The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-01-28
FAUST" FROM A TENNESSEE
 STANDPOINT.
BY PAUL HULL.

MT. Henry Irving and his sleight-of- hand performance, with Fourth of July fireworks attachments, caught Inc for S250 last night. 1 have just arrived from the Tennessee river country, and every ybody met told me it was the right thing to do to see Mr. Irving in "Faust."
 MT. Irving and his company give tirst-rate show, but it's meaning is rather obscure. The performance is very enjoyable, but it seems to be a mixture of very ordinary legerdemain on the part of Mr. Irving as Mephis- topheleS, which has little to do with the play, and some very good love- making by FauSt and Margdret. Mr. Irving as a scene-shifter is very good. Of course, all that is done by machin- cry, hidden from the auditor, but he deserves praise for these very credit able mechanical tricks. The first trick he does is to transform FauSt into handsome youth from an old, bewhiskered man. It is about as transparent and simple trick as was ever performed for the delectation of a hard-working audience. Anybody can see that he simply pulls off the old mans whiskers and gives him another suit of clothes. It's the same man all the time. Later in the play he makes locked chest open without touching it. That's a fair trick and baffies detection. The chest is locked there is no deception about that, for a fo 1ot I. turn the lock in order to lift the lid Then he makes fire fly out of sword while sticking in his mob in as tair fight as ever two men fought. He next causes wine to be drawn out of a table. This is a good trick, but he does it clumsily. He calls for a cork screw, and when it is given him he uses it like a jig-saw. This spells the effect of the trick.
 His last trick is to make sparks fly out of the chair he sits on. This effect is no doubt produced by his having a flint on the seat of his brooches and a strip of steel on the chair.
 I was much disappointed in Mr. Irving. 1 heard that he is great &C., tor, but he is away behind Hermann or Sig. Blitz as magician. He does no card tricks at all, and I imagine he hasn't got that far along in the busi- ness yet. If he would introduce into his performance the trick of shooting gold watches and doves with finger rings tied 'round their necks out of a bell-mouthed pistol he would add much to the attractivness of his show, and largely to his very shaky reputa- tion. l might also suggest that he acquire the art of making popcorn balls out of pint of sawdust. This trick pleases the children and draws well. Sig. Blitz made great hit with 1t at his last appearance in Pa ducah.
 It strikes me that this man Irving has large deal of assurance to palm himself off as an actor. He certainly is the orneriest- looking cuss on earth. He may make presentable appear ance off the stage, but as he appeared last night well, he doesn't look like any man ever saw before. Seen from the rear seats in the parquette he looks like bald faced OK. His face extends from the crown of his head to his col lar button, and he has the inoffensive, contented countenance of a Cotswold bell-wether. He has the catarrh, also, and should never attempt to speak in public.
 And his legs! O Lordl He should discharge his trainer. Why, 1t is ap- parent at every step the man takes that he has been suffering for years for the lack of nothing in the world but judicious application of horse hniment. If he doesn't attend to his legs soon they will let down on him next season sure. If MT. Stoker, his trainer, would rub MT. Irving out we'll every night and bandage his legs with red flannel he would travel level in three months.
 Of MT. Alexander, the leading man in the company, have no comment but that he is handsome gentleman and a fine actor.
 But Miss Ellen Terryl An, isn't she sweet and graceful and womanly She's young, too. She is certainly not above eighteen years. She is SC beautiful and Xoluptuous now, in fac, and figure, whAt will she be when sh, gets her growth The outlines of hel figure are as graceful as the wild tur keys, her eyes are as trustfal as . fawn's, and as luminous and steady a buoy lights at night; her rounded neck and arms are as white and pur, as the waxen berries of the Kentuck, mistletos which hang in the elm tops