davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-10-02

Charles E. Blaney is the meritless au-
thor of more cheap efforts at frivOlity
than any playwright the country has
ever produced. Until the present year.
however, he has always been content to
get his name on all the biIl-boar1s that
didn't happen TO be occupied by any one
else, and foist his worthless rubbage up
on the unsophisticated innocents. VINO are
regular attendants at popular-priced
houses. But the heat Of last summer ev-
identity affected Mr.. BIaney badly, and
despite the good advice Of his friends he
determined TO construct a comedy that
would find its way, by virtue of the COM
pany TO be employed. into the best the
aters in the country. This he succeeded
In doing, with the result that the Blaney
exchequer viii be considerably less swell
cd next June than ii was Iast-unless the
money received from the various corset
factories. sewing machine firms and to-
bacco houses the manager-authOr adver-
tises so extensively in the piece viii suf-
fee to tide him over. incidentally. last
week the managers of the Lafayette
Square Opera House and the few local
theatergOers who attended the perform
ance were treated 20 an object lesson IN
the art of what is technically, if vulgar
ly, known as ''buncoing"
"A Female Drummer" the vehicle en-
piOg tU lbI lilS lIdllS4EllUfls can ldEQlN
be classified in any other way. 1t is sim
ply the least eXcusable presentation the
capital city has had in some time. One
might forgive the facts THAI its jokes are
ancient and its music puerile were il not
for the coarse bufoonry and disgusting
horseplay with which the work abOunds.
There is no crime in constructing a farce
with a pair of long shears. a pot OF mu-
cilage and three editions Of the Farm
er's Almanac" for 1872 nor in staging
it so that the property man musf be re-
sponsfble for every laugh the tortured
| audience may find, but the limit of for
| bearance is reached when the iests be-
| come offensive to ladies and the humor SO
| ruffianly that even ordinary dullness and
| stupidity would be a pleasant relief
| The one thing TO be found commenda-
BILE in the entire performance is in tbs
| fact that Mr.. Blaney saw 1T to provide
| the company he formed with number oi
| artists whose ability might if necessary
make even such stuff as is used in a
| Female Drummer bearable. In the las
act these ladies and gentlemen were bur
The times., 1898-10-02
Kernan,s-Morrts,. Little Lamb.y

If the excellence of an entertainment
can be guaranteed by it's possession of
shapely women. humorous comedians,
catchy music, handsome costumes, ar
tistic scenery, and wonderful accessories,
Harry Morriss Little Lambs" which
The times., 1898-10-02
FRIENDS OF LAST WEEK

Had IL happened that The Christian"
had been failure last Monday night in
stead of the great success IL proved there
would still be some pleasure in the real
cation that the production served to in
troduce Jamison Lee Finney. a gentle
man before then little known in the pro-
fession but whose remarkable conception
of the role of Lord Robert IRE would
have been sufficient to have Increased the
reputation of almost any star in the
country. Nothing more thoroughly note
worthy has been seen here for many
moons.
In the book Lord Robert was decid-
edly indefinite chaIacter-paFadOxiCa as
thar may seem. The reader was. 20 a
great extent. left TO draw his own con-
clusions regarding man 50 utterly with
out conscience or honor and YET whose
education and birth gave even his vii
lainy certain tone of refinement. Had it
not been for three or four of his bitter
speeches the man would have seemed
simply commonplace, and even with those
shafts of MephistOphelian satire, there
are few actors on the stage who would
not have played the part in the manner
in which dress-suit scOundrels are gem
orally played.
John I. Sullivan or Robert HillIard
might have invested it with a certain in
terest, but neither would have brought
the man 50 prominently into relief as
did Mr. Finney, whose easy manners and
polite bearing stamped the character az
cnce with the marks Of a gentleman and
a man of the world. even while they
blended themselves to consistent villainy-
Mr. Finneys Lord Robert was not the
sort of person whose every look and
word branded him. but the very kind OF
fellow whom most women would have
trusted and some men admired His qui-
ct cynlcism, his sharp-shafted wit and
his total ignorance Of feeling or compass
sion were all portrayed clearly and con-
sistently-so much so that his auditors
readily discovered in him such a type
as exists in any society of the --ssOrid-
And when. in the plays first act, Drake
sat looking after the woman he had IN
suited while Lord Robert smiled at bOtn
from the corner of the music hall, one
could not help thinking of Lewis Nor
rison's MephistO. and making cOmpart-
sons that were more like TO have been
odious 10 Gosthe's interpreter than Han
Gaines. Mr.. Finney is then, in brief.
remarkably clever man, whose acting
Is as intelligent as it is scholarly. But
II it is true that E S WuIard's ability
to play scoundrels drove him out OF
England il might be advisable for Mr..
Finney to change his line OF parts-tnis
country has too few good actors to risk
| losing one.
The times., 1898-10-02

has this season been practically recon-
structed, and is presented to the public
brighter and wittier than ever There
is little plot, for plot is not necessary to
fun and song. Hiram Prindle, an unso-
The times., 1898-10-02

I'm a Practical Politician" For Sweet
Charity's Sake" Susie Smith from
Troy" The Good Old Palmy Days" The
Dandy Sparrow Cops" From Skowhe-
gan, Maine. B'gosh" when Love Was
Born For Thee. My Love" My Hus-
band Taught Me to Be One of the Boys"
My Thoughts Would Still Be With
Thee" ''Wiu Somebody Tell Me Why?"
Life Is What We Make It. The We'd
ding of the Chinese and the Coon" and
the selections of the Monarch Quartette
The times., 1898-10-02

When the curtain rose last Monday ar
the Academy on An Enemy TO the King
the house was filed with people who had
come expecting the best possible sort or
a performance. John Griffith was known
TO be an actor of exceptional ability
whose Faust and Richard III of the
preceding year, while they had provoked
unpleasant comparisons, were still Of suf-
ficient merit TO prove intelligence. To be
sure. the star was booking only the pop
ular-priced houses, but then people Ike
Thomas Z. Shea and Cora Tanner were
doing the same and, altogether, the out
look was very good. When Mr. Griffith
made his first appearance and delivered
three or four lines the house warmed 10
him and then-he walked across the
stage. That settled IL. The star has svi-
IDENTIFY gotten it into his head, through
some reason or other. that romantic ac-
tors and gentlemen of France perambu-
lated in a style totally different from that
of anyone else in the world Ballet dane
ers and suburbauites sometimes show the
sort of motion INDUCED in by Mr.. Grit
nth. while every boy will remember hav-
ing done the walk once to the tune OF
nonsense rhyme about going 10 the bar
bershop for stick Of candy. but there
comparisons cease. At first the assump-
ton was only deplorable but then It
shifted and became ludicrous as well. The
s-ar would read a few lines carefully
and then. while the house was enjoying
his cleverness. he would begin his can
can 10 the other end of the stage and
straight faces became impossible
When, finally. two or three other peO-
pie in the company, notably among them
James Thatcher. began what appeared
to be- limitations of their hero ranging in
different degrees of excellence, control be-
came useless and the audience giggled-
Mr.. Griffith is too good an actor 10 be
spoiled by fancy. and he should begin
breaking himself and his support of the
obnoxious habit at once. Else 1t may
spread to the ladies and the police put a
stop to the show.
The times., 1898-10-02

The average serio-comic is a very tire
some being. and few of the women en-
gagged in that work are above the aver
age. Mildred Murray, who came TO ker-
mans last week with Bryant and Wat
sons american Beauties" is certainly.
If anything. a trifie below it. Mss Murray
is not in the least good IOOking-which she
can't help-and her weight hardly entities
her to be called syIph-like-which prob
ably is not her fault, either. But there
are plenty of capital ways of making
living without disregarding both Of these
omissions of nature. and when one lacks
talent also it is time to discover them
This particular lady can't sing and
doesn't dance: is neither dashing nor
graceful, and has really no other qUalifi-
cation that would eutitle her 70 taking
twenty minutes OF an audiences time and
boring it into the bargain But then that
is probably why she is a'serio-comic.
Willis P. Sweatnam is a monOlOguist OF
anything but mediocre ability and his
annual return 10 Washington. the city OF
his birth, marks an event Of humorous
Importance. Few comedians are noted
for their originality and fewer still for
their wit or brightness. but Mr. Sweat
nam has all three qualities strongly de-
veIoped, and. as result. his little side
talks are invariably side-splittins- The
style he assumes is quite as distinctive -
that of George Wilson or Lew Dockstad-
CT and certain he falls behind neither OF
those gentlemen in his ability 10 get the
most out of a jest. The latest thing in
troduced to localities was the comedian 5
song in the last act OF a Female Drum
rner," and simple as 1t was. his efforts
to render the ballad with all the airs and
graces of the proverbial dancing master
proved the acme of humor. In such a
performance as that Of Mr.. Blaney's
farce. Mr. Sweatnam is especially valu-
able. his refinement and quiet quaintness
being all the more enjoyable by contrast
with that which is neither quiet nor
quaint.
The times., 1898-10-02

as any other of the writer's admirers TO
bring him into popularity in this coun-
try Sne was a student of her art, and
hence credit to an institution that can
boast OF few such. Mss Davenport's
death will be keenly felt everywhere
throughout the land
The times., 1898-10-02

There is no profession in which less abii-
ity is required for success than in that
of a mimic. AS a general thing the mere
sound of familiar lines will bring to an
audience memories of the voice last heard
to utter them, and ina gination does the
rest. In other cases people in the house.
often the majOrity-have never heard the
players initiated. and, being ashamed 10
acknowledge the fact, applaud with Teck-
less disregard of consequences. But Al
Stern, a local boy, seen and heard last
week at the BijOu has marvelOusly Obe-
dient voice, and his mimiery is. as a re-
suit, remarkably good. Without costume
or makeup he presents examples OF his
observation with the effect of winning
the house to his standard at every per
formance. Mr. Stern has also good fund
of jokes, which he tells well, and last
week recited some patriotic verses with
fire that brought him TWO eneOres every
day While the young fellow has faults,
he is in the main exceedingly clever.
Creston Clarke is an actor Of more
than ordinary ability in whatever he un-
dertakes and his many successes in
pieces that have proven unfortunate fall
l1res to others stand as monument TO
his ability But it was not until last
week that local audiences realized how
versatile a man the star was. and at
the discovery they were profoundly as
tonished. Mr.. Clarkes first impersona-
ton here was of Raphael DuchaIet, in
."Fhe Marble Heart" a characteristicalIy
lowed by presentation of David Gar
The times., 1898-10-02

After such an engagement as that play
ed here last week not even the least rea-
sonable can doubt the assured success of
THE Christian" The National was
packed to the doors at every perform
anee and the applause that followed each
of the dramas five scenes was nothing If
not convincing. The Christian has all
the best features of the novel from which
1t was taken with few of it's faults and
little outside that cannot be corrected. 1t
contains the regulation story Of heart in
terest and tells that story in a clearly
forceful manner and with such cIeverly
built situations and incidents that one
cannot help admiring- While many of
the books best characters are lost In the
dramatization, the two principle ones are
realized in manner the reader would
not have thought possible and put into
active being through difficulties that hold
the interest of the spectator constantly
Further than this little need be said at
present. The Times criticism on the
morning after the initial production re-
viewed the play at length. A novel that
excited the interest provoked by 1.-The
Christian" dramatized by man like Hall
Caine and presented by such a woman as
Viola Allen, could be nothing less than
triumph and this the new drama will
prove TO be.
The times., 1898-10-02

One of the musical events of the year
will be the introduction of Sada, an Amer
lean girl, who Isl said to be the most
marvellous violinist OF her age ever heard
abroad. The artist has come into prom
inence only recently. having been first
heard of by many when, at her gradua-
ton from the Brussels Conservatoire. she
was awarded the premier prix ayec dis
tinction over twenty-seven other competi-
tors. all of whom were fulI-grown men
and women. This marked the first time
that the honor had ever been won by any
one of Sada's nationality. and her success
provoked many demands for her services,
compliance with which called forth the
most rapturous notices in papers like the
Paris Figaro, the Beige Musicale, the
st. James Gazette and the London Tele-
graph. News. Standard and Referee
Ysaye, the girls master, was also enthus-
ed into sending her the warmest congratu-
lattons, and every sign points toward the
discovery, in this child, of a new prodigy
OF the same order to which belonged HUI
hermann Whether or not she will remain
success after growing up cannot be
said. but at present she undoubtedly
promises TO startle the musical world
r. e. Johnson. who brought to these
shores Ysaye. Pol PIancon, Nordica and
Ghirardy, is TO direct Sada's tour.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28
A Candle 1eO Feet High.

One hundred and twenty feet high
white candle once lowered. Its di-
ameter was twenty feet. That means
that it was as wide as the ordinary
city house and that it shot about four
times as high as the usual dwelling.
It gave q light that Illuminated
everything for miles around. The
light was, of course, an electric search
light. The candle was shaft of steel
and of staff. Staff is the material that
made the Worlds Fair "white city"
The candle was erected at an expo
sition in Stockholm as a sort of tri.
butte to the candle using habit of the
people of Sweden. Gas and electricity
have not weaned them from candles.
They use more than any other coun-
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28

ator. however, usually grasps the
dough as the rollers open, and places
it in the pans on the table ready for
the oven.
Running at easy speed, the machine
will knead and mold thirty-four
loaves a minute. The dough is fed
into the machine by chair carrier, on
which tin cups as large as saucer,
but deeper, are fixed every two or
three inches. Each cup holds enough
dough for one loaf of bread. Just as
the cup reaches the trap door it turns
over pulley to go back to the dough
table and the dough falls on the trap
door. Two men at the dough table
fill the cups as they pass. Only two
machines have as yet been made, and
they are being operated in Chicago and
indianapolis bakeries, owned by the
inventor.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28
A Curious Experiment.

In Vienna condemned criminal
was kept in complete darkness for
several hours previous to his execu-
ton as preliminary to an experiment
that was to be tried upon him for the
purpose of ascertaining whether or
not the retina of the human eye is OF
sufficient sensitiveness to hold the
image of the object to which it had
last been exposed for any length OF
time. He was instructed to fix his
gaze intently on building facing the
place of execution, on which very
bright light fell. When the black
cap was pulled over his head, the eye
was prevented from accepting any
fresh image or picture; the execution
followed Immediately and the examina-
tion held on the eyes within few
minutes thereafter resulted in finding
the building as an outlined object on
the retina. The details, however,
were wanting, and the picture faded
rapidly
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.

An aseptic barber shop has been
star l in Baltimore, where all objects
tlat .ouch theta have been steril-
lied.
Asiatic cholera was first supposed
to have originated from the consump-
tion of unsound rice, and was called
the ''rice disease"
There are several varieties of fish
that cannot swim. In every instance
they are deep sea dwellers, and crawl
about the rocks, using their tails and
fins as legs.
Experiments with locomotives oa
the Wheeling and Lake Erie railroaf
show that slight addition of graphs
ite to the oil used for lubricating pur-
poses promotes economy.
1t has recently been claimed that
iron ships fitted with electric plants
suffer rapid deterioration of their
pipes having direct connection with
the sea, due to electrolytic action.
1t is said that every thread of
spiders web is made up of about five
thousand separate fibres. If pound
of this thread were required it would
occupy $4,000 spiders full year to
furnish it.
A case of leprosy in its worst form
has been discovered in London. No
hospital or home for incurables will
take the patient in and no means of
isolating him from contact with other
persons has been found vet.
According to German publication,
a chemist of that country has prepared
fluid that has the power when in
jected into the tissue of plant, near
its roots, of an@esthetizing the plant
not destroying it, but temporarily
suspending its vitality.
Recent Investigations by DR.. Lin
den Kohl have shown that the princ:-
pal source of the gulf stream is not
the Florida channel, but the region
between and beside the islands of the
West Indies. At Binioni the volume
of this warm water is sixty times as
great as thu combined volume of all
the rivers in the world at their mouths.
Recent developments in train light
ing with the storage battery as an i'm
portant adjunct warrant the belief that
the electric light will at no distant day
be universally used for Illuminating
day and sleeping coaches on all steam
railroads. Not only is this true of the
United States, but one of the largest
railway companies in England is
already equipping fifty of its day
coaches with dynamos and storage bat
teries of system which has been
successfully tested for some months
past,
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28
Heart Photography.

''Say" exclaimed little Willie sud
denly breaking a long silence and
turning to his mother, sis there such
thing as Photographic heart?'
"Why, what do you mean, Willie?"
asked his mother in surprise.
"Well, heard that man who was
here last night tell sister Sue that her
features were photographed on his
heart" explained the boy, "and judg.
ing from the way he was holding her
1 should think they ought to have
BEEN"
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28
As Many Kinds of Turtle as Fish.

Did you know that there were tur-
ties of so many kinds that it required
the mind of naturalist to remember
their names? And did you know that
out of all these, only two varieties
were convertible into savory soup?
They are the Chelonia Mydas and 8,
variety of terrapin.
They are caught mainly in the Gulf
of Mexico. The desirable weight for
turtle is from 11O to 40 pounds. 1t
is delicate being and requires ten
derest care or it will inconsiderately
die before being cooked. At the same
time by an almost feminine contradic-
toriness, it is very tenacious of life,
and while it may perish of chilly
breeze it is quite likely to refuse to
die for twelve or fifteen hours after
having its head chopped off.
The turtle which provides soup for
aliermanic banquets and that which
provides combs for aldermanic wives
are not the same brand. The latter
is the hawk s-bill turtle.
The common turtle is the only am
phibious animal whose contentment is
proverbial, but whose brain is so
small that it can't be taught single
trick. New York Journal.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28

she, "and have pencil and notebook
always with me 1 will at least make
them look as attractive as possible.
90 she has all the sober necessities
which the average man carries in
his vest pocket, done up in gold OF
silver cases with chain on each, and
hangs all on her belt. Men do not
have so much to say about pockets
these days, for a remark of that char
acter only serves as an introduction to
the subject of new articles which 'sshe'
needs on her chatelaine.
The newest chatelaine buckles con-
sist of four-leaf clover under crys
tai. Sometimes two such crystals are
used. The mirror often has the same
design on the back. The latest addi.
ton to the collection of danglers is a
fan-shaped pin cushion with little
velvet padding at the end for the pins.
Beaded purses or handkerchief bags
are the despair of most young women
who cannot afford to waste money upon
the bag to carry it in. They can be
knit from heavy silk and trimmed with
clover leaf or flower patterns in beads.
The beaded bag in light colors is much
worn with evening costumes.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-04-28

It is an excellent time to talk about
flags, particularly the American flag
the finest of them all. It takes an in
credible number of them to supply the
annual demands of the nation.
Nobody knows how many are made.
There is one firm in Elizabeth street,
says the New York World, that manu-
features more than $50, 100000 each
year, and there are scores of other
makers in this country. From which
it may be inferred that there are half
dozen flags made annually for each
man, woman and child in the United
States.
Of course the majority of these flags
are little affairs three inches long and
two inches wide, which sell for twenty
seven cents gross. They are printed
on muslin and are turned out by the
million. Cheap muslin flags are made
six feet long and forty inches wide.
The good flags, those made of bunt-
ing, sewed together, and with care
fully arranged stars, are manufactured
by flag making firms and by every sail
aud awning maker in the country.
The most interesting place where
flags are made is Building No. Z in the
Brooklyn Navy-Yard. There every
flag used in the United States navy is
made. There are the vari GUS United
States flags, signal flags, pennants, en-
signs, flags of high officials, from the
President of the United States down,
and the flags of forty-three foreign
nations. Wherefore it will be seen
that the flag outfit of United States
warship is pretty extensive.
Just nov the workers under James
Crimmins, master hagmaker, are very
busy. Nowhere are flags so carefully
made. Every star, stripe, bar and
device is measured to geometrical ac-
curacy, and each flag must stand
strength test. They are being turned
out at the rate of 100 a week.