The times., 1898-06-12


not working new for the health that exer-
else brings. For health often enlarges APP
petite that uptralways be satiated with
| bread and butter. Despite the tender
thoughts of Auld Lang Syne men are now
| laboring for a generous portion of the
worlds goods and when said goods cease
| coming the labor is likely to become a
| thing of the future.
An exception to this may possibly be
found in the career of that brave little
woman, Minnie Madern Fiske She has
| her ideas of right and she lives up to
| them, whatever the cost. Whatever and
| wherever the merits of the case may have
been, Mrs, Fiske undoubtedly put up a
| plucky fight against the socalied Theatri-
cal Trust, and the fact that she seems at
J present to have no prospect of winning
! has not altered her determination in the
| least II will remain on the stage as
long as | can without compromising my
| self, she said recently, 'and when l
| can no longer appear in opposition to
! the trust l will retire.
! Last week marked terrific blow to
! the artist in Manager Greenwall's going
over to the enemy. The circuit which he
! controlled included most of the high-class
| theaters in the South, and their annexa-
| ton to those. operated by Nixon &
Zimmerman, Klaw & Erlanger, Charles
! Frohman and AL Hayman effectualiy
! shuts off Mrs. Fiskes chances of playing
in the best houses booked last season.
| Whatever may be said to the contrary
! the effect of this can only be disastrous
| to the star and her hackers 1t is un-
| doubtedly true that Mrs. Fiske is the
| greatest actress the American stage has
ever produced but 1t is also true that the
( average theater-goer, who has not seen
| her. does not know this. He cannot rea-
son, and does not think of the circum-
! stances which compel her to play the
| popular-priced houses, but considers it
| merely as a criterion of her worth. More
than this. there are many who will not
go to the cheaper houses to see anyone
and the box office must suffer by this
In many respects Mrs. Fiske is the prod
| uct of recent years with a reputation
| TO be remade, and the war between her
self and the men who represent this
| countrys greatest theatrical interests
cannot be continued forever.
Nor Will the trust itself come out of the
tray scathless. That portion of the pub
lie which has learned TO appreciate and
admire the wonderful genius of the wom-
an certainly will not tolerate having her
| thrust aside for inferior attractions The
| critical portion of the press can hardly
stand aside and allow the art of a nation
| Ilpt ONcI-IitA III t1dt eSSenlldI TO SufIer
by the local disappearance and possible
| withdrawal from the stage of such a
woman as Mrs. Fiske The amusement
| loving may not be and perhaps are not
| likely TO take sides i'm such matter but
they Will continue To want the best OBJ
tainable and will not understandingly rel
| 1sh such loss. II is too bad that such a
state of affairs exists, and the ability OF
the trust to crowd that kind of a woman
out shows in how great a degree it is
dangerous. On the other hand 1t is 10
be hoped that the syndicate authorities
will make no attempt to injure her A
settlement may thus be effected Neither
Mr.. Wilson nor Mr.. Mansfield may be re-
lied upon to stand by the cause in its
extremity, and IL is and will be really
too bad If Mrs. Eiske is obliged. in com
mon with theateF-goers, TO suffer for her
steadfastness of purpose.
The number Of late corners noted now
at the theaters reminds one that hot
weather is recent arrival and that
while it stays people will prefer to take
more time in preparing TO go out. The
formalities Of dinner and dressing over,
there remain but a few moments until
| s O'Clock. and those few are not infre-
quently taken up by the plays local arch
enemy. the door step. When the time
comes for going the fact that the curtain
his risen dissuades many from the ven
ture Then, too. people retire later in
Summer. and it would seem altogether a
judicious move if the managers of such
houses as are still open could contrive
to begin the evenings performance al
half past instead of a quarter after S
temporarily. This has been successfully
tried here before and is universal in New
York. Not only would it have a good
effect upon business, but 1t would prevent
81 s.T,
by late arrivals and would be. on the
whole decidedly praiseworthy. This is
particularly true of the entertainment al
Glen Echo. fun hour being required in
reaching that resort. The plan is GER
tainly worthy of consideration and of a
weeks trial at the least.
A Boston daily had to say the following
last week of Kitty Mitchell the little lady
who created distinct furore in this city
a short time ago:
Kittie Mitchell one OF the brightest and clever
est little condolences ever seen in this city has
made the biggest kind of a hit in the new local
burlesque, Around the Town al the Trcmcnt
Theater. This sprightly little woman sings two
songs in the first act one in Irish and the Other
| in negro dialect, which take the audience by
| storm. Her sassy niger dialect in her negro
songs is perfect, she having acquired her knowl
edge Of darky talk in the South. She borT
she appears tough girl TO the tough boy OF
Eugene Garfield. and while they are in sight they
own the stage. Miss Mitchell made her debut
six years ago as the soubrette in the farce com.
edy production IAN April Fool" made by Gus
Williams Her natural yvacty and clevernes.
made even an old stager like Mr. Williams fight
to hold his own, for she by long oddds the
hit of the show She remained with Mr. VIII
Jams for two years, and then went to Europe
appearing with signal success III the music hall,
of London, Paris ard Berlin. After filling heI
foreign bookings she Travelled in Europe fer nearly
a year. and last Season returned to America and
hlled engagements at the leading music halls IN
New York city Miss Mitchell possesses most
volumincus wardrobe, and has street and house
gowns enough to stock ladies' furnishing store
She is a daughter of the famous Ben Mitchell,
who formerly 4 well-known manager in St
Louis.
The Times heartily indorses all these
words of praise and is glad that the artist
has captured the Hub, but it would also
like to remark that, in the vernacular OF
the small boy, Washington saw her
first"
The same paper, by the way. publishes
a report of a bit of bright dialogue from
| THE Telephone Girl" 1t would not seem
that the description given would be pro-
vocative of marriage services but the jour
nal says it is and it should know. At any
rate the conversation is really enjoyable
and is appended as being something by
which to while away warm and uncom-
fotable five minutes, 1t reads:
While most of the lines in "Thc Telephone
Girl which is now crowdng the Hollis Street
Theater at each performance, bright, there i
no one bit of dialogue that appeals to young
couples more than that between Dick and EstellC
in the first act. Dick and Estelle are lovers, af
fianppd in fartf and consequently thev are