Evening star., 1898-02-12

, which used to precede Lent have been
! abolished, including the famous cavalcade
| of the Boeuf Gras or fatted OK. 1t is pecu-
liar then, that twenty days later, in the
| middle of Lent, when people are supposed
| to give themselves up to abstinence and
modification, the public masquerades and
| festivities of the Mi-Careme have been
pI eserved. 1t is singular that the ladies
| of the washtub should have chosen this
/ particular time for the celebration of the
| anniversary of their order. One explana-
| tion that has been given IS that the nat
| ural lightness of the French mind could
| not bind itself for forty days to q life of
! privation and asceticism. 1t therefore
| chose to take brief period Of relief in the
! middle Of its self-restraint. Another ex-
| PLANTATION is that the custom came from
Italy. where, long ago, after a grievous
| plague. by permission of the king and
church, one day was allotted in mid-Lent
| for general rejoicing. Whatever the ex-
plaHation may be, every year in Paris for
| day, the streets are thronged with a
| motley crowd. and in a brilliant equipage,
1 surrounded by a retinue of picturesque
! subjects and accompanied by the king who
| has been selected for her. the beautiful
washerwoman who has bean proclaimed
| queen for the day rides proudly forth, fol-
| lowed by a train of trtumphal gilded cars
and gives her gracious approval to the mad
| gaities of her subjects. For this particular
| day the Parisians turn out in thousands
and the multitudes SO block the streets
| that traffic for the nonce is entirely sus-
pended An incident such as is furnished
! by this fete is certainly a happy one to
have been selected for stage representa-
| tion. furnishing. as it does, all the elements
| OF entertainment, fun. song and beauty.
Boston woman with a little boy walked
| into Frank Daniels sitting room at his
| hotel the other afternoon, and, after gazing
| at him for full minute, to his consider
able establishment and that Of his friends
present, spoke the following and immedi-
| ately Disappeared:
WELL 1 wouldn't a. known yer. You
don't look like you do on the stage Your
hair lies down fiat, instead of standing up.
But I suppose you run your hand through
| 1t before you go on the stage. You don't
look bald now, but you do look kinder
stern. though. hope you don't mind our
calling. My boy wanted to see you off the
stage. We always go to see you when you
come to town. We saw you last night In
The Idols Eye and you were pretty
| funny. But you don't look funny now.
| suppose. though. you could be funny now,
right this minute, if you wanted to be,
couldn't ycu?"
Frank McGlynn. who comes here with
Under the Red Robe" playing the part of
Clon, the dumb servant, was formerly
San Francisco lawyer. He possesses a fine
baritone voice, and four years ago went to
New York to have 1t cultivated. expecting
man, however. listened to a recitation
which Mr.. McGlynn gave at benefit, and
q few days late his name appeared at the
bottom Of a Frohman contract. He Is a
nephew Of Rev. Father McGlynn, whose
| accommodation from the Catholic Church
some ten years ago was 50 widely discuss
ed and who apostle OF Henry
George, the single-tax leader.
THE ELKs' BENEFIT.-An Elks' benefit
IS always an occasion Of popular interest.
The one which occurred yesterday after
noon was as excellent in quality as it was
lavish in quantity. The liberality with
which managers ignored the fact that a
benefit Of tnis magnitude is likely to take
away from the regular receipts, and sane
TONED the appearance of their performers.
was gratifying evidence of the fraternity
and generosity for which the theatrical
profession has always been distinguished.
It was matter Of surprise that so many
features should preserve such uniformity of
merit. There was not the slightest sug.
gestion of monotony. The nimblest of
dances and the most frivolous of songs
found place side by side with the lofty
diction of the Shakespearean drama. The
would alone make an extensive chronicle.
And 1t would be something OF a superhuity,
too for almost without exception they had
been made well known to newspaper read
ers because of the merits OF their parttc-
ular specialties. 1t was a most successful
occasion-and the audience was fortunate
In witnessing the efforts of company
made up Of the best performers, each OF
WnOU1 was pIdyluS Win tiAC
which only a labor Of love can inspire. And
each had the benefit Of that stimulus which
comes when merit Is approxinated to mer-
it; when the individual feels that he Is In
| the best of company and has hlgh stand
| ard to maintain.
For some reason, concerning which theo-
ries conflict, Miss Anna Held did not ap-
pear. Mr. E. r. Hay announced from the
stage that assurances from her managers
| that she would appear were definite and
convincing, and that. on the face of 1t, the
situation suggested something less than
good faith. The declarations Of her man
ager are that Miss Held could hardly stand
the strain of an extra appearance, however
brief. The audience took the disappoint-
nent very good-naturedly, doubtless sym
pathiZing with the Elks If they had suf-
| fered from Misrepresentation and with Miss
Held IL she was threatened with invalidism.
| 1t Is 10 be assumed that the conditions
which caused the refusal to allow Miss
Held to appear were very urgent, as her
management would naturally hesitate be-
! fore either disappointing the Elks or sane
| tioning in the slightest degree any impress
| sion that Miss Held's health is failing. In
any event the occurrence made a pictur-
| esque incident, and the audience remained
! interested till the very last of memorable
| entertainment.
| LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
There Is little doubt that this is an era of
romantic drama; that the great theater-
| gofng public has tired, for the time being
| at least, of the society or problem play
| with its vexing ard complex questions Of
| morality and rather flexible standards of
| virtue. The dress suit has been laid aside
] for the velvet and feathers Of the last CEN
I ttry, and the leading man and his stage
| companions must be accomplished in some
| thing more than mere drawing room pratt
| tie. Thus 1t happens that in Under this
Red Robe" which Charles Frohman will
| present at the Lafayette Square Opera
House next week. We find hero notsd for
| his reckless dare-deviltry and dashing
| abandon; in fact, his chivalrous emprise
and willingness to fight are his chief char
acteristics at the opening of Stanley Wsy-
| mans story. Gil de Berault is a hero OF
this school, So well developed is his Prov
ess with the sword that 1t has won for him
the title BLACK DEATH" Paris knows this
| gentlemanly gamestsr by this appalling
| cognomen. In the first act we find him in
dulgfng his passion for gaming, A burly
| Brfton accuses him Of unfair play Gifs
skill with the sword avails him and COM
passes the defeat Of the other. After this,
| TO save his own skin, this young renegade
| undertakes a hazardous mission for Riche-
lieu, the crafty prime minister Of France.
He Is to capture one Of the cardinals polit-
| tcal foes, and goes to the latter's establish
Il