The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-01-17
A THRyII1Na MATINEE.
Henry Irving and Ellen Terry Give
Performance In the United states senas,

Performance In the United States Senate
Washington special in New YORK
World: Henry Irving and Miss Ellen
Terry gave matinee performance to-
day before fair audience In the United
States senate. With several or their
company they occupied two rows OF
seats In the private gallery and re-
hearsed one.act curtain-raiscr tor
over half an hour. Henry Irving enter
cd impresslvely. stood at the top OF the
gallery steps. shaded his eyes with his
hands and gazed meditatively into the
pit. There were torty-si& senators
present. 1t looked like $4OO-house
with n S2.0OO-expense bill running
Irving shook his head gfoomiiy, look
cd reproac hfully ut the faithful Bran
stoker and clanked painfully down to
the bottom step. Miss Terry hoated In
as gracefully as swansdown and went
away up into the far corner OF the pew.
Irving genufIexed until she had entered
then clambered back one step, took the
center OF the pew and three others fol-
lowed and filled. Mr.. Stoker arranged
u background in the next row OF seats
and the performance began.
Henry Irving leaned forward and
everybody else Immediately leaned
back. a long lank lock of hair hung
down over his forehead. He made
crutch OF his forearm, rested the elbow
on the back OF the pew IN front, care
fully placed his chin In the Of his
thumb and forefinBer. looking like
caricatuTe Of one Of his own cartoons
and breathed:
"Ah-h-hl Ugh-r-r!"
Miss Terry cast upon him her most
Desdemona-like look OF sympathy with
his evident grief Her eyes were moist.
her bosom heaVed gently. Ill-manner-
ed senators on the floor distracted at
tentIon from the performance with loud
conversation. II suggested the Metro
polltan opera house on Wagner night.
Senator Lodge had introduced q bill to
pay the widow OF General Coggswell, OF
Massachusetts,. SIS a month, and Sena-
tor Allen opposed it.
Irving lifted his hand to the level OF
his eyes, avertcd his face In the direc-
ton of Bran Stoker. lifted his eye
brows half way up his forehead, and
then gave n finger King Lear shake
towards Senator Allen. That meant:
What is IT."
Bran clinched his fist, protruded his
thumb with truly Delsartean gesture
at the Nebraska Populist, and trans
lated the question to the escort. Then
he translated the reply to Irving. who
looked more panied than ever and re-
marked:
"Ugh-r-r-rl Ah-h-h-h!"
Miss Terry involuntary put her hand
kerchief to her glorious eyes, then
smiled brayely through her tears. The
rest OF the company took the cue and
became very viyacious. They all lean
al fafaA
and conversed. Irving unllmbered his
crutch and leaned back with wan
smile. 81
Senator Hoar was rebutting Senator
Aliens argument that the widow OF q
hrigadier general should receive no
more pension than the widow Of pri-
vate soldier.
at is in the nature OF things" he re-
marked, that one should receive more
than the other: just us q day laborer
gets but dollar day, while the seria-
tor from Nebraska puts 5000 q year in
his pocket"
Lugubrious chuckle from Henry 1rv-
ing.
Five thousand year, but no more"
retorted Senator Allen, with a signih-
cant glance ut n group Of Republican
millionaIres and railroad attorney serla-
tors.
''Ah-h-h-h!" shivered Irving.
you forget your mileage" remarked
Senator Hoar.
This stirred Irving to immediate ae-
ton. He spoke 10 Bran Stoker:
"Um-er-er, Ha-hum-er- er-hum- ho-
m-ugh-uEh-ahi"
To which Bran Stoker nodded an ern-
phatIc approval.
Then Irving unIointed and stood
erect; three to the right stood up. then
three TO the left. The three to the right
filed out, Then Irving filed out and
climbed down one step, When Miss
Terry came out he seized her by the
right elbow. lifted her up one step. es-
corted her TO the head of the stairs.
backed down again. revolving slowly Us
he backed. waited until the last female
passed along, then clankcd gloomily up
behind, AT the door he paused again,
looked earnestly Mt Senator Villas,
showed his right hand into his hair,
took 1t away, shook his head slowly and
said:
"Ughl Ah-h-h"
Curtain.
The debate in the senate proceeded
blandly on, and the bill was passed.