The sun., 1896-12-15

for loan was thus denied. stage-door mash
er's invitation TO supper met a like reception,
and a music hall manaaer's demand for an
acroDatic dance as an accompaniment 10 her
cate subject, was 1"ifscli sifsctlyciy trSStea 10
was IA tho same words. the manner
Of each delivery differed from the others and
WAS accompanied by its distinct expressions OF
vivacity. Asa French miiner. in which guiso
she first appeared, trotting into view with
gayiy decorated e bandboT upon her. her arm; 1na
another budget OF quantity pretty poses ana
EXPRESSIVE gestures accompanied her method
OF trying on bonnets TO show them of TO her
aud with her last numbsr she shifted to gro.
tesque costume that included spangled bloom,
70 the tune of "The -WhistlinR Coon" When
minutes Of bowine to a noisy audience, and she
was not permitted to leave the stage until she
had given thanks for her welcome.
The unique feature OF the exhibition given At
the Empire yesterday afternoon by the advanced
pupils of Nelson whsatcroft's school was "dra-
matte poem" by Lawrence Alma Tadema. 1t
was called "A Silent Voice." and It's chief
charm yesterday lay in the picturesque manner
OF its presentation. The slight story dealt with
the discovery by ayoung duchess after her mar
riage that she loved a young commonor, who
visited her Unexpectedly when she was sur
rounded by the women of her suite. All there
mosphere. This the manner of it's presentation
very delicately expressed. 1t was ambitiously
produced, and the medieval chamber In which
the action passed; the women In waiting, who
laughed sang, and played at shuttlecock; the
courtly bearing OF tho subordinate figures, and
the tasteful costumes Of all the characters con-
tributed to make the episode very charming.
Mr.. Tademas fairly poetic verso was well treat
ed and the incidental features Of the little play
compensated for It's complete lack OF any dra-
Theodore Burt Sayre and Helen Bogart last
year wrote for one of these performances one
act play, which good enough to justify its
ceum's programme. Like 1.-The Wife OF VIII
loughby." their new play used yesterday was
romantic In theme anu antique in scene. It's
name was "on the Kings Highway" and
cleared into one really dramatic situation. Two
men loved woman who was about TO enter
into q forced marriage with another. The we'd
ding cavalcade was attacked and the bride
taken captive by the man who loved her and
whom she did not love. His steward, hating
him for the seduction OF his own bethrothed,
was not the willing tool he appeared. but a man
determined on revenge. So he ponrs into
one of two wine cups n vial of poison and
waits to see if he or his master is to die Rs
the result, After both have drunk, he
and as the two men are fighting the master is
overcome by the poison. Then the woman's
own lover, in whose interest the steward has
acted enters the inn In which the scene passes
play ends. This rather overwrought incident
came after some redundancy of tinged lam
guage, and that was stilted and commonplace.
never fanciful nor poetic. But the uncertain
choice of the poisoned cups and the incident OF
the duel had really dramatic moments. In
these two plays. as we'll rs In an agreeable com
acted intelligently aud with evidences OF ad-
mirabe training.