Kansas City journal., 1898-01-08
OF CURRENT INTEREST.

Few persons a Sun writer says. know the
capabilities of James N. Hackett. leading
man of the New York Lyceum theater COM
pany. who Is now dangerously i'll of typhoid
fever, fancy dancer. The demands
upon him as an actor are not in that line.
but he sometimes dances in private. To
a number of men at the Alpha Delta Phi
Club Mr.. Hackett showed his expertness
just before he was taken i'll. 1t was the oc-
caslon of the clubs annual reception to
the members of the fraternity, and Mr.
Hackett, who is an Alpha Delta. had come
in late. after playing his part in The
Princess and the Butterfly, and joined in
with fifty or sixty of the late stayers. who
were singing fraternity songs. Some of MS
friends called on him to do something to
amuse the crowd. I've no monologues or
anything of that sort up my sleeve" said
the young actor. I'D be delighted to do
anything if somebody will tell me what"
''If you can't sing or talk. You might
dance" suggested voice. The man at ths
piano struck into rather quick waltz. and
Mr.. Hackett, after a graceful bow to the
company in general. which had formed a
wide circle gathered the tails of his dress
coat in his hands and proceeded to perform
dance of truly extraordinary nature. At
first it was a series of long. agile dips and
bounds in perfect time to the music: then
iNe tSS StcUttu 10
stretch out to abnormal proportions and TO
be all over the place at once. His left foot
would be swinging along level with the
eager faces of the line of spectators on
one side and the next second, with one tre-
mendous twirl. he would be tanning the
heated brows at the other side with his
right shoe. He SO narrowly skipped the
nose of learned and dignified judge with
his patent leather tip that that gentleman
gave an alarmed sneeze: and before he had
time to feel for his unharmed nasal organ
the same shoe had neatly kicked out the
bow in the lawn tie Of friend of the
dancer. All this was real dancing. not SIM
ply high kicking, in perfect time to the
rhythm Of the waltz. and the strange part
OF 1t was that 1t was by no means uncouth
or ungraceful; but the ubiqutousness of
those legs was almost uncanny. After a
| final tremendous and far-reaching twirl
Mr.. Hackett sat down breathless amid
howls Of applause. declaring that he hadn't
taken SO much lively exercise in long
time. The following night he was taken i'll
and has been on his back with typhoid
| ever since.
| There Is in Atlanta an office building that
| Is officially known In the city directory and
elsewhere as 1.-THE House That Jack Built"
| the property of Jack Smith, as jolly a
4 4.
Smith also owns the Bachelors Domain"
a hostelry where bachelors hold full sway.
| In this house the rooms are not numbered
| as one finds them in most hotels, but in
| stead each room Is named after a state or
| territory of the Union. The Office in this
odd hotel Is known as "The District Of
Columbia" When a few days ago a large
| number Of prominent men of the city re-
| ceived word that Jack was to have a
kkI
that treat was in store. and all declared
they would not miss the party for the
world. They knew it would not be q for
NAL affair but one where every one would
have a good time, with plenty to eat and
drink thrown in. The dinner was served
in accordance with Mr.. Smiths odd ideas
concerning his buildings. The guests were
received in the District of Columbia, and
repaired to the dining room. where most
remarkable feast was spread. One would
hardly believe it. but there were twenty
seven different kinds of meat on the long
tables, and other good things in proper
ton. After dinner the guests roamed
through the house. In room kentucky"
| they found stored all sorts of the best
whisky, and In room California" there was
stored away many quarts of wine. Beer
| was on tap In room "Wisconsin.' because
of Milwaukee's fame brewing center.
| There Is queer layout for you, but II
| was none the less enjoyable.
| When 1.-THE Prisoner OF Zenda" appeared
1t was without illustrations. The cuts ac-
companying Rudolf of Hentzau." Zenda's
SEQUEL, and now running in one of the
| magazines, therefore give the first pictorial
idea we have had OF the hero of both
stories. Apropos of which 1t is interesting
! to learn that the illustrator, Mr.. Gibson
wished a certain reporter-novelist. who has
before this been his model. to pose as Ras
sendyl. The reporter-novelist. so the
story goes, was nothing loath, and the rap.
| ture of future boarding school girl readers
was. of course. assured. but the plan wal
suddenly quashed by no less a person thar
Mr. Anthony Hope. In no undecided term!
he EXPRESSED himself unwilling to have
his pet hero represented by the reporter
novelist. and both artist and would-be mod
, el were forced to give up the idea.
The New Zealand government has draft
ed a bill for the appointment OF "discree
women as inspectors. with extensive pow
ers to stop and interrogate the girl who Il
, | out at a late hour. They are also author
ized to escort her home. or. IL the late gir
is a very hard case, to take her to an es
tablishment specially provided. and leav
Q her in charge Of the matron. pending N
l quiry.