Evening star., 1898-01-15

aters has been done by Mr.. f.. s. Willard,
and it is gratifying to record also his finan-
ciaI success. In some respects this has
been the most enjoyable of Mr.. Willard S
visits to this city, for he has presented two
new characters in both of which-though
they are strongly contrasted-his splendid
ability as an actor was made manifest. His
David Garrick was an excellent impersona-
ton. and with the single exception of Law
renee Barrett his is the best Interpretation
of that character that has been seen in
this country. His Tom Pinch was a low
able creation. just as the great novelist
drew him. and it's presentation increased
the admiratio for Mr.. Wilards art.
Next week the interest will center In
Miss Julia Arthur, who will present a
dramatizatiOn of Mrs. Burnett's story Of
"a Lady of Quality"
This is the simple story of how Francis
Wilson lost success and n composer prac-
tically found $50 900 1t was five years ago
that John Philip Sousa was asked by the
comedian to write the music to libretto
of j. Cheever Goodwin. Sousa at that time
was anxious to obtain a hearing as comic
opera composer, and he entered upon the
work with so much enthusiasm that he
soon competed one act and part of another.
At this point the comedian and the COM
poser disagreed upon terms and arbitration
was found impossible Wilson has never
been accused of being a sDendthrift, and
his invariable rule was to purchase out
right and never pay royalties. Sousa re-
fused to take less than 81 800 for a three
act piece. and Wilson refused to pay more
than 81 coo. Accordingly they agreed to
disagree. and Sousa put his music back in
his portfolio while Wilson secured another
composer. The opera was finally produced
under the title of THE Devils Deputy,
and has been forgotten now for some years.
About this time SouSa signed a contract
N1Icl,a hn NJ
position of him at once. The latter thought
of the march he had composed for the Will
son opera. and digging it out of mass OF
manuscript he sent it unnamed TO the pup
fishers. Some days later Sousa was in
Chicago, where he witnessed perform
ance of the spectacle America at the
Auditorium. During the play drop cur
tain was used on which was painted rep
resentation of the famous old liberty bell:
There's the name for the new march,
whispered Col. George Frederic Hinton,
who sat with him, and SOusa nodded as
sent 1t was happy thought, and when
the next mail brought the composer let
ter from his wife relating how their son
had marched in his first parade In Phlia-
delphia in honor of the return OF the liberty
bell from the worlds fair the coincidence
c,inched his purpose, and THE Liberty
Bell march was chrtstened
Within six weeks after its publication
The Liberty Bell had netted Sousa more
than Wilson offered to pay him for an en-
tire opera. and up to date mas paiu .ie
composer $4,000 in royalties, stun maKihs
him handsome returns every montn- ina.
one musical number would have carried
the opera that Wilson did not BUY 10
triumphant success.
When Julia Arthur tip1idly applied for
position In Landmarks company, one after
room wnen that erratic actor visited HamlI-
ton Ont, her home. she was in ner t"eltth
year. Bandmarn was making MS exit iioia
the stage door and was thunderstruck AZ
lfTaf a
laughed and was about to pass on when
ar old woman who played characters IN
his company happened to come out ana
cried, upon teholding the girl Win darK
features, Heavens! Here are features Aof
genius"
Bandrnann stopped, and the old woman.
who was looked upon as sort OF witch In
bis company, persisted in promising great
future for the child. Bandmann gave the
girl an opportunity. She had previously
appeared on the stage in her home in THE
Honeymoon" SO this was not her real first
appearance. In a few months after this
dark-eyed girl had joined the company she
was playing leading roles. She had become
child prodigy.
At that time the young girl was thin and
meager, but in her soul there smoldered the
fire Of ambition. Even then her eyes had
deep, soulful intensity, which subsequent
years have increased and made con-
spicuous feature OF her personality. Soon
he wever, her beauty began to assert itself
She biossomed icto womanly girl,
thoughtful and sensible, who took life seri-
ot sly. In those days the youthful genius
wrote essays on how to gain success on the
stage. The leading female roles of the
Shakesperean plays and in THE Lady of
Lyons. East Lynne" Don Caesar de
Bazan' and The Corsican Brothers" fell
to her lot before she was fifteen.
In those days. too. she thought she pos
sessed r:usical talent enough to study in
Germany among the masters of the violin
ana also the technique OF singing. TO this
experience Is greatly due the richly modu-
lated voice sne possesses. She returned to
America and attached herself to another
repertoire company. producing 1.-THE Galley
Slave, Called Back THE Two Or
phans. The Still Alarm and many
others, she studying for three weeks a new
role each day. Then came her distiu-
Suished performance in New York, when
she electrified the metropolis by her per-
1ormance in The Black Mask" An ap-
pearaace as leading woman of A. NJ Palm
ers stock company followed, Until she left
America for England. Her success there in
TIE irving company is well known
Julia Arthur's face is purely Of an orr
eEtai type, depicting at a glance power
nervous force and intelligence She has al
ways taken life ard her stage work as
Gre than an occupation. II has been a
s!eepless ambition. and that has consti-
tG;ed her success. She is a brave woman.
She faces the world and fights her battle
aid OF Influence, and is proud of the fact
that she had to struggle for all she at
tanned. As a woman, she is very different
from many others in the profession She
never talks about the stage when away
from IT, II an actress" she says "is
rever herself. but lives an assumed char
acier. she will soon become little more than
confirmed poseuse, an affected creature
wEo, never being natural, cannot expect to
De ready 10 take on with fresh and yigor-
Gus spirit decided character She must
have herself under such control that she
can adapt herself TO fit the part she as
sumes- she must possess the ability which
VIII come to her through experience of be-
lns the character. with her own person
ality left out"
The flrst piece in which Miss Julia Ar
thur appeared In support of Irving two
years ago was THE Corsican Brothers
and Miss Arthur tells Of an amusing inci
dent that occurred at the very Commence
ment of her experience at the I.vceum
Theater- After Irving had engaged her he
sent for her and asked II she had any con-
scieniious or religious scruples against re-
hearsing On Sunday. Miss Arthur renlied q.
when 1 was with stock company in
California 1 frequently played two per-
formances on Sunday, which my religious
scrupies allowed. But / believe had the
number of performances been three nv
scrupies would have increased proportion-
ately- Irving laughed and ordered the re-