The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, October 27, 1907, SECTION FOUR, Page 4, Image 40

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    TIIE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND, OCTOBER 27, 1907.
Savage and Belasco Share the -Honors
"Madam Butterfly" Receives a Magnificent Reception --Belasco and Warfield Stage "A Grand Army Man"
CRISP - pELTCIOTJS
G OVEfnOST-INSPECTED
NEW TORK, Oct. n.-(3pecial Cor- '
reepondence.) This has been a busy
week for Henry W. Savage and for
David Belasco. x
Mr. Savage has seen a second magnifi
cent entree of "Mme. Butterfly" In New
York and he has also had the satisfac
tion of knowing that The Merry Widow"
Is safely launched and after Its produc
tion In New York, which will occur Mon
day evening, It Is estimated that he will
be the lucky possessor of a piece of
property which Is at least good for $1,
000,000. There has never within remem
brance been any light opera or even dra
matic offering 'destined for the popularity
of "The 'Merry . Widow." If one had
nothing else by which to Judge, the de
mand for selections for talking machines
and self players Is enough of a criterion.
"Mme. Butterfly," however is .the mag
net at present at the Garden Theater and
reasonably so because the production Is
very finished and the new singers are for
the greater part Interesting. Those ali
ready seen in the role of "Mme. Butter
fly" are Rena Vivienne, Phoebe Strakosch
and Elizabeth Wolff, who although only
!2 years of age cost Mr. Savage a good
deal of money to get away from her
European contracts. It is safe to believe
that she Is worth It. She Is very attrac
tive and she has a beautiful voice. Miss
Vivienne is holding her own as far as
charms are concerned but Madam Stra
kosch is rather too large for the role.
Next week a fourth "Mme. Butterfly"
will be seen. This will be Dora de FUllpe.
It is not easy to go Into detail concern
ing a cast of such size and - variety,
suffice it to say that Mr. Savage has as
sembled even a better singing cast than
last season and In some respects a better
cast all around.
Vernon Stilea , continues to gain ease In
the part of Pinkerton and he Is certain
ly very attractive both vocally and personally.-
He is entirely a home product
as far as vocal education Is concerned,
he being a pupil of S. C. Bennett and not
a graduate of Milan as has been eron
eously stated.
Mr. Savage has already put Into opera
tion a company to produce "Tom Jones"
a light .opera by. Edward German.
Mr. German has arrived In this country
which he is visiting for the first , time.
It may be in place to say that notwith
standing the Teutonic flavor of his name,
he is an Englishman who first became
. known as writer of the Incidental Ballet
music "Henry VIII" and his music 1
widely played in this country although
his name is not so well known.
Mr. German is regarded as the rightful
successor to Arthur Sullivan, who, when
he died left an opera, "The Emerald
Isle." with only two numbers fully scored.
It was Mr. German who completed this
work for the stage and it was done -most
successfully. He also has written much
In the mora serious vein. A
To Belasco again fell the laurels.
In the new play for David Warfield en
titled. "A Grand Army ' Man," Mr.
Belasco has scored a triumph which In
the simplicity of Its grandeur, or rather
In the grandeur of Its simplicity would
' be difficult to equal let alone to Bur
pass. -
There were few who after seeing Mr.
Warfield In "The Music Master" would
have been willing to take on trust that
anything could ever prove the vehicle for
this unique actor, but It is certain that
after the triumph of Wednesday nlghf
In Mr. Belasco s new theater, the Stny
vesant, Warfield will be able to make
converts of the. most devoted adherent
to "The Music Master."
It Is the first time In many years that
Mr. Warfield dropped his dialect, as be
fore' his appearance as Herr von Bar
wig, his "Simon Levi" In "The Auction
eer" also called for the foreign accent.
In presenting the greatest play with
wMch Belasco ,has ever been Identified,
David Warfield has certainly done the
finest acting in his career i and remem
bering the tremendous hold he had upon
audiences for several years,, playing
night after night the same thing, the
seeming extravagance of this statement
may carry a degree of significance be
yond mere words.
It Is always the human touch that
carries, and "A Grand Army Man" has
this In every line. Warfield Is cast
as Wesley Bigelow, an Indiana stage
driver, with a plot so simple that there
Is hardly anything to tell; but he
nevertheless succeeded In drawing
tears from every man and woman In
the house and In holding them In a
firm grip from the rise of the curtain
to the fall. This does not mean that
there Is no laughter, because. Indeed,
throughout there Is a shifting from
sunshine to shadow as there is In life.
' Th story of "A Grand Army Man"
deals with parental devotion In a
Simple little Indiana household. Blga-
. ' V ''H2s$k f rf site sEA?z:m
low, a Grand Army , veteran, haa
adopted the son of a dead -comrade,
and, assisted by his housekeeper, he Is
trying to bring him up. The greatest
danger that surrounds the young boy is
that of being spoiled through kind
ness. The boy Is entrusted with Grand
Army funds, given him to deposit In
the bank. He Is overtaken by the
sharper, who succeeds In persuading
him to speculate with' the money,
which will make It possible for him to
marry Hallie, daughter- of Judge .An
drews. , '
The attitude of Wqs Bigelow toward
his adopted chHd Is one which, in real
seriousness, must be seen to be appr
elated, and haa every element of life
throughout. How the plot works out
is mere detail, but It Is due almost
every member of the cast to say that
it .is extraordinarily good, and some
thing Is also due Pauline Phelps and
Marlon Short for collaboration with
Mr. Belasco.
The cast is as follows:
W' Bigelow David Warfield
JudKe Andrews Howard Hall
Captain Bestor Reuben Fax
Jim Bishop , ..George Woodward
Cory Ktlbert James Lackaye
Let' Pettinfrlll "...Stephen Maley
Comrade Potter Tony Bevan
Comrade Tucker Thomas Gilbert
Comrade Tate , William Boat
Robert .....William Elliott
Rojrera Wellman Taylor Holmes
Blckman John Daly
The Drummer Boy of the Rappahannoex
.John Morris
Hallie Mlu Antoinette Perry
I.etlua Mips Marte Bate
Mrs. Beitor Mies Amy Stone
Allda Bettor Miss Veda McEvere
Mrs. Pettlnglll. Mlsa Jane Cowl
Mrs. Kllbert Miss Louise Coleman
The new theater Is one of the most
beautiful of the modern houses of
New York, but the play itself was of
such Importance as to make one for
get the setting ; into which the gem
had been placed. It Is In the uptown
district on West Forty-fourth street,
near Broadway.
A musical event of great importance
occurred In Philadelphia yester
day, when Carl Pohllg made his first
appearance In this country.
Pohllg Is the conductor who has
been selected to succeed the late Fritz
Scheel, and he was onosen after Franz
Knetsel decided that he could not
ab'andon his first love chamber mu
sic, y
Pohllg offered a remarkable pro
gramme, and one which served to show
hlra as a conductor of modern and of
the classics. Ha gave three Beethoven
numbers In the first part and three
Wagner numbers in the second part of
the programme. The Beethoven num
bers were the overture to Fldello and
the Lenore overture No. S, In addition
to the fifth symphony. The Wagner
numbers were the prelude to the
mastersingers, the Seigfrled Idyll and
the Tannhaueer overture. Pohlig'a
first appearance In New York with the
Philadelphia orchestra of 75 men will
occur on election dar, when he will
have the assistance of Richard Buhlig,
a young American pianist who has
made a fine reputation' In Europe, but
who has never played In this country.
This concert was arranged by Stein
way & Sons, who are always on the
alert for "big things." and it Is be
lieved that both PoWlg and Buhlig are
In that class. A third attraction will
be added to the programme, and that
will be the American debut of another
young American, Karl Klein, who will
play the Tschalkowsky violin concerto
upon this occasion. Buhlig, who la said
to be one of the greatest Brahms, in
terpreters living, will Dlay: the second
concerto by that great master.
Hambourg will play in Philadelphia
under Pohllg next week. In New York
he will make hrs first appearance after
an absence of several years, in Men
delssohn Hall, November 1. He opened
his tour in Toronto, but before play
ing In' that city he took his wife to
see Niagara Falls, of which he was
as proud as If they had fallen from the
highest peaks of the Steppes. In To
ronto, Mr. and Mrs. Hambourg were
the recipients of many social honors,
because In addition to the tribute to
the pianist's art, Mrs. Hambourg is of
the English,.nobility. and was made to
realize it ia her own dominions.
.'".
The- announcement comes from Eng
land - of the discontinuance of the
world-famous concerts which during a
considerable part of the reign . of
Queen Victoria were given at Bucking
ham Palace by Her Majesty's com
mand. David Bispham, the eminent
baritone, was interesting in his rem
iniscences of them. In his comfortable
study at the Royalton, Mr. Bispham
said:
"From the time of my arrival In
England to begin my musical career
in 1890, I was received jnost cordially
by -the members of the royal family,
all of whom have musical and artistic
predilections and several of whom for
years took active part In public per
formance in affairs with which I was
connected.
"The late Duke of- Edinburgh, for in
stance, whom I knew, played as lead
BILLY BLAISDELL, COMEDIAN.
A PACIFIC COAST PRODUCT
Talented Member of San Francisco Opera Company Is Son of a Pioneer
Actor-Manager First Trod Boards in White Pine, Nev.
BY ARTHUR A. GREENE.
WILLIAM BLAISDELLj, principal
comedian of the San Francisco
Opera Company, labors under' the disad
vantage of being son' to his father. Blais
dell pere was William also, and a pion
eer actor-manager of the Pacific Coast.
To this day elderly people go to the
theater where young "Billy" is appearing
and tell the youngsters how they saw
him cutting up the night of Lee's sur
render. "That comedian must be at least
70 years old," say they. "Isn't it won
derful how well preserved some of these
actors are?"
As a matter of fact, the Blalsdell in
question is a mere youth, for we are
young nowadays until 60, and "Billy"
Blalsdell has several laps to go before
he reaches that age. He is a bully good
fellow off the stage, and a very funny
man on the boards, although he isn't
pudgy and a Frank Daniels' role Isn't
the best he could -choose for an Introduc
tion to Portland If he isn't the funniest
thing In the world in the "Idol's Eye"
It Isn't his fault. or the Daniels Idea
of humor Is to be fat. This particular
comedian Is built along Bernhardt lines,
so we shall see him In his best in elon
gated parts, the Jeff De Angells variety,
for example.
He was born In San Francisco, where
the actors come from. Most everybody
who has succeeded in the show business
comes from the California metropolis.
His first appearance was a good many
years ago, 30-odd. and he was a mere
child when he did his first little song and
dance In the mining camp of White Pine,
Nev. His father took a vaudeville vom
pany, they called- It variety in those
days, and in the troupe were Annie Pix
ley and her sisters, and other men and
women who afterwards became famous.
Young Blalsdell was wearing his first
suit of knickerbockers, and on that occa
sion he participated In an old-fashioned
walk-around at White Pine. During his
ing violin in the concerts of the Royal
Amateur Orchestral Society; the Prin
cess Louise was an ardent member of
the 'Magpies,' a madrigal club much
on the order of the Musical Art So
ciety of New York, and the Princess
Christian used to sing In the chorus
of the Bach choir.
"It is, however, to the present King
Edward, who is the most ardent of
opera-goers, that I gratefully acknowl
edge my opportunities of singing at
Buckingham Palace at the state con
certs, now functions of the past. On
the first occasion in 1895, I was asso
ciated with Mme. Pattl and at several
subsequent state concerts with Albani,
Games, Nevada, Alverez, Plancon nd
others. -
"The most Interesting) and historical
occasion was that of the state per
formance at Windsor Castle on May
24, 1899. when on the 80th birthday
of Queen Victoria,, she and her family
heard 'Lohengrin' given by Jean and
Edouard de Reszke. Mme. . Nordlca,
Mmi, Schumann-Heink and myself, all
of us being afterwards received by Her
Majesty In the drawing-room, the de
Reszkes appearing In their kingly
robes of the stage and looking as re
gal aa any of the many royal persons
present."
Mr. Bispham's tour Is unusually suc
cessful. His concert last Sunday
filled Carnegie Hall to its capacity and
the audience was wildly enthusiastic.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER.
William Blaldndell, of the Saa
Franclaco Opera Company.
brief appearance the miners threw money
onto the stage as was the ancient wont.
"Billy" had at least $G0 thrown at him,
which he frankly admits was the largest
amount he ever received for one night's
performance.
After that he moved along the way of
least resistance in the show business un
til he reached young manhood. He then
appeared in turn as funny man, in the
old success, "Skipped by the Light of
the Moon," with Pattl Rosa, the McCall
Opera Company when Chauncey Olcott
r
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It , . i
i w 5 i
iff V
on the FOOD. Columbia brand hams and bacon, the first choice of all
clubmen who are epicures, are also the best for you. They cost no more.
To feel as fit as a fiddle all Winter, insist that your dealer sup
ply you with Government-inspected meats. They are for all.
Union Meat Co.
was singing tenor roles and Llllie Post
was the prima donna. After that he was
with the Pauline Hall Opera Company,
with Lillian Russell and Fay Templeton
in repertoire. He returned to the Coast
In a piece called "The Girl From Paris."
This was ten years ago.
Then he served his time In dramatic
stock and was featured In the well-nigh
forgotten "Smiling "Island" and "The
Jewel ofsia." In the "Wedding Day" haj
had an important assignment, ana men
went to Francis Wilson in "The Torea
dor." More recently he was with Jeff
De Angells in "Fantana," and after a
season or two was starred by the Shu
berts in a road production of the piece.
Early In the Bummer he gave up the
East and "Fantana" as a starring ven
ture and Joined Frank Healy's present
company as principal comedian. He haa
been warmly welcomed to his own Pa
cific Coast,- at Los Angeles and other
towns, and now comes to Portland, where
he bids fair to become a great favorite.
Few of the younger lights of the pro
fession have had such a varied experi
ence, and unless all signs fail he will
soon become a tremendous favorite here.
For Blalsdell has a lot of talent, a de
lightful personality and more than the
usual share of brains. With this capital
stock he ftnus It easy to succeed where
the more commonplace fail.
Keep your eye on "Billy" Blalsdell.
He Is worth watching.
Mrs. Harriet Otis Dellenbauffh, who playe
Mrs. Bennett in the New York "Man of
the Hour" Company, has spent most of her
life as a public reader. She was appearing
on the platform a number , of year axo
when Felix Morris sought her- out and per
suaded her to go on the stage as hia lead
ing woman. She played 12 parts In two
years. She then returned to her work ax
reader that she might devote more time to
the education of her son.
WITH URIC ACID PO&QN
A disease so painful and far-reaching on the system as Rheumatism must have a
deep and welt-laid foundation. It is neither an accidental trouble nor one caused by outside
influences ; it is in the blood and system before a pain is felt.
Rheumatism is caused from an excess of uric acid in the blood which has gotten into
the circulation because of 'a torpid or sluggish condition of those members whose duty it is
to carry off the daily collection of refuse and waste matter of the body. This being left in
the system sours and generates uric acid, an irritating, pain-producing poison, which the
blood absorbs and distributes to all parts of the body. This acid, circulating through the
system, acts as an irritant to the dinerent muscles, nerves, bones and tissues of the body,
and. produces the inflammation and swelling and the terribl pains of the disease.
s. When the blood is overburdened with uric
acid it continually grows weaker and more
acrid, and poorer in nourishing qualities.
Then Rheumatism becomes chronic and not
only a painful and distressing disease, but a
formidable and dangerous one as well. The
general health is always affected, the oils and
fluids which lubricate the joints and muscles
-are destroyed by the acrid matter which the
blood is continually depositing in them, the
muscles shrink and lose their elasticity, the
lining of the joints becomes hard and thick,
and the sufferer is often left a hopeless cripple.
But worse still, when the blood becomes fully
saturated with the uric acid poison the heart is attacked, the corrosive matter settling on
the valves and muscles of this vital organ, and then Rheumatism usually proves fatal.
Some persons inherit a predisposition or strong tendency, to Rheumatism, for like all
blood diseases it can be transmitted from generation to generation; but whether the disease
is inherited or is brought on by a torpid, inactive condition of the system, the cause is
always the same the blood is filled with uric acid poison.
. Temporary relief from the suffering and torture of Rheumatism is often afforded by the
application of plasters, liniments and other home remedies, but as such treatment does not
reach the blood, no curative or preventive effect can be expected. The next exposure to
PURELY VEGETABLE
- duu-cunciung lucuiuuu, tmcs rvncumausm in every
form. S. S. S. changes the sour, acid-burdened blood to a rich, healthy stream, which quiets
the pain-racked nerves, muscles and joints, and gently but surely removes every particle of
the cause of Rheumatism from the circulation. . S. S. S. reaches inherited cases as well as
those which have been acquired, and good results are always experienced from its use. S.S. S.
is the greatest of all blood purifiers, and it is an absolutely safe remedy because it contains
no strong minerals to damage the system. Special book on Rheumatism and any medical
advice you desire freer THE SWIFT SPECIFIC COMPANY, ATLANTA, CA,
(Send for Illustrated Booklet.)
INFANTA WILL COME AGAIN
Eulallas Delighted With America
and W ill Revisit Vs.
PARIS. Oct. 19. Infanta Eulalla tells
her friends that she surely will visit the
United States again. She always has de
clared that she was delighted with her
visit to New York and Chicago during
the World's Columbian Exposition. But
she says her movements were hampered
then and she could t not- enjoy herself
fully and freely because the Americans
Insisted on treating her as a royal Prin
cess. It must be said, however, that if any
one In her presence seems to forget the
Infanta's royal birth she quickly and ,not
too gently calls it to mind.
The Infanta has a small apartment at
36 Avenue de l'Alma. but It Is to be let
and then. she will have no residence In
Paris.
Dowager Queen Maria Christina has
been strongly opposed to her sister-in-law
living in Paris like an ordinary Coun
tess and has said that a Spanish Princess
should dwell, as befits her rank. In the
palace in Madrid. But King Alfonso
pays little attention to anything his rela
tives do.
Another reason for the Infanta giving
up her apartment is that her life here
has been made unpleasant by a Spanish
Liberal newspaper, which bribed her ser
vants to describe her private life. The
tales lost nothing In the telling. So the
Infanta has had the reputation thrust
upon her of being somewhat free and
easy in her domestic life and displaying
a disposition which, the Liberal news
paper points out, she might easily Inher
cold or dampness, or a spell ot indigestion, or other
systemic irregularity, will cause the old aches and
pains to return, -while the real disease is all the while
getting a firmer hold on the system.
There is but one way to cure Rheumatism, and
that is to cleanse the blood of the uric acid poison.
S. S. S. is the proper treatment, because it gpes down
and attacks the disease at its head, and by filtering
out every particle of the poison and strenelheninr
J :.t.: tt. 1.1 j ti ?
The man who wins
like the horse is the
one whose body is kept
in prime condition. The
GOAT depends largely
Wholesale Dealers
Government
Inspected Meats
it from her departed mother. Queen Isa
bella. Whatever the truth of these stories, tha
motive that puts them out is plainly ma
lignant. Certainly the Infanta is one of
the moBt enlightened of European royal
personages. She greatly admires Amer
ica's progressive ideas and insists that
every man, however born, should and
does find his own rank and level In life.
If the Infanta goes to America she will
embark at Cherbourg
Americans remember Infanta Eulalla,
whom 43 years have ripened a tall, hand
some, buxom woman. She came here as
hr nephew's representative at the Co
in 4a Exposition. With her was her
huuuBnd. Prince Antosie of Orleans, the
Duke of Galliera. and the Duke of Vera
gua, a descendant of Christopher Co
lumbus. The Infanta's husband then surprised
Americans by smoking a big cigar, even
when he was with her In public.
Transvaal's Gold Production.
Glasgow News.
In 1884 the discovery of the greatest de
posits or gold in all history was made
known. This was in the Witwatersrand
district of the Transvaal of South Africa.
Compared with It the famous Comstock
mines are nothing. The Witwatersrand
I conglomerate carries only the insignifi
cant amount of 10 pennyweights of gold
to the ton, but it runs uniform, therefore
It is only a question of machinery and
labor to determine the yield. Money sup
plies the machinery and China the labor.
The annual production of Transvaal gold
factories now exceeds $100,000,000, and
the record is broken every month.
Goat's milk is now regarded as superior
to that of the row for rhlldrfn.
Mrs, Ida Palmer, of 198 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N. X
writes aa follows : I -wish yoo to kno"V what great
benefit I roeevod from the mse of S. 8. 8. I hare been
afflicted with Rheumatism for twenty years, sometimes
being entirely laid up by It and always lama in some
part of my body. It grew worse until it was misery to
attempt to walk at all ; my right ferae was nearly twioa
its natural siee aod was drawn op oonaidarably shorter
than the other one. A friend adviaed me to take S. 8. EL
wbioh I commenced. I had tried so many things that
I most say that I had very little faith that it would do
ma any good, bat I was willing to try anything that
promised relief. Before I had been using it long I was
greatly relieved, and continuing the medicine I soon
found that I was entirety cured. The lameness and
soreness all left, I oan straighten, more or bend my leg
as well as any one and I have never known what
Rheumatism was since. I am 83 years old and feel
deeply grateful to 8. S. S."
v.