The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-22
0FNTTOT DIR. A. E. BUCHANAN
OAAs AANA 52s3S When Building
ADJUSTMENTS.

On the occasion of the last benefit given
to the winning baseball club in New York
city, the various participants in the benefit
decided to make up in appearance and as
far as possible portray the various prom
inent managers of the theaters in New
York. Digby Bell, now starring in 1.-THE
Hoosier Doctor was delegated to i'm
personate A. M. Palmer, whom he resem-
bies very much in features. Digby had
never met the astute manager and sought
his friend, Congressman Amos j. Cum
mings, to secure an interview, so as to be
able to properly depict Mr.. Palmer in voice
and gesture. Mr.. Cummings suggested the
advisability of Digby soliciting Mr. Palmer
to purchase box for the proposed benefit
which was acted upon. and Digby forth
with saw Mr. Palmer Much to his sur
prise Mr.. Palmer launched forth TRADE
against baseball and baseball players to
the amazement of the crestfallen Digby,
who Immediately sought his friends Amos
j. Cummings and DeWolf Hopper and told
his tale OF woe relative to Palmer's recep-
ton of his overture, which was received by
these gentlemen in full, together with a
capitol imitation of Mr.. Palmer's tone of
voice and mannerisms. Mr. Cummings and
Mr.. Hopper both suggested that, in order
better measure than to give complete
reproduction of it, with makeup added
on the occasion of the benefit.
The day of the benefit arrived, the house
was iammed. the members of the two teams
occupying the first two rows of the orches-
ira chairs. The first three numbers of the
programme passed off with more or less APP
plaIse. No. was accredited to "Digby Bel''
in a. recitation" The large audience settled
back anticipatory of something funny.
Imagine their surprise when, as the figure
No. went up, a short, corpulcnt individual,
with gray sidewhiskers and gold-rimmed
glasses, whom they instantly recognized as
A. NJ. Palmer, walked down to the foot
lights and, waving down the feeble line of
applause which greeted his appearance, in
ministerial voice and nasal tone, commenced
TRADE of denunciation of the game of
baseball, baseball players and everything
pertaining to the national game.
On the conclusion of the TRADE, Dgby
dexterously removed his wig, whiskers and
eyeglasses and disclosed himself to the as
tonished gaze OF the audience, who quickly
recognized the artist and greeted him with a
tremendous outburst of applause. After his
second recall, Digby advanced to the foot
lights and was about to make speech of
thanks when, looking in Manager Miner
box, to his utter horror and ama2ement he
recognized Manager Palmer, surrounded by
Amos j. Cummings, Henry c. Miner and
the long comedian, De Wolf Hopper who
were purple with suppressed laughter The
situation was grasped by Digby in an in
slant, and he beat a hasty retreat and not
outstanding the tumultuous calls of the
Mr.. Palmer and Digby Bell do not speak
How really clever Digby Bell is in character
portrayal Will be seen next Saturday, when
he appears at the Grand in his new play
The star actors who are to take part in
the performance of 1.-The Sporting Duchess
at Euglish's on Christmas are just now
playing a quiet engagement of rest at the
Denison Hotel. Among the well-known ac-
tors now there ]. II. Stoddart, the mild
hammered elderly gentleman with the kindly
face and silver-tipped eye brows attracts
the most attention, more even than the
queenly Ffolliott Paget or the well-known
Cora Tanner, who, with Edmund Collier.
Louis Massen and Manager f. NJ. Ranken,
have little table to themselves in the din
ing room each day. Aside from his COM
mendable work as the English trainer in
The Sporting Duchess" Mr. Stodda-t is
just now attracting attention because of
MS preparatlons for starring tour next
season in the dramatization of lar Maclar-
ems The Bonnie Brier Bush. Although
Mr.. Stcddart has been playing in this coun-
try since 1854 and has been considered "a star
for years past. he has never had play writ
ten for him and has never made his formal
debut as a star. His acting of character
parts mas become stronger with each year
until mis- method Is now recognized as the
very fennment of dramatic ART. Surrounded
by a company of refined players whose
work Will appear in harmony with his own
the grand old man should give n peri orn-
ance In The Bonnie B,ier Bush to set the
world OF theater-goers talking Mr. Stod-
dart has not been seen in Indianapolis in
nearly thirty years his last appearance here
according to his own statement, being the
season when he made his first real Lit i'm
this country in the role of Old Moneypenny
Joe Flynn, the star of "McGinty the
Sport" tells an amusing and entertaining
story 1T is an actual occurrence, and
comes all the way from Florida" said the