The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-07
of the foremost women drmatists of the

of the foremost women drmatlStS OF the
contempOraneous stage.
Mrs. Ryley is we'll remembered by
patrons of the theater as a graceful
and successful comic opera prima
donna who, after some years of stage
work, tired of the limitations of pro-
fessional life, and yearned for the COM
forts of domesticity which were denied
her by the unceasing duties of her pro-
fession Having a decided taste for
literary work, Mrs. Ryley turned her
attention to play writing. She pos
sesses in marked degree the dramatic
instinct, and from her long profession
al career, her knowledge of the techni-
que of the drama was thorough. She
therefore broue hit to her work as play
wright a completeness of equipment
which is unusual among those who
venture for success in writing for the
stage. Mrs. Ryley wrote for nearly
seven years before she gained hear
ing, which augurs we'll for her tenaclty
of purpose, and it is said completed
within that period alone twenty-one
pieces of dramatic work, which includ-
ed comic opera librettOs, one act
sketches, serious dramas and comedies,
before she had the slightest encour-
agement from the managerial pro-
ducerS. She was woman, they ar
gued and women were commonly Sa!d
to be deficient in the sense of humor.
In spite of ali this, however, Mrs. Ryley
has achieved a signal triumph, and her
success is the more creditable because
it has been gained in spite of multitude
nous obstacles.
1t is said that Mrs. Ryley's aggregate
royalties from plays, all of which are
now on the boards in this country
yield her an income of nearly $4,000 per
week.
David Henderson has assumed the
management Of the Great Northern
theater in Chicago. He has engaged
the Boston Lyric Stock company, who
are producing grand opera and have
in the neighbCrhoOd of sixty operas
in their repertoire. The admission
prices are of the popular order, an
experiment which has been tried both
in Boston and Philadelphia with sue
cess The attendance at the perform
ances already given would indicate
that the movement is meeting with
favor in Chicago. The performances
thus far have been of a high order.
Il =
Athens has just witnessed the first
theatrical performance given since the
outbreak of the war with Turkey, and
permission has been granted to the
theaters throughout the rest of Greece
to open.
1t will be rather difficult for the crit
les to expatiate at all accurately upon
the realism of THE Heart of the
Klcndike," the new comedydrama
shortly to be launched by Davis &
Keogh. Almost every newspaper cor
respondent in that region has sent
descriptive article on the subject quite
different from all the others sent; and
it is not likely that any one of the
writer's has as yet penetrated into the
heart Of the Klondike. Better send for
Esther Lyons as leading lady.
Augustin DAILY, Ada Rehan, and the
Daily company of comedians sailed
from Southampton yesterday, aboard
the St Paul, for New York arriving
Nov IS. The regular dramatic season
at Days theater, it is understood,
will begin a little later Mr.. DAILY in
tends to produce a light farcical com
edy, and then to present THE Merch-
ant of Venice"
The action of the magistrates in dis
missing the complaints against several
of the music hall managers for an al
legged violation of the law in giving
something more than a concert, vocal
and instrumental only" and incidenta.-
ly selling beer and wine to their pa
irons. seems to have met the approval
of managers and the public alike, says
the New York Herald.
The magistrates say they have de-
cided the cases on the authority Of
common sense. and the general opinion
is that common sense ought to rule in
such cases.
If the public wants music halls why
shouldn't have them? And what would mu-
sic hall be without the privilege of q glass
of beer or wine and cigar. the freedom
What's the use of raking up some old and
haif-forgotten law never meant to apply in
such cases, to give the music hall patrons
and managers trouble?
OF course, the really downright, common
sense plan to pursue in the circumstances
would be to have the law brought up to date,
but the next best course, until that is done,
is for magistrates to construe the law acCerd-
ing to long time usage.
And now the theateT managers are consid-
ering the advisability of going step fur
Their in testing common sense and estab-
fishing bars or Bullets in their smoking rooms
for the accommodation of their patrons. 1t
certainly does seem absurd that a man who
wants little refreshment between the acts
of a play must trot across the street or
around the corner in his swallow tall to
get drink and pneumonia at the same time.
WHY shouldn't he be allowed to have his
beer or his glass of wine comfortably during
the entr' actes and the ladies enjoy cup OF
chocolate or a glass of sherry? Let's apply
common sense in this case. too. Why not
have the theater Bullets at once?