The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-08
New York F'ir8t NiQht.
Bah Sits in Judgment Upon THE Conquerors" --society
at the Empire Theatre.

( thusiasts kept back. though, in this
great audience-this audience which rep
resents all that is best in New York of
wealth and brains-and in time the ap
plause that it has been holding for
her welcomes a slender bit OF a girl who
stands confessed to the friendly people
before her, not only as Mile. De
Grandpre, but also as Viola Allen, re-
membercd as little child who has been
retained by the best actors We ever
have had--Booth and Jefferson-who
never makes a mistake, and whose
name-land to me many another this is
| most bcautiful-is as pure and free
from the black touch of scandal the
snow when it first falls from the heavens
| above. The applause surgeS like the
waves OF the ocean The action of the
| play is stopped, for the New Workers
| know and appreciate not only the clever
| actress. not only the talented woman,
| but the charming girl, and it is to her
| that they are offering their tribute. A
| little later. when the story is older
| there stands upon the stage a figure
| clothed in the dress of a Breton peasant
girl-that wonderfully picturesque get
| up The face is a tragic one expressive
and with eyes that flash wonderfully
as the few words are said that hint of
| the intense feeling of the woman. A
newcomer i'll this contpany-yes, but ap
old New York favoritc-handsome
Blanche Walsh, Il woman in appearance
| Il girl in years, Il child of the city, and
one whom the theater-goers watch with
interest as each years Improvement is
| noticed. Tonight she gets her greeting
| IS do the others. and her greeting seems
| 70 say: I'VE are glad to see YOU sur
| rounded by good actors Eli Il theater
| where only good acting is allowed
COMEDY AND TRAGEDY.
| And so it goes on, the story Of the
| .onQuerorS and the conquered, and there
are the tragedy and the comedy, the
| scene of death and the scene Of love
| ma king. and, last of all, love triumphs
| over death. But underlying every thing
else. there i; the consciousness that be-
| tween the people in the audience and the
| people on the other side of the curtain
| owe these stage folk well enough ana
sincerely enough to wish that they may
| Oe successful iii their work, and when
| it is all over and we drift out into the
| wide corridors and stand chatting and
| waiting for the carriages, it Is invariably
| Of the good points that we speak, be-
| cause we know the clever manager will
! ,o-m0rrow make the play strong where
ever it is weak and intensity all that
which is best. i is good when among
hundreds of people so strong feeling
| Of loyalty toward those who make
| amusement for them can exist. for it is
IN evidence that among a nation 50
| tickle in its regard we are such 10y
| llty as is known among tn" English
and the French Is growing. 1t is such
oyalty that inciteS the painter to do
| better pictures the writer to do better
work, and the actor to play his part
| better 1t is this feeling that is go
| ing to make the right in art triumph
| over the wrong.
You laugh about there being any
| right or wrong in the playhouse. Why.
| look at the right and wrong actions
merely among the audience There are
so many things t.rat nothing viii excuse
Nothing excuses Il loud criticism Of the
| play. especially AN unpleasant one. II
| is true that YOU may have paid your
money, but You cam take your choice
| ana if You do not like the play you
can go home.
| ETIQUETTE OF THE THEATER
| Nothing excuses the overwhelming OF
\ L
| fump Cf Cigarettes ana possibly some
| thing else You have perfect right to
smoke and drink whatever you desire
[ but rot fifteen minutes before entering
| the theater.
Nothing excuses the incommoding of
| ones neighbor with Il big cloak and
| troublesome hat, and nothing except
| news OF Il sudden death or illness eN-
| cuses the going out between the acts.
Nothing excuses the quoting i'll Il
| loud voice your acquaintance with an
| actor. The world at large doesn't care
| who you know. 1t only wants YOU to
| behave youreSlf.
| Nothing excuses loud yelling for the
| author or manager or pounding with
umbrellas or sticks. Applause, properly
| given, is due to the artist, but that
should be limited to the usual quiet
| bringing together Of the hands.
| Nothing excuses ungloved hands,
| velled faces. untidy toilets, or bad man
| nerS at the theatcr. for unless YOU know
just how YOU Shoul look and Just what
You should do home is the best place
J, FOR YOU until You have learned the
verIons "dOn'ts' Of social life. You
tMnl am hypercritical? No: i am very
forglylng, but | know bow hard the &c.
| tor works. ! know how eager is the
/ pa! -NIit'f 10 hAN" every word properly
understood, and how badly behaved
audience can make the actors work
good for nothing and the writer's words
seem as nauGht. Therefore, l never
excuse bad manners at the theater They
are counted among the unparslonable
sins on the very short list of things un-
fortunately given by Bah
TIL" Hon. William Waldorf Astor vii
contribute an important article to an
carly number N the Pail Mall Maca
zine on John Jacob Astor. The articl
will be illustrated and promises to b
of exceptional interest to American read
orS.
Men and women have more faith in
each other than they have in their own
sex.