Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26
20 Of The Evening Star.

respect for Old rhlnsA
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
New YORK, Sept. %, 1891.
So LOOK LIKE A SMART MAN." SAID
L the bartender at big Broadway hotel to
q customer, shut guess amt"
Whats the matter now?" he was asked
Teller came in here just nov" said he; ''nice-
looking young Teller. He called for whisky.
set out the bottle and he helped himself. He
was bather, see?' He couldn't have put an
other drop in the glass without running IL
over. Well, man that's mean enough for that
makes me very weary, when he put down q
quarter to pay for his drink gave him
back Is cents change. What's this,
said he. You've given me cents too
much, haven't you? Whisky's Is cents.' Yes,
l says, it's Is to retail customers. but whole
salers get IL for TO- Iexpected him to sneak
away ashamed Of himself, but he doesn't do
anything of the kind. oh, is that soY said he,
filling his glass up again. Then guess I'll have
another drink And he quietly takes up the
nickel off the bar and leaves the 10. He really
got five ordinary drinks Cor 20 cents. Now,
wasn't a chump? II 1 ever try to be sarcastic
and cutting again you can kick me-"
That incident becomes theatrical news in an
odd way. Afarcical actor and o concocter Of
farcical plays witnessed 1t as they sat slipping
their beverages at n table the bar, aud
subsequently they listened to the barkesper's
narrative as above quoted. The dramatist was
under contract to write what is called farce
comedy, and he made note of this comic ma
terinl. The actor told the story next day to an
other maker Of fRrces and he decided at once
to use 1t at the first opportunity. The first
mentioned dramatist delivered his work to the
purchaser q month or 50 ago and it is being
acted this week in Broo klyn, with the five
Observation-Disclosures episode worked into a
cafe scene.
As briefly and spiritedly given it raised big
laugh, and SO justified its place in popular
farce. The second dramatist's play is in re-
hearsal, with the same little episode in 1t. Now,
the contract with the author in each stipulates
that the play shall be entirely original. Was it
violation Of the agreement TO utilize some
thing that had really happened, and which,
therefore, did not originate with the writer?
Another question is whether the owner of the
produced farce can legally prevent the owner
OF the later farce from representing that bar
room happening The reader may deem these
folks 60 TO law over such things sometimes and
just now there happens to be u general cry for
originality and against plagiarism.
THE DECLINE OF ACTOR WORSHIP
is complete. No longer is the mimic hero re-
garded as a real hero. This fact has had three
illustrations during the present week Firstly,
. reminiscent view of the intensest sort of adu-
lation was given by memento Of the Forrest
Macready riots. 1t is not yet half a century
ago that Aston place was filed with the wildly
fighting admirers of the American and English
tragedians, and lives we're lost in a fierce hight
over nothing in particular. or at least over moth
ing more important that difference Of opin
ion as to which was the bigger actor and man. The
theater around which the battle was fought has
s,,a& HI
as public library, and now in its place stands
big commercial building. Out Of the RACED
structure was saved panel from the apart
ment which had been Forests dressing ROOM
and this time-stained piece OF wood, set into
golden frame, was hung in Players Club.
though extremely modest and retiring himself
adheres pretty closely to the old traditions Of
the thsater, and who thus seeks to do seemly
honor to q great American tragedian. So much
for q "Reminiscences of. the ''palmy days" when
people adulated actors in q way quite unknown
AZ present.
MANSFIELD AND ROBSON.
Illustrations Of the new order Of regard for
stage favorites were afforded by Richard Mans
field md Stuart Robson. Whatever diversity
Of opinion may exist a. to Mansfeld's abilities,
and however intense may be some folks dis
like OF his cratic self assertion, he is at least
powerful impressive actor. He produced the
tragedy Nero this week. and nothing could
be more dignifed than the stand which he seeks
to take as an American tragedian and Edwin
Booths successor. Some judges think he can
do SO and others don't. But there is no doubt
| about his earnest endeavor. Well, see how
disrespectful is the temper Of the modern au-
dience. Mansfield went to the full length in
an embodiment of the wickedness Of Nero, and
| at point where the tragedy implied that he
should fondle the slave girl, whom he had re-
solved to marry, he suited the action to the
word with vim and thoroughness That
is to say, he kissed the actress
from her face clear around her
neck and all the way down one of her bare arms
to the very finger tips Probably nobody
counted these kisses, but there were great
many Of them. They sounded something like
the explosion Of a whole bunch of frecrackers
What could have been more expressive of
spectators didn't wait to consider any question
Of that kind. They laughed right out loud and
long. That was on the opening night, but
Mansfield is o resolute chap and he has not yet
abated his Observation-Disclosures nor seemed to
heed the merriment which it continues to cause
DIsREsPEcr FOR OLD THINGS.
Robson has ambitiously put aside for the
week the farcical material which he ordinarily
uses, and is engaged in q revival of "She Stops
to Conquer" Pessimists are fond of rating
actors and managers for not making more fire.
quent use Of the old comedies. II these
critics were to witness the costly and careful
efforts made by Robson to exploit ''She Stops
to Conquer" artistically, and were to observe
at the same time the inappreciation of the
audiences, they would bestow their censure
upon others than the theatrical folks for the
shelving Of the obsolete pieces But the special
evidence of disrespect for olden things on the
stage is shown in the treatment of the epilogue
to ''She Stops to Conquer" That rhymed
tag" to the play had not been spoken over the
footiights for one hundred years until Robson,
In his desire to impart distinction to his re-
vival, delivered it, with tho aid of two
actresses, on the opening night of his venture.
The people cared nothing about it. The play
bill contained q request that they should re-
main in their seats until the curtain fell, but
there were few who obeyed and all the rest
started for the doors as soon as the play proper
was finished. So the epilogue was spoken to
the backs Of the audience, bu. for one time
only, because once was enough for Robson, and
for the succeeding nights the curtain went
down at the end Of the comedy itself.
THE COMIC OPERA QUEENS UNKNOWN ApMRER.
However. some Of the performers of the
theater still receive personal homage in these
days. They are apt to be women. One Of
these queens Of the comic opera stage was
ehatting-about herself Of course.
"Naturally enough" said she, II have had a
great many admirers in my day and some Of