The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-16

Mr.. A. A. Favareer Gtvss the nrst OF his series OF
French readings tonight ct the Union League
Rooms The selection Of subjects Ia such az will no
doubt attract
Mrs Lulu florence, of the California Theatre
company, ana wife OF John Torronce shot herself
through the heart on Wednesday night. Domestic
trouble was the cause OF her suicide.
Miss Laura Alexander, an actress who made her
nrst appearance in New York some three weeks
since at Walacks In the role Of Mile. Colas in the
"Man Of Honor" died OF heart disease on the 18th
inst. In this city. She was not successful in her
endeavor to enact the heroine OF the play, and.
although young. handsome and promising, her
failure prayed upon her and aggravated the fatal
maiady. She was In her thirty first year and was
born In North Carolina. She had been upon the
provincial stage for some four or I'VE years when
she accepted the New York engagement
Harsh criticism on the occasion OF q benent
would be considered rather uncalled for, and 1t Is
not necessary, therefore, to say any thing partcu-
iarly unkind OF dull little piece OF light comedy
by Mr.. Wybert Reeve, called ~ Love Your which
served as leUer du ,1deau at Nibl0's yesterday
afternoon, ON the occasion of Mr.. Zimmermans
benefit The rest of the performance was in no
wise heavy, consisting as 1t did OF "His Last Legs"
with Mr.. Eddy as O'Calaghan, and q variety per-
formance or more than average sprightliness. The
beneficiary was highly pleased with the large au-
dienCe.
An alarming explosion Of the gas nom the calcium
lights took place on Christmas Eve in the Liver
pool (England) Amphitheatre, while the audience
were assembled witnessing the pantomime. The
whole dramatic company rushed upon tue stage,
and several OF the agile corps De ballet leapt into
the pit for escape from the unknown terrOrs be.
hind. There was. OF course. q general stampede
OF the audience, which Mr.. LESLIE the manager, at
last succeeded in arrestlng. The explosion set fire
to some scenic paraphernalia lying against the
wall The men seized water buckets fortunately
lying at hand, and, bravely dashing at the IRE,
extinguished It, The pantomime was resumed
and completed.
Mr. J. B. Booth has received the following letter
concerning the new piece, LA Femme de Feu,".
produced ut Booths Theatre:-
FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, Jan. IA, 1874
Mr.. BOOTH Manager, &c.:-
DEAR SIR can't understand the raid that some
Of to-day's papers are making on ''La Femme dc
Feu" can't see in what respect 1t IL OF more
questionable ''mOralltyn than are those SO much
admired plays which belong to the same French
family, but which some Of the Journals that ae-
n0unce you have warmly applauded and yet ap-
plaud. The HERALD mas the merit OF consistency
In this attack because that sheet has mainly con-
demned all OF this sort OF thing as poor substl-
tute for the highest art. But such has not been
the course Of the metropolitan press In general.
NOW II tuc 6plTlb VI 'iTaVlHb8' DC 6uOuraOlcs u
'East Lynne" Opponents aud "Lady Audley" muir
ders and btgamies are tOlerabe II the screen scene
in 1.-The School for Scandal" is polished and splcy II
the husband IN Lied Astray" cam with critical ap.
probation. bring bawd into his wile's D0udOlr; II
Mrs. Halter can win tears, sympathy aud applause
because she Is oOntrite though debaucned
woman, why shall not the story OF "La Femme de
Feu' be told : Diane Barnard Is not an unchaste
woman. She p0sOnB an old husband for the guilty
love which she bears to q young man whom she
afterwards marries, aud that the upshOt OF her
crime. She Is punished for 1t by the contempt and
GOODNESS of her young husband, by lie OF misery
and by hOrrid death.
II mad read the papers alluded to before l saw
the play Il attended 1t on Monday night l should
have expected, perhaps to see an almost nude
| woman bathing In phosphOrescent sea; to have
| beheId wretCh living with two paramOurS, viz,
| her lover during her old husbands lie time and
| her old husbands steward alter his death, In
stead of which saw neither. but on the contrary,
| q woman $50 far as all but her heart Is cOncerned)
true 10 ner marriage vows guilty Of no act of mar
lOtry, but the victim OF absorbing love, which
| Inspired homicide that she did not really premed
| itaJe.
! send you this my dear sir, as deserved word
| of sympathy from one who, while he loves Shake
speare, is, nevertheless, not wholly at war with
the pOrtraiture Of such passions as his mighty per
painted, though such may be attempted by weaker
| hands, LA Femme de Ecu" ia not 80 bad as Ladl
| Macbeth. The one assasslnates really her CUES
| and her king. and converts her husband from
tyrant, to grati-y ptiicss amh'.;,.~ ~n: .shn
| shOrtens an old mans deJs, Dut sue pieads trul!
ras,stIess iovo And Doth Wretches meet the same
| foCU. Yours, truly. Il. II.