Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-30
4 MORTAL coMnAT.

Jesse Unrticu Davis In Good stead. 4
A lady we'll known in Philadelphia society
vouchcs for the following interesting episode,
relates the Philadelphia Times, that
occurred in the green room OF the Broad
way thcator recently, the occasion being the
anniversary OF the 2,000th performance Of
"Rabin Hood" 1t seems that she. with
other friends, was calling upon that charming
contrato, Jessie Bartlett Davis. Among the
guests that evening were Reginald DeKoven,
the composer Of robin Hood" Harry b.
Smith, the librettist: Victor Herbert, the
composer Of several well known and tuneful
operas. and other people OF note. The mem
bers Of the company were in particularly
high spirits, as a rather noted audience was
in front and a continual and gallant fire OF
verbal and teegraphic congratulations were
being poured In upon Messrs. Barnabee, Mac
Donald and others. 1t is not generally known
that Mrs. Davis. among her other accom-
pishments has added that of fencing, and
under the tuition of Regis Sarnac, the
famous master at arms, has become quite an
expert with the small sword. In fact, the
terms prime, seconde, quartz, tierce, mouli-
net, etc, are very much in evidence in her
vocabulary now, because she has become a
most enthusiastic fencer During the course
Of the evening, while chatting with
her lady friends, messenger en-
tered with long package addressed to the
prima DONNA and opening IL pair of beaut-
full foils and mask were revealed. OF course
the conversation then naturally turned upon
the art and many were the exclamations
from the fair ones present of praise for
the healthy excitement with the foils. Mrs.
Davis at this time was attred in the buf
jerkin and lincoln-green hose of Allen-a
Dale, and Barnabee just entering, verbal
pyrotechnics scintilated across the room
and the Sheriff of Nottingham examined the
fos, playfully challenging Mrs. Davis to
combat. Everybody appauded the idea and
a wager was placed. a pair of gauntlets
being the gauge. Suddenly it dawned upon
Barnabee that he had not used the fois
for several years and that he had no mask
and no pad The ladies present however,
swathed him up in large red blanket and
an accommodating property man passing by
the door took In the situation and hastily
returned with a base ball mask All the
ladies' ranged themselves around and Will
liam II. Macdonald, who is also
an accomplished swordsman, was
made referee. After a salute Barnabee
kindly inquired of the referee whether the
manual of the knights Templar went, as he
had not used the swords since his appear
ance with his commandery at its last con-
clave in Boston. The use OF this manual
was overruled by Mr.. Macdonald, when
Mrs. Davis demurred to Mr.. Barnabee's en-
terlng the combat with Turkish scimetar
She also wanted a handicap from her oppon-
ent, as Mr.. Barabees length of leg and
arm was little too much The prelmin-
aries being settled. the combatants merrily
began their bout, with determined on
slaught Fast and furious went the play of
swords Mrs. Davis scored one point when
Barabee, painting for breath, introduced
some broadsword exercise just as Reginald
DeKoven entered the room. Mr.. DeKoven
had Just been called before the curtain and
had received an immense laurel wreath COM
memorating the anniversary of the two
thousandth performance Whack went Bar
nabee with his Turkish scmetar and he
didn't do thing to that laurel wreath. It's
| leaves were scattered as IL by an autumna
storm, and the red, white and blue ribbons
with which 1t was tied up caught on the
blade of the weapon, while they danced IN
the air like Lois Fuller's skirts in the fire
dance. Time was then called and the ladies
who had retreated into the neither corners
of the room declared that Mr. Banabee
should take foil instead of scimetar. 1t
Is not for the chronicler of these events to
say who had scored the most points at this
iuncture. Be that as 1t may, but the room
had gradually filled with various members
of the company-the curtain having Just
fallen, and the excitement had grown so in
tense that Librettist Harry B. Smith was
furiously gnawing his moustache off. With
the salute again, the contrato and the come
dian crossed swords and thrust and parry
were given in silence. Suddenly that mean
man Barnabee cast his eagle eye toward the
direction of the southwest corner of the
room, but all his preteXt could not disconcert
the contralto's design; thrust she went in
tierce, noiselessly parried Barnabee; then he
glanced again to the southeast corner and
viciously in a stage whisper exclaimed
"Rats!'
Oh. what a sight was there! True, it was
indeed. There in the corner a poor mouse
gently played behind bass drum and fright
ened at the evident display of hosiery and
lingerie from the lady spectators who had
at the warning cry Of rodents, mounted upon
the chairs. burst into full flight across the
center of the room. 1t is popularity supposed
that the dawning OF hosing might relieve the
feminine fear of the rodent, but II is said
that somo of the prima donna ladies of the
Bostonians, when they also climbed upon
the seats, wildly grasped after imaginary
skirts which should have been on, bu:
weren't. The only heroine of the evening
ground, but at the warning cry of rodent
1t is said she gave shrek and also grabbed
for her imaginary skirts, received the tiny
rodent with thrust in prime and gave him
his quietus. In the uproar that followed the
referee, Mr.. Macdonald, fed, and his decision
has not yet been made. Correspondence has
followed between Mrs. Davis, her hackers
and Mr.. Barnabee, and a final meeting hap
been arranged at the Walton during their
presentation of robin Hood here 1t is
said that neither party will be interviewed: :
that Mr. Barnabee Is practicing with certain
subtle twists Of the wrist which he learned
in his youth from an Italian fencing master
and has agreed to a convention the articles
Of which declare, in long primer the fact
that the cry of rats" Is barred as Is also
the genuine article.
j. A. Richardson of Jefferson City, Mo-,
chief enrolling force 3Sth general assembly