The evening world., 1894-08-31
DELLA FOX.

3
stage last night. tremendously jelly-hke
wobby, and the audience howled viii
/ delight. She IL on the very crest OF th'
popularity wav-, Is little Della Fox, and
nobody can possibly deny her claims 70
being one OF the cleverest little women
on the olla-podrida, vaudeville operetta
stage. They were 30 glad TO see he'
that Patti. In her heyday, could scarcely
have evoked more enthusiasm The ar
was thick with IL II ooze1 from the
pillars OF the theatre. II exuded from
the hangings: II was filtered down from
the root garden. and 1t rose vapor-Iike
from the cellars. Yes. she was tremu-
Ious. jelly-llke and wobbly. was little
Della. FOR she enjoys that health that
Is almost dreaded by the prima donna.
Her face Is a pretty little peninsular
nearly surrounded by pillows OF flesh,
and her form is not lIssome as 1t was
in the Wang" days, but who cares
Who wouldn't fatten on New York APP
proval7 Who demands a better fate
than to grow plump and mountainous,
nurtured on that delightful intoxicant
known as metropolitan adulation?
Avaunt. ye skeletons'
THE Little Trooper was the medium
through which little Miss Della emerged
from that condition known as "one OF a
supporting company" to the dizzy PIN
nacle OF twinkledom. The programme
was not as candid about THE Little
Trooper" as It might have been. "Naud-
eville operetta from the French, by Clay
NJ. Greene and William Fprst." 1t an
Ig,,, ka 81 uyh
was responsible for the original Les
IS jours de Clairette." was omitted. Con-
cealment like a worm l. the bud. fire.
quently preys upon the damask cheeks
of New York programmes, but one gets
accustomed to that sort OF thing. and
protestaion becomes almost unneces-
sary. The vaudeville operetta gives
Miss Fox the role OF a little milliner,
the newly made wife OF the Captain Of
the Thirteenth Hussars. She is a Jeal-
Gus little shrew OF a woman. Mathilde.
the proprietress OF the Bon Marche
stores. is an old flame OF the Captain,
and when he goes to serve his twenty
eight days In the barracks, she is there.
He Is foolish enough to say that she is
his wife. and Ciairette. the little mil
nthTS tHls, 50 bnt uOTs kdTD VI
lieutenant. and dogs her husband
footsteps. There are misunderstood
ings complications and some merry ep-
isodes before all Is finally Strengthened
out.
The story is direct and amusing. and
Is spoiled by no undue comedians. II Is
almost straight comedy, and the usual
Casino argument" on the programme
was wanting, because II was unneces-
sary. Some Of the music Is charming.
There is a fnal in the second act that
Will always secure an encore: II is full
Of entrain apd ginger. Miss Fox has a
very catchy song with the refrain,
She's a daisy" and there are at least
three numbers worth hearing more than
once In fact, THE Little Trooper will
be popular. First night applause. OF
course. means absolutely nothing. but II
is easy to see that this venture will be
a success. for It has everything In Its
favor and nothing against It.
Della Fox worked like a Trojan. She
was in dead earnest. Her sincerity
glistened In her eyes. and she was there
on business. 1t was pleasant to see hel
conquer. 1t Is pleasant to see anybod,
conquer. but more especially a plucky
talented woman. who has served Ions
apprenticeship, and who deserves hei
success. She was charming from frs
to last. Her acting was chic. vivacious
well-directed, and her voice was in ex
cellent working order. She liked he,
audience just as much as the audienc,
liked her. and. for once. we had a sta
who was not on the stage too long, anc
whose advent was ever welcome.
The company was just good enough
Jefferson de Angels was. fortunately
held In check. and THE Little Trooper
was not disturbed by his ocular i'm
petuosity. He had a brace OF jokes OF
80. but they were not Irrelevant and ID,
Angels must be congratulated. Tn,
few laughs that he captured were lie
ultimately won. Paul Arthur. who's
voice Is not his fortune. managed to e.
through the music allotted to him. Fl
| demolished II. as those tarlatan-clat
equestriennes at the circus demolish tn
paper hoops held up for them. Ill
broke through 1t. Miss villa Knox
who suffered at one time from an al
legged resemblance to Lillian Russell
blance was not apparent, in any way
last night. Charles DUNCAN caused
laugh by Internationally remarking, "
haven't had sleep of wink" If h
had said It Intentionally. 1t would hav
been voted idiotic. Eva Davenport di
very well. and so did one or two Others
Miss Fox made very cute" littl
speech. She said pretty things abou
De Wolf Hopper and she inferre
pretty things about herself. 1T mean
so much for me-your approval sh
lsped. Then, before the curtain Eel
she came out, plastered all over wit
diamonds. and the illusion was spoiled
For you couldn't help thinking. don
you know. that even II the worst cam
to the worst, she had all those diamond
TO fall back upon them. And the
would keep a frugal young person CON
fortably for at least-well. say year.
ALAN DALE.