Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-27
AMUsEMENrs.

i AMUSEMENTS.
| ALsAuoH's-Every seat at Abaush's was oc-
cupied last night and people were turned away
| who came to see 1.-THE County Fair" on its first
presentation in Washington. The play 10 not
much more than a three-act introduction to ,
| wonderful horse race in which the winner, Cold
Moiasses, takes the gate money, thereby saving
the farm from mortgage foreclosure and ena-
| bling everybody in the cast to marry pretty
much everybody else except the villain and let
| the curtain go down on q scene OF emotional
bliss seldom Witnessed even in the mimetic life
| OF the stage. In fact "Cold Molasses'' would be
| quite as appropriate title as that under which
the play has become famous. As In all plays writ
ten for Neil Burgess, the leading character is a
coarse-grained, strong-featured, quick-tem-
pered, loud-voiced, thoroughbred and pro-
nouncedly woman and in this
instance it is Miss Abigail Prue, who is pre-
sented by Fanny Denham Rouse, although it
was the general understanding that Neil Burgess
| was in the cast The Otis Tucker Of Mr.. Bur-
| ton was exaggerated but interesting and the
other characters were quite up to their work.
| Miss Mays dancing is vivacious and graceful
| and the singing Of the County Fair quartette
was good enough for repeated encores and more
would have been welcome. The scenery is very
| attractive with a realism Of country life about
| it that is agreeably refreshing. OF course the
| race is the thing and that to be appreciated
must been seen. The winning jockey wore the
| colors of the Columbia Athletic Club. Again
tonight.
NArloNAL.-Mrs. Leslie Carter and ''The
Ugly Duckling' furnished two surprises to the
large audience that filed the National Theater
last night. Every one was surprised to think
| that such wretched play would be accepted
| by an experienced manager. and greater
! prise was the knowledge that woman whose
| only claim to public attention before her ap-
pearance upon the stage was the notoriety oc-
| casioned by her marital difficulties did possess
! genuine dramatic ability. Mrs. Carters APP
pearance was disappointing. She is not hand
| some, but she has an expressive face, sympa-
| thetic voice and is easy and graceful in move
| ment. She has the faculty of concentrating at
tention to herself because Of her earnestness
| and sincerity and there were times when her
work would have been creditable to the most
experienced actress. When she gets a play
that is suited to her she will acquire a fame that
| will be an honor to her and worthy the pro-
fession she has adopted. Her company is well
selected and the efforts of all are to be com
| mended. Particular mention should be made
| of Count MdleteSta, Mr.. E. j. Henley; Douglas
Oakley, Mr.. Chas. Cdntield Hester Grdydon,
| Miss Helen Bancroft and Mrs Grdydoa, Ida
| Vernon, while the Jack FUrogd of Mr.. Ray
mond Holmes was an excellent piece Of work
| in the line of delicate comedy.
KEENANs.-By far the largest audience Of the
season assembled in Kernans last night to wit
| ness the opening of a weeks engagement of
Lily Clay Colossal Gaiety Company. The cur
tain rose upon a novel first part entitled The
| Sleeping Beauty, or Pearls of the Orient" de-
! signed to introduce some shapely maidens and
| several topical songs by members Of the COM
pany. During the first part some interesting
| tableaux were presented. The Olio was good
and opened with a cornet solo by Miss Clara
Lawrence, then came very neat song and
dance by Misses Ward and Clarke. The bur
lesque of robin Hood" came next and showed
| another gorgeous array Of the preceding
| beauty. Ward and yokes are knOck-about
comedians Of the first class and the Miranda
sisters in their evolutions on the double trapeze
were graceful and daring Leopold and Bunnell
made music on a score OF Instruments, and
"Antony and Cleopatra" another anatomical
drama, closed the performance. Again tonight.
HARRIs.--One Of the finest scenic produc-
| tions now before the public, opened a weeks
engagement at Harris Bijou last night. Lost
| in New York" while great scenic production
| does not lack in the other requisites, and as a
| comedy drama it possesses much merit The
scenery is extensive and realistic, the height Of
| realism being reached in the third act, when
the audience looked upon a correct representa-
| ton of East river by moonlight. A real steam
boat running at full speed and conveying pas
sengers heightened the effect. The strong
points of the play are brought out by COM
pany Of unusual merit. Miss Lottie Alter as
Jennie Wilson, New York waif, was as bright
as the plot which centers about her was black.
She is graceful and sings sweetly. The comedy
of the play was furnished by Gus Pixley. who,
| as the Tramp and the gas meter inspector
kept the audience in a roar of laughter. Little
Rlcca COIN Is an ideal baby actress and charmed
everyone. Again tonight.
McCABK AND YoUNG's MINsTRELs.-From q
very successful trip through the southern
states McCabe and Young's minstrels opened a
weeks stay in the city at Willard Hall last
night. The audience was large one and, it is
needless to say, enthusiastic. The program
from start to finish was excellent one and
was received with great laughter and applause.
| The sketch, Tips from an Insane Asylum" by
Billy Wisdom and Catlin George was extremely
ludicrous and played as only members Of the
colored race can play. The specialties are all
frst-class. rafting sparring match between
Billy Wilson, the champion heavyweight Of
the northwest, and George Collins middle
weight Of California, concluded the perform
ance. Three rounds were fought and honors
were about even. The principals of the COM
pany are George Jackson, Billy Wisdom Catlin
| George, Walter Dixon, G. Collins. Frank
| Brown, Bob Vernon and julie johnson. Again
| tonight, with matinee on Wednesday and on
Saturday.
SrEPNIAK TONIGHT AT LINCOLN HAIL.
Stepniak, the Russian patriot, will deliver
his noted lecture on nihilism at Lincoln Hall
and will be greeted by an interested audience
Russian history and the methods of Russian
government have been flooded with light
within the past two three years, and Ameri-
cans and Englishmen have become deeply alb
| sorbed in the conditions there. No one Is more
| competent from experience and lOcalstudy and
passionate appeal to delineate on the platform
the cause OF hubsla masses. deserved seats at
Metzerott's; general admission so cents.
| FIsKE JUBILEE SINGERs.-Sale Of seats for
Fiske Jubilee Singers at Music Hall, February
3, opens tomorrow morning at Droop's music
| store.
| RAMBLE IN SPAIN.-Rev. Clarence E. Wood
man, esp, will deliver an illustrated lecture
| "A Summer Rambe in SPAIN at Masonic Tenn
pie this evening for the benefit of the Taber-
nacle Society. Tickets, so cents. Those issued
for the 18th at CARROLL Institute are good. The
| demand for seats necessitated the change Of
date and securing larger hall.
| DR.. JEKYLL AND Mn. HYDE.-Mr. Robert Nourse
will deliver his lecture, DIR. Jekyll and Mr.
| HYDE" ut Mount Vernon Place Church this
evening at o'clock.
| ST. PAUL's LECTURE CoURsE.-The first Of the
| st. Pauls lecture course will be delivered at
the new parish building tomorrow night En-
sign ]. B. Bernadon will lecture on ''Corea and
the Coreans," with lime light views. Tickets
Is cents. Course, 81.
II You DoN'T PURCHASE your tickets for Pos
ners' excursion to Baltimore Ito take place to-
morrow at 3 AMI at Scheller 4 stevens, cor
ner 9th street and Pennsylvania avenue, this
eoeaing, you will be disappointed, az there will
be no tickets procurable at the B. and o. depot
on Wednesday. zee advertisement fourth page