Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-05

XVhite-NOtes about the Sacred Reas.-
Queer Play for the Madison Square
Theater. with Novel Stage Effects
The Great HaxwOrk show a Disap.
poinsment-WhatB Boiling Water Costs
ut MISUNDERSTANDING OF the Week.
Special Correspondence of The EVENING STAR.
NEW YORK, April 4.
If any impossible doubts had existed az to P.
T. Barnums rank as the greatest of showmen.
they have been dissipated by the masterful
manner in which he has carried through this
latest enterprise of his-the capture of the white
elephant. The facts concerning the arrival and
the appearance of the beast are, of course. an
clent history by this time, the telegraph having
years ago played sorry trick upon all newspa-
per correspondents when it began to send ahead
the cream and gist of the news and left the cor
respondent to make bricks without straw-in
other words. to tell story which has already
been told. But while the telegraph may have
given much about Toung TaOung, the extraor-
binary animal over which half New York seems
to have gone wild, a little account of my own
impressions concerning him may not be without
interest. In the first place. it does not now mat
ter penny whether TOung is genuine white
elephant, or was manufactured to order for Bar
num- There are stories current to the effect that
Barnnm had him doctored for the American
market. that he has BACKED I'D all his other
elephants in order to make the new beast appear
White by contrast. that he bought Toung for
mere song because of these very spots about
which so much fuss is made etc 1t doesn't
matter penny whether these stories are true or
not. The fact remains that the beast, whatever
he is. has obtained for Barnum about a million
dollars worth OF free advertising. Barnum ev-
identity knew what could be made out of white
elephant for he had tried to manufacture one
and failed. He engaged Prof. DOremus to bleach
promising subject from among his elephant
nerd, and the poor beast was subjected to
dose OF chemicals. inside and out which had
tremendous etiect-sO much so that it became
evident that Rarnum's genuine sacred white
elephant would be dead elephant. and the
experiment was abandoned Barnum failed to
make an elephant white, but he may have dis
covered since that to have white elephant and
an elephant that was white was not the same
thing by any means
WHAT THE BEAST IS LIKE.
Armed with a card of invitation presented
myself at the Madison Avenue Garden on Mon
day morning last. and was formerly introduced
to TOung Taloung. The first thing that strikes
you is that the white elephant is of dirty mouse
color not much lighter than the other elephants
Next you notice number of spots or patches
OF dull yellOwish gray. which disiglre the
ANIMALS trunk. breast and ears These marks
are the distinguishing signs of a sacred e!e-
phant. according to Mr.. Barnum, who declares
Toung to be the finest specimen he ever saw of
pure breed white elephant, all of which NAV
be true, for Mr.. Barnum will admit in the next
sentence that he, never saw one before. If
TOung was to be put up at auction and sold
without reference to his sacred character he
would certainly go at low figure as the victim
OF some terrible disease. Otherwise the beast
Is good looking animal with beautiful tusks
He stands about seven feet high, and does not
resent the familiarites Of the hundreds of per-
sons who want to make sure that he is not
painted Barnum invited all the distinguished
scientists OF the city to come aud question his
alleged priest who came over with TOung-a
perfectly safe invitation. as not man in the
town can talk Burmese Next to the elephant
band OF eleven Burmese musicians eXcites
wonder by the horrible din they manage to get
out OF fsh-horns and copper pans. Mr.. Barnum
cultivated and that he really likes it, which is
possible. for the old gentleman is getting to be
slightly deaf.
THE MADISON SQUARES NEW PLAY.
Somewhat of change has come over the
policy of the Madison Square theater The
gOody-goody plays containing nothing that
might bring blush to the most susceptible
cheek have brought the little jewel box fame
and fortune in the last four years, but it seems
the public is at last asking for something
stronger. and, the management not having done
well win the last two plays produced Duty"
and "Alpine ROses'-has determined upon a
new policy. A play by David Belasco. the stage
manager of the theater has been accepted. and.
to tell the truth the plot does promise reversal
OF tradition in the hOuse-fOr virtue comes an
awful cropper, and vice gets the best of it up to
the very fall OF the curtain The story Of "May
Blossom" concerns the adventures Of a Young
woman OF that name, who is loved by Richard.
a mill-OWner and by Steve one of his hands
May returns Richards love. and pities Steve.
The scene is laid in Virginia during the civil war;
and the play opens with the abduction of Rich
ard, who is arrested as a spy. and is carried off
SO fast that only Steve knows what has become
OF MN. He has promised Richard to tell Nav
the truth, but allows her to believe Richard
dead. At the end of year May marries Steve,
anu on the anniversary of the wedding Richard
walks in. The difficulties of the situation are
solved by sending Richard back to the battle
HELD, where he is killed, and packing Steve off
upon an arctic expedition, where he reaps glory
ne returns at the end Of six years to see his
child, and the woman whom he has SO deeply
wronged falls Into his arms. saying, ~ love
you. Why she should love him is not clear,
out stage herOines are queer characters some
times. and the curtain is rung down amid gem
elal rcloclngs, with not a thought of poor Rich
ard who. as the lmpersonation of virtue, has
had hard time of it all along.
NOVEL STAGE EFFECTS.
AS BclaSco is stage manager Of the theater he
will indulge in some novel effects. In one scene
May and Richard sit on the sea shore, and Nav
traces upon the sand picture of true hearts
entwlned. Before their talk is over the tide
rises and washes away the sketch. That is one
bit of realism. In another scene a lot of trained
BIRDS ny down upon the twigs of a tree and fly
OIL again al the whistle ofthe stage manager
BOOTH DISAPPOINTED.
The theaters are still dull under the double
spell OF Barnum and Lent, all except Irving
who is coming money at :3 seat with much
Ado About Nothing" a series of stage pictures,
surprising. perhaps, "The Merchant of Venice"
Poor Booth, at the 14th street theater-an in
feror house-is playing to comparatively small
though paying houses. although the prices
charged are half those of Irving and is said to
feel the situation keeny-so much SO that he
avoids meeting Irving.
WAX WORKS UPON GRAND SCALE
The great waN-work show OF the Eden Nusee
has not turned out to be so much of wonder
as might have been expected. l went to the
opening last Friday night, along with five or six
hundred other invited guests, who carried a
card nearly yard square, and saw all that was
to be seen. The principle upon which the
building is arranged is to have large hall.
dimly lighted, surrounded by great many al
cOves very brilliantly lighted, in which alcoves
the wax wonders are to be seen. AS wax
work show it is excellent, but it is nothing
more. You never forget that it is wax-work
show, and the atmosphere of hairdresser's