davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-01-02

uSual matinees, is farcical extravaganza,
so arranged as to permit the introduction
Of the varied list of specialties which
the ccmpsny pres ents. There is presumed
to be plot, but this presumption is merely
one of those theatrical fictions invented
as ar. excuse for the presentation of Otii.r
features. The curtain rises upon a typical
country newspaper office-that is, such
as l,umorists often paint it with sill of
its paraphernaiia and surroundings of gen
eral disorder. In the same town Is a
straf.detl troupe OF theatrical lights
The crsftyTana ger of the defuncttroupe
leludes the proprietor of the country
newspaper into believing that m invest
ment in dramatic venture would return
him handsome fortune. Mr.. Herman
HighbaH, the combination brewer and
Journals consequently assents. Then
follows n series of exhibitions. in which
the different members pf the strlndedtroupe
exploit themselves. The second act is laid
at an ocean resort near the site OF the
Starview IinteI. This hosiery has been
bought ny Mr.. Hi.,iban as a rendezvous for
bis supposed stars. While there they IN
The times., 1898-01-02
No More Circus for spa !"
(From the Kansas city JournalJ

tFron the Kansas City Journal.)
There was circus at Cbanute few
days ago, and ali old farmer concluded ne
would take his wife TO il. He had about
ST5 in change in his pocket, and as mat
ter Of precaution he took along q revolver.
knowing tlat he would not get home until
late at night. After the circus was over the
old farmer spicd 'shell game" and tried
to beat it. II about ten minutes he had
lost SIS. His wife was present at the
perfor nance.
She Concluded that the old man had got
up against a regular swindling game"
as She termed it, and decided to help hira
out She took the revolver out of his poek
ct and poked it under the nose Of the op-
orator the shell game, and coolly told him
to give back the old mans money. The
gambler handed it over, and, turning to the
old farmer, she said: Now, pa, Wen GO
home. and You can't ever go 10 another
circus as long as You live"
The times., 1898-01-02

The last week Of tie old year VAS
revelation TO our theatersoers. The per
formances or Tess" 5y Mrs. Flske VIII
dwell IN the memory OF the more iutcli-
gently aapreciative a the finest examples
of art whieL the stage has gTSeh us
excepting, perhaps, Duse, wfo does not
excel her The performances nmst nave
been most. enjoyable to all but those
who cal. entluse only about Nhat Fhey
do not underst and, for not before mas
the English language been allied 10 such
mastery art The play is strong in mott G,
So sIcoug- that the lesson of hatred for
Angel Claire towards or of pity for iess
womea wiz not soon he for gotten, anu
rich IL. iocaI cololiug but there is biotched
,lpon il iii q few places the ulgar ind ie-
euisive reiteration of Tess mother IN
seear,l rt. her shrewti secrctf9en
1t was cruelty Unnecessary, and marred
m otherwise powerful and artistic pre-
sentaiion The reception accorded Mrs.
Fiske must have been gratifying to the
ambition and inevitable pride accompa aging
genius of her order. The audience sat
almost breathless through her seems,
and at the curtains the relaNations cid
not come quick enough TO admit of the
=
calls in abdundance. 1t was only after
a couple OF miI.utes that the retroactiun
came on. and one would fain break into
the entr acte music To applaud the aitiste.
However. there was for her a more sub
stautial appreciation in the large audiences
that greeted her eight performan ees
This was the more remarkabie when We
CONSIDER the serious tenor Of her play; her
appeaI only TO the most analytical intel
position and her challenge TO precedeat
by playing in a popular priced hodSe, At
standard prices.
There was a diversity of opinion among
audiences nict saw Secret service -
Some. and by far the greater
part. were loud in their enthusi
ASIA foi Nr. Gillette, his company
aad his fine play. A few failed to find A
sympaihr for lis naturalnrss and uncon
venrionali,y. The fact stands, however
that the construction of this play and the
general tule OF the players performances
were adrance, in the right direction. Mr..
GfllPtte crowded the Lafayette every
night and the udiences We're enthusiastic
The first week of the new year is scarcely
Less conspicuous in aJtTactiYenesS than
The last of III, old. Our leading serious
ACTOR. Iavorite comedian, and a tried
and accepted cemedy, are the principal
featuTes of list of attractions which VIII
make the week delightful TO the theater-
gears and auspiciously profitable to The
mana gers.
The times., 1898-01-02

H Suoddard at that time the leading
character pla Yer OF Union Square Theater
But that player could see nothing in the
part for him SO the lines were passed
along to the young but ambitious Mans
field. The instantaneous hit he made
is histonicaia and the permanenee OF the
role in his 1epe rtore is a,tested by the
fact that tferc has ever since been
demand for the cha IA terZation.
MFR. Palmer was in tie city last week at
tending to business precelent TO his stars
appesrance. and with cordial affability
entered into "a discussion OF ofirsmaticaffairs
of which he has hong teen mentor as well
as an exponent. One of the theories which
has crysta llzed firmly out of his experience
is a cunfirned Belief in the hamper which
success in its present commercial interpre-
tation puts Upon artistic dey eiopment' and
on the contrary, the opportunity for broad
possibilities as there is breadth Of expression
IN diversified repertoire. The future OF
our stage is Very important problem III
is a knotty problem To even the prophetic
Judgment of q man like Mr.. Palmer, whose
hope extends to il in the future, while his
memory rcrches beyond the presently un-
productive Tbomas s, Howard, Carleton and
Fitch. &c tlis achicl ements of Boucicauit
hartley Campbell a nj the yoIthful Augustin
DAILY
1T seems tassaie, :, "a id Mr.. Palmer that
the tairt Of icommercialism has been
blight upon the highest type Of productive
ness. iHspiiatipp is the only infallibfe
source of high Accomplishment. A drama
tist shduif nor start work without the
fiery impulse If a compelling idea. No
amuiInt of tee hnique viii compensate for
its assence. Bronson Howard has often
poiiIted pul TO me how inspirations di-
recte1 his writing of all his successes, and
technique e9hle --i into requisition
quite upcunsc:uusiy. Now his technique is
at it's naturcst period and his products
should lie ripest in eX1 ellence: but he con.
fesses a lick of inspiration, dearth Of
theme, and We lave the resultant in an
absolute minus in productiyencss. Tive
reasons suggest this absence Of inspiration
among our JiTamatists.
''One is the shnrrsieAtedness on their part
and on the part of producing managers
who earr wide awake only TO watch tie
daring of offers and hastily to initiate st.
The other is an absence OF great actors
among us To fife the enthusiasm of the
writers. Existent conditions do not pro
duce many great actors. When man
makes "a success in a part the run of the
play confines him to the role for year, and
sometimes years. Far from having broa'l-
ening .ortunitieS, he must inevitably, ii
only in a measure, succunib 10 the char
acter he is playing and lose his individ-
ualizing capacity, which might have been
developed with diversity of roles. Though
The times., 1898-01-02

I do not boast myself an exception to the
rule of burIowing in one groove, canlook
back and see that my successes have all
come from bravery.
''The last aid most notableeNample, per
haps, in the history of our drama, was the
production. of sTrilby.' Though it had
heretofore been considered the height of
folly TO tlramatize novel, and the dramatic
possibilities nc the strange power OF hyp-
notism were a treacherouS uncertainty,
thought. with Mr.. Potter, that there were
great opportunities in Mr.. pu Maurier' S
book, aid tic unprecedented result OF
my production is well known
Speaking of the possible corrective to
the present lethargic condition which has
settled upon American dramatists, or. at
least, tie indUcement o-the awakening of
the best inspiration Of splaywriters, Mr..
Palmer suggest ed as a panacea. a perma-
nent homa II artistic productions. His
idea inciines to the type of theater, of
which the present Independent Theater
and the late TGeater OF Letters and Art
stand but as remote AMI imperfect cx-
pressious. In the case OF actors lie would
like to see more OF our players inclining to
Mr.. Mansfield's course of procedure
Yoe Lare Observed. he remarked,
The times., 1898-01-02

The Sunshine of Paradise a ley Dsn-
man Thompson anf George W. Ryer's la st
succs.ss to be given at the A cademy this
week, is production in four acts, or pic
lures, which interests as well as pleaSess.
To many pe0ple whose wealth is such that
they are seldom compelled 90 pass through
sections of cities where poverty and squ1I
illness prevail. much less to converse With
ttcse poor people, such play as -'Ths sun
sfiise of Faradise Alley is not only treat.
bur something which produces on the stage
scenes and Incidents COMMON in every daT
Iif. of the world- It win teach those vino
liyeIn Luxurious houses. that amidst squaid
Surroundings and under ragged Clothes
there neasts many a warm heart, and ex
ISIS mayn sunny nature that in sllch
20: erty stricken districts many deserving
people may be found.
But OF the play itself. II is eNeeIIently
staged. its scenery realistic 70 great
degree, notably the great Brooklyn Bridge
iighied IL new OF the audience. the IA
nous Paradise Alley itself and the 3eau-
tifui arturnel scene in Bronx Park. TIE
deIightfui sineint, is alone worth the price
Of admission. contributed by Thomas L.
Clifford, the fayoEite baritone, and II
W. FriIlman. the well-known baSSO. and
the celebrated Verdi LADIES Quartet, Of
New York. The initiation, in he last act.
of JOHN .Tinr es O'Grsdy into the intricaeies
of modern football game Is said 70 10
ridiculously funny.
The times., 1898-01-02

sam T Jacks great success the Ten
derloin.'' embracing The RadIey Bsytiu
Ball. and The SHY Dinner Trial. viii
be the attraction at the Lyceum next -Teek.
The two huriesques are feast In them
selves, but are also IiberaIly punCtuated,
as it were. oy numerous and excellent spr
ciaIistS first being the FoHti- Boui Brothers,
from the Folies Bergere and Am mbassa .Irs,
Paris; Gussie Vivian, English serio- o-couic.
the up-to-datc comedians. Clark and Thomp-
son, and others Of equal merit Then there
is a series OF living art pictures tabIeaux
of such size ard such extensive coIoriDg
that they require the entire stage for tn air
proper settings. ''The Bradley Bartin
Ball. is the curtain raiser most uia gnifi-
Gently costumed sketch. ARA we'd in
style that would do credit to any eX-
travaganza. The Silly Dinner Trial. is
the finale a IuslicroUs trayesty upon the
testimony heard ct the N-'y York police in
vestigation of the SeeIey dinner. This bur
lesque is rendered still more realistic by
the appearance of the beautiful Egypt, the
Oriental.
The times., 1898-01-02

John ". RanSOme and Bonnie Thornton,
two OF the very finest ana most Iepu-
table stars of the high-ClasS vaudeville
ranks. is the pleasing announcement for
the BijUu the coming week. The playing
Of two such stars OF these peoples class
should certaf fnIy prove that Manager
GrieveS is doing his best 70 give the
greatest Shows of the specially line ever
introduced in Washington. John W . Ran
some is i wei known comedian. and what
Is more, h is a comedian thoroughly ex-
uberant. His latest New YORK hit is that
OF making up facsimile appearance OF
Mark Hanna, So natural that even Mark
Hanna 5 intimate friends mistake Ran
some in his ma Ee-up for him. While
most political jokes on the stage gem
eralIy tffene the guyed side, Ransoms
pGTtrays Mark lama : efforts in securing
the election Of President Mckinley in an
efIervcscert humorous wlv, and il is sa id
that Republicans and Democrats know no
party in upIOarious apprecia tion. Aid
then i'm tine same bill is happy y-g0-luckY,
pretty, vivaCious Bonnie Thornton, chef
d taqne, vOcahste of up-to-date style.
Everybody knows Bonaie Thornton-her
peculiar songs and her original ways OF
delivering tneE- OtneFs are Annie VIII
muth, the favorite Comejlienne, in pot
pourri of songs: Jack Burke, the well known
boxer, assisted by W. 5. Scott, in series
o. bouts; Gertie Gils0n, Little Egypt, the
original and only SeeIeY dinner dancer.in
unique chars scteTistic dance OF her
native heath, Gibbons ard Parrett. tro
comedians of rare ability; Mable Stanley,
singing sonbrettc, and several other first
class Specialties of worth. The burIesqus
of III 90 nay Best" concludes. Matt
nees daily at 10 and 2. Night pEicas,
To. 20, 80 and 5O cents
The times., 1898-01-02

This is the season OF tire year when the
theatergger is attracted by plays that are
Conducive ct laughter. and certainly no
more appropriate ction could have been
selected than the eXceedingly funny My
Friend from India" which is filled from
beginning To end with clever situations
and bright dialogue. II IS said that cast
of rare excellence VIII present MY
Friend from India" May VoEes, Fred
eric Fond, Helen Reimer, Frank G.. Parry
and John Finn, who We're i'm the cast last
new people aie John E Ward, John B.
Ma her, Louis r. Hall. Nita Allen, Meta
Ma ynarj and Clare Hathaway.
Miss Yokps will again be seen in the char
acter of TiIly, the German maid, the part
which she originated, and in which She re-
ceived a full amount Of merited praise:
Frederic Bond will again play UnderloIt,
tire Kansas City pork packer; and Helen
Reimer will once more be seen as Mrs.
BeekmaE- Streete. the ia selma ting widow
who has buried two husbands n ud is locking
for a third. John F ward, n old, reiiab ble
comedian, viii appear as A. keene Shaver,
the thcosoIphical barber. Nita Allen will
take the part OF Marion Ha yste; Meta May
nard and Clare Hatha way, as Bernice and
gagement Of My Friend from India f.
limited to one week only, and the lie of
seats indicate an excellent business
Charles E. Rlaney's A Boy Wanted
The times., 1898-01-02

The itNiNaf Ot PATRIOTISM WHICH HI
surely marked the end of this century has
induced colonial renaissance in litera-
ture OF very significant proportions, but,
strangely enough, it does not seem to have
reached the stage. The few attempts at
colonia: drama have nearly all failei
badly, and, by the pernicious principle OF
imitatun, tic dramatsts have not been en-
eoura gcd To touch upon the early American
period, either historically or for atInos-
phere.
The solitary exception to the drama of
early colonial life is more than a success;
it is q classic, and il is easily guessed that
rip Van Winkle' is meant. The drama
tization of THE Scarlet Letter was
not saved even by the art of Mr.. Mansfield.
John Albaugti, jr.. has written, and acted
i'm Baltimore, one-act play, -Tr ,n'ol,
with localsuccess, ! ut it is scarcely an TX
ample. Camille D'ArvfIle had a monI-
mental riasco in "A Daughter of the Rev
olution.'' and Napoleon ParSer's The May
flower" in v hich the Lyceum stock WAS
last seen here, was not inducive OF en-
thusiasm A woman named Marie Hu-
bert Frohmarn used play called The
Witch for a season, but not with profit.
Up 80 date no other examples of
colonial renaissance on the stage sug-
gests itself except an opera which the
BostonianS sung for few nights and a
Henry Guy Carleton failure by the name
of = '7S." Henry Irving said when he
left this country last that there was a
great American drama yet unwritten, and
its centIa figure would be George Washing
ton. He comniss oned. the report goes,
New York litterateur 20 write this play
for him. l.lst mol hing has been heard of il
since,
This week, however, we arc to have two
additions &c whatever there may be furmul-
ating of a theatrical colonial renaissance.
At the National Nj. William II. Crane
win produce "A Virginia Courtship, y
which was written by Eugene Presb brey, and
is said to he popular with Mr.. Cranes
audiences. Mr.. Mansfield comes to the
Lafayette with a play of Colonial New
England. The Devils DISCIPLE The
author is not an American, but Bernard
Shaw, the sadacious EnSlishman who
wrote Arms and the Man. These two
plays win he wa tclled with interest, be
cause of the men who wrote them, and
the actors presenting them, but more es-
pecialls ht cause of the encouragement there
to delve into own history for story and
our own ancestry for characters for n
native historical drama.
A. NJ. Palmer is mana ging the tour of
Richard Mansfield. Mr. Palmer is re.
garded professionally as the dean of
American mansg gers. There are indeed
few men who have discovered more
dramatists,. plays mad players. and ex-
plotted them tc snceess than this gentle
man. Itsisa somewhat curious that after
a long career as resident manager he
should again find himself manager OF
Richard Mansfield, whom he first intro
troduced as star aud who has since
become Americas leading actor. 1t is
a twice told tale how. when Mr.. Palmer
had for production "A Partisan Romance
he offered the role OF Baron Cheyral to ].
The times., 1898-01-02
A Criminal Gait
(From the Boston JouruaI.)

tFr0m the Boston JOurnaI.t
Boys in tie San Francisco public schools
are taught 20 stand with their rms firmly
crossed, and TO walk with a lockStep with
more than military rightly when the bell
taps. a shrewd detective assailS the
ystem on the ground that in after life the
boys will be objects OF suspicion. as dis
charged cOnvicts frequently resume the
prison habit Of folded arms and the lock.
step wheT- tteir minds are preoccupied
The times., 1898-01-02

as he wished TO readit to Appointment man
ager. Il don't think l can afford to let
you have it, answered Crane. why
not?,' asked PTesbrey, nervouay. WELL
you see i would like to buy 1T before it
should fall into anyone clse's hands,
answered Crane and he did then ana there
Three times Napoleon friumphantly en-
tered Paris Three times My Friend from In
dia triumphantly entered New York last
This is one of. the things that the iis-
torical advance agent says OF II. A. Dn
Soucbet's successfnr farce, which will
be presented in this city next week at the
Columtia Theater, by the original Srnyth
and Rice Comedy, Company My Friend
from India was initially brought out at
the Bijou Theater. New York city, last
year, on October 6, where it remained 70,
three consecutive months, packing the
theater nightly, asfl when it could not
stay any longer, ON account of other en-
gagements for The kouse it. was taken to
Hoyt's TheateG were 1t enjoyed two
runs. Of ten wfeks zach to the capacity
Of that popular PLAYHOUSE
The farce, it will be remembered. was
one of. the Surprises of last season. 1t
was by ali unknpwg suthor, and the stories
say that he han atlbng and hard Ia SIX TO
induce any manager to give it a trial.
The story of ties pRductionS of the piece,
by the way, is an interesting illustra
tion OF the trials that new writers FOR
the stage have To esfAllrough before getting
public hearing When it made hit
there, a dozen afatfa gers cried in chorus:
hy, we knew that thing: We refused
it long ago They all spoke the truth.
Mr. Du Souchet, the author, who Is "a
telegraph operator in the office OF the
New York Tribune ttnot a reporter or
an editor, as has been stated, wrote
My Friend from India four years ago.
IL went from managers office to man
ayers office, until it finally reached
Messrs Smytil and Rice, who now own it
One OF the firm read 1t and sa w that it
was just what he had been looking for
He was especially struck by the mirror
scene, one cf the most ingenious pie, Is
of stage business devised in a play for
years, He gave it to his partner to rea J,
| and his opinion was confirmed. The play
was soon put in rehea rsai, and given a trial
at Elizabeth, n. j., where it made a phe-
iiomenal hit.
The times., 1898-01-02

On the 23d of Dece rniIer Miss Maude Ad
ans gave the one hunlredth performance
of The Little Minister at the Garrick
Theate- In New York city. Ever gone who
admires refined art and refined woman
hood VIII rejoice in the success which. by
the Indication of this century marx, has
attended this charming young woman and
Mr.. Barrie attractive play. Theindications
now point to run in New York for Miss
Adams prolonged into the spring, 80 that
those WHO We're not in town wheI, Miss
A dams made her stellar debut last Sep
teInber at the Lafayette may have to wait
The times., 1898-01-02

a very long while before the agreeanle op-
portunty viii again present itself. "1iie
we deplore our misfortune Ia being denied
the enjoyment OF this artistic player. there
is consoiatinn in the knowledge that her ab-
sence means protracted success elsewhere.
We wist Miss Adams all possible success
but not so IT. uch ast'will make her per
manency in New York or elsewhere to the
exclusion of Washington
OF course, the century performance was
celebrated with souvenir, and Mr.. From
rsan made the happiest possible selectnn-
tits handsome oval gold frame with bow
knot, and in it is a beautifully colored
picture of Miss Adams, as Lady Babbie,
nasqueratiing as the gypsy girl, with her
hair falling over her shoulders and the
necklace OF red berries about her meek.
lit is delicate, artistic, chaste and refined,
as ii should he in suggesting Miss Adams
TIE Christmas Mirror for this holiday
stason eclipsed any previous edition which
Mr. Harrison Grey Fiske has ever sX-
pic ted. The superabundance OF advertis-
ing indicates the prosperity which attends
tht organ Of the theatrical profession, and
tia literary quality OF the contributions are
sufficiently praised when it is said that
they are up to the Mirrors scholarly
standard.
1t is publication OF which the members
of the theatrical profession may have every
reason to feel proud, for lit has made their
interests its interests, and has repres ent I'd
art on the stage by art in Journalism
md this suggests, what is also true, that
the Mirror is as much n credit to high
class Journalism as it is to the stage. Wash
iDgton is extensively represented in the
Christmas number. Willard Hoicomb, who
usually Contents himself with classic prose,
has caught step with the muse Of port'y,
and the result is some pretty verses,
s'Limeli ghts," illustrated artistically oy
Highly. Claiming Pollock, formerly of
this city, and at present The Times's theat-
ricaI correspondent in Gotham Town, occl-
pies two of the large pages with story,
':IIis Niblets." It is capital piece of
humorous fiction, quite the best contribu-
tion in the number
A member OF MIR. 5Crane's company. in
whom many residents OF Washington feel
personal interest, is Mr.. j v. Serrano.
whose pictureis given in these columns, nov
III HIS tHlTu StdsoH WIVH WI. NIdEc w, &.
Serrano formerly resided in Washingt N
as an attaehe of the Colombian legation.
and is well known here socially. In A
Virginia Courtship' he has made decid ed
hit with the part assigned him, and has
ce;yed warm pr,ise from the critics ior
his clever work.
The forthcoming engagement of the rr-
tistic English actor9 Mr.. E. s. Willard.
at the Lafayette next week, is antici-
The times., 1898-01-02
Piano Value
w. II. Shoemaker s Son,
llO7 G Street n. W.

gage in frequent rehearsaiS. Here ami in
the last act amusing speciaities are nitro
duccd by Ra yInoIId Findlay, assisted by
Miss Lsrrette Burke. Eddie Heron. the
sisters GehrGe, Frank G. Young, NeIlis
o'NciI. Knox G.. Wisoff ART Frances
Hartley.
The times., 1898-01-02

DO you know that you can have
The Morning, Evening and Sunday
Times-the only COMPLETE news.
paper published in Washington
served to you by carrier for fifty
cents a month?
The times., 1898-01-02

Heurich's Maerzen cheers the sad reviyes
the old, inspires the young, m lke weariness
forget his toll and fears her danger; opens
q new world. Order case of Heurich's
MaerzeD, Senate or Lager. from A rlinston
Bottling Co., 'phoue six thirty four.
The times., 1898-01-02

The t,ieatergoiag portion of the public
will have an opportunity on Monday OF
witnessing MIR. Cranes latest addition to
his repertoire, "a Virginia Courtstip,
at the National Theater.
The story unfuided is one of love, honor,
chiyalry and sentiment. TIE principal char
acter is a choeric old gentleman, Major
Richard Fairfax, who meets his neisfbOr,
q dashinG French widow, after a run
across the fields with the hounds, and be