The times., 1899-03-19

The tender sentiment expressed in the
above verse was probably enshrined in
many a maidenly heart last week. James
X. Hackett was in town, and when James
X Hackett or E. H. Sothern or John Drew
reach any city under the sun the feminine
denizens of that place stop writing novels
and give up their diaries that they may
cultivate the manners and mannerisms OF
their idols. The average matinee girl al
ways has profound desire to be anything
that the three chanticleers of the drama
are, and since none of the triumyirate is
ever less than an embryo nobleman, the
longing does her no harm. Admiration OF
Lewis Morrison or of Wilton Lackaye
would be more unfortunate. But-to reit-
erate-there is little danger in gushing
over Mr.. Hackett or Mr.. Sothern or Mr..
Drew, and since each of the trio is firmly
married and the aforesaid gushing gen.
orally costs the indulgent ones about
dollar gush nothing unpleasant is visited
upon the actors in consequence.
1t cannot be denied, however, that in the
case of Rupert of HentZau' the damsels
have been bit unwise in wishing to don
the boots of the star-irrespective of the
fact that Mr.. Hackett is a six-footer and
that his leather-wear would probably be
a trifle large for the usual woman. Often
it is most delightful to be a king-espe-
cially lat night in the play''-but Anthony
Hope is even less considerate in his treat
ment of royalty than was the English pop
ulace during the time of the first Charles,
and Rudolf does not lead what might be
termed quiet. domestic life either in
THE Prisoner of Zenda" or in its sequel.
A moments careful thought upon the iced
truth of the situation should prevent many
an unlucly girl from being sou-worn and
distressed for at least six days after Mr..
Frohman's company and Mr.. Hopes play
have left Washington.
Not that there are no redeeming features
TO wearing a crown under the espionage of
the London author-lawyer. Even that indi-
vidual's least regal personages are never
bothered with such details of every hour
life as washing dishes and ''minding the
baby" The hapless Rudolf does not ap-
pear to have had anything to do with the
household arrangements since the queen
had no difficulty in delaying his dinner
when she wanted TO keep him away from
Lieutenant Won Bernenstein. Evidently,
too. his majesty was not afflicted with a
| healthy appetite for-though the meal was
postponed early in the first act-he did not
seem to miss the tardy spread and had
made no mention of it when the drama
ended good thirty hours after. An Or
dinary man in the same position would
have changed the atmospheric conditions
in the palace of Strelsau by sheer force of
the adjectives he would use in asking of
his consort Why she hadn't let him go to
a restaurant if that was the hired helps
day off. But Mr.. Hopes kings never do
anything SO commonplace as to eat-which
is an admirable accomplishment in coun-
tries where the public is not duly appre-
| ciative OF the divine right OF such beings,
often holds back their salaries for years
together. and in ease of royal attempts to
get even" deprives them OF their hunger
and their heads at once
| And there are other pleasant things
about occupying papier-mache throne on
| the contemporary stage. Primarily the
| lucsy holder is generally supplied with a
| fine list of Byronic speeches and can make
| love in manner that moves the orche 5tra
to tears The latest edition of Mr.. Hopes
King Rudolf was given nothing bright to
| say, but then none of his companions was
| better treated. and so his majesty had small
reason for complaint. He was furnished
with the usual fair maiden who was ready
| to die for him and proved it by rushing
| about in tears and short skirt-one being
about as becoming as the other Dramatic
| kings always have girls who would feel
personally affronted if they were net given
\ dIHpie opportunity 10 anu lutSe BiTls
are generally gypsies. When they are not
gypsies they are poor peasants, and in eth
er case they indulge in osculatory exeEc So
upon the rulers hands. 1t is not consd-
| cred proper. however, for this gentleman
| to remind them that Olga Nethersole set
the fashion of indulging in labial luxury
| at a region between the nose and the chin
Mr.. Hopes kings are never kissed on the
lips until they are dead, and even then
| only when thorns on the laurel wreaths
render the forehead unavailable to wives
not clothed in football uniform.
l. Mr.. Hopes royal personages always have
| plenty to drink and lots of toasts which
| give them excuses to drink it. Then they
are never worried with bilious headaches
and sea-green tastes on the following
morning-or if they are Mr.. Hope doesn't
| mention 1t. Neither of the Rudolfs is
known to have hired messenger boy fol
the purpose of keeping on hand an ade-
quate supply of Chrome Wellsir. 1t would
be very inconvenient for any of these kings
to have trouble with himself. The pres.
ence of populace that never works and i:
constantly waiting about to cheer someone
or other is very dramatic, but as a sub
stitute for soothing syrup its merits are
open to doubt. Still. on ordinary occasion!
it is q pleasant thing only to be Obliged
to open a door to hear a mob yell lonl
Such incidents make man feel important
There are other nice things about run
ming a monarchy. The King can do NJ
wrong and, consequently, need not bottle
about light when he goes bicycling afte
sunset; he is superior to the police at
may watch all sorts of parades withou
danger OF being jabbed in the ribs an,
told to move on" he has life position
and gets an office free of rent, and he run
no risk of being called mister" by peop
who do not know his name. So much TO
the benefits of royalty.
But there are defects which the mos
thoughtless of matinee girls should con
slider. Mr.. Hope IS not the only author VIII
has shown fondness for killing king il
his last act, Mr.. Schiller and gentleman
named Mr.. Shakespeare having exhibite
the same preference on several occasions
No one seems to want to risk his dignitar
| alone after the close of a play and tn
result is an indiscriminate slaughter tha
should bar monarchs from the books G
life insurance companies. To sentimenta
damsels il may seem very charming to b
assasinated in final scene to slow mu
| sic and then TO have a black sheet lowere
until one has climbed on a bier and ha
green light fixed on him, but being mur
dered rarely appeals to the subject in tha
way. Soft melody and strong calciums an
| weeping women have very little effect upo
corpse who is lying on board fror
which the stage carpenter has neglecte
| to remove the nails
II a ruler is not shot or stabbed or pois
oned during the course of his drama h
| has an excellent chance OF ultimately Civ
. ing up the ghost and his salary throug
nervous prostration. 1t is surprisingl
wearing to go about during seven perform
ances a week with a lofty air and sui
of chain armor. Reliable people-peopl