Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-29
sorHERN's INSPIRATION.

III tne laSt act over table on which IL
/, two pistols, the loaded one, the othe
empty and harmless. With their back
to the table the men select their weapons
then face each other, and shoot. Sotherl
was to take up the dead instrument, and a
he fired the tragedian, with a splendiC
"back fall, was to drop down, corpse
Alas alas the pistols were equally limo
cent of anything that would cause re
port, and Sothern in dismay saw the al
most noiseless fall of the two triggers, fol
lowed by the tragedian still standing anC
staring at him in mute and helpless dis
may. In moment Sothern became in
spired, again presenting the pistol, clicked
the offending trigger, and, with all the
force of good pair of lungs, roared
"Bang~ The effect was instantaneous
The tragedian fell as if he had been shot
through every vital part of his body, and
the curtain came down to deafening ap.
plause.-A Memoir Of Ed,eard Askeu
SotheTn.
| M0DJESKA GOT HER BIER.
"On one occasion when Modjeska was
playing at the Globe" said late resident
of Boston, "she reqNired bier to lie upon
in one of her scenes, and it not having
been provided, the Polish Countess sent to
Stetson, stating that she wanted bier
Wants beer, does she?' said Stetson,
well, she can want and be blowed.
amt providing beer for these outlandish
| players. Tell her she can't have it, The
messenger returned to Modjeska with Stet-
sons message. Go to Mr.. Stetson,' she
said, 'and tell him unless l have bier
will not go on in the next act.' The mes
senger duly repeated the message She
won't, won't she,' exclaimed Stetson, well,
we'll see if she won't That's the way
with these furriners; they always want
beer, beer, beer Then, as if relenting,
took 10 cents from his pocket and said,
with deep sigh, Il suppose Pll have to
let her have it. Here, go and get her a
gallon 1t is needless to say the Countess
got her bier"
| AN ELECTRIC PIANO
Has been exhibited in Boston. Two or
three pianos can be coupled together and
made to play by means of perforated rolls.
''The result" says the Transcript, twas
similar to that produced by most automatic,
| mechanical instruments, such as the or
chestrion, orguinette, hand-organ or handle
piauo-immense velocity, together with
| perfect clearness of execution. Dynamic
effects of piano and forte, and notifications
| Of tempo are, as far as we could gather, not
produced automatically, but may be pro-
duced at will by working certain mechan-
ism by hand. The pedal, also, has to be
worked by immediate human agency"
THE IBsEN DRAMA
Was dreadful failure in Australia At
Melbourne it was necessary to withdraw
GA Dolls House" after very few representa-
tions, and the "New Magdalen" was pro-
duced in its place, Janet Achurch making
it is said, a great hit as Mercy Merrick.
Some of the criticisms on Ibsen were far
more vigorous than reverent. One writer
| declared his conviction that shakespeare
can give Ibsen 800 years start in knowl-
edge of human nature, and lick the Nor
wegian gentleman in trot. Three CEN
turies hence the doll won't have grain of
sawdust left in her false creation, while
the gentle Desdemona will be clinging to
her sooty sweetheart in the good old
STYLE"
FoOTLIGHT FLASHES.
Fri. Brandt, the eminent contralto, who
did so much to raise the performances at
the Metropolitan Opera House to an art
istic level during the first five years, has
retired from the stage and is now teaching
the art of dramatic singing in Vienna.
Mounet Sully, the tragedian of the Fran
Gals, has been nominated Knight of the
Legion of Honor. He is the first French
actor decorated avowedly as an actor, for
the few previous decorations have been
given ostensibly to Professors at the Con-
servatoire.
A dramatization by Busrach of Zola's
'Germinap has been produced with sue
cess at the Theater Moliere, in Brussels,
but inasmuch as the purely Zolaesque fea-
lures Of the work have been carefully ex-
plunged, the event does not appear to be
peculiarly significant.
Augustus Harris, the well-known Lon
don manager, is said to be considering a
proposition to transfer the Christmas Pan
tomime at Her Majesty's Theater to this
country bodily-scenes, principals, chorus,
supers, and all. The total number of per-
sons employed in the representation is 400
A new Italian opera, the "Vassal of
Szigeth," by A. Smaraglia, was recently
produced in Vienna. 1t has wretched
libretto, but the music is said to evince
real theatrical talent on the composers
part. There are not few "reminiscences
of Verdi, Bolto and Wagner. There is
also good deal of Hungarian local color
in the score.
A very painful scene was witnessed the
other night at the performance of play
called "The Hypochrondiac" at the Deut-
sches Volkstheater, Vienna. The actor
who played the title part went mad in the
first act, and after various futile efforts had
been made to conceal his true condition
and the play abruptly ended.
The London newspapers now say that
there is no truth in the report that Henry
Irving meditates a speedy revival of "As
You Like It." The more is the pity.
But he will have to give Ellen Terry the
opportunity of playing "Rosalind" sooner
or later. Meanwhile the Londoners will
have to be content with Ada Rehan, who
will play the part with Daly's company at
the Lyceum next year.
A new rural drama by Armand dArtois
and Henri Pagat, called "La Fermiere,"
has been been well received at the Ambi-
GU, in Paris. One of the most effective
scenes is that wherein father, having at
temped to poison his sons betrothed, be-
trays his guilt to his son upon the acci-
dental entrance of gendarme, in whom
he sees an officer of justice. The incident
is played in silence, and is said to be very
impressive.
The face of Nine. Adelina Patti, has
undergone startling transformation by
the change of her hair from black to
auburn since she was last in this country
The lighter color, impaired by the dyer's
art, make the diva's brilliant black eyes,
with their arched eyebrows of Jet black,
more than ever noticeable. 1t is said she
submitted herself to the dyer's care be-
cause her role in Romeo and Juliet" calls
for light hair, and she was unwilling to
wear wig.
A new domestic play by Robert Bu-
chanan will be produced soon at London
matinee, and will introduce an actress well
and favorably known in Australia, Miss
Myra Kemble. The new play bears the
somewhat curious title, Man and 10
man." and bears on the questions of mar
riage and divorce. Mr.. Buchanan is also
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