Evening star., 1898-06-04

been produced at the Columbia Theater.
IN this play Mr.. James Barrows has found
q part that fits him like a glove, and he
richly deserves the praise that has been
given him for his impersonation The bur-
Iesque called THE Hula Glrl' at the La
fayette Square shows what Washington
talent can do. 1t is a Washington produc-
ton IN every respect, composer, nbrettist
and performers all being local people. The
young gentlemen composing the Columbian
University Vaudeville Club have developed
acting ability rare in amateurs and they
all sing excellently. There seems to be no
reason why this organization should not
meet with as much success as the Mask
and Wig Club of Philadelphia
Glen Echo has become popular on ac-
count Of the growing torridity of the tenn
perature. and the nightly attendance has
been large. The opera company has much
to commend 1t in its excellent chorus and
the good work of its male principals. 1t
Is weakest in its feminine contingent of
principals "Olivette" may. however, in
duce different verdict. Vaudeville still
continues popular at the Lyceum.
People who witness the clever little game
or chess which forms such a delicately
sentimental climax to the romance of
Brother John at the Columbia do not
realize what labor and mental strain it
cost James o. Barrows and Maud Hasam
TO get up in the business of the scene.
The story of the scene is very simple:
Good-hearted, self-sacrificing John Hackett
has succeeded in making smooth the paths
OF all the other people in the play, when
ne suddenly realizes that he himself has
been left out in the cold. He loves Hetty
Rolan, whom he has seen grow from a
chlld to charming womanhood, but in his
sef-enacement he does not imagine that
she could care for him, except as an old
friend 1t therefore comes to a point where
woman proposes. and this is adroitly ac-
complished through the medium of n game
OF chess by which they are mated for life
But while II is the sentiment of the scene
which appeals to the spectator, it was the
oetalls OF the game which bothered the
actors They realize that hundreds of
chess players would be watching them,
and that any mistake in the game would
pc noted and commented upon. Therefore
MISS Hasiam, who is noted for the thor
oughness with which she attends TO every
detail of her impersonation of every part,
bought small treatise chess and pro-
ceeded to coach up on the game. BarrOws
on the other hand, is a great deyotee of
outdoor sports, an enthusiastic bicycIer and
base ball crank, and last fall he caught the
gol Fever badly, which facts may have ac-
counted Tor his numerous bad breaks at
one OF the rehearsals of the scene. after
they had set the board Barrows absent
mindedly remarked:
w ell, you all lined I'D for the r1Ish2
One-twO-SeVen-nine
What on earth are You talking about?"
inquired Miss HaSlam.
on, excuse me-, rejoined Jimmy" ~
was thinking of a foot ball game Well. al
together now-Goi / mean it's your ante"
You mean it's my move" corrected
cue there?'
Excuse me-" interrupted Barrows, "if
you make a move like that you'll foozle
your gambit: you want TO make d long
uriFe from this black bunker here and cop
per my queen"
Nonsense" retorted Miss Haslam, ut
says IN the book here that"
i don't care what it says in the book"
interrupted Barrows. Il learned the game
on the Lenox links from a genuine hot
Scotch caddy-"
But this isn't golf, Mr.. Barrows-this is
Chess
so II is-so it is Well, let me see-I've
got TO move my men so as TO jump your
men and then when 1 get in the back row
I'm king"
'No-no-no-that's checkers you're think
Ing about The queen is the highest in
Chess"
Il always thought it was a sort of a wo-
mans rights game" growled Barrows his
mind Wandering to the property man who
was putting up curtains at the wrong win
dow. After this had been corrected the
game was resumed. Now I've got TO take
your rock. and then that will give you
chance to move uD here and check ma"
explained Miss HasIam.
Nothing of the sort" retorted Barrows.
After you have broken through my rush
line you form a flying wedge and run for
goal, but tackle you here and score a
touchdown. Then after two strikes you
take putter and play from this tee right
down the backstretch to home base, and
there's where l call you-'Keno,' is it?-no,
Sheck-' Then you say mate, and | look
into your eyes sorter languishing like and
say Mates for life. Hetty?' and then you
fall into my arms-and that's all L know
about chess"
But evidently Barrows learned something
more, for they plIy a correct game now.
Harry Carter. stage manager of the Par
ry Opera Company, has a grudge against
William Parry 1t is a grudge of long
standing. in fact, dating from Carriers first
season with David Henderson's Burlesque
Company. Carter was promising young
terror in those days, but he knew consider
ably less about stagecraft than he does
now. He was cast for the part of the Count
in "Sinbad. and little Arthur Dunn was
playing the Old Man of the Sea. As Wash
ipStonians who saw this clever burlesque
here some seasons ago at the Grand will
remember that, in cOntraversion of the
Arabian Nights tale, the Old Man mounts
on the Counts back, and clings until Sim
Dad, impersonated by a woman, gets him
80 drunk that he falls off. Now, Arthur
Dunn. as all VINO have seen that diminu-
tive comedian know, weighs only about
ninety pounds. and carrying him around
through this scene. which lasted about
five minutes, was a comparatively light
task
MI 1drTy was unOerSIuIy 1Or Dunn, VINO
was inclined to be off his feed at the time.
SO when the company reached St. Louis it
was decided to call rehearsal. Parry was
perfectly well up in the part. for as stage
director he has the reputation of being
able 10 jump IN and play anything at u
mcment's notice. but he determined 10 have
some fun at the unsusp-cting Car:ers ex-
pGnse- Parry. by the way. weighed nearly
twice much as Dunn, he commenced
by asking: DO you think you can carry
me. my boy?"
Carter. being a sturdy youth, who prided
himself upon his strength, replied that
Parry was dead easy, and that he was ac-
cUstOmed to carrying weight for age. or
words 10 that effect, and then the fun COM
n'enced.
The portly stage director mounted on
C&rter's shoulders. and tipping The wink to
Louise Kissing, who was playing Sinbad
Henry Norman. Eddie Foy and the rest
Of the principals who were rehearsing. pro-
ceeded to play the Old Man OF the Sea IN
realistic style.
In the first place, the precise Mr Parry,
who probably knew every line in the piece
backward, pretended that he could not re-
member his part, and required frequen.
prompting. which prolonged the agony.
Then he found It impossible TO get the
business" Of the scene, which he himself
had invented. by the way, and this neces-
STATED the repetition OF the performance