26
THE SUffPAX J3BEG0NIAN, PORTLAND, MAY U, 1905.
By A. A. G.
The failure of Grace Van StudJI
ford to fiing her role In "Red Feather"
was one of the -worst disappointments
of the theatrical season. The Marquam
management was In no sense to blame
and presumably the company manage
ment -was not responsible. The throat
of a prima donna is fearfully and -wonderfully
formed and probably only the
specialists can tell why she didn't per
ioral, but Also the whims and temper
of a prima donna are past reckoning
so there might be another answer.
For one good thing "Red Feather"
should be given its due. It introduced
us to Cora Tracey, a Kansas City girl
22 years old, now in her second soason
in comic opora and a contralto as fine
as one could wish to hear. Hake a
mental note of Miss Tracey. You'll have
occasion to say: "I Tcncw her when- "
All the rest of the entertainment for
theater-goers was furnished by the
dime establishments. They were fair
with their customers.
"A WOMAN'S REVENGE."
Stirring Melodrama, by Empire Stock
Company This Week.
Starting with the Sunday matinee, today
the Empire Stock Company will give a
complete and powerful production of one
of the well-known melodramas that has
been In vogue with Eastern stock houses
for several years "A "Woman's Revenge."
Each week the Empire Stock Company
peems to become more ambitious, and
they are now thoroughly established with
Portland theater-goers as being by far the
highest-class company of players that
has ever been seen here at Empire prices.
Nothing presented so far has been the
least bit less than was promised, and the
larger number have even proven a de
lightful surprise to many who attended
a performance for the first time. The
daily matinees at 2:15 are always well at
tended by parties of ladies, and also
strangers visiting the city. There is but
one performance during the evening,
which starts at 8:15.
The story of "A "Woman's Revenge"
deals with one Jean Ingleside. the daugb
ter of a New England millworker, who
has loved a scoundrel and been betrayed
and deserted by him. Jean's father dies
of a broken heart, and over his dead body
she takes the awful oath of vengeance.
After five years, when she has, through
the turns of fortune and honest effort, be
come wealthy, she seeks him out, and he.
ignorant of her Identity, becomes again
madly Infatuated. By intense cunning sho
leads him on, ever deluding with false
hope, till he becomes the slave of her
caprice. He lavishes large sums of money
upon her, ana nnally, to meet her extrav
agant demands, becomes a criminal. Then,
when discovered, with his head bowed in
shame, an outcast, Jean casts aside her
disguise, and stands revealed before him
with vengeance complete. This is a brief
sketch of this most interesting play. There
are many characters, and throughout a
vein of delightful comedy and other
charming love stories.
"PARSIFAL" AT THE 3IAUQUAM
Animated Pictures of Richard Wag
ner's Opera to Be Shown Again.
Never in the history of Portland has
there been such an expression of deep In
tgrest in the portrayal of spiritual sig
nificance as expressed by the large audi
ence which assembled at the Marquam
Theater a week ago to witness the beau
tiful animated picture drama of "Parsi
fal" and hear the story of the "Holy
Grail Legend." which Richard Wagner
has so beautifully depicted in his great
masterpiece, "Parsifal." This has proven
to be the most profound religious subject
ever conceived by human mind, and It is
with a universal hunger and desire to see
and learn more of the beautiful uplifting
and ennobling lessons brought out by
these beautiful animated pictures that J.
Alex Hanna has been prevailed upon to
give a repetition of this beautiful ani
mated draaaa, which will be hailed with
many praises to Mr. Hanna and a large
attendance at each of the next three en
tertainments, at the Marquam Theater,
beginning next Friday night. May 19. with
a bargain matinee and an evening enter
tainment on Saturday, May 20.
In addition to "Parsifal," with descrip- j
tivc lecture, will be shown the most beau- '
tlful animated pictures ever imported to J
this country, the title being "The Reign j
of Louis XIV." a historical and spectacu
lar scene in six tableaux.
Mrs. "Walter Reed, Portland's famous
contralto, will sing at each entertain
ment. The advance sale, of seats will
open next Wednesday morning at 10
o'clock.
GRAND OFFERS A SENSATION
Annie Abbott, the Georgia Magnet,
a Most Mysterious "Woman.
Annie Abbott, the Georgia magnet, who
has proved hersolf the greatest drawing
card vaudeville has had in late seasons.
will appear at the Grand the coming week
and perform a number of wonderful feats
of strength. The little woman has a
world-wide reputation and has astonished
her audiences wherever she has appeared.
The Order of the Black Eagle was con
ferred upon her in Germany, and she is
also the recipient of many gifts from roy
alty for her wonderful performances.
The great Richards, who styles him
self "tho male soubrctte," dresses himself
in the latest fashion, sings sweetly and
dances about the stage with all the grace
and charm of those he imitates. Orrin
McKnight la said to have a real novelty
in the "way of a ventriloqulstic act and
Introduces original and witty dialogue for
his diminutive characters. Mr. and Mrs.
J. P. Lee and their little daughter Made
line will present .a crisp little comedy,
under the title "Thou Shalt Not Steal."
in which they have met with the most
gratifying success. "Tho Heathen Chi
nese" is what the marvelous Seymours
agree to do, but no matter what tho name,
the Seymours are known to have ability
and have never failed to please their au
diences. Chenoworth, probably the beat
solo cornctlst in this port of the country,
will render his best selections. Joseph
Bonner will make a special effort with
"Mid tho Orange Trees and Blossoms
She Is "Waiting," the pictures of which
are 'most beautiful. A series of very
amusing pictures on tho grandlscope will
complete the bllL
STAGELAND.
Johnstone Bennett Is reported to be very HI
and In straitened circumstances at Los Angeles,
cau
xa- Ttitiin Vn, tMn nflne4. but declined
$10,000 for a season of '25 weeks in vaude
ville.
Thomas Jefferson and "William Winter Jef
ferson have canceled all engagements for the
season.
f!,vcnv T.nrtBr m cane to Germany, where
h ! to conduct the translation of "The
Prince of PlUten" before the Emperor la
Berlin.
Lieutenant Ryder Davis, who died some
mnnih mrn in hn Philltralne and was buried
at McCoy, In this state last week, was the
divorced husband of Blanche Bates.
Frederick Bcnelton, formerly a member of
the Baker and Columbia Stock companies,
now has an Important engagement with the
Avenue Stock Company in ntteburg.
Putnam Bradlee Strong and May Yohe mads
tbelr debut an a sketch team last week at
Kteney Theater, Brooklyn, In an offering
called Tho Actress cad tne Detective."
Rom Cecelia Shar will make a. tour through'
out the United States and Canada in an elabor
ate production of Paul Jones, appearing In
the title part She will be under the man
agement of Matt Grao.
' York Is seeing "London Assurance" with
an all-star cast. In hi time Bouelcault
wrote more than 400 play, and It U remark
able that "London Assurance," which was
hlfi first and was written when he was only
a boy of 10, should have been the mod uc-
ce&sful ana jastias.
Thomas Dixon, Jr. has .signed contracts
with George II. Brennan for the production
of hla V&r. which .It founded .on .his two
novels, Thi" T0'pard'j " Spot" and 'The
Clansman." The piece will bear -the t!U of
the lat mentioned book. The plans far the
presentation of the play Include a tour of
the South, commencing next Fall, alter which
it will he taken to Kew York for an extended
run.
J. Palmer Collins is playlag Lachlan Camp
bell In 'The Bonnie Brier Bush" and will
continue to play It for the rest of t the se
eon. Althouch Mr. Collins has a very harC
task in following J. K. Stoddart In the rolo,
of the old Scotchman, bis work has been
highly praised by the preee.
Roae Ertlage has been varying her duties
as a dramatic teacher In Portland. Or., by a
series of public reading? from fhtkesteare.
Browning, Dickens and other writers in tnat
city, and her success in this field has been
so marked that she has been recueiited. to
give another course N'ew York Mirror.
Senator Cullen Introduced a bill lu the New
York State Senate. April 24, making It a mis-
demeanor for tho owner, manager or employe
of a licensed theater to exclude any person
from the theater without cause or excuse.
It provides that all persons wjihln the juris
diction of the state rtiall be entitled to uie
full privilege of l!censv2 theaters. The
bill was drawn to fit the case of James S.
Metcalfe, who has been barred from several
New York theaters hecatwe of the publication
of criticisms In Life objected to by the The
atrical Trust.
William Bernard has stepped Instantly into
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN COMEDIES
There Is a Difference in Tastes We Are Boisterous, Britons Dense.
John Corbln in the New York Sun.
T "WAS George Eliot (was it not?) who
remarked that a difference of taste in
jokes is a severe strain on tho affec
tions. The saying must bo borne in mind
in contrasting the humor of English and
American musical comedies for example,
of "Sergeant Bruc" and "The Rollicking
Girl." Many things have been forgiven.
and all but forgotten, by the two kindred
countries. Enlightened Britons now pro
claim the signers of tho Declaration of
Independence as the true fathers of the
modern English Colonial policy they
made it so abundantly clear how mis-
taken had been the previous treatment of
dependencies. And wc. in turn, have gone
in for imperialism, the white man's bur
den, and all that. Let us not sever hands
clasped across the seas with disputes
about the comic spirit, musical or other
wise Is the orchestra of the pieces we export
loud and brazen? It only adds to the In
ternational discord to ask us to send over
Yankee carmuffs for Yankee music Are
the choruses that hail from Broadway
overfond of working their smiles? Pa
tience, John Bull! It was a witty critic
perhaps, but far from a polite one, who
cried down those golden smirks as an
attempt to advertise American dentistry!
Is there, on the other hand, in the shows
we receive from the Strand an overabun
dance of sledgehammer puns and rib
digging jocularity? Punch, Brother Jona
than, punch with care, the old Punch
Jokes of the Britishairel
There is some reason, no doubt, for the
popular belief that Englishmen cannot
tee a Joke. But never was a poor half
truth rooro inexorably made to do a full
day's work in the wells of eternal verity.
Mr. Howells. who was among the fore
most, if he was not the first, to proclaim
the greatness of the genius of Mark
Twain, has nevertheless pointed out that
he earned bis popular vogue by virtue of
the least interesting and valuable side of
his humor the grotesque exaggeration of
frontier jocularity. Thousands have
roared over "Tom Sawyer" for every one
who has recognized "The Man "Who Cor
rupted Hadleyburg" for the monument of
satiric irony and tragic pathos which it
is. And in like manner those of us who
are most scornful of the density of the
Briton am least likely to relish the satiric
sparkle of Gilbert; the humorous satire
of Barrie, the intellectual farcing of
Shaw.
A Case in Point.
The plot and the main character of
"Sergeant Brue" are built upon a comic
idea of such genuine force that It would
only Jtave to be treated in a slightly more
responsible spirit tb form the bajsis for a
legitimate" comedy. It Is the vaaity of
favor with Los Angeles audiences. The Times
of that city bad the following to say or nis
first performance at the Burbank: "The ag
gregation baa been strengthened this week by
the addition of William Bernard, wno win te
remembered here by reason of his excellent
work with Baker and Nclll. Bernard Is such
an Improvement on the weak 'heavies' who
have been drolling about the Burbank stage
for tho part few months that there Is no
possible comparison in work of any descrip
tion. In other words. Bernard to an actor of
really serlons role, and therefore, bringing in-
i telllgence to his conception of a part, makes
melodrama at least of para lug interest."
At the Russell Theater In Ottawa on Sat.
urday evening last. "A Courier of Fortune."
a new play. Tas presented for the first time
on any stage. It h a romance of a few
centuries ago by Arthur W. Marchmont and
Ralph Stuart. The play was mounted with
careful attention to detail and scenery and
coytumes that arc beautiful and appropriate.
Ralph Stuart, as a roysterlng yocng Prince
of the House of Bourbon, was excellent, and
scored with the audience, which showed Its
appreciation by liberal applause. There were
numerous curtain calte. The supporting com
pany was with few exceptions capable. The
play will be put on at Ills Majesty's Theater.
Montreal, on Thursday evening and will run
till the end of the week.
Fred Stone, the Sr&recrow, surprised Fred
Meek, manager -of the "Wizard of O" com
pany, by puttln; in at expense account last
wef k for f2S0.
"What's this?" asked the provident man
ager. "I spent that in nickels thrown to the boys
who wait at the stage door for me every
night." answered the comedian.
"Where does the show benefit by this?"
asked Mr. Meek. "That is a costly way of
advertising."
"Costly? Not at alL We get them all back
through the box office in the shape of gal
lery admission tickets"
Mr. Meek saw the force of this reason and
put his O. K. on the Scarecrow's expense ac
count. The late Maurice Barrymore had an envia
ble reputation for his wit and ready repartee.
One of his chief peculiarities was his con
tempt for dress. "This had gone to such an
mortals to think that they can accom -
plish by their testaments after they are
dead tasks to which their living wills
were unequal. A lax but amiable Lon
don bobby is bequeathed a fortune of
10.000 a year on condition that he will
cultivate the spirit of diligence and
j efficiency which his character sadly lacks
by remaining on the force until he has
earned his promotion to the rank of
inspector. One after anolher the good
man's efforts to rise in the world go
wrong and in the end put him in danger
of being discharged which, of course,
means the forfeit of the legacy. A turn
of the wheel of fortune, however, puts
j magistrate whose duty It Is to sack
himself he gives the sergeant his promo
lion and his much coveted discharge.
The net result of the testator's finger in
the pie of destiny is that the sergeant'
very Inefficiency enables him to pull out
the plum. Never was there a better
theme for the elaboration of comic Inci
dent than the sergeant's dual life as
millionaire and bobby and bis futile ef
forts to make a record of efficiency.
That the author has taken full advan
tage of the possibilities of his theme, even
in the sphere of musical comedy. I am
very far from maintaining. If he had
done so the result would have been a
masterpiece in its kind. The adventures
of the Sergeant are somewhat baldly
imagined and crudely worked out, and tho
denouement savors altogether too much
of graft to serve for the pointing of a
moral in human conduct. But the fact
remains that there Is an idea at the base
of the play, and that it is an Idea which
finds Its natural expression in a highly
comic conception of character. Amiable,
droll and ludicrous as Frank Daniels is
in his own person, much of the fun that
nightly convulses his audiences is the
result of the Invention of his author.
Refinement and good sense are the key
note of the whole. The- music Is grate
fully subdued, without being for a mo
ment monotonous: the costumes are at
once splendid and in good taste, and the
scenery Is rich and atmospheric Even
Miss Blanche Ring has, so to speak,
moved from Avenue A to Park Lane:
and never has she been prettier, slen-
cerer, more tuneful and more graceful
"Sergeant Brue" Is. in fact, tynlcal of
English musical comedy at Its best. It
lacKs something, perhaps, of the sparkle
and vitality of -The Geisha." "San Toy
"Florodora" and "Three Little Maids.
but it has all of their negative virtues
and a good measure of their un.
"The Rollicking Girl."
In "The Rollicking Girl" the critical
surgeon could not disclose an idea of
satire or of character with the aid of all
the resource -oi X-ray and scalpel.
Charles Frohman has. in fact, dteclaiased
all high iatmtieBs. Heb&s entered the
field of the Eutaraer show, which, as all
extent with Ma," said Harry Bulger f tie 1
"Woodlaaa Cosspaay reeesuy. "tat it waa a i
cause of great ceaeera ta a la family and
friends. Brryj&&re ba4 a fcerrer ef ever
belnjr ca&ed a "matinee Ml aad threat that
by his diebevelled appearasce he would sever
be Included. la that category, lie was wag
ing dowa Broadway cue day and met a
"matinee Idol garbtd in the latest mode a
real fish Ion. plate. The Beau Brummel com
mented on Barrymore'u appearance .and re
marked that he (Barrymore) must be- weir-
icc it on, a bet.
Tea, I did -win It on a bet.' said Barry-
more. "I het a duty suit or ciotnea witn a
friend that you were not the worst actor on
the stage and he won." -
It Is a Donular notion that active, participa
tion In the work of the stage Is Incompatible
with longevity, but many Instances prove the
reverse of this. Mr. Jenersoc was 76 wnen
he died. His death was not due to an In
firmity of age. and his professional abilities
shown no impairment. .March 12. John
I. Toole, long a popular favorite In London.
t.l ' - - -. 4. I T14 hi. TM
birthday. Born in London In 1S33, be first
appeared on the stage in 1KJ2. Tomaso Sal-
Yin!, living In Italy, was bom la Milan la
1530. Henry Irving was com m iorssnire
in 1S3S and Lydla Thompson In London In
the same year. James H. Stoddart. who has
i.r i.iinr t tfen head of a enmcanv of
which he Is the star, has been & resident I
of this country since 1854. Ho was born I
In Yorkshire In 1827. Mrs. Annie leasmns
" ?lldH.aL?"ne
. ri'- V ri,i T.mi; MinuW' mi other
plays, is 76. and has been on the stage for
6 years. Mrs. G. H. Gilbert was 85 when j
she died. Pauline Dejaxet. the French actress,
was bora in Paris in 170S and died in I5i5.
me his iSTi&Z " eSd for 'the iS
time In 1S73 when 75, after exactly oo yeans I
of nrofeaelonal eervlce. He died In 1876. Pro-
longed success on the stage Is compatible only I
with the retention of good ncaira, preserved I
by regularity of living and the avoidance of
crfetaSed has 7uu' even in an duou's
profession the methods of living which con- I
duce to longevity.
Frederick Trutsdell, of the College Widow
Company, tells a Kory of a conceited young
secretary of a prominent wasnington oin
.1.1 f-VI. r. V.a.t Vitm
JiiiS hi sht fa.rM.chin.r and K.nt oower
called "puh." and was Immensely pleased I
with himself. Hla manner was extremely
arrotrant and he showed his "smallness" In
many ways. One day the Governor of
Southern state called to e the secretary's
superior and, of course, had to pass by the
young man. when the following conversation
took place:
"I would like to see Senator Blank," said
the Governor.
"He Is not In." replied the secretary yawn
ing and staring blankly in front of him.
"Can you Inform me when he will bo Inl
Questioned the Southerner.
"Really, aw I haven't an Idea, don't you
know."
Dem it, sur. you look the part," replied 1
the Governor hotly.
Remarkable enthusiasm was shown when Sir
Henry Irving reappeared In "Becket" In the
Drurv Lane Theater In London. April 20.
The same enthusiastic eeekera for pit tickets
who used to gather at the doors of the Ly
ceum Theater before It was transformed into
& music hall assembled, at the Drury Lane
In the morning as early as 3 o'clock, prepared
to face the uncertainties of 12 hours' April
weather In order to get good eeats. Women
were there, armed with camp stools, knitting
and eandwlches. The crowd grew steadily all
dar.
When the curtain rose the whole house
Joined In shouts of welcome. Irving was deep
ly moved. Ho acted with all his old power and
fervor, showing no traces of Us recent Ill
ness. Maud Fealy ha 3 several recalls aftsr
her scene with Queen Eleanor, piayeu uy airs.
Cecil Raleigh.
At Ihe close of the play all previous dem
onstrations were beggared. The house stood
cheering, shouting and waving hats until Sir
Henry made a e-peeb.
The crinoline Impends., and a reporter has
Interviewed several Paris extressea as to the
desirability or the offense of this proof that
fashion Is nothing if not freakish.
Bernhardt declares the crinoline Is "In
famous." and says that no matter what fash
Ion may decree, she will not wear It. "Why
phould women wish to accept a fashion that
deforms the symmetry of the flguro and Is a
and adds: "The present feminine tollctto is
practical and beautiful. It la the masculine
costume that Is hideous. I regard tall hats
as ugly and Impractical, yet you refuse to
give them up. And .look at your trousers,
also an abomination from the viewpoint of
symmetry. Knickerbockers are the proper
thing to wear.
Chauroont agrees with Bernhardt that the
crinoline is a crime against beauty, uid she
claims also that "it disorganizes social life."
"No more quiet walks or activity of move
ment," she says, "If women adept the crino
line, and riding In carriages would be simply
ridiculous. Then, the greatest attention Is
neceixary to the lingerie, owing to the In
discretion of the -crinoline. I refuse to adopt
Dot this is not absolutely decisive, for there
are younger and more adventurous actress
In Paris who declare in favor of the revival
of this peculiar fashion. One of them. Mile.
Sorel. adorc the eighteenth century, and
thinks the" crinoline a desirable novelty in
these days. "Ample robes alone are grace
ful." she say, "for they diminish the bust.
give the figure suppleness, and permit ele-
gance of movement. It Is probably not In-
xenaea to reproauce tne crinoline exactly as it
was under the Empire. It doubtless will be
ndapted to modern requirements; besides, there
are no ugly styles for those who know how
to wear their clothes."
There will be other arguments, pro and
con. and then probably the crinoline, which. I ....,. it - ..,,. y.er out of the I now historic scene when Hamlet was enact
If It should come again, will be studied from f.,," ' I ,.,!L. 7 , ' V o,cta. ed In this place as a tribute to Lester Wal-
the stage by Ihe women of today, whose
grandmothers lost no grace or charm within
Its amplitudes. Mirror.
1 the world knows, is to nrovldo horse
laughs for the dog days. The metaphors
are somewhat mixed, but not more so
than "The Rollicking Girl."
i- i iu j u r M
thelr splendid variety and brilliancy, are
rr . n 1 1 . .
uuuc iuiu gurisii; never ior a moment
wa3 there any aim to delight the senses
uy buuwuuK mem. ine music waa more
remarkable for bolstcrousness than fori
insinuating charm. As for Sam Bernard,
the part of Schmaltz, tho theatrical wig-
maxer, gave not the slightest scope for
the portrayal of character. Schmaltz
was him and he was It. He was most
convulsing when he was. as the happy
slanging of tho profession has It, mug-
gmg tho hardest except, perhaps, when to become a good woman in any par
he was subjecting himself to bodily vlo- tlcular and if this 13 all that man or
lence. I y,no to 'offer. It is not worth
To .those sad souls who insist on con-
sidering even low comedy an art, the oc-
caslm was not deeply satisfying. Only a
year ago Mr. Bernard was one Hoggen-
neimer, or .Park Lane. His coacentlon
of the character was far from right. In-
stead of the Intelligent and worldwis
English Jew a Barney Barnato in trav
estyhe gave us his lamiiiar Yiddish
Yankee, lately emerged from the Bowery
Yet the lines of the character were so
ably laid out in the text and some of
them were particularly witty lines that
they could not be quite effaced. Mr.
Bernard was not the right Hoggen
beimer. but he was a Hog-genheimer,
none tho lea?. It will be many years be
fore I forget the disgusted exclamation
of the clerk of the seaside hotel when
Hoggenhelmer insisted on lodging his lit
tie milliners in the wing of the house
furthest from his own rooms. In these
Platonic days, he said, even the Babes in
the "Wood would Ins-lot on having separate
genherXlamtiorthat 'heTeutvTd
-I-. ., -i .
in Diatonic love but not in mainnlp Ipw -
elrv Of the lines of "The nilleWns
Girt" not one h urvlved th
ness of a slnele week.
uca! Ul a ainsie wee.
xne ieaiures or tne evening which de -
lighted most were those which threw
back farthest into the region of primitive
r".rr.J ? "r" "r .ujr
cnorua awingwg ou over tne neaas or
the audience, and a grotesque quartet
miming the terrors of the Indians of
Broadway. The artistic level was that
of frank vaudeville.
There was no doubt, however, of the
success of the show. Even the first night
ternatnrally dull season, lay back In their
seats in complete surrender to the genius
of laughter." "What the play lacked in
intelligent Interest it made up in that
quality of liveliness which the managerJ
wun an tne xecn ana illuminating sym
pathy of the box office, knows to be dear
est to the hearts of the great American
people and which he worships . under, the
Barnes of vies. Dash. Ginger and Go.
Pathetic commentary on oar climate ,
and clvSIaatkml The watry Of American
ife aRi the prostrating heat of ait Aasr-
leas Summer are not to be seethed fey the
charms of music and 'of comic art. It la
necessary to drive them out of the sys
tem by driving in something more
powerful.
Oar Librettists Give Promise.
It is not fair, of course, to Judge of our
musical comedy as a whole by what Is
confessedly and obviously an example of
Its most primitive form. At its best it
has a very distinct quality a far higher
quality, I am Inclined to thinks than it
has been given credit for. Certain, of our
librettists have given great promise.
Harry B. Smith has, like his brother of
the legitimate field, Clyde Fitch, suffered
from the reputation of writing too much,
and likewise from the fact that he has
produced little or nothing that Is indis
putably of the first order. But a careful
and impartial observation will, I think.
convince any one that he has a genius !
all his own. and one that Is capable of
better thing? than he has done. Some
months ago, happening in at a perform
ance of "Fatinltza," I was struck with
tne oruiiance ana numor oi many oi tne
lines. The name of the adapter was not
on tne programme, but I was convinced
that the sparks were from the familiar
anvil of Smith, and my guess was right.
It is not easy to define the quality of a
Jest, the soul of which la evanescence;
but two of Mr. Smith'?! tinlt nr unmis.
takable, a deftness of verbal play more
than of the pur .-and a shrewd
muio wmui uuukui uwi-
.ties. It is tne nrst quality that gives
character and sparkle to his lyrics, which
are unrivalled on this side of the water,
They ar in faJt ajJ perfect and varied
" their rhythms and rhymes as the lyrics
of Gilbert, and possess also a warmth of
humor which the great English librettist
singularly, lacked. Ills limitations thus
far have been of the kind which, for the
want of a less pretentious word, I shall
have to call Intellectual. Coldly- surgical
as Gilbert's satire Is, it cuts inerrantly,
at its best, to the seat of some generally
recognized foible. No better records of
the absurdities of Victorian Ideas exist
than "Pinafore." "Patience" and "Iolan-
the." Mr. Smith's stories are seldom
more than fantastic romances, of which
'Robin Hood" is still the best; and his
WEEK IN NEW CJCTRK
Nan Patterson Trial Topic of Interest Testimonial to Modjeska
NETV YORK. May 8. (Special.)
The most dramatic incident of this
week centers in the last days of tne
triul of Nan Patterson, the "Flora-
dora" chorus girl, on trial for her life
as tho murderess of Caesar Young.
Never within my remembrance has
there been a case causing the wide
spread interest and the intense feeling
that this one has succeeded in arous
ing. The case has, up to the present
time, cost the state several hundred
thousand dollars, and many people be
moan this fact- It i3 a question.
however, whether every dollar of the
several hundred thousand is not well
spent. It cannot be possible that . a
case which has been aired to the ex
tent of that of Nan Patterson should not
reach millions of silly glrl3 and women
to whom it must be a horrible ex
ample, every detail of which will be
driven home in such a manner as to
constitute a warning for all time.
There are few people "who believe that
the chorus girl killed the man in
cold blood. If It was by her nand
that he died, it was probably in
struggle on his part or on her part
to secure the revolver. However, that
has less to do with the question in
point than the result. He was a
brute and it is too bad that someone
did not kill him long before ho did
die. The sympathy which is felt for
Nan Patterson shows a broadening In
j the attitude of the world to a woman
and while it does not co-done her
fault It Is no longer a case where all
the opprobrium falls upon the woman
and' the man Is held morally responsi
ble for nothing, because he Is a man.
As provedfiby the testimony. Nan Pat
terson ? life was hardly fit for publi
cation, but at tne Very worst she was
only a victim of misplaced confidence
as superinduced by her appetite for
Irink. Also was she a victim to the
love of luxury, which indeed is fatal
in 99 cases out of 100. and for this
reason it is difficult to believe that
Nan Patterson would have killed Youn
r. f
leaving all possible affection for the man
out oC question.
I . . - ,..-
, "l ulo', h""'"
since mis waa mc mu mm, wm
again the jury could not agree, iet
I u fnllnw the eirl out Into the world
" - Vw T Vor
Hardly 22 years of age there i? yet
time for her to live down tni norriDie
tragedy and to become a sood. true
woman. The day is past wherein we
must believe that a woman is lire-
trievely lost because she nas fallen and
after such atonement as ran Patterson
has made there is hardly a doubt that
she will be cleansed by the purifying
fires through which she has passed.
I The spirit of forgiveness and of pity
I for her weakness, for her sins, does
not come from that which is human
I . f . 1. 1 v.... it ic tA rnncir pftnvtnp.
r uf; u " iiVinV rlr
ing manifestation of the divine spark
i ana us uimij "vu iuishm
not humanity. Humanity may feel pity
i or. ratner. ooea icti viu, uui i.
or.
is not that pity which would lead
one to open the home and the arms to
I a poor hunted being. It is the sort
of pity which would fling a Done to a
hungry dog, but which would not lay
hand upon the animal for thousands,
of this sort of pity Nan Patterson has
no use. because it would not help her
while. It is perfectly true the great-
est of all else is charity, but not the
charity which is given with the hand,
it is that which comes from the in-
nermost deDth and the infinite neignt
of that which constitutes man and
which blesses aa it falls, because it
is the divinity itself.
f
An event which ha3 enlisted the
sympathy and the sorrow of an enor
mous number of people was the acci
dent which incapacitated PaderewsKi
from apeparing at the brilliant testi
monial tendered Mme. Modjeska last
Tuesday. It Is said that Paderewski
is in a very critical condition, not
only physically, but mentally, and that
unless things talto a change very ma
terilly for the better that great pianist
may never again be heard. The man
ner in which Paderewski Is suffering
is perhaps better known among base
i na.ii ana. wuunu uiiuuii imw. "o
tfa j ll'TJl
I lmi tu ""
whlc"n- "having had a shock, owing to a
railroad wreck between Auburn and
Syracuse, became paraiyzea on account, ot
T tho m nf
1 ::n.. ,.nm naraivzed in
t.t' h mwer Hmha n
nt of any hock to either the
nervous or physical system. wnn
r Ktat.i that the entire
f aucisniliv' - -----
apparatus called into play by the pi
anist is affected ana wnemer ne win
ever recover or not can 6nly be de
termined at the end of five or six
months. He will sau tor nis noma in
event that he Is well enough to under
take the trip. He is accompained by
his wife, her son, and his physician.
Dr. Fronszak.
At the entertainment on Tuesday af
ternoon when one of the most brilliant
assemblages gathered at the Metropoli
tan .Opera-House to do - homage to the
talent of the great Polish actress,
Helena 'Modjeska, one of the most sen
sational moments was experienced at
fooling, wkes it passes beyead tHlas and
quirk?. Is mainly grotesque. He has never
quaUfted in the character of social er po
litical satirist.
At the time of the production of "The
Sultan of Sulu" it seemed as if George
Ade were destined to lift musical comedy
to a. plane of greater Intelligence. Undis
tinguished in its lyrics and Incidental wit,
the central idea of the play revealed a
keenness of satire and a breadth of char
acter and humor which have never been
equaled in this country, and have cer
tainly not been surpassed even if
equaled by Gilbert himself. As a record
of the moment In which we became con
scious of Imperial expansion, .it is as
complete and as satirically Illuminating
as such a play could well be. Many years
will pass before talk of the flag and the
Constitution fail to suggest also the cock
tall which works seven days in the week
and Imperial laws which work only Mon
days, "Wednesdays and Fridays. But Mr.
Ade na3 never hit the same pace since.
and now comes the announcement that he
has said good-by to the musical stage.
Managers Are Blamed.
For the low state of the art, writers ara
wont, in their private discourses, tb
blame the managers. Many a conception
of character or satire, we are given to
understand, has been sacrificed to the con
stant demand that there shall be some
thing doing. It would be a rash enthusiast
who would proclaim that the managers,
and especially those who deal in this line
of trade, are men of high purpose and
refined intelligence, but I am not so sure
that they are altogether to blame.
The musical stage in England Is in a
vastly different position from ours. Lon
don is everything, and the provinces noth
ing. The refinement of English musical
comedy Is the rctlnement of the English
metropolis. In New York the standard of
taste is a pew below that of London; and,
moreover. Broadway is at most a point of
departure: the success of a play depends
upon Its appeal to the publics of all the
great cities of a vast and widely diverei
tied country. Though plays of high qual
ity may succeed, as they have done- since
the time of Gilbert, there Is no strong In
centive for the managers to emulate them.
"When the theater Is conducted on a purely
financial baste, art, like water, tends to
seek the lowest levels.
the reading of the letter from Pade
rewski by David BIspliam. The ap
plause was deafening and many people
were overcome. The letter, which waa
addressed to Daniel Frohman, follows:
For many months I have been looking for
ward to May 2, anticipating one of the
greatest joys of my career. The thought of
Joining you all on this solemn occasion has
been my pride for many months. The sudden
adversity of fate makes me feel now grieved
and humiliated, and words cannot express
all the bitterness of my disappointment. But
there Is still a pride and a Joy I cannot be
deprived of the pride of belonging to the
same country, to the same race which sent
Into the wide world one of the greatest and
noblest artists of all times and nations; the
Joy of being one of uiany to whom Mme.
Modjeska had been good, kind and generous.
The first encouraging words I heard as a
pianist came from her Hps; the first suc
cessful concert I had In my life waa due to
her assistance. Unable to be present. I beg
'of you to convey to Mme. Modjeska. the
homage of my profound admiration ana
gratitude, and to extend my slncerest thanks
to all who contribute to make this day the
day of legltlmae and crowning triumph for
a career great, noble, pure and beautiful.
Sincerely yours. I. J. PADEREWSKI.
In addition to the elaborate programme
which was presented, both luncheon and
tea were served and in the lobbies prom
inent actresses sold flowars, programmes,
candies and souvenirs of all kinds.
The programme was in itself work
of art, containing half-tones of all tho
artists who participated, together with an
appreciation of Mme. Modjeska by Jean
nette L. Gilder and a charming poem by
Richard "Watson Glider. One of the most
affecting moments waa during "he ad
dress by Edmund Clarence Stedman, as
he presented the great Polish actress with,
an illuminated memorial from which hung
the Polish and the American National
colors. Perhaps one ofthe most striking
moments was when Mr. Stedman referred
to Joseph Jefferson in fact. It i3 very
true that there were a good many notes
of sadness from beginning to end. A few
words of Mr. Stedman's address are here
with given:
The felicities of art are limitless, and, as in
! creations of our master playwright you found
the most alluring range for your own powers,
so your fresh Impersonations awoke in us the
. ., ..f
"V .k "7 ,,,
..ululs i .. . , t
i " viomuun iu our u(rai uauaiai!.
am sure, Madame AiocjesKa, tnat you recau mo
1 lack, and when around you-the Ophelia of tba
- an of 6UCh actora a8
a 6,nc,e event rare,y hag brougnt together,
Hero waa tne priacelj. Booth; and here, of the
orem0Bt. was Barrett. Mayo. Florence Whee-
, Jock Edwards and John Gilbert-still without
a successor; here, too. waa Jefferson. Incom-
parable as the Flret Gravedigger. and like the
rest, without a thought of self, but all for the
glory of the play.
That radiant hemlcycle- has vanished! last of
all, Jefferson has returned to the mountain,
and we shall eee his smile no more. You.
their younger sister, to whom they gave their
pride and support long may your enviable
years1 flow on consecrated alike by the star-
rf fte and tha aungnlae q the prea.
: cntt
t . eatImated tnat ein m wm ve reai
lzed. after deducting $600 for the rental
of the opera-house and other incidental
expenses.
The programme included Do Pachmann,
who replaced Paderewski for this occa
sion; Ella Russell; Ada Rehan, supported
by Guy Standing, in "Country Girl"; MrsL
Patrick Campbell; David Bispham; Mme.
Modjeska In "Macbeth" and "Mary Stu
art," assisted by James O'Neill. Louis
James, Barton Hill, John Glendenning,
Horace Lewis. John E. Kellerd. "William
Courtenay, Vincent Serrano, John Ma
lone, "Wright Cramer, Morgan Coman, D.
J. "Wood, Mary Shaw. Kato D. "Wilson,
Margaret IlllngtOn and others.
It was both daring and interesting in
Miss Ethel Barymore to have selected
Ibsen's drama, "A Doll's House," with
which to close her season. This young
woman has been working her way stead
ily and surely along lines which are quite
different from those trodden by her illus
trious antecedents, because the day is
different and the plays which Interest the
public are widely different. For this rea-
son it Is also strange that she should
have had the courage to jump from ths
rather light society play into a role
which has been made notable by some
of the greatest lights on the dramatic
stage. The role of Nora has been as
sumed by Agnes Sorma, the great Ger-
! acV Rejaneand by Duf e, and
lusen uaa auurueu auui vtumcn -"'jr
ShaWf jj. pat Campbell and Minnie
Maddero opportunities in a
j new realm. That Miss Barrymore, Kno.w-
Ing all this, was willing at the close of
a season during which she endured, many
strains, to undertake the role of Nora
proves her confidence in her own powers
and also shows that she Is not afraid to
enter the more intellectual phases of the
dramatic art. There was no one present
who did nqt experience, a thrill of de
light, as well a3 surprise, at the im
pressive authority with which she handled
the role, and at no time during her entire
career has she made known the deeper
Qualities and possibilities which sho pos
sesses as she did on Tuesday nighf. The
best support she received from Edgar
Selwyn, who gave a good representation
of Dr. Bank, while Bruce McRae was
not an entirely convincing Torvald Hel
mer. Other members of the cast were,
Joseph Drennan. Sara' Perry, Eleaaore
"Wilton, Davenport Seymour and the thrae
Pullman children. 5f
. FRANCES BAUER.
i