The Washington times., 1894-11-04

whose visit has been postponed until next
season.
Lillian Russell went 70 London. was seen.
failed 10 conquer. aI:d has returned. bringing
her cOmplacency back intact. 1.-The Queen
of Brlliants.' in winch Miss Russell will ap-
pear soon at Abbeys, seems 10 resemble an
over-dressed woman. if the yeracious chroni-
cles Of London are 70 be credited. OF ribbons
and SegaWs there Is superaDundance. but Of
real qualities OF excellence there are few.
Perhaps Harry Dam, the American writer,
who was engaged TO revise the book, has put
something worth while INTO it. It IS impOs-
siOle to feel serious disappointment in Miss
RusseIl's foreign experiences. IN point of
popularity. 1t Is true. she has long held first
place i'll the field Of American comic opera.
but her prominence and success do not
strengthen faith in the knowledge. the taste.
or the Judgment OF the numerous class that
forms the following here of a prima
donna of this order. Miss Russell pos
sesse5 beauty of the doughy sort
that rayishes the fancy Of the haIf-baked
worshiper OF pink and white pudginess. But
the beauty that has its root i'll acute inteili-
gence and in sparkling animation, she pos
seSseS not. She sings well enough. Her act
ing powers resemble those thar are gener-
ously displayed in the front row of the chorus.
There is nothing champaCney about her;
there is only bovine eseif-c0mpiaucency,s sup
ported by spiritiess. puttiiied good looks
and a weil-trained voice. Sympathy indicates
sensibility, and sensibility IS not Miss Rus
sells most conspicuous attribute, either as a
prima donna OF comic opera or otherwise.
There were both comic and pathetic in
cidents during the auction sale Of Dion
Boucicault's effects IN TWenty-eichth street
on Thursday. Friday, and Saturday Of last
week. Ii was evident 70 the intelligent OBJ
server that at least half that was offered for
sale never belonged TO the dead playwright
Pictures and furniture that BOucicaults
asiheticism would have risen at were
knocked down to bidders who believed they
were getting works of art with the approving
stamp of that connOisseur. Still there were
a good many Of BOucicault's belongings sold.
and they brought fair pric 8. The auctloneer
made laughter by his absurd reading Of the
titles of the French books from which the
dranatist drew a good deal OF his inspiration
according to general belief. The books were
badly cataloSued by the way, and the aver
age purchaser knew little from the printed
book what he was buying. Few actors at
tended. Among the well-known persons
present were noticed Z. II. SotherD, Arthur
Lawrence. Tom Ochiltree. VI. J. O'Buen,
John D. Crimmins. Alice Fischer-Harcourt
Maud Banks, Richard Neville. and c. II.
MeltZer. The saddesr feature of the closing
up of the worldly accounts OF Boucieault was
the utter lack OF sentiment or Of interest in
spired by the sale of his costumes and relics.
The garments associated with his successes
in ''Arrah-no-Pogue,' - ''The Colleen Bawn'
The Jilt, - and other famous plays went for
a song. mostly to secondhand dealers. His
''Shaughraun" costumes and q silver punch
bowl. presented to him in London. were bid
in by Mrs BoucicaUlt. who intends to present
them to The Players.