Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-27
NEW YORK NOTES.
THE FAR FAMED JERSEY LILY.
Mrs. Langtry at Last-How She Looks
and Acts -WalIack in Bad Luck Again
The Passion Play-Its Authors Ca
reer-What ShOddy Squanders.

SG iast Her arrival was the sensation of the
week, and at the cubs aud wherever men get
together she is the sole topic of conversation.
women, too. are talking about the famous
beauty, wondering If she can be so very beauti.
Ioi after all. and, dare say, secretly hoping
that the popular verdict in this country will be
uDraVorable. II women do not like other
women to be more beautiful than themselves.
or to wear better dresses, who can blame
them? Well, she made a vivid impression
on the newspaper reporters. and cor
respondents and reporters who met her on the
steamer. Yet they did not all see her with the
same eyes, for, according to their stories. she
must have undergone change Of dress seve-
raj times while she was chatting with them
and enhancing them with her luminous eyes
All who have so far met her have remarked her
atfabiity and external gracefulnesS of manner
When she was surrounded by fierce crowd OF
men thirsting for news aud attempting to drink
in her beauty, she blushed, to be sure-for she
still retains her modesty-but beamed upon
them with extreme good nature. She was
driven in carriage to the Albemarle
where she is occupying the same suite of
rooms which were used by Sarah Bernhardt
while she was playing her engagement here
two years ago saw her in the evening. She
wore garnet plush dress, cut high in the neck
and with tight t-f1tting sleeves. The color was
garnet, say, although l had been told few
moments before that il was purple How men
differ about such thingsl cannot describe
her beauty. That she is beautiful no one can
DISPUTE; but it is Of the English type, which is
different from ours and for which reason some
people may be disappointed. What strikes you
first Of all is her complexion, which is wonder
fully clear. There is a suggestion of red in
her cheeks which is too diffusive and
delicate to be paint, yet she paints when on
the stage. and, sad to relate, her complexion
is suffering injury from it. She struck me
being solemn looking when her face was in
repoSe, but when engaged in conversation her
face lit up wonderfully. Many have spoken of
her charming manner. That she is sffable and
has winning manner cannot be gainsaid by
the most Jealous woman. and if she did men
would not believe her. On the evening of her
arrival she went to see John T RAYMOND as
Colonel Sellers at the Park Theatre. She drove
IN closed carriage IN company with
Manager Abbey, Mrs. Labouchere and a
little man with bristly moustache and bald
head. Who the little man was have made a
frantic effort to discover, but so far have
failed. The party went in at the stage en-
trance and took seats in the lower left hand
box. Mrs Labouchere, who is short and in
clined to stoutnesS, was very conspicuous. Not
so with Mrs. Langtry. She was too discreet,
as her manager thought of it and cautioned
her not to cheaper herself by allowing people
TO see her, and so all that was visible of her
was one arm. Il some Of the spectators do
not understand the anatomy of Mrs. Laugtrys
right arm, it is not because they did not stare
at 1t hard enough, and for a long
enough period of time. A crowd of young
OF seats. struggling to get a glimpse of her
through their glasses. They were unsuccess-
full, and gave vent to their impatieace in words
that do not look well even when quoted Mrs
Langtry seemed to enjoy the play very much.
/ reached this conclusion by watching the
movements Of her right arm which she raised
frequently to clap handkerchief on her
mouth and smother her laughter. Just before
the last act she went behind the scenes and
was introduced to &C )lonal Sellers - At the
close of the performance she left the theatre
by the stage door leaning on her managers
arm. A great crowd stood on the side
walk craning their necks to catch a glimpse of
her. She did not seem to regard them, but
stepped into her carriage with the grace Of a
of the theatre expecting the famous
beauty to make her exit there long
after she had been whirled away to her hotel
She will visit some of the other theatres dur
ipg this week, and will attend rehearsals Friday
and Saturday in preparation for her appear
ance on Monday. She is quite nervous over
making her bow to an American public II
delighted. So will we be.
Lester Wallack seems to be suffering one
misfortune after another. His present trouble
is that his leading man-Herbert, an English
actor-has proved failure. This did not sur
prise mary as the new actor was engaged by
Mr. Wallack's son Arthur, who like the own
sons OF many distinguished men, has much
more assurance than judgment. Young
Arthur is prig He would go on the stage if
his papa would let him, which he does not do
because he knows that he would destroy the
Wallackian traditions Why he should have
been trusted with such an important mission
as going to England for leading man is a
mystery to me- The trouble Mr.. Wallack had
at the beginning Of the season with melodrama
was GgonlZing. and now this has come on ton
of it. 1t is said that negotiations are in pro-
gTesS for the return of Mr.. Osmund Tearle
who is now on a starring tour in europe. II
Mr.. Tearle should come back, the ladies who
go to Wallack's would be happy, know. They
are very fond Of him. Some fellows are ladies'
Tearle is.
The excitement over the "Passion Play" two
years ago is about to be repeated. SaImi
Morse, the author. has arrangements under
way for producing it during Christmas week
It is his intention to give it under his own
direction and to show as much Difference to
public opinion as he can. When Mr.. Abbey
was making preparations to give representa-
tion Of the " Passion Play" at Booths Theatre,
two years ago, great clamor was raised
play the principal part. as he did in California
Although he is a devopt Catholic, people said
it would be an outrage for an actor to imper-
senate the Saviour. Another objection was
that such a sacred subject should be presented
in a theatre in which the wicked and uncon-
ventional Bernbardt was at that time playing
Mr.. Abbey had gone so far as to have his
scenery painted and his costumes made, but
he was forced to yield to public opinion The
author ia going to remove these objections by
giving his performances in building exoress-
purpose,
having all of the parts taken by
amateurs But he will find much oppos- ton
to the undertaking Notwithstanding these
changes In the conditions He says that no
amount of public clamor will prevent him
from presenting the Passion on the stage but
that IL 1t Is condemned by intelligent people
after 1t has been performed he Will withdrawn
The author and the play have had curious
history Mr.. Morse formerly engaged in liter.
ary pursuits in England, and for many years
assisted Charles Dickens in his work His re-
Let ~wwsN1 1s-k
tiaI. One Of his duties was to go into other
countries in search Of information for
the authors use. He became interested
in the Passion as represented ia Italy,
in Jerusalem in order to write poem on the
subject of the life and death of Christ Some
friends, who heard the poem read in San Fran
cisco, insisted that the poem was dramatic in
subject aud form, aud should be presented on
the stage. It was revised by an Archbishop at
San Francisco and performed there for five
weeks. At the end Of that time James O'Neill
had to give up the part to fulfill an engage
ment. and the author would not consent to a
change of actors, and withdrew the play The
character was too sacred, he said, to be treated
as a theatrical part. 1t was subsequently pro.
duced by another man and eDjoined by an or
dinance Then followed the efforts of
Manager Abbey to bring out the play
undertaking reveals the fact that the author
has been encouraged to produce his play bv
Roman Catholics anil Episcopalians, who be- |
lieve that it will be beneficial to the public, |
from an educational and moral point OF view 1t |
is asserted that clergymen prominent in the |
Methodist Book Concern offered to assist |
in the enterprise II 1t should be made a mis-
sionary work and only very small admission |
fee charged. can't vouch for the truth of |
this statement, although it was made to me by |
Mr.. Morse's chief associate. 1t is very likely, |
indeed, that Roman Catholics win find little |
in the presentation to criticse, their |
education being In the direction oGspectacuIar |
shows. The theatre In which the Passion |
will be represented will be used for this piece |
and plays Of a kindred character The deco |
rations will be subdued in tone Some modifi- |
cations have been made in the play so that it |
will end with the condemnation of Christ by |
Pontius Plate, and not with his crucihxion. AS |
the author says it is designed to present Christ |
as the man and not Christ as the God.
The new play at the Madison Square Theatre |
has created a sensation among the class of |
people who go to that theatre for amusement. |
was told yesterday that seats ere sold three |
weeks in advance and that two or three hun
dred people were turned away from the doors |
every night.
Miss Laura Don and her compare have re- |
turned to New York. Her season came to an |
abrupt termination at Chicago She began |
brilliantly with the production of her own plav
"A Daughter OF the Nile" at the Standard |
Theatre here. Her health broke down under |
the attempt to be her own manager and to plav |
the leading part. She says she viii win success |
yet.
There never was greater extravaganza in |
living among the rich than lust now man
may not be railroad king and yet have his |
household expenses amount to several thou-
sand dollars a week 1t is the proper thing |
among society people to keep great retinue |
of servants, some families HAVING tuanf~r - |
more servants, half Of whom are men. Afeur |
years ago family took pride in having one or |
two men servants, but now the best esfabIisf- |
ments have two or three coachmen. as /
many groomsmen and footmen. a But |