St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-24
A Glimpse Of Famous Men and
Women in the New York
Theaters.
Gen. Sherman Always on the
Lookout for the Good
Looking Girls.
How Mrs. Cleveland Always
Hides Herself--Grover'S
Applause.
The Gould Family, Chauncey
Depew, and Others at
the Play.


Men and women Of national celebrity
can be seen at almost any performance
in the leading New York theaters. and
it frequently happens that opera glasses
are leveled quite as much at the occu-
pants of some particular box or seats as
at the stage itself. The presence OF
well-known people at a playhouse is
sure to be drawing card, and shrewd
managers make use of such fact for
advertising purposes every time. Their
attendance at a first night is especial
ly desirable, and it not infrequently
happens at such time that every box
in the house is given gratuitously to
celebrities.
EX-President and Mrs. Cleveland al
ways occupy box at the theater. Both
are fond of the drama, and are fire.
quently seen at principal playhouses.
Mr.. Cleveland has no special preference
for box seat, and would probably pre-
fer an orchestra chair to show his demo-
cratic spirit, but he is altogether too big
and fat to occupy one with comfort.
With Mrs. Cleveland the case is differ
ent. She resents the gaze Of crowd,
and although more conspicuous III a
box. she is also more remote from the
people who scrutinize her as they would
freak in dime museum. Every the
atrical manager in the city knows that
she has refused to attend performances
altogether rather than sit in the body or
the house. She gives lndlsputaole
evidence of her feelings by turn
ing her back squarely upon the audi
ence. Mr.. Cleveland always sits behind
his wife in an inconsplcuous position.
He leans back in his chair and pays
close attention to the performance. He
is chary of his applause, but OCCASION
ally claps his hands in perfunctory
way. Between acts he devotes himself
to the ladies OF his party--there are
usually one or two besides Mrs. CleVe-
land-but at the same time he finds an
occasional opportunity to survey the
audience through his opera glasses. lie
performs this feat from a position where
but few can see him. He and Mrs.
Cleveland still receive more attention at
the theater than anybody else IN New
York.
Sherman Partial to Beauty.
The grzzled old warrior, Gen. Sher
man. is an enthusiastic spectator of the
atrical performances, He has the entree
to every theater in the city. He likes a
seat well down in front, for his eyesight
and hearing are not as good as they
were when he marched through Georgia.
An expression of solid satisfaction and
hearty enjoyment fills his face as he
watches the show. He is good listener,
and follows closely the unfolding of the
plot For the goOd-loOking girls of the
company, too, he has an appreciative
eye Nothing delights him more than
to be taken back Of the scenes and be
introduced to some performer who has
caught his fancy. In his applause he is
generous. He always appears in even
ing dress, and his Well-known rugged
face, prominent nose and closely cropped
white beard look much more familiar in
a swallow-tail coat in these days than if
gold braid and epaulettes were beneath
them.
Jay Gould always sits in box, and
takes an upper one if he can get it, He
is by no means constant theater-goer.
He is even more retiring than Mr..
Cleveland, and rarely allows himself to
be seen by the audience. He never ap-
plauds, but occasionally becomes so in
terested in the play as to emerge from
his place of concealment and crane his
neck over the edge of the box. When
the exciting scene or striking tabeau
is over he seems TO become suddenly
aware of his conspicuous position, and
quickly sinks into the background.
Not Quite So Retiring.
Young George Gould is not so eager
for concealment as his father. He sits
boldly in the front of the box, with his
face in full view of the audience, or
stands behind his wife, leaning back of
her chair. He pays strict attention to
the stage, however, as it is characteristic
of the Gould family to always get the
worth of their money. At the comedy
touches he laughs heartily, but never
applauds. He likes to look at the
audience, and frequently divides his at
tentioE between it and his party when
the curtain is down.
Miss Edith Kingdom Gould is directly
the opposite of Mrs. Cleveland so far as
objection to public scrutiny is con-
cerned. When one of theater party,
she invariably sits in the most conspicu-
GUS seat in the box. Whether uncon-
sciously or not, she also sits in a posi-
ton from which she can see the stage
and the audience can also see her face.
She cannot be called an enthusiastic
spectator, but seems to be studying the |
technical work Of the players more than
listening to the play, fact probably
due to the influence of her past career.
She engages in frequent conversation
with her husband during the perform
ance, and usually has smile for every
word he speaks.
Ochiltree and His Friends.
Col. Tom Ochiltree is good listener.
He extracts rare enjoyment from a
clever performance, and he finds better
ones in New York than than he. ever
saw in Texas. He is always ready to
lend helping hand as regards ap-
plause, and between acts likes to wan
der in the lobby and talk with friends.
Usually he can't take two steps without
meeting any number of them. Col.
John r. Fellows, who didn't convict the
boodlers, likes good minstrel show
better than anything else in the show
line. Merry Marshall P. Wilder is not |
like the majority of professionals when |
in the role Of spectators. He |
goes to the theater to enjoy him
self, and it is a cold day when |
he fails to do so, be the player good or
bad. He never studies the acting or |
dissects the drama. At the thrilling !
schoolboy, and at the funny ones he |
leans back in his chair and emitS true |
Wilderian laugh. He is generous with |
his applause, and will help along an en-
core to the best of his ability.
Mrs. Kendall has been frequent at |
tendant at the metropolitan theaters
since her American tour began. She |
steals away to matinee whenever she
can do so; and, although. of course. she |
is studying the art dramatic of this coun-
try, she apparently obtains hearty en-
joyment in doing so. She is a sympa-
thetic listener, and never lets a good |
point pass without applauding it.
Depew's Merry Twinkle.
Chauncey NJ. Depew listens during
the play and does his talking between
acts. Oftentimes, when his face is
sternest, he is keenly appreciating some
clever or humorous hit, and it would re-
quire close observer to detect the |
merry twinkle in his eyes. When he
Chaps his hands he does so with vim.
Mayor Grant is great admirer of COM
edy. Col. Robert G. Ingersoll is a |
Shakespearean crank and never |
fails to attend a good production
of any OF Shakespeare's plays. |
In ic antb0ritu on |