Wichita eagle., 1890-02-26

with which the play abounds, but t0ey 90
dance and pose in the tableaux, and they do
both very prettily. In one scene in the play
wedding feast is represented. At the back
of the stage is set flight of ten or twelve
steps, down which the bridal couple como to
the festivities. They are preceded by two
little tots under years of age, who scatter
flowers over the stairs. They are 50 small
that they can hardly come down the stairs
without falling They never fail to please
the audience immensely. In the last act, not
earlier than 10 o'clock in Che evening, a babe
in arms, less than a year old, is brought on
and does some very taking business" as the
actors call it, in bidding her great-grand
father good night.
What of it? Well, I am not moralizing,
nor condemning the exhibition. 1t pleases
the audience, and I personally can see no
harm in it. but it is beyond question a fat
violation Of tho law which has been repeated,
night after night, for months with the full
knowledge Of the Society for the Prevention
Of Cruelty TO Children.
Last year play Of Mrs. ,Bnrnett's e.tained
\ popularity second to that Of very few plays
Of this generation. Little Lord Fauntle-
roy" became so much the fashion that style
Of dress for children, modelled after the stage
costume Of the little hero of the play, was
adopted generally by fashionable New York
mothers, and, for aught know, by mothers
all over the country. The title role in the
play was taken by a child who is now IA
nous all over the United States. Little Ell
Bic Leslie is the child. She is said to be now
ID years OF age, and certainly is not much
more than that. Tommy Russell, boy no
older, if as old, played for a time on alternate
nights, lest the work Of acting should prove
too severe for Elsie. Tommy is said to be Is
years old, but he is now practically on the
shelf for a while. He has begun the rapid
growth Of youth and viii be of little SER
vice on the stage until he shall attain matu-
rity or something like it.
The part assumed by these children is q
very long and trying one. I have beard ca
pable critics declare it to be equal in its do
niands upon the actor to the part of Hamlet
which is known as the longest speaking part
in any English play. No legal obstruction of
consequence has ever been placed in the way
of the production of 'Little Lord Fauntleroyn
on the score Of cruelty to children, and now
that the play is succeeded at the Bowery thea
tire, where it ran SO long, by ''The Prince and
the Pauper," Miss Elsie Leslie is retained on
the stage, playing the principal part in the
new production. Her work for the season is
hardly less arduous than that Of any adult
now on the stage; for the new part though
less exacting than Fauntleroy, is long and
a hard one.
Little Wallis Eddinger is another juvenile
prodigy who plays Little Lord Fauntleroy,
and though he is not now playing in New
York, he has appeared there in several matt
80
ference. He was then less than z years old,
but is now in his eighth year. He is under
engagement to appear in "Master and Man.
in Richard Mansfeld's company, and will
take part In that play, which is said to be
very severe in its requirements
Gertie Romans, another little beauty, is
hardly more than years old, but she has
attained considerable fame by playing very
prominent part in "Bootles' Baby" play
which had very successful run in New York
last year. She is still on the stage, though
not at present in New York.
Little Dot Clarendon is still younger She
is not yet 6 years old, but she is appearing
every night at the Bijou theatre, where she
takes a part in Hoyt's Midnight Bell"
There is a school scene in which she is one of
the scholars. There are eleven other chill
dren in the scene, who are from to 10 years
old. They go through ordinary school exer-
cises and sing four songs in chorus Then
Dot gives recitation, and usually responds |
to the encores, as she has these recitations in
her repertoire. Her case was specially in
vestigated by Mr.. Gerry in person, and he
5old her she might do all this regardless of |
5he law, but that she must not dance or sing |
The other children, however, sing every
night.
A powerful melodrama was running in |
New York recently, in a Bowery theatre,
called Roger Ia Honte.n In it one of the |
prominent parts was taken by Marguerite |
Fields, a child less than years old She |
child who is brought into court
to testify against her father, who is accused |
Of capital crime. While on the stand she is
subjected to a rigid examination, and sticks
bravely to the lie that she tells to save her |
father. She plays the part with a wonderful
display of emotional power, and has already
been called by the critics second Clara
Morris. She has been on the stage for a year
already.
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