The times., 1898-05-15

any member of my chorus my whole soul
goes up in my throat, and deplOre the
necessity of such an act in civilized
war pia-opera. Is that strong euough7
No, sir; I do not aspire 10 Olga Neither
solian honors. and I don't want a di-
vorce, so HE yourself hence. Good
night" And Frank Daniels winked-
'Tt seems to be the general opinion"
said Miss Emerie. the dying ring artist
WHO appeared last week at the National.
as she sat IN front OF that house at the
Saturday matinee, watching the Char
mion aet, "that the work / do Is very
fatiguing and a fearful strain on the
system Only yesterday I was asked il
people in this business lasted long and
frequently l hear remarks Of that sort
As matter Of fact there is no exercise
more hcalthful than that embodied in the
turn l do have been at il all NY life,
having been apprentieed 10 a circus when
a very small child. and the only illness
that ever kept me in bed day was a
fever contracted in Mexico NV chest
and arms are solid and hard as wood and
my general health Is excellent. The ring
act is only d slight increase in tension
from the duties OF a gymnasium and that
increase is provided for in the fact that
l have had more time 10 grow use 70 it.
Years are spent in practIcing such spe-
cialty and one is always finding some
new detail that lends it strength. My
work is both interesting and attractive
and / would not leave it for any other
prOfession-not even for the newspaper
business"
The house had not yet ceased cheering
when John Philip SOUsa. THE March
King" emerged from hjs white duck uni
walked out into Vermont Avenue after his
first performance of "The Trooping of the
ColOrs, in this city. ''Whew." he said.
''it certainly seems delightful 70 get into
the open air again To the casual observ-
or. / know. il must look TO be a simple
matter to stand on platform and direct
band, but / assure you that il IS no such
thing. Keeping in perfect touch with
your men and on the alert for a single
false tone holds one under terrific strain
and brings into play every sense OF which
man Is master. Ones mind cannot wan
der for an instant Getting up a specta-
Gle like The TrOopiag OF the COlors' IL
one Of the most gigantic tasks ever con-
ceived. Men have 10 be drilled and chO-
ruses rehearsed at every stand, besides
the regular work that is necessary to
keeping band like this in order. 1t IS no
slight matter to look after 80 people and
anyone who thinks that it is should try- IL
that's all"
Alf Wheelan is not the sort OF looking
man, when denUded Of his makeup. that
one would imagine him 20 be after seeing
him in The Idols Eye" In fact his
wee bit kleptomaniac'' Notwithstanding.
he IS a decidedly handsome fellow. When
a Times man called on him the other
night he was in a sort Of half and haIf-'
condition rather less imposing than his
stage appearance. He had NOT vet re-
moved the grease paint from his face,
but his red wig had given place 10 q
thick crop OF black hair and above his
kits was seen an ordinary sack coat
Altogether he looked a strange mixture
and one not at all out OF place with his
surroundings. Yes. Washington has
done Us another good turn and cur week
business has hardly fallen behind that
OF our last engagement" he said. LAYING
another bit of his costume or a table.
This stuff about your city being Door
show town is simply the worst kind os
nonsense. Washington has its favOrites
il is conservative and il is certainly
clannish, but in the many seasons / have
been coming here | have never heard OF
good attraction doing ANYTHING buI
good business. Two seasons ago Della
Fox was here for sixteen consecutive Der-
f0TmanCes and she never failed to MI her
houses The same thing befell Lillian
Russell. and I note that the BOstonians.
Joseph jefferson. Nat c. Goodwin. So!
Smith Russell. z. II. SOtheru. Henry Mil
Ter. Ada RehaH. Francis Wilson. De Wolf
/ Hopper. Minnie Madern Fiske. William
Gillette. William II. Crane Fanny Daven-
port, Modjeska. Richard Mansfield stu
art Robson Katherine Riddsr and score
Of others always do well here Wash
tngtonians viii not go 70 see q poor show
or one badly recommended but they
would pack the auditOriums Of all seven
! local Theaters should capable players be
found for each. and what more can you
asit2 The reputation the city has ac-
Quired in this line comes simply from dis
appointed managers of cheap or faddish
attractions and they say the same shing
OF every city in which their individual
hopes are injured. I've just sent out for
a cold bOttIe-wait a moment and well
have a drink And The Times man
waited.
II do not think that people come to