Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-04

stories about her. They started with vague innuendo which developed after the singers departure for Europe into bold assertion. One of these concoetions was to the effect that Patti and her husband, Nicolini quarreled perpetually, and it was even hinted that a divorce could be dimly scanned upon the horizon of their usually placid sea of matrimony. This was copied by papers all over this coun- try, and each time it was added to until toward the last it looked as though the theatrical world would be treated to an- other ablebodied scandal before long. Of course it never developed for the very ex- cellent reason that there was nothing whatever in the story. Nicolini may have his peculiarities-indeed he is generally conceded to be somewhat odd-but he is the most devsted of husbands. AS for Patti, she loves her liege lord with all tho ardor of her emotional nature and makes no effort to con.,sal the fact
 One of the latest romances about Patti is that she is unconscionably stingy. She is said to treat her guests in the most nig- gardly manner It is even alleged that her guests are served with inferior wines at meals, while she and Nicolini piggishly drink only the most celebrated brands Aside from the manifest absurdity of this statement, there are persons in New York city who hayo been the diva's guests at Craig Nos castle and who not only deny these imputations against her generosity, but assert that she is particularly un selfish hostess, who never hesitates to in- convenience herself in order to make the stay of her friends as pleasant as possible. It should be clear to any ono that if Patti did not care for visitors she would not have them. As she is well bred woman, she certainly would not invite people to her castle simply for the purpose of humil- iating them. Besides as no ono but an ex-guest could have circulated such stories with authority, they are manifestly un- worthy of credence
 Never was the force of Shakespeare dictum, 1.-The plays the thing" moro vividly exemplif1ed than by the experiences of Tim Murphy, George Richards and Flu gene Garfield. These three men have for years been members of Farce Constructor Hoyt's companies. Murphy gave an i'm personation of Maverick Brander in "A Texas Steer'' which was as clear cut as cameo and, although the character is not cast upon a high plane, artistic in the extreme
 Richards and Garfield did excellent work in several of Hoyt's skits, the former being exceptionally droll, particularly iu "A Temperance Town" All three of these men were violently attacked by the starring fever, and they determined to make for themselves the fortunes which / they had been pouring into Hoyt's coffers. Their abilities would then have the oppor- tunity to shine with uncontrolled efful- gence, and their bank accounts would speedily wax plethoric.
 Richards and Garfield had a "bubble' entitled IA Circus Clown specially written for them, while Murphy got Hen- ry Guy Carleton's impossible pastoral, "Lem Kettle" The "Clown" has closed its season, and it's stars have joined Mur- phy Nearly all the steam has run out of the "Kettle,' and the three ex-Hoytites are announced to produce 0 new play within short time They are all proba- bly convinced by this time that Shake speare was in the prophet class when he expressed the opinion that the -play-and by inference not the actor-is the thing.
 An actor connected with a prominent organization, who has done some fairly good and some very bad work during his stage career, and whose handsome face and fine figure are responsible for his pres ent status to a much greater extent than his histrionic ability, informed me the other day that he did not care a rap for what tho dramatic critics say of him. AS he has experienced the pleasure of what he denominates roasting" perhaps his opinion is not as valuable as 1t might eth erwise be, but he is not alone Most actors of his class believe with him. Maintained by pleasing personal appearance in posi- tions to which they are not justly entitled, they feel that they are as good as those in whose company they find themselves The critics do not see 1t in that light, and they of course earn the enmity of these desultory mediocrities The particular in- dividual to whom I refer said that he could not sec why an actor should not be a better judge of stage work than dra- matic critic. He doubtless loses sight of the fact that we'll trained theatrical writer is prepared for his calling by years of study and experience, and that his mind necessarily acquires judicial turn Besides he attends more performances in one season than the average actor does in ten. Why, then, should he not be moro competent to judge2 Most critics are con scientious, and great many arc capable It Is therefore manifestly unjust to blame the entire guild for the shortcomings of the few. Another thing good critics opinion is not that of ono man. In nine cases out of ton it is indorsed by theater goers and justified by subsequent events. There are just about enough exceptions to prove the general rule.
 The theatrical novelty of the week is the appearance in A. w. Gattie's drama, 'The Transgressor of Miss Olga Nethersole,
 who has been ex-
 kA tensively heralded
 CEy as the "English
 ~1- Bernhardt. '' Her
 oS Is T\ American debut