The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-03
A BOWERY THEATRE.
Our Curious Bah Sees a Rare DTa-
matte Performance.

the Dramas Departed Glory-The
GiRgIinE Fools and stage-struek
Maidens Of Our Day-A Dear old
Actor, Whose Race is Wel-Nigh
Run-What Does it Mean TO Live
Beyond Our Time and GenerationP
(Copyright)
New York, Sept 2.-Some people who
cast their bread upon the waters claim
that it comes back to them soaked. The
very small piece that sent out came
back TO me the other night covered with
strawberry Jam. That is to say, we had
sailed into New York to get some fresh
fruit, and everybody on the yacht was go
ing to one of the roof gardens; but / in
sisted on being left out after l had been
home and found an invitation that was
waiting for me there. II was from the
mem bers of the Whist Club. I was asked
to go to the theatre with them, and was
informed that tae only stranger in the
party would be a gentleman ''wot wus an
acter." l gave everything the go-by, We
had box,
N THE THEATRE DOWN ON THE BOwERY,
and was placed well to the front, where
I could not only see, but be seen. The
whist club, in its best clothes, with ten
dency to blue scarfs was grouped about
me, and when il thought wasn't looking,
it waved its many hands majestically at
friends who were up in the gallery and
smiled all over its face, as much as TO say,
Here's richnesS!' 1t was a very nice
play; everybody was working against the
heroine and the hero, and every time the
lovely maiden turned and fed the villain
was after her as fast as somewhat tight
shoes and a closely-Outtoned frock coat
would permit him. The gentleman ''wot
wus an acter" sat next to me. He had
stepped right out of q storybook; he
was the living breathing exponent of
the 'palmy days of the drama" He
wore q shirt with turned-down collar,
and a Lord Byron tie; his frock
coat was buttoned closely, and
whenever he stood up, as he
always did, between the acts, he thrust
his hands in the breast of his coat as if
looking for his heart, and gesticulated
with his other hand. His high silk hat
had a gloss on 1t that was suggestive of
vaseline, but he carried it with an air
that made it seem the very last creation
of London halter. The whist club boys
regarded him as a god, and as for me, /
liked to hear him talk because he was in
earnest and because he believed what he
y
villain was intensifying his wickedness
by assuming pink striped shirt and a
red scarf and the hero was putting a suf-
ficient amount of powder on his face to
suggest hunger and agony, and the hero
inc was being laced in an evening frock
intended to make both hero and villain
comprehend how lovely she was, the old
actor talked to US.
OTHER GENERATION FAvoRITEs.
Cold ha. nd q
days of the drama have passed. 1t is no
longer necessary for a man to possess
genius and versatility; it is only required
of him that he should know d part that is
TO run ono thousand nights and which, by
constant repetition, he grows to speak as
if he were a parrot. The present rage,
madam and gentlemen, for the so-called
long runs has made human monographs
rather than actors. In my day, when
Johnnie Owens, Laura Keene, John s.
Clark, the Bateman children, Mrs. d. P.
Bowers and your hum BILE servant had the
honor of appearing at the Museum in Bal
timore, it was nothing Unusual for the bill
to be changed seven times in the week.
We would get our parts when the play
was over, and were expected to be letter
/ perfect at 10 o'clock rehearsal. Dear old
John Owens would play Scion Single
one night, DR. Pangloss the next, and If
the plays dragged a little, get himself up
to 20 on and sing "Yilikins and His
Dinah' between the acts.
"A man was none the less a good actor
for knowing how to play everything, and
a one-part actor would never have gotten
a Bit further than announcing the arrival
| of carriage or the bringing on of the
tray of refreshments, that in those days
were not quite as realistic as they are
! now An actor, madam and gentlemen,
| may have been an 0utcast from society in
those days; his world Nag have been
| that little one in the theatre. but he
was more of an artist than he is now,
when giggling fools and stage-struck
| women are only too glad to give him
| breakfasts and dinners to convince him
that he is great genius, when, in reality,
madam and gentlemen, he knows no
more about acting than the proYerbial
cat does of Christmas"
PAST AND PRESENT HEROES.
! We all agreed with him though don't
! think many of US understood exactly what
! the dear old man was trying to get at.
! asked him: "Who do you think is the
| greatest playwright"
He stood up, made bow, as II he were
! passing the holy of holes, and answered !:
There has never been but one great
writer of plays, madam and gentlemen
| the divine William. Other men have
| written things that may be acted, but
! when it comes to pictures Of life, he is
! the only man, and he is more than q man,
who has had the honor of painting them
1t is at present my privilege and pleasure
to be reading his works at the Whist
| Club, of which, madam, am told you are
the lady member" The curtain went up
! just here, and we all sat and looked at
the play, the boys being immensely in
terested in the heroine, whose blonde
curls never suggested peroxide Of hydro
! gen 10 them, but only told of her sweet
ness and purity, and how well she was
worth the devotion given to her by the
hero. When the curtain fell, | asked the
old actor: "Who do you go with this
season2"
And he said: "No one, madam. There is
opiace for mel cannot and will notwalk
on the stage, and think that villainy is
represented by dress clothes and a Gig
arctic; will not appear in play where
there are hours of conversation and no
action, and although many managers
have sought me, | wave them away and
decline to prostitute my art"
1 / felt sorry then chat ] had asked such
| a personal question, but Charlie said TO
me; "Ohl Missy, he is a great actor
you ought to hear him do scenes on the
roof at night
LONGING FOR VERSATILITY.
He looked little dewncast, and so.
wishing to make him a little happier, |
asked him TO tell me something about the
t1IavG Of to-day savfncr in r,a,sapt n osie