The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-20
MRS. MAEDERS MEMORIES.
AN AcTREss'S LIFE EARLY Nv TIE
CENTURY.

bNRcTl0nCeh IN inc South-Sou1o VI "
Pupils and Their work on the stage.
Clara Fisher Maeder. who died last week,
linked the stage OF tho daV with a period SO
remote that beyond It's elements our theatre
to-day and that which she found here in 1927
seem to have little or nothing in common. Her
debut was made in New York at the old Park,
which ormerly stood in Theatre alley. now n
narrow and abyssmal thoroughfare lying at
the bottom OF deep walls of sky-scrapers.
Her recollections OF old New York furnished
n picture Of life at that tlme which shows the
contrast between the life OF the theatre then
and to-day to have been quite a. striking in
front Of the curtain as behind II. A young
actress coming to New York to-day would fnd
her experiences less placid than those OF which
Mrs. Maeder wrote two years ago. when the
Dunlop Society published her memoirs. She
came here In 1927. when she was about II
years old. One ingenious account OF her habits
then gives ar interesting idea OF what the city
was.
II used to walk Town to the Battery" she
writes. every pleasant day when In New York
with my mother or my sisters. Sometimes we
varied our walk. going up Broadway as far as
the brick pavement ran. l think above Prince
street. where Mr.. Gilfert opened. In tho year
after I came to the city, his Sans Souci.' as
they called It. 1t had Just been made into a
garden by Mr.. Niblo, and a temporary theatre
put up within the long board fence. We were
then living in Broome street. / think. Soon
after we came here. In 1928. we moved from
our lodging place in the Bowery to n house in
Walker street.
Nearly opposite us. Nine. Achille. a French
danseuse. resided. and afterward kept a dane
ing school. About the time we moved to
| Walker street NJ. and Nine. Achille. who
were among the earliest French ballet
dancers to arrive in America. were engaged
for the Park Theatre. numbe Of nice peo-
pie were in the habit Of attending the Park
Theatre in 1927 and 1928. Philip Hone, who
was a very large. handsome man. l saw FREE
quently at the theatre. Several Of the best
! people In New York had boxes which they al
| ways took for the season. and Mr.. Homes box
was always on the first tier and next to the
stage"
The Philip Hone referred to by Mrs. Maeder
was the best known OF that name, and one Of
! the first OF the well-known family which was
so long conspicuous in New York social life.
The last Philip Hone, ono of his Ereat-grand-
sons, died Ii in this city only q few weeks ago OF
typhoid fever contracted at one OF the army
| camps. A few years ago his father wandered
away from his home and was laterfound in tho
| North River.
Another frequent attendant was Mr. Domi-
nick Lynch. He was the Ward McAllister Of
that day. and a great authority on all matters
concerning the drama and the opera. which
was at the Bowery Theatre in 1927 and had
been at the Park. The people OF New York
were not familiar with operas. the Garcia
troupe. which included Senorita Garcia. cele-
| brated as Nine. Malebran. having appeared
here only a year or SO before. They said then
that Mr.. Lynch used to sit In a prominent seat
| or box every opera night. and many of the audi
ence would take their cue from him when to
applaud. He had a way OF holding his hands
TO his face. and when he stretched out his
hands to applaud they generally followed his
example. He set the fashion at the opera. GER
tainly. Dandy Marx was another constant Wis;
itor at the theatre. and became q warm friend
OF Mr.. Maeder and myself. He was very much
of a gentleman in every respect, and created
quite a sensation. as no one in New York at
tnat time had driven tandem or dressed as well
as he did. His mus,aches We're ya1ed to a
foreign habits acquired in European travel
caused great talk"
beer, otter considered a, characteristic OF the
south had evidently developed as early as Mrs.
travel in the South, she met Henry Clay and
other distinguished men.
writes. were Mr.. Stevenson.the Speaker Of the
House OF Representative. ana Mr.. Henry Clay.
and most kindly offered me letters tier to their
friends and relations. Mr.. Stevenson, in addi-
ton. wrote. to several families in Richmond.
warmly praising me, and commencing me to
In consequence. when | did get to Rich.
mond i received many courtesies from some Of
the best people there; but Sister Caroline had
to receive them for me. and my duties at the
theatre, gave no change of Immediately return
ing their calls. Finally. on the last day Of the
Richmond engagement, Caroline asked the
and with four horses. which he insisted was
the proper thing and we two called on all the
mond. leaving our our Cards and Respects re- e ts''i in
a proper manner; ! r%ec9llect was some
| driving around i'm n carriage drawn nv fOur
horses! Neither in Baltimore nor in Washing
ton. both Of them f4ll Of pleasant acqusint-
ness Of callers in a similar fashion:
The bills were changed nightly on those
and performed a variety OF pieces. / frequently
appearing In three parts on one night. seldom
Some Of her experiences OF Southern society
Speaker T Stevenson %S5e and Httornoyee Genera i"S4 VII VII:
liam Writ had given her letters Of introduce
!. |%as p i is35 \ , Ma. I li@d f wTpP.o, sa aSRa
great value. Mrs. Pettigru was the leader
S We're soC attsade and by gave Hil ftfSS e bsss g w6iSa
there, and was asked to them and most
warmly welcomed. have sinc,s, been told
to her very exclusive set. She always sent her
carriage and her brother for me. Several very
prominent editors. whose names have %unfortu-
nateIy slipped my memory. were extremely
kind to me in Charleston and New Orleans. and
the press of those cities spoke enthusiastically
OF my performances"
But it was in Baltimore that her social ex-
periences were most characteristics of the time
and the place.
y" In Baltimore. which l visited in 1898. after
the termination OF a successful engagement in
PHILADELPHIA, a new and brilliant existence daz-
Zled me. The city was social and genial and
the theatre. 4 popular resort Of the very best
people: and. as was afterward the case in sew
eral southern cities. an artist of good reputa-
tion was received into the best society OF the
place. subsequently visited. at. such spare
time as | could take from the theatres. and
usually after. the performances. some charm
ing people. OF whom can only remember one
OF. two;
"A Twelfth Night private ball and supper at
one OF the principal residences in Baltimore
was one Of the things | have occasion to re-
member. The names of those present were
placed in u box. aud a king and queen OF the
Tevels first dra Sn. 1t fell TO my lot to draw the
queen and to be invested with the paper crown.
and my partner for the evening, who drew the
kings insignia and with me was installed in
the two silk or muslin-covered chairs which
made an imitation throne at the end of the
large parlor. was no less a parsonage than
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