The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-26
AN UPL1FT FOR THE STAGE.

At last the American stage is to eXper-
fence great social and artistic uplift.
This skyward impetus is not to come
from any fresh addition of dukes, earls,
counts or belted knights to the ranks
of the wearers of the buSkin. These
sorts are become almost as common Oh
the stage as at the tables of our city
cafes: they are already mingled plenti
fully with the transforming stars and
staresseS that suffer an annual wintry
disagreement from the artistic purlieus
of Concy and the Bowery. originators
all of high class specalties and other
things for the bald-headed Johnnies OF
the provinces. We repeat. this new
twinkler is none of these. He is a real.
live member of the 400 and the an
nouncement that he is about to lay Sir
Henry and the rest in the shade has
gotten his picture on the very fore
front of the New York Yellows, drawn
with ninety-nine stripes athwart his
swelling shirt BOSOM The yellow says:
Horace Porter Pell Il member of one
of New York's Oldest and most promi-
nent families and Il society man popular
in the younger set, yesterday signed Il
contract with Charles Frohman to APP
pear in the production of Hearts Are
Hearts at the Garden Theatre in the
spring.
'Mr. Pell has long had a professional
career in mind, but the objections of his
family deferred him from joining the
ranks.
Mr.. Pell will not hide his identity
under a pseudonym. but chooses rather
to be known on the stage as Horace
Pel. emitting the middle name.
Mr.. Frohman probably desired when
he engaged me to enjoy whatever pres
tige my name may bring said Mr.. Pell
frankly last night, and | shall not dis
appoint him.
Mr.. Pell possesses a fine figure and
handsome face. capable of wide express
sion. He has an artistic temperament,
is an adept on the piano and has an ex-
cellent speaking voice. In the exclusive
fortnightly dances and other functions
he was a great favorite. He moved In
the Tuxedo set and with the Bruce
Prices. Bloodgoods. Harrimans and 9TH
er wel-known society leaders"
We believe that we are not very wide
of the mark when we say that some
69,500,000 OF his 100000 fellow
countrymen had not previously heard of
Horace Porter, but they will all join in
the modest wish that Mr.. Frohman may
lose nothing of the prestige of that
name: they will also hear with much
gladsomeness flat Horace Porter is an
habitue of the Tuxedo set and is
possessed of ''face capable of wide
expression A face sometimes goes Il
long way, and there is no reason to
doubt that when Horace Porter shall be-
come the storm centre whittier tends
full grown drum-head cabbage, eggs of
other days, and cats that have wanlcd
not wisely but too well, in full range OF
12-bore gun, that his face as well as
his vocabulary, will have need of all
the breadth of expression it can COM
mand. We are inclined to think with
Horace Porter that in that dread hour
III NOulu ne IOllH 10 attempt 10 niue
his identity behind a pseudonym;" good
stout baseball netting would be the
safer expedient
We wish Horace Porter, Mr.. Frol.
man, and the cabbage happy new year.
1t is really too bad that inconsiderate
members of the United States Senate
should be preparing to worry the aesthe-
tic soul Of the Hon. w. ID. Bynum, alias
Billybynum, alias the assistant bottle
holder to Hon. Marcus A. Hanna. The
Hon. Billy has been nominated by Pres
ident Mckinley to a good fat job on
the ground that he is Democrat and
now his Democracy is actually to be
called in question when the nomination
comes before the Senate. Does any
body dare 10 suppose that the Hon
Billy would compromise with dishon-
orr Perish the thought! The office
chased the Hon. Billy down and fast
cncd its clutches on his shrinking and
unwilling person.