St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-16

hearsal of 1.-The War of Wealth." trying
TO explain to the comedian the humor
OF the situation. BE little more unc-
uous, said Mr.. Darcy. '.Ahr. said Mr.
Wheeiock, that was Ben De Bars
tronghold-unction. There never was
such Falstaff as old Ben, and he could
say cutting things, too. I remember an
incident years ago in st. Louis. There
was young fellow on one of the papers
who was vain enough to believe that he
knew all about the drama and acting
and for three years he had been sailing
into Ben in blind kind of way. One
night the actor and the writer met at a
public dinner given to some prominent
man. Ben made a capital little speech
and was lionized a bit by all who knew
him. The young critic, warmed a little
perhaps by the wine he had drunk, ap-
preached the bluff old man and, ex-
tending his hand, said:
Mr.. De Bar 1 find you're not half
so bad as thought, and I wish to apol-
ogize for the many very uncomplimen-
tary things that have repeatedly said
about you, both on and off the stage,
during the past three years.
No apology necessary, I assure
you. replied the great comedian. For
three years I have never read your
ID paper!
mere is young woman In Lon
don who makes her living by laugh
Ing. Laughing is hard work, she says,
and she thinks she earns all that she
gets for doing a turn at the Empire
Music hall, Her name is Alice Ather-
ton, and she is English.
If American papers advertise her
enough she may come to America to
help decrease our gold reserve. But
1t is almost as much fun to look at
hdr ipfY 10 !, To-, VI,
great reason why she laughs is be-
cause she had rather laugh than cry.
She is willing Berhardt and Duse
should have the mopopoly Of tears. She
also says she doesn't expect to die of
laughing, but she will keep on laugh
ing until she dies if the music hall
managers want her to.
She is also classical. She tells a
story of Philemon, a good old Greek
who died of laughing at his donkey,
which came into his dining room and
ate a plate of figs. This leads her to
believe that the horse laugh is the
result of evolution. 1t was in the be-
ginning a donkey laugh. But you
mustn't take her seriously. That would
only make her smile.
Manager Jacob Lift writes that he
is making great preparations in New
i. IN.
Morris new play, 1.-THE Last Stroke -
at the Grand, this city, Feb %. The
scenery is all completed, and arrived
here last week. 1t is very elaborate
and picturesque, and original in it's
mechanical devices. There is a won
derful opportunity for excellent set
tlngs by reason of the fact that the
play deals with a most picturesque
and romantic country. Rehearsals
in fho
two weeks, and Mr.. Lit assures our
theater-goers that they give promise
OF an immediate success for the play
He is, in fact, more sanguine Of the
success of THE Last Stroke" than he
was Of any Of his previous ventures
The story is vigorously and clearly
told. and is full of strong human in
terest. Aside from this fact, 1t deals
with what is just now a very lively
question in this country, the indie
pendence of Cuba. The hero is an
American who joined the Cuban in
surgents. The comedy is furnished BY
an American lieutenant, also serving
in the Cuban army under Gen. Maxi
mo Gomez, and by Blake. a hearty
United States consul. Each act fin
iShes with a tremendous situation
The company will leave New York for
st. Paul about the middle of the week,
and finish rehearsals in this city. The
cast, which has been previously an
nounced, is unquestionably one of the
strongest ever seen in drama in this
country, including, as it does. Freder-
lex De Beleville. John T. Sullivan,
Samuel Edwards. Ada Dwyer, Made
line Lack and others. st. Paul is to be
considered fortunate. from a theatrical
standpoint. In having new play,
drawn around a timely subject, writ
ten by a newspaper man who was at
one time employed here, produced by
manager who has large interests in