The evening world., 1894-04-16
uRlGIN OF 4 WHITE lie"
Mrs Kendall Tells How the Play
Came to Be Written.
Horses Harder to Get than Actresses
Other Stage News.

Mrs. Kendall was very surprised and
also delighted at the reception given to
"A White Lie at the Star Theatre
Friday night. They had hard work per-
suading her to put 1t on ever for a sin
gle performance. for 1t was not a great
success before. On Friday, however,
II proved to be the best thing she has
done this season. Perhaps we did bet
ter with it, said Mrs. Kendall, for It
certainly never went as we'll before. I
could tell by the audience that We had
their sympathy, and 1t was as crafty
ing as It was surprising" Mrs. Kendall
tells an amusing story Of the origin Of
the play. Sydney Grundy, It's author
author also OF Sowing the Wind'-is
an intimate friend of the Kendals. He
was dining with them one evening, and
Mr.. Kendall suggested that he write a
play for them. WHAT" cried Grundy.
Write a play to be put away in a
beastjy repertoire? / wouldn't think Of
such a thing for a minute. I'm past
that kind of thing" Nothing more was
said on the subject. A few weeks later
Grundy dined again with the Kendals.
He laid he had two portraits to sketch
for them. One of them represented a
woman-a ~good-natured woman, with
lofty ideas on the subject of morality
and a slight propensity fo- setting her
%neighbors right. She was not a busy
body and never made herself objection
able, but she had ideas of her own and
liked TO air them occasionally. What
an, excellent portrait" said Mrs. Ken
carefully you must have studied my lit
tie p~eculiarities. for. of course. l recog-
nize myself, as you undoubtedly mean
me to do" Grundy. smiled and proceed
ed to sketch the other portrait, 1t was
that of a a easy-going, always good
tempered and rather Inclined to let
things 80 their W. way He was in
telligent and always had his eyes open,
but the world did not know this and
was inclined to regard him as indolent
and sleepy. Get up and DOW, Mr; Ken.
had finished this picture, "for it is YOU
e. 1nf h sent them very s8 White lShT at Lee" 'n IN
which the W portraits were intro
duced.
The departure of Miss Sydney Arm;
strong from THE Girl I Left Behind
much. They were asked why they did
not change the Objectionable horses to
please the lady. oh" was the reply
Of one of the gentlemen. we can ge!
so easy to find. and we have a fine col.
lection Of them in this drama"
Isn't this quite too exquisltely. pathetic.
Those California "favorites," JOSEPH
Grismer and Phoebe Davis, who con
descended to honor New York with thei
idea Of The New South" have returned
TO the Pacific Slope. Miss Davis, as 500
as she reached the California State line
threw herself upon her knees and kissed
the ground Of her adopted sunny land
With such a teeming affection for Call
fornia, 1t Is strange that she should haV'
consented to leave 1t, even for the benigi
purpose of educating New York up to
proper appreciation of THE New South.
How deeply we should appreciate tn
sacrifice she must hav made.
Manager f. e. Rice has received, man,
funny letters since he has been In tn
CITY with 1872" and one or two OF Their
have been published in this column, bu
a missive that reached him Saturda
Ger takes the drollery prize. 1t wa
from a Sixth avenue girl. who. after ASK
ing for an engagement. ends her not
in this way: II am an experienced .choru
girl. have soprano volse, ana yer
Under my street dress lights and tigh
Atting bodice). for ! thought that shoul,
there be an opportunity you might desir
10 see my figure before engaging me.
MIR, Rice simply shrieked with laughte
when he read this letter.
Mrs. Potter and Kyrle Bellew threat
en- to pretent Charlotte Corday In Sa
Francisco when the July sun Is scorcf
ing the city. So the San Franciscan
have something nice to live for.