Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-07-10
A New Play by Naeby.

/ Frovidencea play called IVY idow BeGOu.
Its success was so good that none OF th,
advertising sdjectives will reach it; vet 4
was written ten years ago. As an instance
OF the cathol.ciiy Of hrs mind, | will men
ton that Locke does not cisim TO have
originated the character. The Widow
Bedott papers were Published by Miss
| Wicberly, and had a nice celebrity through
the country. Locke threw them into dra-
/ matte form. but he could not get any OF
I the actors to seriously consider the part
A. a general rule. actors do not know any
thing TIL they see Il. The piece, which had
cost HIN some time. and was fayorite 10
his fancy. remained dead stock until re-
| Gently,
I One night in Toledo a gentleman went
I TO Locke and said. There is prodigy
down here at variety show. want you
1 TO come down and see him Locke went
| with pi, friend, .oa saw nso p,.y .
woman's part. The mans name Il Nell
I Burgess.
! "it was the most marvellous thing, "
said Locke, that | ever saw Before
/ the performance was over sent the man
/ word that | wanted him TO call on me
/ That evening there entered my room a
1 light and graceful Joung man. very mod
4 est. IL would be Impossible to remember
him a. the msn OF the burlesque | had
seen. | said 10 him
| Mr.. Burgess. have looked on you
with admiration not unmxcd with Inter
1 est"
/ Mr.. Locke" replied the young man. Il
I am sorry you didn't see mo In q better
/ place than variety theater; but such Is
tate. have been desiring Tor some time
to get something on the regular stage. but
/ ! can't tni ANYTHING that suits me"
II have got something that was made
/ for You ten years ago" said Locke. II
want you TO take a drama have here and
/ read it over" The young fellow jumped
Al he idea lis knew thtt Locke's repu'l-
/ iion was a. wide as the country. and when
he returned with the piece his color Was
I high.
II II hal been Gu: ou, f5r me" he -tlI,
/ Ill couldn't have been better"
Locke then made some Inquiries shout
this youn. person. He was wcIi.cIucatcd
and weI,-raised. and hai been IN the art
and picture business on fremont s'r~et.
Boston. The ml.managemrnt OF partner
threw him out of an occupation. and AZ
that instant per .on dIscernci nj qualities
Tor cuaciy and hutlesquc, aud gave him
employ m-ut al a variety theater. lie then
progressed 10 his bu siuess until he was
making $3.50 a week SIN. with hls
gracss aud good qualities. he disiiked The
association. OF the minor stage. Locke
inquired further, and found hat Burgrss
va. ssil known Ia BOSTON. NJ. Charles
sheppard, of the house OF re Il sheppard.
said:
"Iir'. as good a. god You can take
hs word tor anything.
The Two then arranged 70 play the p.'cc
aud share the prohts. Borgess. va. lied
Up 10 variety cuEagcm~Its for several
ahrzI Et. 4 pf at.
withon, lacurring suit and penalty. In an
Interval they hired theatcr At Providence
ami took mp their company THE second
part Ia the piece. E'i-r SRt -, was put in
the hands 0i sol smith. The whole CON-
psIr wrui up 70 Providence and hai two
rch-rsa.s 4 day fnC about on" weeS, the
last Of which vas dfc.s-rchcrsAl before
auditors. Finally the house was opened
70 the public On FRIDAY night. Aui it was
packed. From the Beginning 70 the end
OF lbe piece there were roar, OF Iau-btc--
The people we're called out rep' steliy,
snd when the performance was over Bur
ses- csmr In. pu, hi. arms around Locke.
meek, AlG cried His nervous .ystcm and
expectation had been 30 much enlisted
thai success, mastered him
The iwo men expected 10 lose 4 certain
amount OF money, aud had brough, 500
apiece 20 pay losses. On the contrary,
when the matinee and night performance,
were done. they at down before table
and divided between them very hand
some little pot OF money. BIrEr,s had
then % ~ 81 70 the West % uiH one OF
MS engagements, which viii be N. last
He then expects % take the piece through
the Interior for about a month, 20 berOne
meilowrd ln Il, and then bring {, 70 one ~
The large eastern cilies-New Nprk. Fult-
delphla. or Boston.
This piece. a. have understood from
those who saw Id, j. the story Of an Oh VI
rago who j. quite Ge,lrou. 20 marry again.
/ When any mans name J.. mentioned she
abuses him tremendously, either before hl-
face or behind h.> back, uutil -hr rnI- he
= ~idp~er, when she becomes very ac-
c1mmodaiing. \ certain wduwcr hAs
Tsved from her part OF the country - The
West and acquired an independence Or a
small fortune there. The old lady', dau1ht-
! er happens % mention hi- name, when the
| old woman attacks him terribly. Hear
1 ing. however, that he has lost hl. WIFE, she
1 p,umes herself and get, ready Ia receive
/ him Thi. widower. however. comes home
/ tor the purpose OF marty Ing the daughter,
( ana hts dodging the old lady. arts and the
une Spect-d termination of hi. addresses
i result tn much humor.
4 Meantime there i a minister u the
/ Church. Baptist, who CONES IN contact
! with the Widow Bedott. A. their first
meeting she violently attacks his Church
aud ~ principles until the remaFA IS
I dropped that h. has lost his wife aul -
di-con>olare. The widow then agrees with
! him on every vital point OF doctriue, ani in
order % marry him has the story stated
that she j. rich Her idea Is that il she
can only get him The congregation viii foot
the bills She therefore has the parson-
age, on her own order, re-bnilt and Sumpt-
uously furnished The furniture l. 10 be
put 10 while the preacher ard herself are
of oD the bridsi trip. The bills are ready
when they return. The minister then ex-
poets the widow To pay the amount, ana
she looks to the poor, little congregation,
which can hardly raise psrsnips tor pistv
THE widows part, played oy Burgess, is
productive ot enormous amusement.
10 one of her conferences with the cler-
| gyman,' seeking TO win him. the widow
says: What We want j. strength. You
men have all the strength; We poor Great
ures nothing but dependence" At this
moment a tramp knocks Al the door, and
the widow. rushln. upon him, TAXI hi'n ~
by the seat of the oreeChcs and back OF the
neck aud throws him iuto the ward Upon
another occasion she throws Elder Snifile,
| Eut ihiAlisLtA aud
brideg groom quotes some scripture cor
rectly. bat the Widow Bedott, undertaking
to fill her new role OF the minister's wife
alway. gets 1t wrong and mixes up text.
in an astonishing manner.
The Neg York public are awaiting this
drama with interest; and We have bad, OF
the whole, with the exception OF opera, the
most stupid dramatic winter Ia our history
Pinafore has been played at four theaters
al once TO the exclusion OF versatility , anC
the only real successes of the winter may
be said TO have been Uncle Josh and Uncle
Dan, played by Denman Thompson an'
Ben Macauley. Mr.. Locke's piece comes
into the gap, and gives Us, for the frs
time IN many years, q female part adrnira
bly, played by man. The success OF thi
author in comedy is delight TO his friends
His rugged devotion to freedom and tn
Northern idea have always had the respec
Of his countrymen, aud he is deserving O
that financial independence which patriot
characters ought to have.-lCor. Phila
! Press.
asxty ,.la sn fro a rss