Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-12-28
SOCK AND BUSKIN.
CHRISTMAS WEEK At THE NEW YORK
THEATRES.
The Vast Difference Between Broadway ard BOwery
Auiisncss-Ths Collapse Of the THE Old
Homestead" - Dan RceS Paralyzlng
Demand i5r Salary-FOOtlight
Flashes.

New YORK, December 21.-lt is not a
lively week in town or in country play
houses. New dramatic work is rot in
order during the holiday season. and
this city has enjoyed a monopoly OF the
few novelties put forward during the
past fortnight. The size of the audien-
ces at the theatres is still not large, but
there is no complaint that the falling OF
is greater than usual at this time.
Broadway's theatres undoubtedly suffer
most from the holiday excitement. The
Bowery is steadicr and more loyal all the
wear round. This weeks audiences
there have been of good size TO prove
that point, though the various pro-
rrammes have not been unfamiliar.
At the Peoples there is q return to
the East side of Steele Mackaye's stir
ring play, Money Mad" which has
been far more successful in this part OF
town than it was in Broadway. The
sentiment of Money Mad" plcaseS the
Bowcry. There is much less applause
for the swinging bridge scene than
there is for the hero'S triumph, yet IN
Broadway it was the mechanism and
not the heart of Mackaye's drama that
stirred the people. When Mackayc'S
icountcrfeitcr says: Il swear from now
henccforth to use my best cndeavors 10
! lead an honest life" there is mighty
roar from the Peoples gallery that
must be comforting to the dramatiSt
and inspiring to the actors. The play 5
well performed throughout. Margaret
] II. Il nj ~ T
heroine, reminds one wildly OF Kate
/ Newton, that charming actress OF other
days. Miss Bradford is prepossesSing,
| finished and forceful player. The
Windsor has the English mclCdrama.
" Good Old Times" with the same eX-
celent cast and picturesque scenic de-
tails that marked its production At the
fourteenth Street few months ago.
/ Eleanor Carey, Charles Coote. Atkins
/ Laurence and John Glendcnning
have won favor by their admira-
bic acting, and the play has met
with warm approval. Indeed, like
Money Mad" it has found in the Bow
cry that which it sought unsuccessiuily
( in Broadway. Ii managers have ever
seen and still are hopeful OF gaining
victories with melodramas in Broad
way. the lesson conveyed by these two
plays ought to be convincing, At ia
cob's Theatre the change of bill this
week was to John a. Stevens some
what lugubrious and disiointed play.
wife for Wife" which, with Stevens
20 ill the principal role, has drawn
good-sized houses. lIarlcm's pair OF
iirst-clasS play houses, the Columbus
and the Opera House, have had Kate
/ ClaXton and Kellar, respectively. MISS
Claxton has renewed her youth III
renewing the sorrows Of blind Louise
in The Two Orphans" There
still is strength in the old and
touching story, which her company tells
/ in = very effective manner. kellGrs
tricks are clevcrer than ever. He has
some novel assistants in the lions, la'e
OF Nero and they have helped the
copiurorcby drawing pretty large au-
diences to the Opera House. Al the
New Park the German Lilliputians, re-
beating their Familiarity excellent show,
The Pupil in Magic" have furnished
an entertainment that is suited to tho
season. From to-day to the close OF
their engagement performance Will
be given every afternoon for The con-
yenience Of ladies and children.
The collapse OF The Old Homestead
Al the Academy makes a not unlooked
Tor nor inglorious end OF that drama in
this city. 1t has for couple OF months
shown signs of old age after its won
drously long and vigorous life. 10 say
that it .'has had the longest consecutive
run in New York." as the management
does. IS to attribute 70 this play rec
ord il has not earned. The graceful
Dixey's "Adonis'' still holds the honor
OF an unsurpassed run in New YORK.
II lasted through COZ performances,
not once interrupted save by sun
DAYS. There is no better record
than this, indeed, in the annals
of the American stage. The Old
Homestead's" S25 performances have
not been continuous. twas first at the
Fourteenth Street, then on tour, be-
fore il got to the Academy. There It
has lasted long, it is true, but it has had
two summer vacations and no end OF
embellishments between time TO
strengthen it and prolcng its life. Still,
"AdonisH overtops it on the records, as
inst printed anew in that never-diS-
putod textbook of the amusement pre-
fession, The Clipper Annual, IN
which the annals of all sorts OF achieve
ments are preserved authoritatively.
A mention of old Dan Rice in ycstei-
days SIM as the defendant in police
court suit probably astonished thou
sands of readers who had long mum
bered the veteran clown among the
dead. 7He has not been formally before
the public save at benefit now and
then. in twenty years, and he has been
in as deep obscurity since 1885 rs If he
had never once been the biggest circus
value known in this country. lie ages
gracefully, and he is just as proud OF
himself as he used to be in the palmy
days of the white tents. Once
in a while some keen manager OF
to-day conceives an idea that
the old mans name and fame could be
G,n hIo ttsn i'm - stage venture