Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-08

the chief theatrical attractions this week,
and the former. with his charming new
play, "A Virginia Courtship. has had
decided lead in the matter OF business
Both gentlemen are popular In this city
and each presented a new play for the YER
diet of the Washington public. Mr.. Crane
production was clean and wholesome. 1t
furnished the audience with an amusing
ard pleasing entertainment and sent them
away satisfied and happy. Mr.. Mansfield,
on the contrary. presented a literary satire,
keen and polished it Is true, but with cyni-
cism running all through it and leaving
a bitter taste in the mouth. In the latter
part of the week, when Mr.. Mansfield was
seen as Baron Chevrial and Beau Brum-
mel, he was more pleasing and he was
greeted with larger audiences. In these
plays, and they are plays, because they
have dramatic force and action, which
The Devils Disciple has not. Mr.. Mans
field shows his perfect art and his versa
tility.
Next week that sterling English actor,
the best who has come to from across
the sea- Mr. E. s. Willard. will be seen at
the Lafayette Square. opening as David
Garrick, new character for US. and pre-
senting later Tom Pinch in q dramatiZation
of Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit," which
will be also new here. He will also be
seen in THE Rogues Comedy and The
MID. Richards and Garfield in
My Boy Primrose and Vests MINISTRIES
and Northern Lights are other attrac-
tions for next week.
Mr.. Willard is very agreeable off the
stage. and those who have met him are
charmed with his personality. He is good
talker and does not have to talk "shop" to
be interesting. He has keen artistic
sense, is we'll read and has his own opinions
about men and affairs. Some time ago
there was published in the Idler quite a
sketch of MIR. Wizards home life, with pic
lures of his country house and Its broad
grounds. The writer of that sketch drew
out Mr.. Wizards views upon many points
connected with his profession and found
that he was strongly opposed to many prac-
tees that have grown up on both sides of
the Atlantic, particularly the giving of SOU
venirs. Mr.. Wizards nature is open and
generous. and he has been far more lib
eral to the needy and unfortunate in the
theatrical profession in this country than
many of our native actors, but he thinks
the souvenir business is being greatly over
done, and from being a kindly testimonial
of public appreciation has come to be q
mere advertising dodge.
Carroll johnson has not always confined
his efforts to minstrelsy. At one time he
was star al the head of his own company,
playing an Irish drama. He tells little
story of the experience he once had in play
ing through the south In many of the
southern cities ii is the custom for the
managers of the local theaters to draw
upon the colored population for their stage
help. On the night in question. as usual,
the stage hands We're all negroes. One of
the scenes used by Mr.. Johnson was what
is known in stage parlance as gauZe drop,
which was opaque if there was no light be-
hind 1t. but which could be plainly seen
through when the lights were turned on in
the rear. At a certain cue, during the ac-
ton OF the play, this drop was to be illumi
mated in such a way as to disclose a vision
of more or less loneliness Prior to the dis
closure of the vision one of the negro stage
hands had been walking up and down be-
hind the drop When the lights were
turned up it found him still there in bliss
full ignorance of the fact that he was in
plain view of the audience and was marring
what would otherwise have been an i'm
pressive scene. Through the efforts of
those Of the company who were in the
wings. he was finally induced to retire from
the prominence of his position. After the
curtain was down Mr.. johnson sought out
the coIored individual and rebuked him in
no uncertain terms. The only excuse Of
fered was: Mr.. johnson, l didn't know
yo' oil scenery was made out of isinglass."
Frank Daniel, who Is now playing In
THE Idols Eye" in Boston, lost his tenn
per last Tuesday. He lost several pounds
of flesh also. 1t appears that he was suf-
fering from malaria, and a friend told him
that Turkish bath was just what he
needed. So he went to a little place not
far from the theater. While in the hot
room a fire broke out in an adjacent block.
The attendant forgetting about Daniels,
who CHANGED to be the only customer In the
bath. hastily donned his clothes and went
to see the flames He was gone an hour.
In the meantime. Daniels concluded that
he had melted all the malaria out of HIM
self and called for the attendant. Receiv-
ing 10 response he tried to open the door.
but found that its patent lock was sprung
and left him prisoner. He had no key, so
he kicked. He pounded. He called aloud
No response He imagined all sorts of
things. The muttering of a fire engine slim
ulated his imagination. and he grew pale
He was sure that the heat in the room
was increasing. and that the increase was
Que TO the building in which he was being
on fire. After pounding In vain on the
door. and trying. also In vain, to break
through it with a chair for hammer, he
placed the chair on d settee. and, climbing
On it. he broke the glass in the window
high up on the wall with the aid of a wa
ter mug, and was about to climb through
the window into the cold Boston morning
with nothing for clothing but a wet sheet
when the door opened and the proprietor
walked in. Daniels jumped down, but the
thermometer, under the influence of Dan
ieis' language. jumped up. The astonished
proprietor was profuse in his apologies,
and Daniels was induced to take plunge
1t cooled him off. and though still a bit
angr. when he told the story that night, he
remarked philosophically: We'll, anyway
got rid of the malaria"
One of the most interesting and attrac-
tive features of the season will be the first
presentation Of "A Paris Model" new
three-act comedy by Jane Mauldin-Feigl.
The author, Il well-known writer of New
York city, has, 1t is said constructed a
play in a clear and skillful manner, I'M
usual In its motive. and situations. abound
irg in thrilling incidents and we'll supplied
with humorous relief. The scene is laid in
New York. This play will serve to intro
duce in fitting part, and a play worthy
of the talent and merit. Nine. Pillar NORM
one of our most charming artists, but who
up to this time has not been seen In speak
Ing parts. She is best remembered for her
artistic pantomimic portrayal of Il Enfan.
Prologue, with which she astoniShed and
delighted American audiences two years
ago Mime. Pillar NORM will appear in the
Icie OF a French music hall singer the
character around which the plot revolves
She Will have a supporting company with
scarcely flaw. 1t includes Leo Dietrich
stein, an expert and original character act
or. who has also tried his hand at play
making. "A Paris Model Is not a one-part
play. Its characters are all important and
are strikingly differentiated.
Few people now remember that John
Philip Sousa was at time violin
eoloist Of note. the fame of the performer
having been lost in the glory of the COM
poser and conductor. Nothing pleases Mr..