The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-18

1knew the girl who cares for those
Who have seat behind her
dust have rare virtues to disclose
So in my heart twined her.
got what others lost that day,
The stages perfect vision;
saw the actors and the play,
And all the scenes elysan.
could have written in her praise
A string of sugared sonnets:
30 few the girls at matinees
Who dare take off their bonnets.
At last 1 sought, with fancy free,
My angel to discover;
And made her give her heart to me
AND now l am her lover.
Joel Benton.
The recent presentation to Augustin
DAILY of the Letare medal voted annu-
ally by the faculty of Notre Dame un-
iversity to some person who has at
tained eminence in art or letters revives
interest in the personality and career
of this noted manager. Apropos, one
writer, says: "Augustin Daily has
made money in the theater, but his con-
tributions to the stage have been more
valuable than his receipts at the box
office. The number of excellent actors
that have graduated in art under this
managers tuition is remarkable. He
can turn nobody into celebrity better
than any teacher in the profession. The
only exception to this rule is that offer
ed by Henry Il. DiXey. Adonis Marble
was great man before he Joined Daly's
company. He is not so renowned now,
but he is on the road to comedy. Few
of the earlier pupils of Days theater
gave any promise of the distinction
which they afterward attained. James
Lewis a country schoolmaster; Mrs.
Gilbert, originally ballet dancer, Ada
Rehan and John Drew, mere novices;
Clara Morris, an uncouth, awkward
western girl; Fanny Davenport, q
youngster Of decided although immature
talent; Ada Dyas, Linda Dietz. Eflie
Shannon, Otis Skinner, Fanny Morant,
Yorlle Stephens and many other actors
of present eminence began their first
practical studies of the drama at Daly's.
This manager is hard taskmaster.
But he turns out pupils who make their
way in the world. New Workers all re-
member the awkward clumsy figure
cut by Arthur Bourchier on his first APP
.pearance at Daly's. After two seasons
of training the young Englishman
learned his trade Arthur Bourchier is
now staring through the English prov
inces in Shakespearean roles, with, it
is stated, tolerable success even in Ham
let. In these circumstances it is known
what DiXey is, but know not what he
may be. His Malvolio at present lacks
ease, it is self conscious and is wanting
in that quaint eccentric humor which
Barton Hill has so finely lent to the
character. But with Mr.. DiXey's nat
ural talent and Mr.. Daly's skill in its
directionit is reasonable to look forward
to the time when the comedian will
catch the spirit of Shakespeare as hap
PLY as he grasped that of burlesque."
A new phase was added to the "Did-
Sardou- Write En-" discussion by let
ter from Miss Elizabeth Marbury, who
is Sardou's agent in this country. The
letter was printed in the World and was
as follows:
Now that "a Woman's Silence" is sue
cess, as Nictorien Sardou's representative
in this country, I wish to state through
the World, in reply to one or two critics
who have recently expressed some doubt
as to authenticity as to his proclaimed au-
thorship in connection with this play, that
there is no living dramatist more earnest
and personal in his work than is Mons.
Sardou. Certain writer's have gone so far
as to assert that he has q trained body of
secretaries who act as his literary assist
ants. The fact, let me mention, is that
Sardou does not even employ one secre-
tary, and the patient industry with which
he writes every line, indicates all stage
business and elaborates each detail Of a
manuscript, gives evidence of an energy
which is untiring and of fidelity which is
rare.
Concerning the plays which he has writ
ten during the past year, namely, "Ther-
midor," Americans Abroad" Madame
Sans Gene" "a Woman's Silence" and
"Gismonda" have at hand documentary
evidence, in the shape of vast corre-
spondence and of manuscripts in various
editions, to stand as vouchers that (unless
there Is an acknowledged collaboration
Sardou, and Sardou alone, Is the author
of the above dramas. That Emile Moreau
is co-author with him of Madame Sans
Gene" no one is more anxious to have ad-
vertised than Is Sardou himself. Before
closing let me add that "a Woman's ST.
lence' will be produced at leading Paris
theater within n few months, and that
since its first performance here contracts
have been signed with Manager ]. Comyns
Carr of the Comedy theater, London, who
will make it his next production, with Miss
Wlnfred Emery in the role Of Dorothea
March.
Miss Marbury knows what she is talk
ing about, too.
There are many plays with dual roles
for actors. Prominent among them may
be mentioned 'Yienry Dunbar" pro.
duced by Lester Wallack 90 years ago
"The Corsioan Brothers." "The Lions
Mail" "A Mans Shadow" "John Need.
hams Double" "Estelle," "Samue
Broche and Company" Deacon Bro
die" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde"
Very few plays, however, have beer
written dual roles for actresses. There
are, of course, the New Magdalena'
and "The Woman in White" but the
only contemporaneous case, according
to the Buffalo Express, of a play il
which an actress plays two parts in the
same performance is Marie Wainwright
in Magnus and Lancaster's drama
Daughters of Eve" wherein Mis-.
Wainwright skillfully differentiates thu
characters of the two sisters, one in so
ciety and the other fallen from it.
Amy Leslie talks about entertaining
plays with her usual frankness. Sht
says: If publishers dared what man
ayers do, people would stop readinl
books. Imagine the vain endeavor Of
trying to choke the public with season
after season of "Dodo," "Trllby," "Tess
dUrbervilles," 1.-THE Little Minister, "ant
Kipling's Jungle Bookw Any one o
these sensations has more of art in /
than Pinero ever knew and more o
music than all the mincing song-writer
of farce could dream, yet the twentieth