The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-15

tiers played to probably the worst bust
ness within the history OF their expert
ence. Many companies. a number of
them booked for this city. ave dis
banded rather than continue playing to
losing business. In the cities Of the
coast. outside of San Francisco. and in
the sound country. there is absolutely
nothing doing. and reports from the
East are that business there has also
been materially curtailed.
IL requires something new and novel,
or particularly good, to bring the peo-
pie out at all now. Something in this
line. "The Prodigal Father" VIII he at
Maguire's opera house tomorrow night.
The milwaukee, Daily News gives a
god idea of what the new article of en-
tertainment is in the following:
There is not much plot to The Prod
igal Father. but IL serves as an excuse
for the Introduction of a list of special
ties which are so good and succeed
one another in such rapid succession
that the spectator has not time. except
between the acts. to think whether
there is a plot or not. There is a dash
and snap to the piece throughout which
lends zest to its entertaining features.
The plot. such as il is. tells of a quiet
old scientist who starts for Africa on an
exploring trip. In New York he falls in
with a serio-comic actress. and chases
her all over the country for two months.
When he comes home, to conceal his
foolish tricks. he tells fabulous stories
of mythical African adventures. The
tangles which he gets into through his
yarns and the appearance on the scene
of the actress are ludicrous beyond
measure.
THE company are artists i'm their sew
eral lines. Lynn Welcher as Stanley
Dodge does clever comedy work. Bert
Swor. in his monologue turn. captured
the house. and was recalled several
times Charles Hooker i'm his tramp
speciality executed some dance steps
which were pronounced out of sight
by the gallery gods, and deserved the
encomium. George A.. Sphinx in his
piano speciality received enthusiastic APP
plause. Messrs. Swor and Hooker in
Rag Ma La made "A decided hit. Lo-
gan Williams successfully impersonated
The Yellow Kid
Charming Rose Melville was a ia
vorite with her sweet singing and
fetching dancing. Maebelle Davies. pre-
mier toe dancer. was fine. Alma Doerge
caught the fancy of the patrons with
her singing. while Misses Davies and
Doerge i'm an %acrobatic dance proved
great favorites.
Miss Melville's speciality as sis Hop
kins. the Jay Girl from Slab Hollow
was one of the best on the programme.
Miss Melville presented this specially
at the various New York vaudeville
houses for a year with great success.
"All i'm all. The Prodigal Father
should prove a popular attraction. 1t
furnishes "a programme chock full of
fun. nonsense and entertainment"
Daniel Sully believes that his new
play. Aud Lang Syne." will prove the
success of his career. 1t was produced
In Denver a few days ago. and the
Times has this review of il: Daniel
Eully is at the Lyceum this week. This
veteran actor is a type of "a school sell
nom seen nowadays. the real Irish
American. as he actually exists. without
burlesque or caricature. His new play,
Aud Lang Syne,' is a domestic drama,
I'm which the characters talk. act and
behave as people generally do in real
life. There is a villain. but he appears
only in the last act. and then il is when
he comes home To be forgiven. The
Grand Army interest is strong and well
brought out. and the story of the play
lies in the sacrifice made by Robert
Byrnes, played by Sully, superintend-
ent of the Manhattan street railway,
who gives up his home in order To save
the reputation of the firm, composed OF
his son and the son of President Good
rich of the same road. rather than let
Goodrich, who saved his life i'm the war,
know of the villainy of young Goodrich.
1.-TWO love stories run through the
play. one "A simple one. that of Byrnes'
daughter and Goodrich's OUNCE son,
the other that of Byrnes' son Tom. a
widower. and al orphan girl. who has
been brought up by the old soldier as
his own daughter. This second il made
interesting by the love for the girl OF
her music teacher, and the
ness of Tom. and "A very pretty scene is
that in the last act, when the old man,
a.-~l - ~. TAaIfuhna-G ~ tho HOY and
the reticence of the girl. brings them
together.
"A novelty is the directors meeting
1n the second act. at which are present
the superintendent. the president and
four directors, who do not appear at
any other time. they behave, not as
stage directors generally do. but as ac-
tual railroad men would under SINH
lar circumstances, and each man has
something more tn do than TO give as
sent to the sayings of the officers. The
act end in a climax. Byrnes had
agreed TO accept a reduction of wages
for the men, and had thus prevented
a strike. Now that he wanted the old
wages restored. the directors opposed.
lie resigns. The president asks, But
what is To become of the company
For all / care IL can so TO hell says
the old man.
There is a child in the play who
differs from stage children generally,
for she knows the meaning of her
lines and acts with conviction. The
mpa is. as a whole. good. Mr..
Desberger, however, makes "A rather
lueubrious Tom. In the last act a
Quarrette gave some excellent music.
and mention must be made of the
piano work of Mr.. Rareshide in the
second act, which brought forth four
or five enthusiastic encores. He is a
master at the piano and his touch is
excellent.
The play is a good homely one. and
one that should appeal. particularly
at this time. when interest in the war
of the rebellion and the men who
fought for IL. is being so strongly re-
vived."
NJ Mansfield played TO exactly So
oil at the Garden theater last Satur-
darn said ManaPar Al Palmar 10