The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-30

distinctly loyal. he makes Tor hlmset
certain traditions and adheres to them.
Certain streets, certain manners, certain
drives. and most positively, certain the
aters are given the stamp of his approval
and from that time on are recognized. A
first night at one of the approved theaters
means. if you are in the audience, the see
ing not only of a proprly presented play,
but of wonderful gathering of people.
Probably one of the best first nights of the
season is that which introduces the stock
company at the Empire theater. In the
first place, it is a theater admirably adap-
ted, by it's background and drapings of
deep crimson, to bring out the gay cos
tunes and to intensity the bright faces of
the fair sex. Women understand this
and eagerly accept an invitation to be one
of the audience. There is always certain
to be present at a first night not only the
fashionable, but the artistic set as well.
There will be all of the critics, from Hill
larry Bell with is classic face and silvery
hair, in a perfect evening get up, down to
Willie Winter, with is sad face. disarrang
ed couture and dowdy appearance. Each
one knows that a first night at the Empire
will mean inspiration to his pen. Then
the writer's turn out-the writer alike of
books, of editorials, as well as of plays.
There is Bronson Howard who wrote
"Aristocracy,' a little man, keen looking
and with an air of brightness about him
that is wonderfully suggestive of con-
tented life. Why should he not be con-
tented? He has been successful, and his
wife, the sister of Charles Wyndham, the
English actor. as she talks to him, proves
by her animation that he has beside him
always an interesting companion. There
is David Belasco, to whom we owe the
Heart of Maryland and many another
good play He looks like a Catholic priest
of Spanish descent and suggests, while he
is quiet, the deep student, but when smile
comes over his face one wonders whether,
after all he is not only happy boy OF ~.
Another successful playwright certain to be
at the Empires first night is Madeline Luz
cette Ryley. Tiny of build, fair of color
ing and daintily dressed, she is living
contradiction of the idea that woman
writer must be ordinary to look upon and
untidy in appearances.
How the fashionable women are dressed!
There is scarcely bonnet to be seen any
where. Brilliant bandeauX of jewels iash
1
of feathers stand up high in the air, but
the big hat is ostracized. Never at any
time in the history of dress, since the days
of the grand Louis, was there such rlch-
ness, and tonight it seems as If every wo-
man had put on her finest frock, her flch-
est laces, her most elegant furs and then
| flashed all her jewels upon the eyes OF the
| lockers on so that everything might gain
by contrast with them. Soon it is time
| for the curtain to go up. Then there is
| silence for this is a polite audience. There
| is time to look at the title on the pro-
gramme, '"The Conquerors." What does
| this mean? Up, with a certain solemntty,
| rises the heavy curtain and there before
| you is the picture that tells what the name
means. Have you seen the picture before?
| 1t is the interior of a great French castle.
! The furniture, belonging to an era gone
| by, is magnificent in it's antiquity. Cor
| rect in every detail, all about the room
| are various bits that tell of the luxury
enjoyed by gentlewomen. On the walls
| hang old family portraits; but, alas,
| though the castle is French, though the
| pictures on the wall are those of the old
| French noblesse, yet sitting at the tables
| drinking and smoking are the German
| conquerors. Playing on the beautiful
French piano is young uhlan, who is
| singing not some pretty French chanson,
| but "Wein Webb und Gesang." The faces
| on the wall have been made ridiculous by
! the chalk held in the hand of an enemy. A
| French duke has modern high hat put
upon him and holds in his arms an angry
| cat lady OF the time of Nine. De Pom
| padour is decorated with whiskers and dis
| plays at ridiculous angle a tiny parasol.
| So the mighty have fallen. After the first
! applause a few lines are said, and sud
| denly there rushes on the stage big,
| dashing handsome German to protest be-
cause he cannot do as he wants, and he
wants to make playhouse of the French
| chapel. Not b second elapses before the
| house is filed with sincere applause. II
| is to welcome Faversham, the young. dis
| tngue leading man of the company.
Scarcely have the echoes died and he
| has Just finished bowling his acknowledg-
| rnent when in from the rooms of the con-
| quered there comes a gentle priest, and
| then the applause begins again, this time
! for Crompton, and somebody i'm the audi
| ence says with an affection that all the
audience feels, GIVE an extra hand for
dear old Crompton." Soon tiny Great
| ure. quantity dressed, with her fair hair
| arranged i'm stiff curls, appears, who, be-
! fore she has time to enter her complaint
| or can tell that a Frenchman, even If he
| were the conqueror, would not take the
| pet of lady, or can beg for the retnrn of
| her trained squirrel, is looking into the
eyes of the audience. and everybody is
! laughing and clapping and smiling a wei
| come again and again to Ida Conquest,
| the clever little soubrette who has the
wonderful art of never over or under act
| ing her part There is a deal of enthusi-
! asm kept back. though, in this great audi
| ence-this audience which represents all
| that is best in New York of wealth and
| brains-and in time the applause that 1t
has been holding for her welcomes a slen-
| der bit of a girl who, advancing to pro-
! test, with dignity, against the insults
/ shown her family. and who stands cen
! fessed TO the friendly people before her,
| not only as Nile. De Grandpre, but also
! as Viola Allen, remembered as little
| child who has been trained by the best
1 actors we ever have had-Booth and JEFF
! ferson--who never makes a mistake, and
| whose name--and to me and many another
! this is most beautiful--is as pure and free
| from the black touch of scandal as the
| snow when 1T first falls from the heavens
above The applause surges like the
| waves of the ocean. The action of the play
| is stopped. for the New Workers know and
! appreciate not only the clever actress. not
| only the talented woman, but the charm
ing girl, and Il Is to her that they are
| offering their tribute. A little later.
| when the story Is older, there stands
Il uDOn the stage figure clothed IN fba