Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-19

The Brave Venture Of Anna Dick
insan
In Essaving the Difficult Role-A Scholarly
Interpretation, but Poor COMPANY
and a Small House

Anna Dickinson gave Us last night what
Wheeling hiss never seen before-a female
Hamlet. Il has been said of Anna Diekin.
SOD, her life from girlhood has been one OF
heroic endeayor. To tie multitude 1t may
have appeared mere struggle for personal
pre- eminence, yet lit was g successful one
only because her aiLas were quickly recog-
niz:d to be not those Of mere selfish ani-
bition, but rather those Of the patriot.
She achieved somsthing beyond riches or
personal fame. She gave her best gift to
cause she believed in, heart and soul, and
among the voices that rang throughout
the land at times when fate, wsverng,
sat and shook her doubtful urn, there
were none that helped more etfectually TO
turn the drift Of popular opinion than tnat
of this persistent, pugnaeious, lrfeslshGle
orator in petticoats. From youthful
wonder she grew to be an oracle, and in
the gravest questions affecting the nations
welfare this one earnest voice was felt 70
be somehow more potent than million
votes.
The time passed by when the voice was
not needed any longer in the political
arena, but there still remained IN the
spiritual impulse that had given the
power, and what to do. with II
the personality to wit: Anna Dick.
spirit Of a woman, who had brayed
more than danger in conquering the plat.
form as d portion of her SeX's unquestiOned
rights. How many montetanks now trip
smoothly across the bridge she helped to
build and obtain a hearing which they
could never have had but for some cour-
sgeous soul like this, who had attained the
mastery in the science OF persuasion"
and was one Of the kind who could not be
irtimidated.
With the same ardor and singleness Of
purpose she had displayed on the platform
SIS a redresser Of human wrong, Anna
Dickinson turned her energies to dramatic
ert as labor worthy Of her intellectual
endowment. She wrote drama and acted
in it, and strove in the most legitimate way
TO gain q hearing for it. The effort was
lsudsble one, and by no means Presump.
tuous in a woman who had so slgnally tri
umphed in another field. 1t was met with
ian elegant burst OF witty laughter, from
the critics, learned and unlearned, who
scolded her, lectured her, made faces at
her. and told her to 60 home and mind her
business-just as old Clifford once told John
Keats TO go back to the gsllipots, after
be had written "Endymion. In short, she
was pooh -poohed off the sacred boards in a
st mi polite way by the pens which can
r, ably become the poet laureates OF sue
Cts IS, but could never date an honest recJg.
niiyn of genius without documentary evil
dtnCe. OF C urse she was discouraged by
such alarming symptoms, but discourage.
mint, IN this case, only led to resistance
TO renewed perseverance.
she boldly entered the arena where so
many have made splendid names, where
many bravely failed, where many have scr.
roTfully "trall6d their wings in the dust.
Miss dickinson has essayed. the role Of
Hamlet, putting herself in competition, OF
course, with the Booths, the Barretts, the
NcCulloughs and the other celebrities OF
the modern theatre.
How does she bear the part? There is
much sgainst her by nature, and to many
there is rude upsetting OF all precon-
ceived ideas of Hamlet. For the stately
man she gives us the precocious boy, and
for the lass we have known she gives US a
woman's treble But we like 1t, and it
grows on us as the play advances and at
It's end we decide she has done better than
ever we supposed she could. But the house
is only half full, and a vast amount
of inspiration is lacking. Then she is sur
rounded by galaxy Of sticks and clods,
called company. who only handicap her
acting. Ophclia is a good exception aud
Horatio is passable, but Laertes is misera-
bic and Claudius only endurable, with
POionius not much better.
If applause was scanty, ii was because 1t
wss bad night for applause. 1t was not
BE- cause brave and heroic Anna Dickinson
had rot given q scholarly Interpretation Of
SLakspeare's master piece.
FRED wARDE.
Seats went of well for the Warde engage
mcnt Yesterday and large house may be
expected each night. AS a tragediau Warde
is rspidly taking a front rank. His Vir.
ginius Las received tie most flattering
notices. As Ingomar he has no superior.
To his work he brings the most painstak-
ing effort. While not bold TO innovation
he is pleasing and earnest.
HAyERLY's MAsTODONs
OF Haverly s new Mastodons the Cincin.
matt Enquirer Of last Thursday said 1T
is the tinest minstrel organization on the
road. Hnshey Daugherty J. Carol John
son, Harry Armstrong, Bobby Newcomb
and Billy Richardson are with the party.
So is Hawkins, the famous soprano with
the Hague party last season, and who made
an instantaneous success in both Europe
ard America,
THE RoNANY RYE.
This famous play from Booths Theatre,
New York, with all its thrilling life.pic.
lures, THE Gypsy Encampment," The
English Race Course" "Craigsuest by
Moonlight" Little Queer Street, Lon
don, and the Sinking of Steamer in
Mid Ocean, together with its enormous
CONF any Of tifiy.fve peOpe. will be in
v heerng on Tuesday and Wednesday,
SeItemher 26 and q. This will be the
Only visit here.
II you want an appetite, without a happy
tight,
Let nrpVail