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IT WAS a genuine pleasure to welcome
that sterling attraction, "Mrs. Wlggs
of the Cabbage Patch, on its third
annual vlitt. Its run for four perform
ances at the He Hig notwithstanding the
fact that it has been here so often, was
eminently successful. The Leibler attrac
tions are among the best which come to
the Coast and "Mrs. Wiggs' is among
the best of the Leibler enterprises. In
prospect this week, is Francis Wilson, the
eminent comedian, who comes for the
first time in years with his latest ve
hicle, "When Knights Were Bold." The
engagement opens Monday night. On
Friday night occurs the last of the Port
land Symphony concerts. John Drew in
"My Wife,.' will be seen during the week
following.
The Baker- players acquitted them
selves well in "The Heir to the Hoorah,"
which they will follow this afternoon
with .Gillette's striking war drama, "Se
cret Service." "The Toreadors," com
mencing this afternoon, will be the Star's
offering, the vaudeville bills at the Grand
and Marquani will change tomorrow
afternoon, The Lyric will continue this
afternoon and tonight with "The Lady
From Laramie,' changing tomorrow night
to "Nell Gwynne." ...
FRAXCIS WILSON' TOMORROW
American Comedian In Delightful
Comedy at Heillg Theater.
. Beginning tomorrow. Monday, evening,
anfl .'..continuing Tuesday and . Wednes
day, Charles Frohman will present the
celebrated and popular AmeTlcaij come
dian, Francla Wilson, and an excellent
supporting company at the Heillg Thea
ter, Fourteenth and Washington streets.
In the delightful comedy. "When
Knights Were Bold." In selecting the
Charles Marlowe comedy for Mr. Wil
son, Charles Frohman appears to have
chosen most wisely, for on every hand it
IS' said that tho play is not only the
laughing success of the year, but that
It is the best vehicle that the popular
comedian has ever had, affording him
unlimited opportunity, of which he
' takes the greatest pofsible advantage.
A very delectable dish Is Francis Wil
son's fun, for it Is always served en
ticingly, with plenty of garnishment. The
part played by Mr. Wilson is that of a
young Kngllnhman. Sir Guy de Vere.
who has recently inherited the De Vere
title and estates. - Every one about him.
especially his cousin, Lady Rowena, are
greatly shocked that the young man has
not a greater respect for the days of old
and his family tradttions, and they talk
to him so much upon the subject that
when at the end of the first, act he goes
to sleep, he is In his dream taken back
to the medieval days and as lord of
the castle find himself surrounded by
a . lot : of J2th century knights and re
tainers, while, he himself is just as mod
ern as he was before he went to sleep.
It is said that the second act. which is
the dream, is especially amusing and
that the duel which Sir Quy fights In
full armor with an Irish knight is one
of the most mirth-provoking that the
stage has ever seen. - With his waking
Sir Guy finds It advantageous to pursue
a few 12th century methods and he does
this s.0 efTectivety that he not only cures
his cousin et her romantic ideas, but he
wins her hand, and so all ends happily.
There is a , dainty love story said to
be. woven throighout- the comedy and
Charles Frohman has mounted the play
with his customary 'care. Mr. Wilson's
supporting company is- said to be large
and strong, numbering in its entirety 40
people. - The -principal members of the
cast are Mary Boiand. Margaret Gor
don, Riith Barry. Edna Bruns, Clarence
Handy side. Joseph C. Allen. Campbell
Gollan. Victor Benolt. Augustin Duncan.
(Joorge Irving and others equally well
known.
Concert at Heillg This Afternoon.
The concert this afternoon at the
Heillg. given by the Spitzner Phil
harmonic Society, is of unusual inter
est. Miss Nina Nlcklin, vlollniste, and
Miss Frances Batchelor, pianist, are
the soloists. The orchestra of 86 pieces
will play selections from "Madame
Butterfly" and "La Tosca" by Puccini.
"SECRET SERVICE" AT BAKER
William Gillette's Noted Drama to
Open This Afternoon.
William Gillette has given to the stage
otne o the very twsl ut ail modern
i
Dlavs. both in comedv and intense drama.
and one of his most noted is "Secre. X
Service." which the Baker Stock Company
will present all week, starting with the
usual matinee this afternoon: It has been
called a war play, but it is not at alt
like the usually accepted creation of that
"kind. It has a military atmosphere, and
the action takes place at the siege of
Richmond, during the Civil war, but there
are no battles fought nor are there any
sentimental appea to patriotism. It is
simply an intense love story with war
settings, and though American, has been
presented with equal success in both Eng
land and France. It deals with an old
theme of the love of a soldier of one
army and a girl of the country he is
fighting. The hero is a spy from tne
North and poses as an officer in the Con
federate army. The great scene in the
telegraph office to which he has obtained
access for the purpose of sending dis
patches to his side, is one of the most
intensely dramatic ever written, as well
as that other scene in which his brother
kills himself to protect him, and the
cause they are both fighting for. The
actionals at all times rapid and full of
interest and the attention is never allowed
to drag for a single moment. '
The Baker Stock Company will give a
strong production of the piece in every
detail. Mr. Alison will play the hero,
known as Captain Thorn, and Miss Jewel
will play Edith Varney. The role of the
dainty little Caroline Mltford, the "girl
fgom across the street," will be in the
hands of Miss Seymour, who will return
after resting a week, and every character
in this great drama will be presented by
a member of the Baker company, who
will do themselves full justice. The play
is long, and the sets very heavy, so ft will
be necessary to raise the matinee cur
.tain at :06 and the evening at 8:06.
"TOREADORS" AT THE STAR
Newest Vehicle of Armstrong Musi
cal Comedy Company.
"The Toreadors" will be the musical
comedy which the Armstrong company
will offer this week at the Star Thea
ter, starting with the matinee today. The
public has come to realize that these
little musical comedies at the Star are
well worth witnessing, as they are af
fording amusement lovers the only mu
sical comedy in town. This is the kind
of entertainment which goes best In
Spring and Summer and the shows are
making good.
These musical comedies at the Star are
nifty little shows with a trio of clever
comedians, some good singers and a
chorus which is as lively as corn in a
popper. There are no idle moments in
the fun shows at - the Star, for every
second there is something amusing on
the carpet. The Armstrong "brothers,
Barney Williams and others make life
worth living and the chorus Is the talk
of the town. A feature of these shows
is the musical end. There are none but
new songs rendered and these are each
of the catchy variety. The songs sung
at the Star are whistled and hummed
all over the city after the opening per
formances. "The Toreador" will be es
pecially well provided with musical se
lections., la addition, to tho regular sum-
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND,
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bers there will be several extra vaude
ville features, which will be alone worth
the price of admission.
Three performances are given daily,
one a matinee and the others night shows
at 7:30 and 9:15.
"XEIiU GWISJiE", AT THE IiYRIC
Last AVeek but One of Allen Com
pany in Romantic Drama.
Tomorrow night the Alien Stock Com
pany will, at the Lyric, inaugurate the
last week but one of its long and bril
liant Portland engagement. A bill has
been selected, after numerous requests,
which will fairly delight all who like the
very best theatrical goods they can get
for their money. The play Is one that
on the occasion of its former presenta
tion by the" Allen Company created a
great deal of enthusiasm and fairly made
the public gasp at the beauty of the
production.
The central figure of the play is Nell
Gwynne. a real historical personage, who
was England's greatest actress 200 years
ago,, and the favorite of King Charles II
She was the pet of the London public
and er beauty, wit, kind heartedness,
her waywardness, high temper, mis
chievous pranks made her the most in
teresting and the most admired woman
of her time.
In this role Verna Felton shines like
a diamond. In every situation she is
delightful,. Including the romantic Incident
of her duel with a famous swordsman,
which simply carries the house by storm.
For her fine work in the part she was
enthusiastically praised by all the local
critics. She will be a rare treat to the
theatergoers.
The other members of the company
will outshine past efforts in the support
and the performance will be practically
flawless. The season of the Allen Com
pany will close the last of this month,
and its admirers will have to look lively
if they get seats for these closing per
formances. "Nell Gwynne" opens Mon
day night.
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JOHX DREW COMING.
Distinguished American Actor Will
Present "My Wire" May 29, SO.
Charles Frohman will present John
Drew in his new play, "My Wife." at
the Heilig- Theater, May 29-30. Mr. Drew
comes at the very height of the great
est New York triumph of his career.
ST
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For over four months he has played to
crowded houses In the fashionable Em
pire Theater and in his last nights there
continued to show a popularity that was
limited only by the capacity of the play
house. "My Wife." which is a crisp,
brilliant - and constantly effervescing
comedy in four acts, from the French
of Gavault and Charnay, by Michael
Morton, Is the best play In which Mr.
Drew has ever appeared.
"Tho Lady From Laramie."
There will be no better way to spend
this afternoon- than to go to the Lyric
and see the Allen Company lnlts fine
performance of "The Lady From Lara
mie." Last time tonight.
"WHY SMITH LEFT HOME."
Famous Broadhurst Farce to Open
at the Baker Xext Sunday.
. Regular patrons of the Baker Theater
are about ready for another comedy, and
one of the funniest on record. Broad
hurst's "Why Smith Left Home," will
follow "Secret Service," opening next
Sunday matinee. May 24.
VAUDEVILLE AT THE MARQTJAM
Pantages Circuit Orfers Fine Bill of
High-Class Attractions.
The aim of the management of the
Pantages' attractions at the Marquam
Grand is to give the public the very
best that is to be had in vaudeville.
That it Is succeeding is attested by
the growing popularity of these at
tractions each week. The bill for the
week just closing, including the won
derful Valvino Brothers, acrobats: Ray
and Brosche, sketch artists: the Beards
ley Sisters, beautiful singer, and the
other high-class features, has proven
itself a winner. But with a bill for
MAY 17, I90S.
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the coming week which contains the
very cream of vaudeville the show
should prove itself an unusually strong
attraction.
The feature act for the week of Mon
day, May 18, will be the Bell trio, high
class vocalists. The Bell trio is one
of the best in the realm of vaudeville.
They are singers who possess fine
voices and sing the best, and cleverest
of songs. -
Lee Morrison and company are com
edy sketch artists of the first water,
who have a most pleasing act.
Among the particularly entertaining
features of the new bill wilt be Mile.
Camille and her wonderful troupe of
educated dogs and leaping grayhounds.
The graceful hounds have been trained
to perform some almost incredible
feats in the leaping race.
Wise and Milton, a darktown sur
prise, comedy singers and Indian por
trayers: Bert'-Wiggin. comedy juggler;
Crawford and Meekes, comedians, and
the Marion sisters in a high-class
musical act, are all stars in their lines
and have something to Interest and
evtertain the public
Jean Wilson will be heard in the lat
est illustrated song hit and the bio
graph will pres'ent one of the latest
comic moving pictures. The orchestra
under the direction of Professor H. K.
Evenson, will render several high-class
selections.
GRAND'S NEW BILL TOMORROW
Sullivan & Consldlne Offer Number
of Notable Features.
With the matinee tomorrow the Grand
will present a new vaudeville entertain
ment which will be a big Improvement
on the bill of the past week, good
though it was. Sullivan & Considine are
sending several 'notable features for the
new programme and there will be
enough music, fun and novelty to sup
ply several ordinary vaudeville enter
tainments. k
James Harrigan Is the headliner. Har-
ST 77ZE1
rigan Is not the man that the song was
named after, but he is even more popu
lar. Harrigan is a juggler who has a
monologue attachment which has won
him fame and a high salary from one
end of the country to the other.
There are other features and good
ones. The special added attraction will
be the Robert Henry Hodge company in
"The Troubles of Bill Blithers the Bach
elor.' This is a regular musical com
edy boiled down. The art of banjo play
ing is rapidly passing away, but the two
masters of this vanishing art are Hale
and Corbin, who will demonstrate just
what can be done with this instrument
of the Southern darkey.
A girl act Is that of the Earl sisters.
These girls are singers, dancers and
character change artists. This Is one of
the first acts of its kind sent to Port
land in several months. Wilson, the
great expert on the bicycle. Is without a
superior. Fred G. Bauer will render the
latest Illustrated song and F. F. Mon
tressa, the Parisian moving picture op
erator, will have new films.
Today will be the last performance of
the present bill, with "The Laughing
Horse."
OAKS OPEXS FOR THE SUMMER
Fine Attractions at the Outdoor
Amusement Resort.
Portland people in search of open-air
amusement had their desires satisfied
yesterday when The Oaks opened for the
Summer season. The large number of
patrons of the amusement resort found
many new features and specialties await
ing their coming to the park, and went
away after their visit convinced that the
entertainment offered them this year is
ahead of anything that rias yet been of
fered by the management during the pre
vious successful seasons.
Chief among the specialties was the
singing and dancing of the Tyrolean
singers, whose offerings took them at
once into the hearts of their auditors and
made it certain that their engagement at
The Oaks will be a successful one.
Trained among the Alps to outdoor sing
ing, this band of singers have voices pe
culiarly adapted to their work, 'and it is
safe to wager that at no previous time
have Portland music-lovers been accorded
such a treat as was given them
Harry Breton, the automobllist, who
makes his "leap of death" daily during
the opening week, was one of the fea
tures of the day. From the time he clam
bered up beside his automobile until he
cuts the machine loose for its mad dash
down the incline and across the gap high
In the air he was the center of breathless
interest of a throng of eager spectators.
Added to these two attractions are a
number of other new specialties, princi
pal among 'which is "The Tickler," a de
vice just as amusing to the spectators as
to those who investigate its mysteries.
Judging from the crowds who attended
the opening yesterday. The Oaks will be
the Mecca of Portland outdoor people
-during the Summer.
STAGEIjAXD.
' Florence Gear Is to be starred next sea
eon in "Marrying Mary." under the direc
tion of Jules Murry.
Ian Forbes-Robertson, a relative of John
ston Forbes-Robertson, returned to England
last Wednesday on the Majestic.
.
The run of 'The Thief" at the Lyceum
Theater ended on May . The play opened
on September 9. The Western tour will be
gin in June. . .
Laura, x Blggar has purchased the Alba,
querque, N. M., Daily Sun and Is conducting
the paper personally, under the name of
H. M- Bennett.
Plans are being made by Manager George
L. Baker to take the present Baker Com
pany to the Moore Theater. Seattle, for a
Summer season. m 9 m
Catherine Counties will play a Summer
stock season at the Broadway Theater In
Denver at the head of her own company,
called the Catherine Counties Stock Com
pany. The Broadway Is Denver's most
fashionable theater. Truly "Our Klttie"
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seem o have rix" since he playtd smat
character pax La at tha Bakar some Ave year
ago.
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D. C. Freeman continues as manager o!
The Oaks thia season. He announces a
change of policy and a number o .espe
cially strong attractions. - .. '
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Edward Blondell has completed arrange
ments to present bis comedy. "The Lost
Boy." tn England in June of the present
year, and he will tour the pro vine a pre
vious to a London opening.
" .
Mlsa Via" a Reed, of this city, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reed, Is now a mem
ber of the San Francisco Opera Company,
which is playing In Seattle.
-Way Down East" was presented at the
Alduycle Theater, London, on April 24. The
cable dispatches Indicate that the play was
well received, though scarcely understood
or -appreciated by the critics.
"The Traitor," a novel by Thomas Dixon, .
Jr.. has been dramatised by Channlng Pol
lock. It will be produced by George H.
Brennan at Norfolk, Va., next Fall.
Sallie Fisher has been engaged by
Mortimer Singer for a- leading role in "An
April Cinderella," to open at the new
Prlncesa Theater, Chicago, on May 23.
"'Polly of the Circus" will end its long run
at the Liberty Theater on May 16, simul
taneously with the opening of Luna Park,
under Frederick Thompson's management.
Mary Boiand, who was a member of the
Baker Company during the Summer season
of 1904, and more recently seen at the Hei
llg as leading woman with Robert Edeson -in
"Strong heart," will appear here as lead
ing woman with Francis Wilson when he
comes In "When Knights Were Bold" this
week.
Flattering reports come from Spokane of
the excellent work being done there by
Ethel von WaMron (EXhel J one), of Port
land. Miss Von Waldron' is second woman
of the Haywood Stock, frequently alternating
leads. Miss Von Waldren is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. George E. Jones, a former
member of the Baker Company and a pupil
of Hose Ey tinge.
According to he schedule published in the
Mirror, Mrs. Flske will include Portland in
her Coast itinerary when she comes out in
June with "Rosmeraholm." Inquiry fails
to disclose where she plays, however, as no
arrangements have yet been made with
Manager Pangle for time at the Heilig. it
Is announced, however, that she can secure
a date at the syndicate theater it she de
sires. '
The Allen Stock Company will close its
season at the Lyric on May 30, the closing
bill being ''Under Two. Flags." Manager
Allen will then transfer his players to the
Garden Theater, at' Calgary, Alberta, for
a Summer season, going later to Winnipeg.
The BlunkaU-Atwood Dramatic Stock Com
pany will succeed the Allen organization,
opening June 1. This company-comes here
well recommended from St. Louis, where
It has Just closed a successful engagement.
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"The Matinee Girl" in the Mirror tells
the following interesting anecdote: Jobyna
How land, talking to a congestion of mati
nee girls about "The ActreHS I Like Best,"
said: "I have seen Mrs. Flske as Tess of
the dTrbervilles and Leah Kleschna and
Mary Magdala and Rebecca West, seen her
in 'The New York Idea" and "Dovorcons"
and "A Bit of Old Chelsea." I have been
educated by seeing Mrs. Flske in all her
roles several times for ten years. I always
saw her playing to big audiences but once.
Then she played the most sincere role of all
to no audience, except me, and I was hidden
by the trunk of a big tree. The theater
was Falrmount Park. Some beastly boys
were teasing a poor little sick dug. Finally
they threw him into the river. Then they
sat on the bank, and as he tried to come
ashore pelted him with sticks and stones.
A victoria stopped, and a lady stepped out
of It. She was beautifully gowned. Her
handsome carriage dress trailed over the
wet grass She wore long white gloves. She
walked straight through the group of boys.
She neither looked at nor spoke to them,
but they fell back and stood looking at
her as amazed subjects at their first glimpse
of a Queen. She walked straight to the
edge of the stream. I saw the heels of her
dainty boots sink deep into the mud. She
leaned toward the dog, and held out a coax
ing hand to him, and I could hear her speak
ing softly to Mm. The waif floundered mis
erably about In the water, then turned tim
idly toward her and swam with fe-ble
strokes toward the shore. When his strength
seemed gone she 1 eared over and snatched
him from the water, and dripping and muddy
and forlorn and ruinous to her velvet gown
and white gloves am he wan, she carried him
In her arm to the carriage. There she
put him on a eeat beside her, and with her
hand patting his dripping back she drove
off. It was the simplest and tenderest part
I ever saw Mrs. Ftake play."
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HISTORIC TOWER DOOMED
Ancient Structure at Toulon Offered
for Sale at Bargain.'
PARIS May . One of the historic
towers which stand on the picturesque
hill of La Garde, a few miles east of
Toulon, which are to be seen from the
train as one oes toward Nice, was of
fered for sale for 10. The towers were
used in ancient times as watch towers
from which to warn Inhabitants of he
approach of Saracen pirates.
The low price tempted a literary . man,
who offered to buy the tower, but when
about to sign the contract he discovered
that the price did not Include the ground
upon which the tower was built.
It then transpired that the hill of La
Garde, which is of hard granite, had been
sold to contractors, who are shortly about
to blast the hill,, pulling it down entirely
to make paving stones. " .