The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-02-20

"Driftlng Apart an emotional play that
has Just boon played for n short engagement
In Harlem, has n ohilda part In II which was
taken by Mabel Earle, who "a almost a baby,
but who does such work as adults ilnd sun.
Client for their powers Tho part Is a long
one, aud there IN n death scene In IL which,
acted aS she acts, IL a strain on the nerves
that would bo severely felt by anybody
Tho announcement Ia made that on March
81, "Littlo Tuesday, will take part In
sangor's play called "Pino MoadowAn "Littlo
Tuesday although only three aud half
years old selected her own name Her par
onts called her Little Tootsy, but sho changed
II, and they acqulesccd In tho change She
Ia spoken Of by Mrs. Fernandez, who has
trained all or nearly all tho children now on
tho American stage, including hor own
daughter Bijou Fernandez as truly won.
dertul child. Sho sings, rooites and dances
with remarkable ability, and gives an imita.
ton OF Richard Mansfield In Richard III
such aS fow actors can equal She has al
ready appeared In public at an authors mat
inoo In "Honor Bright and her parents arc
Ranguino OF her brilliant success In tho com.
ing engagement,
/ mentioned Bijou Fernandez Few thoa.
tre goers would consider her a child now,
for rho Is almost a woman In size; but her
mother tells mo she " only ~ yeara old, and
don't know whore 20 lnd moro competent
witness. Yet Bijou, who Ia now playing tho
part OF singing page In "As You Liko II"
at Days, has boon public performer for
over nino years. She took tho part OF Puck
IN tho same theatre somo years ago, and, In
showing how sho would put girdlo "round
the earth In forty minutes" swung across tho
stage, from ny 10 ny, on a flying trapezo
On ono occasion, when Mr., Gerry was Wit
messing this performance, tho child narrowly
escaped death by an accidental Ere. He has
mover ntorfercd with her performances
The Barrison ohlldron-four sisters, all UNI
dor tho prescribed ago at which children may
lawfully act on the stage arc all accounted
az clover as thoy certainly arc beautiful.
Two Of them have played In "Bootlcs' Baby"
with Claxton aud Stevenson, and two have
appeared In "Tho Prince and tho Paupor, and
all have proved acceptable actresses.
Perhaps tho most remarkable defiance Of
OF the law, all things considered, IN tho Pup
pom Eco scene, which may bo seen any night
iu the grand opera in tho Metropolitan Opera
house, Puppon Foo means In tho German
tho Dolls Fairy, and in ono sccno In tho
opera this fairy comes into toy store, whorO
Sixty-hyo children stand IN cases, represent
Ing dolls. They are from 10 10 years OF
age, and nre dressed 20 represent all sorts OF
dolls Their part Ia very severe one, ro-
quiring them to stand mouonless, 1s ropro-
senting dolls, for about six minutes. They
stand on very small pcdestals with their foot
close together, and very slight motion
would cause any ono OF them 10 fall At a
wave OF tho ialrys wand they all como 10
lifo and march around the stagoin sorpentino
Unea
hr. CORY was invited 10 dress rehearsal
OF this ballet before tho public performance,
anil ordered that six OF the smallest children
who had been trained for tho net should be
takon of. Tho other sixty.ave are acting
svory night, Mr. Gerry Is ono OF the priuci-
pal stockholders In the Metropolitan Opera
house.
The latest instance in which this theatrical
business has beeN interfered with is tho play
Of "Ruobeard, Jr,,n In which a dozen little
children are drawn on the stage In a bly, char
tot representing shoe. They jump out from
tho shoe, sing Ring Rosy" aud "Tho old
woman who lived in n shoo,n aud run Off.
Mr. Gerry prohibited thia Tho manager APP
paaled 10 tho mayor OF tho city. The mayor,
under tho advice OF tho corporation counsel,
refused TO sanction the performs nco, Tho
manager dened arrest and went on with tho
regular performance after oboying the law
Tor two weolss So far no one has beon ar
rested.
What does tho public thinkl So far as
can learn tho theatrical public, managers and
audiences alike, believe there is no harm in
violating tho law, provided tho children aro
not overworked or abused In any other way.
Certainly tho audiences are pleased with tho
performances, for u clever child actor viii
draw better than almost any other card"
known. No one, however, pretcnds TO say
that tho law sanctions their appearance, and
from time 70 time tho society causes somo
ones arrest, Beyond that tho law is mover
taken into account. DAVID A. CURTIS.
Have you seen the ga Horse Blanket 2