The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-04-28

We lean back and roar. We had
been thinking rather sneeringly that
Miss Irwin was very fat TO dance and
sing So skittishly. We had almost de
termined to pass unkind remarks
about her as soon as we got home, and
roast her generally. And, 10! and be-
hOldi this remarkable women knew us
like a book, and got ahead of us. She
east her inferiority in our faces. She
said to us. in effect. You are nice and
slim and lissome. | am awfully fat.
Imagine me playing Rosalind! Ila!
Ha! Ia! Think of my giant proper
lions wedged into a cigarette picture.
lie, He! He" ! will not hesitate TO
say that May Irwins immense vogue
Is due entirely TO her marvellous under
standing of human nature She Is per
feetly aware of the fact that if she
posed as a sylph, and stood in the cen
ter of the stage and warbled, "Oh,
love! | love you, my love" in the
usual stellar manner she would
awaken nothing but our derision.
In The Widow Jones" May Irwin
first won our approval by this remark.
The advantage of having Il big mouth
is that you can kiss and talk at the
same time The audience was aghast
ut her daring; then they warmed into
admiration of it.
And clever May Irwin's tactics un.
doubleday are-cleyer, tinged with Il
streak of genius. Dickens knew no
more of human nature than does May
Irwin. The beauty of it all Is that
While we think we are laughing at her
expense, she is really laughing at ours.
The latest story of genius that
wouldn't be crushed comes In connec.
tlon with the play At Piney Ridge, re
Gently produced and pronounced a
great success. This play was written
by David Higgins, and is a melodrama
on somewhat old-fashioned and con
yentional lines. Two years ago Hig-
gins patched up company and put
his own play on in san Francisco 1t
won favor, and like many man be-
fore him lac thought it must have a
New York Endorsement before 1t could
be n genuine go" This idea started
him off across the continent. and in
due time he was In New York. He
danced attendance on Charles Froh-
man at the Empire Theatre but that
magnate of the dramatic muse
wouldn't even see the Western author
Then he tried the other Frohman, but
though Daniel saw him the results
We're nil. Then \. NJ. Palmer was
| tried, and he pompously said it was
waste paper. Thus the entire list was
run, and Higgins was disguised and
disheartened. His wife, however, held
her faith in him and his play. She.
somehow or other, met Burr Mcintosh.
who had been engaged by Miner *
Brooks, theatrical contractors, for a
starring tour. The contract nominated
Mr.. Mcintosh to secure a play that
would suit his abilities and the tastes
of the public, and in recompense of his
services in thus finding and perform
ing good play the party of the first
part became bound to piE e party
of the second part salary -. 500 Il
week and % per cent of tile .oiits of
the said play. Mcintosh raal At pi-
ney Ridge, saw its merit, and wanted
to start out with it. Knowing that the
other managers had rejected 1t. Miner
X Brooks wouldn't have the play. and
Mcintosh didn't take it on the road.
/ Finally, everything else failing. Mr..
Higgins determined to prove his faith
by his work He and his wife and his
two brothers, who had places in tray
cling companies, scraped enough
4 money together to put the play ON at
/ the American Theater in New York,
and 1t is one of the successes of the
season. Now everybody wants 1t, and
| 1t is going to London. Its success cha
grinned all the dramatic dietators, and
| Burr Mcintosh is mad clear through.
He is now playing a part in the drama
| One of the old-time favorites is Sol
| Smith Russell, who holds a unique
place on the American stage. n place.
be it said. which one would find well
nigh impossible to fill, for his style is
peculiarly his own, and there is a
| quaintness and dryness about it which
defies imitation. RosE FANeHoN
The following toast was pronounced