, 1879-03-23

gab-factory,-had gone buck on him, according
to HoracasWa1l, and he wouldn't be able to Keep
his engagements in this country.
And he didn't.
But in justice to MIR. Abbey, Of the Park
Theatre, where hc was' booked for long sea-
son. lie allowed the production Of Engaged ~
which he was understood to have purchased for
America.
Then he went off on jaunt to Italy.
That was all right; but now, with bis Ameri-
can dates still untitled; he goes back to the
stage in London. :: -
He OPENED AT THE uArMARKET
Monday night for season Of three weeks, aud
will then go through the Provinces for four
weeks more. So you see bic has recovered his
health rather suddenly, and his breakdown
begins to smack of the advertisement dodge.
After his trip through the British Provinces,
Sothcrn will start ut once for New York,-his
American dates having MI passed by before
that time. He will be accompanied BY couple
Of sprigs Of English nobility, whose titles for
get, but whose qualities IRE highly lauded In a
letter from the comedian Which I read yestcr-
day.
From New York the party will 20 direct to
Canada, where Sothern OWLS section OF sal
mon-rivcr. There they will pass the summer.
And from the list OF supplies to DO purchased
one might infer that the salmon are going to
have soIt thing Of it. For, If the party under
take to get away with all the liquids and solids
set down on that list, they won't have breathing
space between May and December.
Unless they are completely awed by the
grandeur ot the British nobility, they will have
jolly ting Of it. besilss sgtern fsre viii
and E. a. Buck, who is halloween and oil the
braius Of |Fiikes' Spirit.
Won't that be d jolly old crowd!
Tic way they'll punish punish ,'tumm," @ H. and and
they'll hatch up schemes to advertise in the fu-
ture, will be a caution.
And the way those salmon will rub their
bellies OIL the bottom Of the river and snicker
to themselves will be quite jolly to see.
"THE LITTLE DUKE"
which is lecocq's latest comic opera, was pro-
duccu BY tic Dufls at Booths Theatre Monday
night. f know the opera is comic, because the
posters say SO. The first presentation Of 1t was
co1nic1cr tnan had been intended in some Of its
details, and moro iugubrlous than was meant In
others. The Dook was played By Florence Ellis,
and the performance OF lint part was surpris-
ingly good in view OF the fact that she did not
receive the score until Thursday night. Alice
Harrison was to have assumed the Leading char
acter, but, owing to misunderstanding with
tic management, withdrew. She would have
undoubtedly helped the piece to very consid-
cradle extent.
The story OF the opera is very slight. The
Dale, who is 4 lad Of Is, is married to young
girl in order to save her property. which would
otherwise be lost. After the Wedding the bride
is taken away By her friends and placed in
convent school, while her boy-husband is made
Colonel Of regiment. Hc proceeds to storm
tue convent for the purpose OF securing bis wife,
and inst a2 hn cnrp61IG hn is nr6rrrG tn
more serious war. On the field he SHOWS
prodigious ya!or, aud after the battle retircs to
his tent. His bride, who has escaped from the
conyent-sclloo, slips into camp against the CON-
1nanllnS oillser's orders, and is discovered with
the Dukt. Tl.ercupon his sword is taken from
him. but Is Immediately restored out Of cotnpli-
mcnt for his yulorous deeds, and the King sanc-
tions tic wedding.
As said before, some features Of the first
night were very funny. One, man came oil
breathlcssty with the important aud astounding
information that - Tie battle which was fought
tomorrow will be fought to-day" a female
member Of the company received some glad it'd
hugs with a " Thank Heaven that was SO ridcu-
lousiy ''piano' as to make the house
HOWL WITH LAUGHTER.
And an elderly matron exclaimed, "Hurraw,
girls, now we'll have some fun," in such trne-
real accents that the audience had to shrek with
laughter agaiu. But the opcra In itself is not
particularly comic, OF particularly anything else.
It is like any other French composition
of light. ordssr,-rob it q its
smut: and there's n"thing, left but
milk and water. The piece contains some very
beautiful musics but its >lfbrctto is wretchc1tly
all through. 1t is put upon titt.
stage III remarkably effective way rs regards
scenery and costumes. and the singing is very
good. 1t will not have long run. Booths
lose their strength when played before anything
but closely -Dacke1 auditorium.
Ada Cayenuish mas gone to Bermuda, aud will
not return before the middle OF April. IN the
month she will star at Wa1aci's
Theatre, supported by the regular company OF
that house. This fact is what gives color to the
rumors that her sickness is subtcriuge to put
off the Broadway Theatre management. It is
said around town that DR.. Phelps, OF Murray
Hill, who was mixed up with that alleged Ben
nett duel, and who delights III being connected
with ali manner Of schemes likely to produce
notoricty, first suggested to Theodore Moss,
through Billy Floyd, that Miss Cayendish ought
10 br ulalc available ut Wallacli's. Theodore
Moss it is proper to explain, is tho Treasurer of
-ester's theatrc, when there is anything 10
treasure. lie favored the plan at once, and
.rottctl around to see tic Govcrnor-thc "GoV-
eruor'' is Lester himself.
Well, the party put their heads together, and
inally concluded that II Miss Cayendisil was
.oing to play at another house in the mcall-
inc, she wouldn't be OF any use to them at the
md Of tllr season. But il her engagement at
Tic Broadway should fall through well, there
vas no telling.
So Phelps went off
TO SEE MISS CA yENDIsH.
lie was surprised to find her looking so ILL., She
must really ALLOW him to feel her pulse. Phew!
Nincty-four in the shade! Something was
wrong. Shc Must run out her tongue. Uui--ah!
That was bad. very bad. How was her chest!
lie WAS absolutely alarmed, anu insisted on |
examining it, And he proceeded to thulnp her
tbs until she almost coughcd her diaphragm |
out. |
That settled it.
lie prescribed brandy and soda, Bermuda: |
contract, aud Walack's Theatre IN |
May. She was scared almost to death, but took |
he dose with fortitudc which WINS little short |
If heroisIn.
This is the tale that is waited about the inner
:irclc Ut dramatic fa,niliars just now. tell it
Is twas told to ME.
There is another dreadful rumor, which is to |
he effect that Arthur Wa[ack is going to act. |
Arthur is SIS vet youth to fortune and to fame |
Unknown. q think that sentence has been used |
else, and, as my Damc is not Bouci- |
:ault. 1 don't want anybody to thiuk claim it |
IS Originally Heretofore Arthur hns confined |
lis talents to literary pursuits. That is 80 say,
le has been the reader " Of his daddys theatre.
-Ie is deiicate-eyen cthercaf-in appearance, |
specially lis TO lcgss But then he read "Clarissa
1arlowe'' and "Speluouud in manuscript, |
ltnt one can't expect fellow to be very healthy
III such q diet.