Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-27

the club for this season. The play presented
was dve-act comedy from the pen Of f.
Henle, entitled Through the Green Room"
and the different parts were taken with the
skill and knowledge Of professionals Mr..
E. H Bolter as Freiherr von Kuhn. Mrs. e.
Watkins IS his wife, Miss Clara Ulke as
Marie. Miss Anita Schade as Hedwig. Mr..
Fred Altrup as Hans Waldau, Mr.. Theo.
F'rfebus jr., as Baron Rotteck, Mr.. d.
Hefdemann as Herr Won Goeben, Mr.. Her.
man Schade as Baron Won Leonroth, Mr..
William Conley as Strohberger, and Miss
Elsa like as Josephine, comprised the cast
Miss Anita Schade, as usual, carried of the
honors of the evening, while the work Of
Mrs. Watkins, Miss Clara Ulke, Mr.. Friebus,
Mr.. Schade and Mr.. Conley was also above
the average. The orchestra from the Car
roll Institute, under the direction Of Mr..
Ben. Judson, furnished the music between
the acts.
Robert Downings Anniversary.-One Of
Washington's sons who has become a star
on the stage will celebrate his twentieth
year In the profession next month. There
have been great many dramatic stars who
have come from the capital of the nation,
but there have been but few who have risen
to the height to which Mr.. Robert Downing
has attained. 1t has been suggested that a
testimonial be given him of the apprecia-
ton of his friends In this city, but the mat
ter has not yet been definitely decided.
An Afternoon With Poe-A dramatic
reading was given last evening at Carroll
Institute Hall by Miss FRANKLIN Lynch her
subject being IAN Afternoon With Poe
The hall was filled with the friends of the
reader, and she was given all the encoura ge-
ment possible In the shape Of hearty ap-
piause. The object of the entertainment, it
is stated, was to acquaint the public with
the entertainment to be given at Aliens
Grand Opera House April %, for the benefit
OF the Sisters of Mercy, and in which Miss
Lynch Is to take leading part. Miss Lynch
was assisted last evening by Prof. Angelo
G. Fronani and Miss May Eichelbereer
Miss Lynch read a number of selections
from Poe's works. and satisfied her friends
of her ability as a public reader.
A Woman of Wharf.-The play to come to
Aliens Grand Opera House next week, en-
titled IA Woman of War;" is from the pen
of Gen. Felix Agnus. The action of the
play opens in a wood near Port Hudson,
which the federal forces are besieging
Near by is the Bartheley plantation, on
which resides a southern matron and her
two daughters. The eldest-Alce-is en-
gagged to Capt. Ralph Latimer Of Port Hud-
son, whose military training at West Point
makes him a specially valuable prize for
the federals. who have been ordered to use
every means for his capture. The attacks
upon Fort Hudson have hitherto always
been unsuccessful, as a mysterious agency
outside, which the federals are unable to
trace to its source, is supplying the be-
seged with accurate Information of all the
eIemy's plans and movements. Latimer is
In the habit of making stolen visits from
the fort to his sweetheart, though she begs
him to avoid the risk. At the opening of
the play they are strolling in the woods.
WREN they are captured by SQUAD Of
Capt. Hail. Uncle Ben,, a faithful old
trvitor, has been previously captured, and
Duval, suspectinG the identity Of Latimer,
but anxious to make sure of 1T, tries to ter
fry h, 111 frato IL ffxys,, h
Latimer at this surrenders, and is led Off
to headquarters under guard, while Alice,
despite her violence and refusals of favor,
Is taken home with escort.
On the way to headquarters Latimer es-
cspes. Finding himself in danger of re-
capture, he seeks the Bartheley plantation,
where he is welcomed with Joy, soon turned
to CONSERVATION at the announcement OF
1t being too late to escape, the women take
advantage of the delay of Duval in enter
ing to pass eff Latimer upon Hall as a war
correspondent Hall is suspicious, and
while apparently receiving the explanation,
contrives that he shall prevent Latimer
from leaving the house. The rest of the
act is devoted to the efforts of the women
to prevent the recapture of Latimer. A
carrier dove, trained by Alice and Latimer
to carry on their communication flies into
the room. is captured by Hall, and such in
eliminating dispatches to Alice found upon
1t that she is arrested as the mysterious
spy.
A court-martial is convened to try the
prisoner. This scene seems to be just a lit
tie slow Duval, who has fallen in love with
the prisoner, volunteers to defend her, and
makes an eloquent and beautiful plea in
her behalf. The prisoner declines at first to
accept Duval as her attorney, but finally
yields. When, however, she finds him TAX
ing advantages of technicalities and senti-
n emit in her behalf, she revolts, asserts her
pride in the fact that she gave the confed-
crates in the fort information, and taunts
10
Her spirited recital leaves the court no al
tentative, and she is found guilty of being
spy and is sentenced to be shot the next
morning in the presence Of the troops. The
parting scene between Alice and her mother
is painful one, and is too long drawn out.
1t should by all means be shortened by at
least one-half.
During the night a storm arises in which
Latimer seeks the camp in wild hope of
saving her or Of dying with her. He meets
Duval, who has assumed guard duty secret
ly to perfect a scheme he has for her flight
and the two meE have a struggle before
Latimer is convinced of Duvars sincerity
The troops are drawn up, and all the
mournful ceremony of a military execution
is ready. The officer Of the day reads the
sentence Alice Is placed in position before
their guns are leveled at her breast, a
pardon comes, and she is restored to her
lover. She recognizes the honorable and
devoted love of Duval, and proves her
"for his sake" and the curtain goes down
with Duval upon the stage alone, his face
buried in the flag that she has kissed.
Wattersol on Lincoln-Next Sunday
night Mr.. Henry Watterson will deliver
his celebrated lecture on Abb aham Lin
ccln, which has met with great success
in every city in which it has been heard
The Minneapolis Times thus speaks of its
effect in that city: Last night was men,
orable occasion in Minneapolis. At the
Lyceum Theeter a large audience as
sembled to listen to a great citizen of the
republic, perhaps the greatest citizen Of
the republic, man who has exerted q
mighty influence upon his generation, al
though never attaining to any public honor
higher than that of a great citizen. Henry
Watterson, the gifted Kentuckian, a son
of the south, stood up in the simplicity and
grandeur of his citizenship and paid his
tribute to the greatest citizen, the greatest
nan, that ever breathed benediction on
mankind. Watterson's lecture on Lincoln
was the quiet. scholarly, analytic and anec-
dotal presentation of a theme that fur
nishes q wealth of material for the philoso-
pher and sage to touch with the beauti-
flying hand of genius and make it glorious
to mankind. He spoke in a simple, CONVEX
sational manner, wholly transformations
plain and quiet, and as unaffected as the
great man that inspired and thrilled his
hoo T.