New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02

PICKERs OF COTTON BATTING-A SOUTHERN
SLAVE IN THE STYLE OF MoUNET-sU
Paris. July 49,
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe was in her day al
most as well known and as much beloved on this
eide OF the at home. Only last winter
revival of Uncle Tom made prosperous run at
enc Of the minor theatres of Paris. 1t
traordlnary affair. though not. perhaps. in some of
its features any more eccentric than many dram
atization of the famous story which has been put
upon the stage In certain American towns. per-
formancc witnessed in a Western city WAS
accomplished with two "Markses," two trick dom
keys and doube-rng circus effect all through.
For another performance in the West the whole
theatrical troupe. consisting of eight, paraded tho
town during the day with the pale old-faced littlc
Eva In baby carriage tout OF which her long legs
stuck ludicrously) drawn by the "fcrocious blood
hounds" The comedian of the company, riding on
n donkey, accompanied the chariot outridcr
Everywhere Uncle Tom has suffered strange
things at the hands of the stage people. Yet there
could never have been a more thoroughly untradi-
tional performance of the much-mutilated piece
than the French Of last winter.
The first act revealed The cabin of Uncle Tom
with negroes picking cotton" The stage setting
was good enough. but the two low-comody negroes
were seated on the floor In the foreground indus
triously picking over and over again basket of
cotton batting, When they interrupted the dia-
dered them to resume picking cotton" The COM
cdy darkles spoke their lines in darky French that
had a suggestion of the soft Southern intonaton In
IT, but Uncle Tom played n heroic part in the
best French at the actors command 1T was
palpable imitation of Mounct-Suy's "Aedlpus."
George picturesque. slightly darkened hero.
and his fugitive slave wife the beautiful hero
inc of the drama. Indeed. the whole piece centred
about these two and their child. The latter the
only youthful prodigy in the play. Ye gods of tin
upper gallery. There Eva, no Topsy, not
even trick mule-and no one seemed to miss
them.
The next important scene was enacted at the
Southern home of the Senator Marks" II was
at early breakfast time. and the Southern Amer-
can meal was represented consisting of toaa
and tea A realistic Southern touch which brought
laughter from the audience was added when the
low-comcdy Senator poured rum into his tea The
fugitive slaves enter at this point. and gain the
sympathy of the wonderful Congro ssman and his
wife. She embraces Liza and calls her sister he
sallies forth with them armed to the teeth. Dur
ing the next scene. very well arranged with noun
tain scenery, all the good men. including Marks.
who occ lsionay makes speeches to the bad men,
hide behind rocks and shoot all the slave-drivcrs
and overseers. The piece ends happily, though just
how 1t would be difficult say after endeavoring
to preserve placid countenance before French
neighbors, who evidently expect generous apprecia-
ton OF this-to them-typical portrayal Of Southern
American customs
The boodhounds must not be forgotten. Their
important parts played by two understood
mongres, evidently hastily secured from the street
They held in leash by one of the slave-drivers,
and occasionally thumpcd or pnched into re-
sentful barking. The acting was good of It's kind,
much better, in fact. than It would have been at
home. given by "A cheap company with interest con
centratcd upon bloodhounds and darkics; but the
idea of the story changed TO make the two
fugtives not only sympathetic characters, but the
stock hero and heroine of mclodrama.
II will probably be many years before the de-
scendants of the colorcd race in America occupy
the standing they have always had in France IN"
negro born of wealthy and often cultivated parents
comes TO Paris to complete his education at the
Sorbonne and meets with no unkindness or con-
desc ansion from hi comrades. No restaurant or
theatre would think Of refusing him admittance.
He NAV marry n wcll-enlowed French girl or re-
turn home to wed one of his own half or quarter
blood If he does anything in art or letters his an
cestry IS hardly "a topic Of conversation. Does any
Frcnchman grow sorrowful over the fact that tho
elder Dumas was least quadroon and quad
room who portrayed i'm his physiognomy better THAN
his father the General Dumas under Napoleon, the
African blood in his veins? Dumas is one of the
rnvered writer's OF France. His son married Rus-
sian lady OF title and when he died. last year. was
buried with the honors due to a member OF tn"