The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-12-31
WHERE BLAINE USED TO LIVE.

theater wanted his services, and he has
since earned his living as clerk in a
clothing store. His example has proved
to be influential with others, if any
have been disposed to make the box Of
flee place for fiirtations.
Actors and actresses of ability and
standing have splendid audiences here.
Mr.. Joseph jefferson gave perform
ance of rip Van Winkle" last year
and the audience was one of the finest
that could have been assembled in the
world. You probably have heard that
the great actor and President Cleve.
land are very warm personal friends,
and of course President and Mrs. Cleve.
land attended that performance. Mr.
jefferson always has large audience.
wherever he goes, but the fact that
the president was to attend naturally
induced many prominent people to wit.
ness the performance who might not
otherwise have gone on that particular
occasion. In box adjoining the stage
sat the president with his wife and sew
eral of her intimate lady friends. The
ether boxes were occupied by members
of the cabinet and their families. The
secretary of state, the secretary of the
treasury and the secretary of the in.
terror, with their families, occupied the
lower tier of boxes.
The veteran performer has played
Rip Van Wrinkle for fully 80 years, but
never did he appear TO better advantage
than upon the occasion described. The
ease, grace, naturalness and climatic
power of the celebrated delineator oi
the vagabond Rip brought forth round
after round of applause. In that mag
nificent scene where the old man pleads
for recognition and finally compel:
his daughter to remember her long
lost father, the actor brought tears t.
all eyes, and Grover Cleveland wa
obliged to lub his handkerchief owe
his eyes, just like the rest of us. Will
equal facility the actor caused the audi
ence to be convulsed with laughter il
the humorous parts of the play, partic
ularly when he tells his wife Gretche
to turn away the villain of the play
give him cold potato and let him go.
Mr.. jefferson will probably never agai,
give a rendition of his celebrate
play; certainly never again to such a
audience.
Although this city is what the theat
rical people call "a good theater town,
that is, city which literally patror
ICES the plays, there has never been
first-cIass building in Washington III
til within the last year. Of course, til
i opera houses and theaters have nc
been common, but there has been nor
: to compare with the places of anus
ment in the great cities.
I" We now have very handsome tn
81 ater and it is built upon the site of ii
late residence Of James &. Blaine.
3. is a historic place. For many yea
- the old Washington club was there, ar
II in front of it occurred the celebrate
=. tragedy Of 1859, when Daniel E. Sickl
i killed Phil Barton Key. 1t was in Il
same building that William H. Sewal
resided as secretary of state when Il
assassin entered ard almost killed hi
. on the night when President Linco
y was killed. While Blaine was seer
~ tary of state ne resided there, and
=: that house he died.
=. There was almost universal prote
- against the transfer of the property
:. Few prorrietors for the purpose
", building theater, but Mrs. Blaina pl
- sued her cwn course, as she has do
= ali her life, regardless of the will a
~, wishes of others. Consequently O
-. amusement-loving people find tn
- handsomest and best theater on tt
site. SMITH d. FRY
ne Jaggs-I want to get new hat.
Ie- Hattcr-Which siZe--night before