f
,20
THE SUNDAY OREGOSTLA&, r jgORTlrAm),;. XnGffST 21, t 1904.
onenlnsr of the season as she has a lares
number of bookings and it is possible that
she will be heard as far West aa the.
Pacific Coast.
mf.mmwneu. i it-am mmm jt immmm-y (m,r11:. -wrd f . bb
AT ?7f Slfcze
VAUDEVILLE has reigned supreme
in Portland theatricals the past
week. The 10-cent shows have
caught the popular fancy, and the bills
offered by the various houses have "been
full of refreshing novelties. Cordray's
is the first, of the regular houses,
throwing open Its doors this afternoon
with "A Runaway Match." Next Sun
day the Baker Theater opens with
"Cleopatra," and September 4 the stock
company of the Columbia Theater will
give its initial performance. For its
opening the Empire Theater has an
nounced "The Inside Track," a popular
melodrama. The Marquam Grand will
be dark until September.
CORDRAY'S FARCE COMEDY.
A Clever Attraction and a Prize for
Criticism Offere'd Here.
This (Sunday) afternoon Cordray's
Theater will reopen for a brief prelim
inary season with "A Runaway Match,"
a very clever and bright farce comedy.
Not only this, but the management will
begin Its policy of offering a prize of
$25 In. gold for the best criticism which
any person shall make in writing con
cerning the current attraction.
"A Runaway Match" concerns the
tribulations of a father and son and
their matrimonial entanglements, the
father infatuated with the daughter
and the son In love with the widowed
mother. The two couples secretly ar
rive at a quaint country hotel, each at
first in ignorance of the presence of the
other. The old gentleman gradually
tires of his youthful love and the son
begins to weary of his aged fiance,
each endeavoring to conceal the fact
from the other. Finally the father
plans to- elope with his son's sweet
heart and the son resolves on stealing
away his father's prospective bride.
They are assisted in their designs by
the head man of the hotel, who gets
things very badly mixed up, but who
is ever at hand to help the parties out
of their many trpubles. In their at
tempts to get away from each other
the plot is further thickened by the
irate landlady whose bill has not been
paid and who, with the village Con
stable, is after them both. In order to
maintain their credit with their re
spective sweethearts father and son
fight a mock duel and the whole affair
ends when the two couples are proper
ly mated to the merry jingle of wed
ding bells. The show is further en
livened by the interpolation of many
attractive specialties. The cast is ex
cellent and the whole show worthy In
every respect.
THE STAR.
Cyclone Will Ride the Devil's Chim
ney,, a Sensational Feat. j
The roost sensational act In vaudeville
as well as the highest salaried will be at
the Star Theater this week, beginning
Monday afternoon. Cyclone, the great
bicyclist, will ride up the Devil's Chimney,
a feat that excels in interest and thrilling
powers tho famous loop-the-loop sensa
tion and the life-leap over the gap. A
huge cylinder. 16 feet high. Is placed on
the stage, and "Cyclone," the daring per
former, rides round and round at dizzy
.speed on the inside until he mounts In
..spiral circles to the top. Here ho spins
a few moments on his bicycle and then
plunges downward again amid the most
enthusiastic applause.
The other acts, on the new programme
include everything good. Paquita and
' Los Majos, the Spanish whirlwind dan
cers and musicians, will surely entrance
the audiences. McCarver and McCarver
are two colored comedians who have com
plete control of the Joke trust. Their
.rapid-fire witticism will give the hearers
not one minute in which to rest from
laughing. James McGrath is a "new
style of laughmaker who sends his "audi
tors into ecstasies of joy by simply telling
them stories. Not to hear him Is to miss
one of the funniest ten minutes of your
life.
A dashing soubrotte, pretty and chic, 13
Grace Darnley, who will sing and dance.
Will C. Hoyt, the popular baritone, has
chosen a new and beautiful illustrated
song, and Edison's great projectoscope
will close the bin with a series of new
' and graphic films.
: Today concludes the present week's ex
cellent bllL
COLUMBIA STOCK SEASON.
.Opens September 4 With Marguerite
Merrlngtbn's "Captain Lettarblalr."
All those who keep in close touch with
theatrical matters will understand why
the announcement of the personnel of the
Columbia Theater Stock Company cre
ated such a furore. The reason is plain,
fpr .no such association of famous artists
lias ever been seen in stock on the Pa
cific Coast, and seldom ever in the coun
try. Those who compose it and will
make their initiatory bow to the Port
land public on Sunday, September 4 In
"Captain Letterblalr" are: Cathrlne
Countiss, Edgar Bourne, Rose Eytinge,
Donald Bowles. Louise Brands, William
Dills, Kitty Dwyer, George Bloomqulst,
Anna Roberts, Scott Seaton, "Edith Angus,
George Berrell, Roy Bernard, M. Cytron
and B. Grassby. The direction of the
stage will be in charge of William Ber
nard, and the scenery for each production
will be- painted by Frank King, of New
York, who has been especially engaged
for the purpose. The members of the,
company are arriving from the East dally
and rehearsals will commence on August
24. Seats for the season are now selling
at Rowe & Martin's drug store, from 11
to 3 P. M., and at the box-office from 7
to 8 P. M., a public reception being given
each evening at the latter hour, when
those who desire may inspect the hand
somest theater on the Coast.
THE LYRIC.
The Coming Week Will Be One of the
Most Memorable of the Summer.
When tne matinee, begins Monday after
noon the Lyric management will intro
duce another offerlng of select vaudeville
for the consideration of its thousands of
patrons and promises that all advance
representations will be more . than realized."-
The bill. In line with the Lyric's
advanced policy, is worthy the patron
age of every theatergoer in tne city.
The programme presents first the Four
Mortons, comedy club-jugglers In the best
act of the kind now before the public;!
Walton, the famous Chinese imperson
ator, whose imitations of the types to be
seen in Chinatown are inimitable, his
most successful bit of work being a Chi
nese tragedy which he presents, appear
ing as a number of different Celestial
characters; Whitehead and Diamond, the
singers., comedians, dancers and acrobats,
come" next, and are certain "of an Instant
lilt; Thomas W. Ray, the sweet-voiced
tenor, will sing .illustrated ballads; the
Two Fantas, in their funny comedy act,
introducing their Irresistible little pig
comedian, "Mike," will have an impor
tant place on the list; Murry Smith, the
character singer, will appear In his lat-"
est feature, "The Colorado Strike." and
the vitascope will conclude with views
of the "Landing of Columbus." Contin
uous performances today from 2 until
10:SO P. M.
THE ARCADE.
Mexls and Mexis, the Clown Juggler
and the Clown . Dog This Week.
A clown juggler and a clown dog will
be one of the most enjoyable acts at
the Arcade Theater, beginning Monday
afternoon. They are Mexls and Mexls,
and the turn they do Is one of the hits
of the vaudevile season in every city
presented.
Ranee Smith Is a monologist. Some
monologlsts are not very funny. They
don't make people laugh. Ranee Smith
is the other kind. McKeever and-Sandy
are two sketch artists who will intro
duce among other specialties a new and
humorous boxing act
Laughter galore marks the entrance
upon the stage of the Electric Trio,
three comedians whose lifetime has
been spent in the study of merry-making.
That they thoroughly understand
their business is shown by the storm
of applause which greets them. Peo
ple who like to laugh will have every
opportunity to do so during this act.
A new illustrated song will be of
fered by Kate Coyle, tho well-known
contralto, who is such a strong favor
ite with Arcade audiences, and tho
bioscope will flash thrilling scenes
from real life upon the canvas.
Today ends the present week's en
joyable bill.
THE EMPIRE OPENING.
Weldemann Season Begins August
28 With "The Inside Track."
The opening of the Empire Theater,
under the management of Tom Welde
mann, will occur Sunday, August 28, at
a matinee, the attraction being an elab
orate production of Oliver, Dowd Byron's
sensational melodramatic " success. "The
Inside Track." The company Is one of
the best ever organized for similar work,
and the prices will be -popular. During
the season a large number of the highest
class melodramas will be presented, and
the , company expects to win a host of
friends and admirers in Portland, as it
has elsewhere.
THE BIJOU.
Famous Ballet Head the New Bill of
Sixth-Street House.
Something out of the ordinary for a
vaudeville theater will be presented at
the Bijou this week, commencing with
the matinee performance tomorrow after
noon. Zinn's pony ballet, the girls who
made Shield's "Park famous, the maidens
of the auburn locks, have been encased
for the Bijou. They will put on their
brightest and prettiest dances. As a well
trained group of dancers, these girls are
without a par on the Pacific Coast.
There's five of them, and each is a won
der. Trainor and Button, comedy-sketch
artists, are two of-the best-known expert,
eccentric and grotesque dancers in
vaudeville. The Kelleys, two clever men,
are great character-sketch actors. Lord
and Rowe are black-face comedians of
renown with all the brightest and newest
tricks. Miss Dollie Castle will take the
place of Edna Foley, as the Bijou's singer
of the ever-popular illustrated songs. The
vitascope will show pictures of Russian
soldiers on their way to the seat or war.
Shows every afternoon and evening.
"CLEOPATRA" NEXT- WEEK.
Baker Theater Box Office Will Open,
for Sale Tomorrow.
"Cleopatra" win be the first of the Sar
dou plays which "Melbourne MacDowell is
to produce at the Baker Theater, com
mencing a week from today. The box
office of the Baker Theater will open to
morrow morning, and reservations may
then be made. This Is the first time that
the dramas of the great French author
and dramatist have ever been presented
In Portland a other than top prices.
Tho production of "Cleopatra" will be
the same as wheh this famous play was
given In this city by the late Fanny "Dav
enport, at which time Mr. MacDowell
played Marc Antony, the same role he
Is to assume next week. The title part
will be played by Miss Charlotte Deane,
formerly In the support of E. EL Sothern,
and other stars. The drama calls for
elaborate and especially extensive stage
decoration, and this department Is In
charge of Frederick Esmelton, who for
several years was stage manager for Mr.
MacDowell.
STAGELAND.
Miss Dorothy Tcnnant has been engaged
by Henry T. Savage to play tho title role in
George Ade's new comedy, "The College
Widow." Miss Tennant Is a native of San
Francisco, and has been on the stage only
three seasons. Her first engagement was In
"Lover's Lane," and for two seasons she was
leading woman for Robert Edeson in "The Sol
dler of Fortune" and Hanson's Folly." Last
year she played "Mary, Queen of Scots." with
Miss Bertha Galland. George Ada is expected
to arrive on Monday to attend the rehearsals.
Notices were sent out last week by Weber
& Fields to all the members of the stock
company to report for rehearsal to Ben Teal
on Baturday morning. August 27. Miss Anna
Held, who sails from Cherbourg on August
17, will be at the first rehearsal. The new
offering by Edgar Smith and Maurice Levi
is to be produced in the latter part of Sep
tember.
Melvln G. Wlnstock, well known in Port
land 15 years ago, when he was a- member
of tho editorial staff of The Ore&onlan, ar
rived from New York last week, to renew
his citizenship here. He comes aa the per
sonal representative of W. M. Russell, and
with Mr. Cordray will direct tho fortunes of
the house here. Mr. Russell's increasing
theatrical interests makes it necessary for
him to he absent from Portland a greater
portion of the time, and Mr. Wlnstock will
look njter his business here and will prac
tlce his profession, that of law, making i
specialty of theatrical coses. Mr. Wlnstock
is a writer of note, being the author of
"A Modem Hercules." a novel; "Otoyo" and
"The Guardian of tho Sword," the latter
dramas.
Madame Janauschck was removed last
week from the Actors Fund Home on Stat
en Island, to the Brunswick Home, at Amity
, ville, L. L, which is a fine institution, espe
ciauy designed for those afflicted, with in
curablo maladies. The removal, from the
Fund Home was necessary because of Mad
am Janauschek's helpless condition and her
need of constant medical attention. While
her condition 1b serious, it is not, at the
present time, alarming. The Actors' Fund
will, of course, support Madame Janauschek
at tho Brunswick Home.
. . . '
Nat C Goodwin writes from Ostend, Bel
gium, that the waters have rejuvenated him
and that he will sail for America on Sep
tember 7, opening his season at Powers'
Theater, Chicago, on October 3. in an elab
orate production of I. X. Norris comedy.
"The Usurper."
Jefferson Winter and Mrs. Winter (Elsie
Leslie) ore engaged for Joseph Jefferson's
company next -season. Mr. Winter will act
Captain Absolute and John Peeryblngle and
Vr, wintar -will ixsutra ttuk 7Vltlon at lead-
7
ing lady, playing Lydla Languish and other
leading parts.
www
Hose Eytinge is meeting with splendid suc
cess in the organization of her school of
acting, and Is besieged with applicants who
ore desirous of learning tho way to fame
behind the footlights' from .this consum
mate artist and admirable instructor.
Olga Nethersole Is working for the lease
of a West End theater In London. Should she
get it, she will begin her season with an
adaptation by W. L. Courtney, of Paul Her
vleu's "Le Dedale," which was produced at
the Theater Francals last season.
Fortune Spent in Dramatic Enterprises
Theatrical Managers of Metropolis Risk $500,000 on Forty New Productions.
EW YORK, Aug. 15. (Special Cor
respondence.) Between things mu
sical and dramtlc New Yorkers will
hardly be lost for entertainment, and an
on-looker can hardly refrain from won
dering how the different enterprises can
possibly come out successfully on the
financial side. However, some of them do
and most of them don't. The dramatic
enterprises aro always less dangerous
than those of a musical nature, as It may
well be understood that the musical audi
ences are much more limited. It Is also
worth noting that visitors In the city
attend theaters, whereas few of them
ever find their way Into the concert hall.
The cause of this strengthens the theory
that people need music to learn to love
It, and the reason that visitors rarely
bother about attending musical attrac
tions is that they have not In their own
homes enough music to become devoted
to the art, and being In New York, where
the opportunities are the best in America,
they neglect availing themselves of these
chances because they are not sufficiently
hungry for music to give up lighter and
more frivolous amusements as long as
time is limited.
It is estimated by those on the Inside
that the 40 new productions which will be
represented in New York at the open
ing of the season will cost at least calcu
lation $500,000. In tho face of such an
outlay there must be a. reasonable chance
of an Income in proportion, and the man
agers are less fearful of the "election
year" than are those .that talk about it
so much.
We will now find out what the scourlngs
of the managers have brought them, and
at the end of the coming season we may
have discovered a new star or two and
a new playwright whose work may be
regarded as more than ephermeral. But
remember, I only say "may," not "will."
The drama labors under a great many
disadvantages in the present day, the
causes of which may be found rather in
the character and tendencies 'of the age
Itself than in shortcomings of either
playwright or actpr. We are very matter
of fact these days, and both plcturesque
ness and emotions have been relegated
to the shelf. We are very practical; those
who are Jiot practical are decried as "sen
timental," and In this hour and age een
timentallsm Is a weakness that finds Its
most energetic antagonists among women.
There is, however,, one pronounced dan
ger in this, and It Is that the "one touch
of nature that makes all mankind kin" is
stamped as "unwomanly" and significant
of weakness, while the mawkish, snivel
ing sentimentallsni that those who work
in the higher lines of thought are try
ing to eradicate, reigns as powerfully as
ever. Everything lies In differentiation,
and that Is the stumbling-block in every
line of art, of science, and of thought.
The first quality i that belongs to art
y - xrJiT
Russell Reed, late of- the stock company at
Te Liberty Playhouse, Oakland, arrived in
the city Friday, and will play Juveniles with
the Empire Stock Company-
Edna May sailed from London last Friday
for New York on the Cedrlc, to appear in
"The School Girl" at Daly's Theater, Sep
'tenber 5.
Catherine Countiss and Frederick Baume,
who will play leads with the Columbia stock,
are expected to arrive from New York to
morrow. Manager R. G. Welch, of the Columbia,
that should, Indeed, be inherent to art
Is beauty. We are very far away from
the acceptance of this theory, as the real
ist has made it impossible for us to deny
his demands while he has worked with
such a deft hand that we have been
compelled to see ugly things, really hor
rible things, as works of art. Not alone
has this come powerfully Into the drama,
but also Into music; vide, much of Rich
ard Strauss' realism. We accept prob
lems Instead of drama and feel that we
are Intellectually advancing, If we accept
revolting truths, if you will, without a
flinch or a wry face.
The plays of the season will, as usual,
Include musical comedy, which Is for the
.greater part neither musical nor good
comedy. It Is, however, to be hoped that
at least the plays written for Schumann
Helnk and Frltzl Scheff will have an ele
ment of both.
For the rest the playwrights repre
sented will be Henry Arthur Jones, A4
W. Pinero, Robert Marshall, Israel Zang
will, Haddon Chambers, J. M. Barrie and
R. C. Carton among the English, and the
Americans Include Augustus Thomas,
Clyde Fitch, William Gillette. Paul Potter..
Henry Guy Carleton, Sydney. Rosenfeld
and Madeleine Lucette Ryley. France
will be represented by Sardou, Batallle
and a few French farces.
It Is too early to speculate upon the
musical situation, which, to judge by all
signs, will be very sadly overworked.
There are a few sensational successes to
be expected and scores of fiat failures.
Of course we will have tho' opportunity
to hear the famous Garde Republlcaine
Band, which Is the greatest organization
of its kind In France, and from Franco
we will also have the veteran organist,
Alexandre Gullmant.
Among the pianists of real noto there
are three who stand In eminent relief.
These are Eugen D'Albert, Vladimir de
Pachmann, and Josef Hofmann two Rus
sians and a (?), for that is the way we
must designate D'Albert, who is not r
German and not a Frenchman. It Is be
lieved that he is Engll3h, but after what
was considered unkind treatment In Eng
land it Is said that he renounced the
country and there la in consequence a
delightful mystery about him. Hofmann
needs no Introduction, nor does De Pach
mann. Still of this last pianist there Is
little known except what he is today.
That Is perhaps all that directly concerns
the people, yet they are always eager for
details of a man in the eye of the public,
and usually De Pachmann Is very much
in the public eye. This bunch of eccen
tricities was born at Odessa. His first
teacher was his father, a professor at the
University of Odessa and an amateur vio
linist. At 18 Vladimir became a pupil at
the Vienna Conservatory of Music, where
he studied under Professor Dachs, obtain
ing the gold medal, after which he re
spent last week In San Francisco, whero he
went on theatrical business.
Manager W. M. Russell left last Thursday
for v Seattle and other Sound cities to look
after his business interests.
Williams and Walker, the famous colored
comedians, will bring "In Dahomy" to Port
land during tho season.
Lillian Kemble has been engaged for the
leading business with the Castle Square
Stock, Boston.
Richard Carlo, in "The Tenderfoot." is un
derlined for the Marquam early in the season.
turned to Russia. His appearance In con
cert was successful as far as the public
Is concerned, but It was evidently not to
his own satisfaction, as he withdrew for
eight years for the purpose of study. He
married a Chicago pianlste by the name
of Mieg Margaret (she was better known
as Maggie) Oakey, and what a musical
wife meant to De Pachmann. who is
even jealous of the memory of Chopin,
may be better Imagined than described.
Suffice It to say that afterwards Mme. de
Pachmann became the wife of Labor!, 'the
noted lawyer who defended Dreyfus. It
Is told as fact, not fancy, that while La-
bo rl's ename was upon everybody's lips
during De Pachmann's last visit In this
country he was heard to exclaim: "Oh, I
love that man Laborl; he Is such a good
husband to my wife and so good to my
two children."
D'Albert will bo accompanied by his
wife, Mme. Fink-D'Albert. who Is a dis
tinguished singer. His former wife was
Teresa .Carreno, and however beautiful
the present Mme. D'Albert may be, and
she la, there Is no comparison to the
beauty of Carreno, who is one of the
noted beauties still. And by a coincidence
Sauret, the eminent French violinist, will
also make a short tour. The coincidence
referred to Is the fact that he too num
bered among tho husbands of Mme. Car
reno. M. Sauret Is living In this country
and Is at the head of the violin depart
ment of one of tho Chicago musical col
leges. Among the violinists there will be Eugen
Yeaye and Fritz Krelsler, whose light will
not be dimmed even with the Belgian anj
the French violinists to be reckoned with.
Kreisler Is a rare artist and one with
colossal fascinatlorj. There will also be
the prodigy but sufficient unto the day
Is the story. Prodigy talent is at best of
little Interest to me, however It I3 said
that little Veecey Is a notable and that
he has remarkable powers. The prodigy
is a species that should not be allowed
to run wild as that is the beginning and
the end of itself and a bad example to
others.
Anton Hekklng will be the 'cellist par
excellence and he Is one of the very few
.very great ones.
Among those to make places for them
selves here will be the pianists Da Motta,
Otto Voss. and Ernest Schelling, the lat
ter of whom will assuredly do so, as he
has an enviable European reputation. Tho
country will be fairly flooded with sing
ers; all of the old opera singers who
are not re-engaged will make concert
tours on their own responsibility. Among
theee will be Edouard DeReszke. Mme.
Gadski, Campanari. Bicphoam, Melba,
Nordlca, and probably Calve and Emma
Eames. Adele Aus der Ohe, who may be
regarded as a resident of America now.
sailed for Europe to arrange for the first
public performance in Berlin of a new
piano concerto by -this very talented
woman. She, however, will be back at the
One of the most Interesting events
abroad was the revival In Pari3 of the
opera "The Bat," better .known as "Die
Fldder-maus," by Johann Strauss, the
great and only waltz king; Never an me
history of music was there mora con
fusion than upon the subject of the
Strausses, and the ignorance shown
would seem Incomprehensible If it were
not so widespread. Why the old waltz
king should be confused either with Rlch
ard Strauss or with Edouard Strauss, who
made a tour in this county three years
ago, la beyond understanding. Dr. Rich-
ara Strauss I have discussed at length In
this paper. Edouard Strauss made .an un
successful tour with a foreign orchestra
purporting to give much the same sort or
entertainments that Johann Strauss, the
waitz King, iormerly presented. No mat
ter now we have come to record dance
music. Johann Strauss must be regarded
as one of the greatest musicians of this
day and since his death there has been
very little that could compare with the
waltzes that rang from one end of the
world to the other. Johann Strauss was
a great character, and he was the em
bodiment Of the race Of "Mntrvnrw tr
which he belonged! The waltz reached
Its highest point with Strauss at the head
or ms orchestra leading it through the
mazes of the "Beautiful Blue Danube,"
"The Artist's Life," "Thousand and One
Nights," and all those waltzes whose very
names Dnng oacK memories of the day
when the waltz stood for grace and genu
ine art in dancing. That day la passed,
but the Strauss melodies still remain.
Klchard Strauss is In no way related to
the Strausseg of lighter music, but Jo
hann Strauss, the older Josef Strauss,
and the younger Edouard Strauss are of
the samo family.
It would not be surprising if "The
Bat" were presented this season in Amer
ica. Last year Rudolph Aronson made
the attempt to secure the rights for this
country. EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
W S Gilbert Gains
Riches in Operas
Now Living a Life of Luxury
in England.
Chicago Chronicle.
PRECISELY two months ago, Miss
Blanche Ring, the young star of
"Vivian's Papas" at Powers', whose
performance has found many admirers
In Chicago, was singing the leading role
In tho comic opera, "The Love Birds"
at the famous Savoy Theater, on tha
Strand, London, the home of all the great
successes of that famous firm, Gilbert
& Sullivan.
"As I, roamed about the corridors and
the side scenes of the Savoy," confided.
Miss Ring yesterday, "I was almost pre
pared to have the ghost of 'Patience,'
'Iolanthe,' "The Pirates of Penzance or
'The Mikado' suddenly loom forth, beforo
me and ask me by what right I, an
American girl, dared strut about the
stage in the glare of the same footlights
that had Illuminated these hallowed Brit
ish stage personages.
"One night, just before I made my
first entrance in the first act, Miss Kate
Cutler, one of the principals, touched me
on the shoulder and said in a whisper:
'Up there In the right-hand box sita
W. S. Gilbert. I looked and saw a large
man with a florid complexion, a pudgy
nose, white hair and side whiskers and
mustache. With him sat Mrs. Gilbert and
their protege, Nancy Mcintosh, the sis
ter of Burr Mcintosh. Later in the even
ing. Mr. Gilbert called behind the scenes
and I met him. I was Imnres"d' with
his fine, rich voice, his kindly spirit and
the latent roughlshness attached to al
most everything he said. It was just
about thi3 time that Mr. Gilbert had
created a stir through writing a letter
to the effect that the reason he. had re
tired from writing comic operas is that
he has not been able to find any one
worth collaborating with since the un
timely death of Sir Arthur Sullivan. In
this connection, Mr. Gilbert remarked:
'It is on record that a certain occasional
reporter, having to describe a case of sui
cide, wound up the article with these
pregnant words: "No reason can be as
signed for the rash act, seven and six
pence having been found on the body of
the decedent." I am somewhat in tho
position of the decedent, having commit
ted dramatic suicide several years ago.
Retired to Country Home.
" That Is to say, I voluntarily with
drew from the practice of the profession
and my friends are good enough to say
there Is no reason for the rash act,
seven and sixpence worth of dramatic In
vention remaining. In the cranium of tho
decedent. But It was Inoperative to pre
vent me breaking off the jealousies,
heartburnings and' annoyances insepar
able from the dramatic profession. So
I retired to an obscure corner of Harrow
Weald, and therefore, so to speak, blew
out my brains.
" 'It is true that an enterprising and
energetic actor-manager hds recently dis
interred me and Is now engaged In gal
vanizing me Into a spasmodic second ex
istence. But, like most revivals, I am
to be put up as a stop-gap, and when
that purpose has been fulfilled I shall
be decently relnterred.
"Gilbert is reputed to be enormously
wealthy In hl3 old age," continued Miss
Ring. "Why, I am told that the royalty
from his 'Pygmalion and Galatea alone
brought him In $200,000. He owns a good
deal of real estate In London, Including
the Garrlck Theater. There Is another
side to his career and character, how
ever, which Is quite as Interesting as his
stage work. Like Grover Cleveland, he
has elected to spend his declining years
mostly In the country. At his beautiful
residence, Grlm's Dyke, situated about
three miles from Harrow Station, on tha
top of the glorious Weald of Harrow,
Gilbert 'lives the life of country squire,
magistrate, agriculturist and fruit and
flower grower. Grlm's Dyke so named
on account of the dyke by which the
house stands was once the residence of
Frederick Goodall. R. A., and was built
for that artist from designs by Norman
Shaw, R. A. The building and grounds
have been considerably enlarged, how
ever, and at the present time over 100
acres of land are attached to the resi
dence, which have enabled Mr. Gilbert
to Indulge In his hobby of agriculture to
a full extent. As a matter of fact, he
has established a perfect farm at Grlm'a
Dyke, and it Is among his thoroughbred
Jerseys, horses, fowls, pigs and pigeons
that the playwright delights to spend
a goodly portion of his time. He farms
his own land and has a knowledge Qf
crops and stock equal to that of many
men who have devoted their whole life
to agriculture.
"Like many other celebrities, Mr. Gil
bert also numbers the collection ot
curios among his hobbies. His drawing
room is. rich in old china, vases of great
age, antique cabinets and Innumerable
curious knick-knacks. Of great beauty
is the garden attached to Grlm's Dyke,
which has been well planned and laid out
according to Mr. Gilbert's own ideas. It
can boast, among other things, of beauti
ful rose walks and a miniature lake con
taining a great variety of fish. Not less
Interesting is the monkey-house, in which
Mr. Gilbert keeps a number of simian
pets of various kinds, and the beautiful
white pigeons which are to be seen flut
tering upon the lawn. In the way of
physical recreation Mr. Gilbert enjoy3
nothing better than a good cycle ride.
As a matter of fact, his liking In this
direction is shared by all other members
of his family. Even the servants are al
lowed to ride, and for convenience Mr.
Gilbert has had a neat stable" for bicycles
built in the grounds of Grlm's Dyke
which will hold nearly a dozen machines
in separate stands.'