THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAtf, PORTLAOT, JANUABT 8. lf5.
1&
A CHAT WITH HILDA THOMAS
She Is Singing Coon Songs Now, But Way Down in Her
Heart She Cherishes an Ambition to Appear as "Caprice."
TO meet Hilda Thomas, the girl
who made the song "The Cows
Are in the Clover" famous, I
meandered up to the Empire Theater,
where the "Show Girl" was standing
them up last week. I found my way to
the wings and through the courtesy of
Manager Porter I was introduced, to
Miss Thomas. She was in her dressing-room
preparing for her rendition
of "Come Down, Mr. Man in the Moon,"
but this did not serve to make the
greeting any the less hearty.
"I am glad to meet you," said Miss
Thomas giving me a strenuous and con"
scicntious handshake. Motioning
toward one corner of the room where
divers bespangled gowns were hung
in in orderly way, she continued:
"If you can sit down In all that lin
gerie, you're a brave man." Then with
a twinkle of the" eye and a laugh: "I
guess that trunk will hold you."
Miss Thomas" hair was being combed
by her maid. Seriously, it was lovely
hair of a beautiful titlan tinge and not
in the least scanty. She was- dressed in
an attractive creation, decollette and
moderately so from below. I caught a
peep of well-contuored shoulders and
unblemished, snowy white skin.
Miss Thomas Is. I would venture, on
the under side of 40, and her features
afford generous traces of a beauty over
which men have raved. In manner she
is Jolly and she talks with a dash of
slang.
"Ah gas I'se titlvatln' maself too
much," said she, grasping a powder
puff.
A look of vague Idiocy must have
surmounted my countenance because
Bhe volunteered immediately: "That's
a new one on you evidently. You see,
I am a Southerner and 1 like to use
the darky phrases occasionally. That
means to put on your best bib and
tucker and is a great favorite among
wenches."
The strain of "Sing Me a Song of
the Sunny South" wafted In from the
house very appropriately.
"The cat me-ouwed," said a voice
from the wings.
"Mercy:" exclaimed Miss Thomas,
"that's my cue. Leave your hat on the
trunk so you will be sure and come
ba'k. See you later," and In another
ten seconds, she was In the ray of a
"spot" singing "Come Down, Mr. Man In
the Moon."
After four encores. Miss Thomas was
again with me and this time we seated
ourselves in the wings.
"How long have you been on tre
stage?" I ventured.
With true feminine instinct. Miss
Thomas replied evasively.
"Let me see? Ever since I was In my
teens."
"Have you always been in comedy?"
"No. One year 1 took out a piece of
my own The Fisherman's Daughter.' I
played Maggie."
"Do you prefer comedy?"
"Can't say that I do." was her reply.
"I'll tell you a story. Years ago, when
I was oh, such a little girl. I was crazy
to play a part of some sort. I met
Madame Janaushek and she said to me
one day: "Eef you ere going to be ze
drunken woman, be drunk." You know
what I mean. She talked with an ac
cent Well, I have always remembered
that This part 'Mag Webbington. is
nothing but Just the same I remember
what Madame Janaushek told me. and
when 1 go on, I feel Just like I am 'chuck
full of dope. The whole play Is 'dopey.
It's nothing but tomfoolery. There Is no
plot to the piece and we claim none for
It. Just because I go out there and sing
coon songs some or the critics roast me
mercilessly and say that 'Hilda Thomas
COON SONGS HAVE DOUBLE ORIGIN
Southern Negro Ditties Plaintive and Pathetic; While Purely African Music Is Martial and Bold
(EW YORK. Jan. 2. (Special Cor
respondence.) It Is beginning to !
be obvious that New York has
no intention to offer any sort of
welcome to Coleridge Taylor, one
of the greatest composers of ' England,
who Is visiting America. Last seas-on
his oratorio. "The Atonement" was given
at the St Bartholemcws Church, and his
"Hiawatha" has been sung In part and-in
entirety In many places In this country,
but no sort of demonstration has been
made even to the mention by the press
of the city of his comings or his goings.
When one appreciates the amount of
hero worship that Is accorded the rrost J
insignificant individual tnat plays, or
rather, sings a role at the Metropolitan
Opera-House, it is more disagreeably
noticeable that a man of the remarkable
Intelligence, ability and position that
Coleridge Taylor represents should be
treated with that calm nonchalance which
indicates not only a sense of superiority,
but the determination to allow no sort of
recognition to he offered him by the rep
resentative musical center of America.
The prejudices of this country are so
strong and so stupid that It Is small
wonder we are regarded as a people of
Eetty Intelligence, unaole to grasp the
Ig things that offer themselves, follow
ing like a band of sheep a leader who
represents even less in the way of in
telligence than those who follow. It 1
too bad that Mr. Taylor was ever ln
fluced to come to America. There was
tlttlo to be gained and much to be lost
us It will scarcely be understood In Lon
flcn, where he is a welcome figure even
In court circles, that in this country
color and religion are such Insurmounta
ble obstacles that no Intellect, not even
the genius of a Shakespeare could over
.como them.
As I have said before of Mr. Taylor,
he 1? a man of exceptional learning, a
fine pianist whose early musical studies
were pursued on the violin. This Instru
ment he followed until he became more
Interested in composition at which he
has worked from the age of ten. His
Btory is one of romance if ever there was
one. but this story has not been given at
length to the public who are enlightened
upon nothing except the facts that he
was born in London 29 years ago. that his
father was a native of Sierra Leone and
a noted physician, while his mother was
a white Englishwoman. Mr. Taylor is
ery much of an Englishman, and It Is
only necessary to hear the beautiful Eng
lish that he spoaks to realize this. His
personality Is extremely Interesting and,
as might well be expected, absolutely
unlqe He Is rather shorter than what
might be termed the average, and he is
slight of build, with a very long face
framed In bushy brown hair which he
brushes back from his very serious face.
His lips are full, even thick, but in his
eyes shines 'he spark which tells of the
intellect and the higher aspirations of
the man. His complexion is that of the
mulatto and his bearing that of a cul
tured, elegant gentleman. Mr. Taylor
Is accompanied by his wife, who is the
daughter of a well-known barrister of
London.
The opinion bf Mr. Taylor on the sub
ject of ragtime Is one that must be of
passing Interest to those who are de
termined to regard this form of music
as belonging to the negro, instead -of
realizing that It Is created purely and
lalmply from the brain ot such composers
J who have found that there is money In
claptrap, especially when built upon a
rhythm so attractive as that of the syn
copated measure, which Is not by any
HILDA
doesn't sing as of yore,' and all that sort
of stuff. But they don't know Hilda."
"The brutes," thought I. and waking
up.
"And your ambition. Miss Thomas?"
"Well, T would like to play something
serious. Really serious and not emotion
al. 'Caprice,' Minnie Maddern's old role.
That's great"
"Caprice." I exclaimed incredulously.
"Are you guying me? You don't think
I can do it? Well. I am like Nat Good
win. He said: I can play Shakespeare
If the people will let me. and that Is the
way I feel about it If they will only
let m."
"Do you like problem plays, 'Iris,' for
Instance?"
"Wasn't that fierce? No. I do not like
them, and I can't understand why such
miserable, degenerate pieces can play to
full houses, but they won't last They
can't A little girl once purchased seats
for "Sapho."
"Yours?"
"What? Excuse me. As I was saying,
she bought tickets and came to me say
ing, 'Miss Thomas, I am going to see
means Invented by these so-called com- j
posers, but which Is to be found In the J
folksongs of many European nations and j
In the works of many of the old masters, j
Of the "coon-song" and of "rag-time"
Mr. Taylor said:
"You ask a very difficult question
'What I think of rag-timer What can
any musician think of it? And still I am
fond of it: but I do not mean the barrel
organ coon-song, or the ragtime which
is associated with banal words and bad
harmonies. There is no doubt that these
songs have done a great amount of harm,
especially in England, where there are
few negroes, and the only Idea that many
people have formed of this race Is
through the coon songs which come over
there from your country. These do not
represent the life of the colored man
but are simply musical caricatures. They
are not even real negro songs, and have
nothing in common with the negro melo
dies, many of which are remarkably
beautiful.
"I am deeply interested in the genu
ine negro folk-songs which are di
vided into two classes those of the
African negro, and those of the South
ern negro of this country. There is an
entire history to be found in the dif
ferent characteristics of these songs
and those of the Southern negro are
plaintive and pathetic, duo no doubt
to the influence of slavery, while the
music of the African is martial and
bold. Have you ever noticed that the
folk-songs of the East Indies or of the
Chinese never appeal to the Euro
peans, but the African songs seem to
hit them every time.
"The negro is undoubtedly of a mu
sical race, and people are beginning to
ee that he has a serious side. When
his songs are properly .given they are
as pretty and as musical as the songs
of any other race or nation. One thing
more. I must say. and it Is that, bad
as the coon songs of this country may
be. they are much superior to those of
England, where they have no concep
tion at all of the. negro and are influ
enced by the coon songs from America
-which they hear. It will be my at
tempt to place the negro song before
the public in its true light, and even
now I am engaged in writing five bal
lads dealing with Longfellow's poem
on slavery, which will be sung at the
Norwich festival in England. In about
two months. I have also Just complet
ed, for an American publishing house,
a volume of 27 numbers for the piano
based upon real negro melodies, eight
of which are of Southern origin and
the rest African."
"This is not a Wagner season!" ex
claims the unwary, or rather he is un
wary when he exclaims, "The Wagner
bubble has burst"
Wagner bubble burst. Indeed! Have
the operagoers not yet discovered the
secret of what constitutes a Wagner
ian enthusiasm or a tendency to the
old Italian operas? WelL if I must en
lighten them here it is. It depends
entirely upon the "stars" of the opera
company. Caruso holds the boards
and he does not sing German or even
French roles, so unless this matinee
Idol is the center of attraction the
houses are not what they are when he
is present To this and not to any
thing else is to be ascribed the
apparent falling off on Wagner nights,
and the great attendance on ""Italian"
nights. The great stars Include
Sembrlch, who never sings Wagnerian
works: Melba, who never will again
indulge In Wagnerian vagaries;
Eaines, whose Wagner begins aci
THOMAS.
"Sapho," but don't tell me. Well, she
went and naturally could not conceive
the real Intent of the piece. She came to
me afterward and said:
" Ge. wasn't Sapho great? I would Just
like to get drunk once and see what It
feels like." Now, when plays of that
character only serve to put idiotic Ideas
Into young girls' heads and do not help
to preserve our morals, which are bad
enough, they should be stopped. Per
sonally I do not think "Zaza." The Jpjr of
Living or any of them are entitled to
any more consideraton than "Sapho."
"We certainly have enough of their
musical comedy productions, too, but I
believe the legitimate drama will be re
Juvenated. The best of us have to laugh,
but the serious drama must return. There
is nothing which is so essential to educa
tion as the play and people who for the
moment are carried away by extravagan
zas will soon regain their senses."
And once more Miss Thomas left me
to kick Johnny Jones' hat sky-high with
her "No. Is'! (I am perfectly serious.)
The cutest pedal extremities I have ever
beheld. BLAINE PHILLIPS.
ends with the harmless part of
fclsa; Plandon. Scott! and. of course.
Nordlca and Edith Walker. But none
of these artists have the drawing
power of Wagnerian opera to attract
the same following as the combina
tion ' of Jean De Reszke. Schumann
Helnk. Ternlna and Blspham all of
whom were Wagnerian singers of
wonderful equipments, but beyond this
they had the power to attract Thus It
is again proven that the people are de
votees to the stars and ndt to the
music.
And "Parsifal"- What shall xe say
of "Parsifal." which will have its last
presentation tonlgnt? I believe I have
made clear to the readers of The Ore
gonlan why "Parsifal" did' not con
tinue to draw hundreds more than
could be acommodated In the house at
every performance. It has become a
matter of ancient history and those
who are undergoing the loss, which
must be doubtless sustained at the
present time, are the speculators who
at every performance since the two
opening nights have offered 510 seats
for the "bargain" sale price of Jl 50
But let it not be believed that Mn
Conrled Is losing money, because the
great expense was Incurred during the
first season and now everything is In
readiness. In addition to this It must
be remembered that there is still so
great an advance on the prices asked,
that half a house instead of being bet
ter than none is as good as a whole
one under ordinary circumstances.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
LYRIC
THEATER
Corner Alder and Seventh. ?
KEATING & FLOOD. Manila
Seating Capacity. 700.
THREE NORWOODS
Triple bar and cradle act.
PRINCE GOTO
Japanese Juggler.
DORA DALE
Musical Act.
FRY & ALLEN
Comedy Sketch Artists.
THOMAS W. RAY
Illustrated Songs.
TOM WEST
Monologlst-
VITASCOPE
Moving Pictures.
ADMISSION. 10; NO HIGHER.
CONTINUOUS BIU TODAT.
2 to 10-JO.
Week shows begin 2:15 and 7:15.
A.H.BALLARD
Lessee and Mgr.
One Week Only, Starting Mat., Today, Jan.
JIARY MAGDALENE.
Evening-
-Best seats.
Balcony. . .
Gallery
Box office open all day at Solly Vorden
at theater. Out-of-town orders should
tesiinotitsiijijtii,M1iiitJ(i(
EMPIRE THEATER
EMPIRE
NIGHTS THIS WEEK yf
4h STARTING TODAY ( SUNDAY ) MATINEE Hr
COMIING ... . A JOLLY AMERICAN TRAMP
CUPID IN THE LAND FRAUDS
Romance Which Blossomed in Making
Bad-Land Entries Will Fade in Court
THE path o true love never did
run smooth, and upon this can be
based the story of Nellie Brown and
her husband. Elmer Brown. Both are
former residents of Eugene and have
been citizens of Portland, and both
are soon to be In the toils of a Feder
al Indictment for conspiracy to de
fraud the Government out of lands in
the now famous township. 11 south, of
range 7 east, if the story running
through the public mini is to be be
lieved. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have a romance
which commenced amid the snowclad
and virgin forest of the Cascade Re
grand!
THEATER
"WEEK OF JANUARY 0.
All New Thing I
1 Continuous performance, Samday and
Monday from S to 11 P. M.
10 MATtHLESS ACTS 10 2
Concer's Dog Show
Rare lot of trained canines.
St. Clair and Carlysle
Humorous wire duo.
Morgan and Chester
Laughable comedy aketeh.
Hugh McCormlck
Ventriloquist.
Cook and Oakes
Singing and dancing acrobats.
Holmes and Dean
High-class musical artists.
Mr. Alf Bonner's New
Song
"Why Don't They Play With Mel"
The Grandlsc'ope
(a) At Mukden.
(b) Race xsr a Kiss.
(c) Midgets of Mystery, etc
Admlasien. any aeat, 10c Box aeals. 36c.
COLUMBIA THEATER
TKrATTTK PHONE MAIN 411. BOWK-TOWN BOX OFFICE MATN 118.
Notwithstanding the enormous expense required to present the Holy' City perfectly,
the usual Columbia prices will prevail.
50c
.50c, 35c, 25c
15c
Candy Shop. 327 Morrison street. Evening
be addressed to A. H. Ballard, Manager.
THE WAX YOU HAVE TALKED THE
PRICES Evenings 15c, 25c,
BROADHURST & CURRIE
PRESENT
THETWO EMPERORS.
OF GERMANY
RUDOLP
AND-
ADOLPH
With a Great Company
of Fun Makers
NEW
Songs Dances Specialties
ORIGINAL
serve, ripened through the Intricacies
of tbe Puter-Watson conspiracy, blos
somed in the warmth, and cheer of
Eugene and is now about to fade be
fore the wrath of Justice. It is an in
teresting story, and troves true the
picture drawn by Jolm Hall in his ar
gument before the Jury In the Puter
Watson case, when he depicted the ru
ral pleasures of the little band of set
tlers out among the mountain fast
nesses barred away from the green
world beyond the wall of snow and Ice.
Some time ago, so it Is said, the
Government came to the conclusion
that the name of Nellie Backus, so
well known through the trial, was
I GREAT NOVELTY ACTS
AT THE
STAR THEATER?
NEW BILL BEGINS TODAY.
Raymond Teal
Special engagement of one of the
master spirits of blackface
e comedy.
Clipper Quartette
a Four high-class singers and instru-
men talis ts in a great musical act.
Dancing Doyle
A laughing hit. a dancing hit. one
of the oddest characters on
r the vaudeville stage.
De Moss and Caldwell
A pair of dispensers of cheerful
q chatter. In a conversational
' comedy.
I . "Daisy Vernon
A dasher to a certainty, the mct
captivating soubrette that ever
visited Portland.
Hall and Davis
J America's greatest sensation, the
9 world's roller champions in their
cycle racing treadle.
I Robert Ellis
A favorite singer In pictured
ballads.
Projt
lectoscope
Showing Electricity vs. Steam, The
Swing. First Hunting Day, Amor
ous Militiamen.
Continuous bill today. 2:30 to 10:30
P. M. "Weekday shows. 2:30 to
40. 7:30. to 10:30 P. iL Admis-
slon, 10 cents. Reserved box
seats, S cents.
THE COLUMBIA
STOCK CO.
In a Magnificent Production
of Broadhurst's Grand ' ?
Biblical Play ;.
THE
HOLY CITY
First time ever seen on a Portland stage
Positively the most sumptuous produc
tion of the Holy City ever given on the
Pacific Coast i d& Oriental grandeur
Costumes of the ancient world The
wonderful story of the Magdalene, fraught
with sin, sorrow, reverence and the grand
triumph of Christianity $&S Indorsed
by the press and pulpit everywhere
Matinee-
-Best Seats.
Balcony ..
Gallery ...
Next Attraction
PAST WEEK MAKES TJS FEEL GOOD
35c, 50c AH Matinees 10c,
Thursday, Friday and-Saturday
Nights .... Matinee Saturday
LINCOLN J.
GREATEST
TWO
A PIiAY TO
PLEASE
EVERYBODY.
LITTLE
WAIFS
A REVELATION IN STORY, PLOT, CAST AND SCENE
SEE
The Hudson River by Moonlight
The Illuminated Toy Store
The Underground Dive
The Little Church Around the Corner
not without someone to claim It.
though perhaps no one could legally
wear It. It was so likewise with the
name of Alexander Brown.
This idea on the part of the Gov
ernment secret service men was
strengthened fltill further by fresh
evidence, and a search was begun for
Miss Nellie Gilbert, formerly of Eu
gene. Miss Gilbert could not be found,
but Mrs. Nellie Brown was, and she
was brought before the representa
tives of Uncle Sam. At the same time
the secret service men were looking
for Elmer Brown, but could not And
him. "When Mrs. Brown was found,
however, she persuaded her husband
to appear and from both the story was
learned.
Miss Nellie Gilbert, persuaded by
Dan Tarpley and Horace McKInley,
tiled upon land In 11-7 under the name
of Nellie Backus. Elmer Brown, also
of Eugene and also persuaded by Mc
KInley, filed ln the same township
IIbaker
5 THEATER
5 Third and Yamhill Streets
KEATING & FLOOD. Managers.
Larsrest Vaudeville House
in America.
Week CematenclB Jan. 8.
-
New York Comedy Four
In an up-to-date comedy sketch.
Welsch & Maitland ' t
Contortionists.
The Three Americans :
Direct from the Eastern circuit. In a
great novelty act-
The Three Astons
0 The world's premier aerobata In their a,
great casting act.
Jennettee Marshal
Operatic singer and yodeler.
John W. Wood
Illustrated, song.
The Biograph
Edlaon'a latest pictures. -
Admission. 10 cents. Performances
2:39, 7:30 and 9 P. M.
Fourteenth and
Washington Sts.
8
25c
.25c, 15c
10c
"THE WIFE"
GEO. L. BAKER, MANAGER
SEATS CAST BE ORDERED BY
PHONE .... MA! IN 117
15c, 25c
- -1 f -1 -l A jnr
Jull. !, 1 J, It, U3
CARTER'S
EFFORT
A PLAY YOU
WILL
REMEMBER.
under the name of Alexander Brown.
Up to this time, neither of the peo
ple had known the other, but the ac
quaintance formed while making the
filings, and perfecting- the proofs led
to courtship and marriage."
At the time of the Puter-Watson
trial. It was supposed that the names
of Backus and Brown were fictitious,
and all the evidence tended to show
that they were. There was a theory
that the names had been forged, and
still another that someone had repre
sented the persons for a consideration
and then had disappeared. The later
developments brought both Mr. and
Mrs. Brown to light, however, and the tes
timony against them, it is said, will
result in their Indictment on Tuesday
next, when the grand jury Is re
convened for business.
After serious illness Hood's Sarsaparilla
Imparts the strength and vigor so much
needed.
Great Acts at the
i Arcade
4 NEW BILL START3 MONDAY.
Dalten and Lewis
They do the most novel comedy
conceit conceivable, differing
from all others.
The Pattersons
Famous exponents of physical
culture.
Shoenwerk
His name means pretty work. He
certainly does it, for he is a
talkative trickster. ,
Prager Sisters
Two smooth-going soubrettes. who
can't be outstyled by anything
that moves.
Lily Paloma
A talented soprano, will sing e
illustrated ballads.
American Bioscope
The best ot the motion picture
machines will show up-to-
date subjects.
0 Continuous bill today, from 2 to
10:30 P. M. "Weekday shows. 2:30
to 4:30 P. M., 7:30 to 1030 P. M.
Admission to any seat. 10 cents.
SEE
0