National Republican., 1888-05-16

ONE uf the most interesting facts about
stage people j. that they almost invariably
have some striking peculiarly, fad ur cccen.
nj, ity II j. one uf the characteristics Of
,cnus to be 90 Here /, Col. McCaull's opera
Cumique Company. for instance, with which
the people of Washington are becoming quite
we'll acquainted. most fuvordbly. too, during
their engagement AZ Albaugl's. one to look
upon the smooth, boyish face Of Nir. Digby
Bell, the comedian, would hardly suspect that
he is in reality man ot the utmost gravity
and seriousness M the stage. II you We're to
meet Mr.. Bell on the street and did not know
who he was. you would no more think Of his
playing piNkow In the BLACK liussar' than
President cleveland. But Mr.. Bells great
peculiarly IL not - lnUch his grdvityas lis
fondncsS for frog culture. in which he has at.
tanned great local distinction in New Jersey.
where he has a farm. Everything Oil this farm
is >uhurtlinated to the one purpose of growing
frogs, It's perhaps the greatest frog plantation
outside Of France, and the finest frogs in the
New York market are said to come from Mr..
Bells ponds. lie has carried the business To
Such high pitch OF perlcctiOn and So not"l
are the frogs from Mr. Bells place, that thDn-
sands Of visitors 20 there every summer To see
for themselves what MIR, Bell has accom-.
pliShed Tile place is one of the most bcluti-
iul in New Jersey, the most striking feature
being series of ponds of cleurest water In
an open field Of blue grass. The frogs are
grown in these ponds. and during the season
a large number of them are caught every day
and sent to New York. Mr.. Bells income
from hi> frog farm is quite large. and the ven
ture has been great financial success Thea
there is Mr. Hubert Wilkc, OF the same com
pany, who looks like schiller. and who is
quite as much of German as schiller. 10
see his mild eye his poetic. sensitive face.
one would hardly conclude he really had the
instincts OF an Arizona cowboy so far
as the love and management of wild, unruly
horses is concerned. AS Souu as the OPERA
season Is over Mr.. Wilkc ruShes to the conn
try, where h revelS all summer in breaking
mte civil manners the worst animals he can
find. Ills love of horses i absolutely pie
turesQuc, and has become q trait of heroic
quality. The most untamcl 3-ycaruld hnls
in him AN Immediate and beloved master, Ia
whom II is pleasure to give obedience. Mr..
Wilkc keeps number of fine animals. ON one
of which he can be seen almost any pretty
afternoon when lc happens To he singing IN
New York. Ills drNtCrity with horses Is evil
dcnced every night when he mounts the Stccl
in the finale Of the second act of "rIlc Black
llusSar" lie can ride anything from
an African zebra to an American
buffalo. Miss Marion ManOa is of
thoroughly literary turn OF mind. Her
distinguishing fOndncss i for poetry of the
Dante school She has read Dante through
many times and there are moments during her
work on the stage when her classic profile
cannot fail to call to mind the portrait of the
great Italian poet. Miss Manoa went to Italy
To study music. and while there spent much
time looking up personal traditions of Dante,
and these she may some time cmbody in book
form. II is Il rare thing that II singer falls in
love vim 50 seriousnndcd poet as Dante,
!ut Miss Manola i quite out Of the common
run of singers In being almost ethereal in her
tastes and aspirations, She /, artistic in every
fiber and impulse, and II is for art, and art
alone, that she lives and labOrS. Miss Annie
Myers Is plump and petite. but She likes big
dogs, and has scotch stag hound, with
long, fierce hair, that i almost as
tall ~ she l., She did not bring II
with her 10 Washington this time, but when
IN New York She can be seen many an after
noon ON Broadway in the vicinity Of Twenty.
third street accompanied 10y this magnificent
animal, and with whip in her hand large
enough for a mule driver. Strange indeed,
that one who can sing - softly aud captivHt.
ingly A. Mis- Myers does, for instance in the
evening cong, with chorus, m the first act of
Indiana should care for Il brute of this kind
Miss Josephine Knapp, Whose face /, a> fresh
and beautiful aS bunch of lilies OF the val
ley is distinguished for her love Of outdoor
and athletic sports, She i particularly fond
of rowing and yachting, AMI during the sum.
mer often takes considerable voyages on an
ocean sailing yaclI, with party Of friends
She is thoroughly vcrscd in all the science Of
sailing, and can repeat nautical terms
with the ease Of an Old salt. Miss
knapp j. also an expert frncrr.
and in the music ,lim1 She can play banjo IA
eiicction and can whistle Ike a morking bird.
She can whistle one of Chopn's nocturne,
with the ease and grace that Levy play, the
Last Rose ut summer. Mrs, Laura Joyce
Bell Is entirely sympathetic with her husband,
pigby bell, and takes great delight in the New
Jersey farm She Is one of the best humorcd
women in the world, and she aud her hus band
are very fond OF each other. If he gets flowers
over the footlights he Immediately hands
them over to her, card and all, rs Il dutlfuI
husband ought 10 de-,