The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-20
70 DIFFICULTY WITH MAINHALL
She Says the Stories AfIoat About
Another Estrangement Are
Entirely Untrue.

Miss Jetrles Lewis an actress with
whom the theater-g0ing public of San
Francisco is sufficiently acquain ted to re-
Quire little of biographical mention. ar.
rived here Yesterday. She came on the
steamer Umatlla from Vancouver with
Mr.. Brinker, who is or until recen tly was the
leading man of her company. This stage
PLAYING outfit, of which Mckee Rankin was
also a leading member, seems to have
been disbanded after fashion at Victoria
the other day. Just under what circum-
stances the season ended and the Lewis
Rankin partnership was dissolved is not
definitely known. For some time the COM
pany had been on long circuit through
out the southern county and through
some OF the Western States into British
Columbia.
Immediately upon their arrival Miss
Lewis and MI Brinker went to the Cali
for1ia Hotel, where apartments were Sc
cured. No one knew of their coming, and
consequently there were none to meet
them on their landing. Last evening dur
ing the production of Lady Windermere's
Fan" at the CalifOrnla Miss Lewis occu-
pied one of the boxes. She was cohspicu-
ously attired in a bewildering combina-
ton of pink materials and had Mr.. Brinker
L
dent interest, and the audience also sat il out
with the AID of the additional attraction.
Miss Lewis had evidently not been away
from San Francisco long enough to have
made iheater-gOers fOrgetful of her ap-
pearance, and there seemed some consid-
cradle stir aud raking Of old recOllections
when she appeared.
"Oh, we Just dropped in on visit more
than anything else," she said smllinglv
when asked about her unantlcipated ad-
vent. "N on see, we have been making
pretty much of a circuit during the past
number of months. and at Victoria our
company divided, part of it going on with
Mr.. Rankin through Canada and me
olhers-well. the others remained at Vic
toria," and Miss l. wis smiled again. Miss
Lewis does a great deal of smIIing. She
always smiles when you ask her a cues
ton as if she thought you ought TO know
better but the answers are always pleas
antly forthcoming.
MIR. Brlnker and came down to-
gether. We were 10 be accompanied by
Two or three other gentlemen and ladies
of the company, but they failed to get
away early enough. During the past few
mcnths MI Rankin and l have PLAYED in
Denver, Salt Lake, Cheyenne and other
cities along the circuit in that part of the
country We were rather success full. and
really there could be little fault found
about Mr.. Rankin? Well, there's scarcely
anything TO tell. You see, simply joined
forces with Mr.. Rankin during the tour,
and we played together for some time.
On, no. there was absolutely nothing sig
nifcant in our separation. We had fin
ished the summer season, you see, and il
was time to start out on new lines for WIN
ter work" and Miss Lewis smiled pleas
antly at the lucidity of the explanation.
About Mr. Mainhall. her husband, Miss
Lewis spoke with evident pleasure and
laughed at the mention of reports regard
ing another of many arrangements which
have occurred TO the knowledge of San
Francscans.
There is not particle of truth in the
statements that there have been differ
ences between Mr.. Mainhall and myself"
said Miss Lewis in her smiling way. at
may seem singular, perhaps, that my hus-
band is not with me. He would have ac-
companied me on my tour but just before
my departure from New York he secured
an engagement az one of the leading thea
ters and was obliged to stay there. l IN
derstand that he is to begin playing some
time this month. l have received letters
from him frequently and am very happy
to be in position TO contradict such
rumors."
In speaking of her plans and the pos
sibllities of a season here with a new
company Miss Lewis said she could tell
nothing definitely.
You see. " she said. I'VE just dropped
in on visit more than anything else,
didn't we, Mir. Brinker?" Mr.. Brinker
allowed that Miss Lewis was about
right. The Brnker person is not as large
in physical measurement as Miss Lewis.
He is small of stature, beardless of face
and rather actOT-loOking. Miss Lewis is
Of more slender build than when she was
here last. One might not particularly
note the change, but she says so and il
must be something of q fact.
'Pll tell you one thing you may tell the
public for me-" she said laughingly.
1--WE lost thirty pound during the past
few months"
Miss Lewis stated that several MEM
bers of her company would arrive on the
next steamer and she would then be able
to decide in some measure just what she
may do. In this connection, she said, she
will certainly stay here for a while and if
an opportunity presents itself she will or
ganiZe a company and begin short season,
A couple of years ago when Mainhall
and Miss Lewis were here at the Stock
Wells their relations suffered a break or
two of some seriousness.
During their relations on the stage there
were a number of occurrences of rich in
terest in the sensational line and on the
trip through the Southern part of the State
soon afterward Miss Lewis was at the time
re ported 10 have tried to throw Mr.. Main
hall from the train. Since that time 9TH
ing very exciting has transpired. but her
sudden dropping in" on San francisco
has awakened the old interest