The morning news., 1892-02-28

AIb4 ~ OO o.
Russelrs Piano Lessons - Francis
Wilson's Children Have a Theater of
7heir Own.
(Copvr5ohtl
New YORK, Feb. 27.-Al actors and
actresses, it would seem, delight in making
known their most private affairs, yet one
rarely sees an interview with well-known
actress on the subject of her children.
Actresses conceal their maternity from
the public, because they fear that theater
goeTs lose interest IN a woman who is the
mother Of a big. fat, bouncing boy, and,
indeed, 1t does spoil the romance of a love
scene TO suddenly call to mind that the
soubrette. who does not look q day over
16, has half grown son or daughter at
home.
CONTRAST.
Rosina Vokes has several grown children,
but she leaves them in England and rarely
mentions their names IN America. Quite
different is Mrs. Kendall, who glories in th Q
fact that she is TO bring out her eldest
daughter during the coming season in Lon
don.
Lillian Russell, however, would not dis
claim her little girl for all the praise crit
ics can bestow. Miss Russell and baby Lii
han live together in one of the most
sumptuously furnished houses in New
York-that is when the child is not at the
Sacred Heart convent, where she 10 being
educated.
She comes home every Friday night and
remains until Monday morning. Treated
like little princess, she and mamma dine
at tho great mahogany table, while liveried
servants stand behind the chair of each.
After dinner Miss Russell always spends
half an hour at the white enameIed piano
practising her voice, and when she Is
through baby Lillian climbs up on the stool,
her little fingers pass gently over the keys
and the childish voice trills the song just
sung. All goes well until the inexperienced
fingers strike false note. The sensitive
soul of the child is troubled at the discord
she tries again, and il she again meets fall
ure this little bundle of nerves is apt to slide
from her seat and burst into tears.
TOO REAL.
John Drew, Augustin Daly's leading
actor, lives with his wife and mother in a
commodious fat on Fifty-dfth street. He
is the father of very pretty little girl,
years Of age, who at home is called Bebee.
She is an atfectiouate little creature, pas
sionately fond of her father, and saves her
money to see him act every first night of a
new play. Should Mr.. Drew himself have
a night of and wish to take his little girl to
see the others perform he would have to ask
permission to even go in the gallery, for Mr..
Daily never allows members of his company
to appear in the body of the house.
Bebee has play room where she enter
tains her young friends. Their usual game
is ''playing STAGE" and during the many
seasons that the nursery has been utilized as
theater no tragedy has ever been enacted
on its boards
A few nights ago the child stood in the
wings Of the stage watching her mother
act. Never having seen the whole of the
performsn snce she did not know that In the
last act there is scene where Marion"
Miss RusseiD visits her home, and is cast
adrift in the snow by her heartless sister
and uncle. With breathless interest little
Lillian watched the progress of the scene.
To her it was real, and when mamma fell
sinking in the snow the audience was
astonished to see little girl in short dresses
fly across the stage and a childish form fall
PROSTATE upon the prima donna.
Mamma! mammal rang through the
theater, and down came the curtain.
BEBEE DREW.
"You know" said the little girl, 'sour
family have been comedians for many gen
erations, and would not like to be the one
to break the record.n
Bebee has Travelled rather extensively for
such a little girl. She often goes to Europe
with her father. Possessed of remarkably
restive memory, she has picked up French
and a smatteriDg of other continental lam
guages. Her French she still speaks flu
emily.
Jack used to write to me when was in
Europe" remarked the child, with queer
lwe l. rN,s l. - 4 L
who is Jaokm
80, cousin Jack Barrymore. He is lust
two years older than |, but be is splendid
fellow, and we don't quarrel-very often p
COUSIN JACK.
Jack is Mrs. Georgia Drew Barrymore's
11-year-old boy. She and her husband.
Maurice Barrymore, have two other chill
dren--Ethel, a girl of IS, aud Lionel, their
first born. The boys are at school at Orange.
n. j., and Ethel is at convent In Phila~
delphia. Mrs. Barrymore declares that her
mother never would have forgiven her had
they been born elsewhere.
When the children are all at home the
house is too small for them. Ethel and Jack
usually write the plays performed by the
little family of comedians.
Ethel is beautiful girl wi ith sweet olive
face and great brown eyes; her soft, silkv
hair is Of the same shade. Lionel, the
eldest is about "a he is manly, diRniied
fellow and already a companion to his
father; an artist to the tips of his fingers.
he can make up as well as any member of
the family.
Jack is the picture of his father and is of
a generous, warm-hearted disposition. He
takes special pride in his little cousin Bebee.
who is his constant playmate aud compan-
ion.
A TAEATER- OF THEIR OWN.
Francis Wilson turned benedict many
years ego. It ia fully a decade since ne
married one of the Barre sisters, VIII o forth
with retired from the operntio stage and
turned her attention to rearing family,
with such success that she is now the fond
mother Of two little girls-Frances, aged Z,
and Adelaide, 5.
Frances is quiet, demure little soul and
takes after her mother, except when she and
her sister repair to tie little theaters their
father has built them in the attic Of
his house in New Rochelle. Here Miss
Frances puts aside her dignity aud dances
as gracefully as though she were brought
up on the stage. But It is Adelaide who is
the comedieDne; like her father in face, form
and feature, every movement Of her head
or word she utters convulses her audience
with laughter. Together these two romp
and play at acting all day long. They have
often seen their father on the stage and
usually select one Of bis operas for produo-
tion, which they rehearse until they con-
slider themselves letter perfect In the roles
assumed by Miss Jansen and Mr.. Wilson.
Then some bright morning papa is invited
up stairs to witness dress rehearsal.