performances during her forthcoming Pacific Coast tour. Frederick Warde filled an Episcopal pulpit at Toledo, O., on a recent Sunday night. Clyde Fitch has written a musical comedy for Hattle Williams and Sam Bernard. Madame Modjeska is lecturing on dramatlo. art in the various California cities. i