, 1879-07-06

shortest space Of time. Then they haven't
money enough to get back again, and ne
promptly stops paying salaries, whereupon they
stay with him for the sake OF receiving their
board, until his route brings them to within
jumping distance OF some place where they have
friends. Hc always plays tobad business, yet bis
cheerfully economical measures in regard to the
payment Of his company enable him to get
along and to salt something down for himself.
Such a chap az that has financial genius. And
the first time meet the President. am going
to suggest him for Secretary Of the Treasury.
think he could bust us up With more ueasness
and dispatch than any common political
fln2nder Of this gencration,-eVen frst-class
Democrat of the rag-babY stamp.
But this combination business, ut best, Is
bad. 1t makes actors and actresses o lot OF
wandering hcodlums, without homes or family
tics, and inspires them with vagrant tendencies
which they emit get over during the rest Of
their lives 1t makes them perform all parts
alike, by keeping them in d certain groove
months at time, and thus kills all develop
ment OF dramatic art. It creates a sort Of
machine-like style OF playing which disgusts
auditors and butchers the plaTwright's work.
II il fraud of the first water, aud 1t Is going
to be- ventilated. Philadelphia, Boston, San
francisco, and New York are to hive stock
companies next season. All the rest of the
country will be without anything but combina-
ton tlleatres,-a condition which will soon
sfcken the people and demoralize the drama.
Why, no less than hundred combinations OF
all grades are to start out from here early IN
September. have counted that number al
ready. About twenty-7not more-are mnde OF
good stuff, and will do well after all the rest
have been swept AWAY. But with the crowd at
the start there will bo no profit for anybody.
The good combinations are most wotully ham-
pered by the bad ones. It is big handicap
race, in which tho favoritcs u are sure to win,
while the scrub runners are nll going to be dis
tanced. About the middle OF November the
~ field ~ will look awiully tired ..
Aud, as il we hadn't enough material on our
hands already, seyeral Of our managers nave
turned. their faces toward the old country for
tie purpose OF bringing in fresh stock. To the
experienced reader Qf newspapers it Is extreme
II apparent thut somebody has been "prepar-
ing - this country for an invasion By
SARA BERNHARDT.
The work thus far has been SO we'll done that
nearly every intelligent American who roads the
uewspapers-4 all Intelligent americans 10
read the newspapers-is moderately acquainted
with the public and private affairs of the great
French artistic. Is there ANYBODY in the coun-
try, pray tell, who doesn't know that she wears
boys clothes, that she sculps, that she paints'
Consumption and four illegitimate children.
that she gets s400 night,
that she is as thin as . half-starvcd rail-feuce,
and that she can outcact any other female Of
her weight in the world! Isn't it popularlY be-
RIBS in dramatic contest as John DRYER did ~ ~
his late prlze-hght:with James Elltott3 Don't
everybody know that she's just regular
screamer, "a sockdolager. SO to speak!
To be sure, they do; and that's Why say tn tne
has has been en- wsii done. Thc fellow who engineered
ali this newspaper talk about Sara Bernhardt
knew what he was driving at, you had better
believe; and the next step will be to get her
over here. I fancy that some chap on the other
that the plans are already laid out. But, it that
is not the case, We shall probably have her uu-
der the guidance OF an American manager. 4
week or TWO back, you will remember, henry
f. Abbey, the Park Theatre man, suddenly
was ". i. Floyd, WHO has hitherto been known
Theatre. It is now given out that
their trip, which bad previously been re-
graded as mild species Of lunacy, is taken for
the distinct purpose Of bringing Miss Bernhardt
to Amerca. The Information comes from such
q source too that there Is scarcely possibility
Of doubling ti,at it is entirely correct. Tie gen
tlcmen are prepared, believe, to otfer her the
tailest kind OF financial inaucenent, and
maze no doubt that they will also present
America to her in such an allurn% light that
she will consent to come anyhow. They will
have to watch her, though
WILLIE pEursCH's BOAT
is also on the shore, aud his bark is on the sea.
and when again t1e crosses DER, be hopes to
briuc Patti {Please pronounce 1t Pat-tee, so as
to to q preserVe the rhy1ne.) Willie's scheme
eclipses in rcclslcssness aud daring the
widest speculations of Jack Haverty
himself. Re proposes, II the divine warbllst
will consent to come, to give her oO per cent
Of the gross receipts Of each performance
for her services alone,-which is per cent more
than Hayeriv's phenomenal terms to Col. Maple
son for his whole opera troupe last year. Hc
brings enthusiasm to the business, anyhow.
Said he to ono Of the Demonicos the other day:
s.Why, do you know what I'D make at those
tcr,ns2 I'D clear for myself s25,O0 in two
Weeks!''
Willie must nave established some new theo-
ries Of calculation, 1t strikes Let's see: the
gross receipts at that rate would have to reach
the sum Of $3.50, ,0G0. And, as Patti wouldn't
think Of singing more than three times week,
600 at each performance. AS there isn't any
building in New York that will hold quarter
of the amount, why, "kindero think Willie
is of bis cobase, Us it wore. But don't believe
afraid Of the ocean, or Strakosch would surely
have had herr over here long ago. Indeed, she
ouce paid him big sum Of lnouey as forfeit
for having neglected to keep q contract
which provided that she should appear
story Of Ter troubles Is that her late husband,
tue Marquis de Caux, hos forbidden her to sing
iu FRANCE, which, considering tile fact TINT they
were divorced year or more ago, strikes me as
beautiful exhibition of cheek on the part OF
i R,&+ %l,n ErAnu 1nrv trt,fa fah