Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-31
STORIES AND GOSSIP
OF THE STAGE.

,s,eeoocot occooooooo0ooocoo5
Much may be done by kindness" This
is a favorite expression of Frank Daniels,
who plays in 1.-The Wizard of the Nile"
and is more particularly directed by MN
in reference to the beautiful white rat
which he nightly extracts from the IN
terror of a bottle in the last act, and which
then wanders up and down Daniels arm
and shoulders until the curtain falls. Il
am a firm believer IN the principles of the
s. P c. A., and hold that coercion or
confinement OF dumb animals is only less
culpable than more vigorous cruelty, ne
said in recent interview. Il have actual
" won the affection of this little brute
by continued kind treatment and allowing
absolute freedom of ACTION. See the ex-
hibition of perfect confidence in this case,
and that with an animal known to be nat
urally most timid."
Then Mr.. Daniels would call the rat, and
as it ran to his hand he would raise and
lower 1t rapidly several times. The rat
sat unconcernedly on the palm of Mr.. Dan
ielS' hand, and mutely begged for the piece
of apple or banana which it knew would
be Forthcoming. This, as stated above,
was what Mr.. Daniels used to say and do,
but cruel circumstances have warped his
tender nature and he now mutters gravely
that there are cases of mistaken Kindness.
The milk of his human kindness did not
curdle when the snowy rodent dined freely
upon Mr.. Daniels grease paint, nor stop its
flow when his ratShip decided that MIL
iels' best wig was not arranged convenient
ly for a couch and therefore rearranged 1t
with extensive alterations. But the foun-
tains of his kindly heart We're parched as
with hot blast upon election night. 1t
was also salary night with Mr.. Daniels
company, and his personal dividend in
numerous bills of large amount was pre-
scented to him in his dressing room during
the performance. -r
He laid the envelope upon the table when
thought of danger. But when he returned
at the end of the act his horror and amaze
ment at the sight of his dressing table
aused the company to gather around the
door of his room with mingled fear and
curiosity. All over that table We're scat
tered bits of torn envelope and government
steel engraving, which had been a short
while before iEdisputable wealth. No piece
bigger than postage stamp was anywhere
.One Hundred Silver Dollars" The rat.
true to his color, had Disseminated in favor
of white metal. AS Mr.. Daniels is n strong
Mckinley man this added insult turned the
balance, and as he carefully placed the
double handful of monetary fragment in
item to the United States treasury, lie said
to his dresser with dignified firmness:
NAV be carried too far and become too ex-
once, and keep him in close confinement"
over to the side of the table nearest Mr..
Daniels. and, raising its forepaws In the
air began to wiggle its PINK nose ana stare re
the accustomed bonne bouche OF apple ano
M. Daniels, with faltering voice. said:
Thomas, make the cage large ohe-a
very large one.
James A Herne, the actor-dramatist:
who is to speak at the FIRST C92ln,gregationaatt az
| is" is a man of marked ability. He was
born in West Troy, n. Y. in 1888 and
passed through the customary struggles
| that beset the poor but ambitious aspirant
| of the comic and tragic muse. HIS first
| important engagement as an actor was
] rod int
| theatrical manager, John Ford. of Wash
! ington D. C. While n member of the
| Washington stock company 1t may be IN
| first line ever delivered on the stage of
| Ford's Tenth Street theater, in which
Abraham Lincoln was shot. II was asa an ,;.o al
| dress written by a gentleman OF that city,
beginning:
''As from the ashes Cinderella rose.
Rise we, all radiant from our night OF
woes.
Washington, baltimore and Philadelphia
| he was induced to go to San Francisco
where he appeared as Leading man man IN the
| city that he made his debut as a star and
| dramatist, the occasion marking the first
| production of Hearts of Oak. He gained
/ a fortune with this play and he still de-
| rives an income from it. The second play,
| THE Minute Men" was artistically a sue
! cess, but financially failure This was
! followed by Drifting Apart" and Mar
| garet Fleming" The last ramed piece ere
! ated a sensation and was commented upon
| by nearly every writer of note in America.
! Although its realism did not prove ac-
| ceptabe to the majority of Dlaygoers 1t
| vanced writer and gained him many valu-
| able friends. 'Shore Acres followed and
| its success will make amends for Mr.:
| Herne's struggles in behalf of pure and
| original native drama.
| Although Shore Acres is to-day con-
i sidered one of the financial prizes IN the
aNrfg. vi n
| for years and it was only out OF sheer
| desperation that Mr.. R. NJ. Field of the
Boston museum consented, +, 10 n,oh; ProdGce II ti
| last scene of another new play. 1t is Il
| wlr drama. founded on Helen NJ. Gardner $
| novel IAN Unofficial Patriot" and has
| Rev Griffith Davenport" Its hero is a
| cler gyman who acted as circuit preacher
| through the Virginia hills before the war.
| Against his own wishes he is induced by
| Abraham Lincoln TO act as guide for the
! Union army, but ne refuses to accept a
commission and is known and respected
| founded upon facts that were furnished to
Miss Gardiner by the clergyman's family.
Mr. Herne contemplates producing some
| of his plays in London shortly and he has
| had several complimentary offers from
| well known English managers 1t is Mr.
| Hcrne's intention to take over an Ameri-
| can conpany as he does not believe Eng
lish players would be able to do justice
TO the types of characters he introduces
| in his works. Such men as Henry irving,
| Wilson Barrett, John Hare, William Ter
| rfss and Hail Caine are confident that Mr..
| Herne win succeed in the British metrop-
| oils.
Some people wonder why show folks are
superstitious, but IL the following list of
i accidents. which happened In one day to
| Miss Millie James and Miss 1ecnora Brad
ley of the James J. Corbett company. don't
| permit them to be so. it Is mysterious.
| While playing in st. Louis couple of
| weeks ago both the ladies decided to at
tend a matinee which was given at one Of