Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-08
NEW YORK LETTER.
TIE DRAMATIC SCHOOL AGAIN AND DION
BoUcIcAuLT.
interviewing Public Hen Cleveland, Thur.
man, Morton, and the Ikea Queer
story-Gaiasd by spiritualism.
Correspondents 81 lho RichmOnd Dispaich.i


rs Lope dc Vega, and az entertaining as
Father Pront. has come TO town tofresh-
On the dead SIMMER season, 10 amuse
the weary during the swoon OF the SOL
ftico. and to organize that immemorial
dcsideraium. practical dramatic school.
Two things infatuated men do hero
regularly and then disappear; they have
been DONG it for twenty-five years, and
the track OF time is strevn with their
bones and the collapsed .pocket-books of
their backors. They give Italian opera
and they start dramatic schools. II is a
monomania that costs millions and has
ruined hosts OF miliners and typewriters.
But IS neither time nor trouble has
ever yanquishod Boucicault. there is a
deep suporstitious feeling that he will
buck against this problem and shatter il.
4 dramatic school in the popular sense
is not instituted 70 help the drama, but TO
relieve tho community Of the girls who
want 20 act and make $50 week on ex-
hihiiion.
There is what tho newspapers call
"felt demand for a national school of
acting in every fancy goods store, in
every book-bindery, 10 every family cir
Gle that has two or three good looking
daughters.
ALL HAVE GESIUs.
Every third girl in Macy's harbors in
hex Utmost soul a secret resolve 10 save
money enough to play Camille at some
time and die on lounge. Every third
wife Of promising young banker secret
~ studies Pauline IN her bedroom and
costumery in her bOudOir so as TO DO
prepared TO take TO the stage at O mo-
ments notice If her husband should go
to Canada suddenly
All this vast abeyant community OF
sspirants needed was some such move rs
Eoucicault has made to precipitate them
all upon a given centre.
He burst ont in the Herald with his
youthful enthusiasm. The thing Was
done. He proved that tho centuries
had waited for Inn. lie was the
Moses who was to lead these two
bundled thousand aspirants out OF
the wilderness OF their own histrionic de-
spair. He threw open his arms and the
doors OF the Madison-Square Theatre.
He announced fatal, fatal admission
that pupils now should have an oppor-
tunity 10 act
This thrilling pronunclamento went
through all the factories and homes of
the land. II pulsated in the ehoe-shops
Of Connecticut 1t tingled in the chair
galleries Of Massachusetts,. 1t knocked
at a thousand tender hearts Of floor
walkers in Fourteenth street. II stole in
under the vine and fig tree of hundreds
Of quiet homesteads. 1t was put under
pillows at night, and pored over at lunch
the next day.
The first wave OF response was rise
in postage stamps.
"THERE's MILLIONS IN IT."
/ don't think Mr.. Boucicault quito
measured the extent of the popular de-
sire he was monkeyIng with.
You have heard Of the celebrated
Frenchman Sydney ROsenfeld, L be-
lieve his name was) who said he would
rather write the topical songs than make
tine laws of nation. Well, sir, BOuci-
cault, after excavating his way TO tho
Madison-Square Theatre, said something
better.
Archimedes was m ass. Give me
dramatic school and / will move not only
earth but Heaven also.
1T the end of the first week Mr..
Palmer, the proprietor of the Madison
Square Theatre, fled to Stamford, and
even Boucicault wore a serious look.
"My God, man" wrote Mr.. Palmer
TO him "dont you see that if all the
women could act who want to there
wouldn't he any audiences. There must
be restrictions. The swelling tide must
be curbed."
GIVE got it, said Boucicault; Zone
line will fix it. III say every application
must be accompanied by two-cent
stamp. Then wen build national
theatre. There's millions in tiff you
don't answer the applications.
WHAT THE GIRLS WROTE.
Now, this correspondence reveals a
horrible condition OF society. OF the
two million letters received five hundred
thousand remark My friends all say
/ can act, and know l can II can only
Ce, the chance.
Two hundred and fifty thousand are
written in back hand and contain this
sentence For family reasons l sign
myself Lillian, but / shall not object to
my real name being used when l become
famous.
Three hundred thousand remark that
81 am at present beating my wings
against the cage of a school-room, but L
see freedom for my genius IN your
glorious scheme.
Three hundred thousand beg that "my
husband. who is a Woodworking and
practical man but has no sympathy with
the higher aspirations of an art nature,
shall not hear of ny intentions.
Seven thousand use this shape: " You
will not think me vain when | tell you
that resemble Modjeska in my aims.
Address -'s, fifth floor"
saw BoUcicault for five minutes the
other day. He looked tagged, which
Was unnatural for him.
MY boy" he said, ~ thought | was
starting a school, but I've started cru
SADIE. But I've made great discovery.
What is it"
at is that we don't want dramatic
school
"No2"
"No, sir, we want chain of them
on every corner from here to San Fran
cisco.
INTERVENING PUBLIC MEN.
As in all great political campaigns the
interview will soon become especially
prominent IN the newspaper press. how
do statesmen receive the inquiring jour
nalist? They oil como TO New York,
and there they are certain to meet re-
porters Of collegiate education, well
dressed. polite, of high character, the
peer in this respect OF any OF the men
ihoy meet 1t is a searching test for any
public msn. The educated reporter hero
as everywhere else in this country is as
keen as a Spanish blade IN piercing
the pasteboard OF mock craftsmanship,
while none render moro prompt and
generous testimony 10 genuine greatness.
Glance at the statesmen who talk TO re-
porters almost daily and with whom they
are often on terms Of the most intimate