The Anaconda standard., 1899-12-31
AMUSEME ENTS.
"a Lady of Quality"

| "a Lady of Quality"
| When Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett
| wrote her now famous novel, "A Lady of
| Quality she drew a beautiful character
of a glorious woman in the person of
| Mistress Clorinda. In following the
| story Of this wonderful creation of ma
| ture from her early childhood to the time
| Of her retirement to the bosom of her
| family one cannot help feeling that to
worship at her shrine would be an honor.
1 The story has lost none of its attractive-
| ness by the dramatization of Stephen
| Townsend. who, has, If possible, added
to the charming settings of the author
/ esS.
| The actress who brings the trials and
| tribulations of the wonderful child-wo
| man to our hearts and sympathies is
| fully equal to the effect and cannot help
4 but add to her many triumphs fresh lau-
rels by her powerful and beautiful rem
| dering of the part she assumes. Eugene
! Blair has, by her own efforts. brought
| herself to the front rank, being now ac-
knowledged the leading emotional actress
| of the century. Miss Blair and her COM
1 pany of excellent players will be seen at
| the Margaret theater on Monday evening
| in an elaborate production of the play
| Her beauty grace and accomplishments
| have made her one of the marked sue
cesses of the day, while her charm and
| grace as woman as well as an actress,
| enshrines her in the hearts of the thea
| ter-loving world.
| The character of Mistress Clorinda
| gives her ample scope for the display of
| those perfections with which She is gift
ed. Having an artistic soul and a nat
ural appreciation of the beautiful she
| has been able to stage the production
| with a master hand. All during the long
| summer months Ernest Albert the we'll
| known scenic artist of the Fifth Avenue
| theater. New York, worked diligently on
| the settings under the personal superyi-
| sion of Miss Blair. Eact set is a work
| of art. The colonial hall at Wildairs of
| the first act shows in detail the splendor
of an ancient English country home.
! This is by no means the chief scene, as
| the rose garden, in which the second act
is given, is a dream of loveliness. Never
in the history OF the stage has a similar
scene been attempted with such perfec-
ton and attention to effect. AS the cur
tain arises the odor of American Beauties
perfumes the theater and roses from
buds to large, blooming American Beau
! ties are seen in profusion. The artist
again shows his ability for effects in the
panel parlor scene of the third act. 1t is
during this act that Sir John Oxon, who
has been prosecuting Mistress CIorinda,
is killed. The stage represents an octan-
gular room finished in white and gold. In
the rear large panel doors open into a
wide hallway. and on the side the rose
garden can be seen through the windows
| opening on the veranda. The furniture is
| in keeping with the other furnishings of
| the time.
| The costumes worn in the play were
designed by Miss Blair and made prin-
| cipally by Eaves of New York and Van
Horne of Philadelphia. Those of the star
surpass in grandeur any that she has
ever appeared in. Her reputation for
wearing handsome gowns is familiar from
the Atlantic to the Pacific Those worn
in "A Lady of Quality are in keeping
vita her excellent taste and are the envy
OF the female part of her audiences and
the admiration of the opposite sex. All
the costumes and scenery used in the
production are new this season, 1t be-
ing a rule of Miss Blair not to use nor
permit any member of her company to
use anything that has done service during
a previous season.
'Brown's in Town"
Regarding Browns in Town" which
comes to the Margaret theater Jan. 8, the
San Francisco Chronicle SAYS:
IF Browns in Town had been PLAYED
at the old farce-comedy prices we
should not have accepted it. 1t is a piece
which has been touring the country; but
really it is very well UP to the Broad
hurst productions, even with more farce
spirit. The author is Mark Il. Swan, j
young man who plays the leading part,
1t is worth while noting the name. for
this play is clever enough to promise its
young author a more important future
Browns in Town' was presented befor.
a crowded house last night at the CALI
forna theater, and it was heartily en-
joyed. There is no buffoonery in II n
Is a very clever farce plot. carried out
with unusual skill and acted with decided
talent by as compact and agreeable a liz
tie company as We have had in that kind
of play. The complications are humor
Gus, the lines carry them with dash ana
with no inconsiderable display of viii
There are some songs ana specialties
but they are only accessory, and they
are clever enough and in good enough
taste to be enjoyed for the performance
of them.
Charles Horne is the father, and 1t Is
as genuine legitimate presentation of
farce as has been seen in long time.
The two young men are capItally done,
in a gentlemanly and altogether refined
way, by Mr. Swan and Webster Cullison,
and bit of extraVagant dude is given in
the same vein. The ladies are eaualIv
good. Maud Knowlton is a San Francisco
girl, and she is likely to be another prom
inent success in more important COM
panies. She is not only pretty, with a
1.-the figure, but has personal magnetism.
She is reminiscent of Phoebe Davies in
style, but more decidedly a comedienne.
She does everything gracefully and nat
uraily. dainty little girl is Jessie Mae
Hall, with a delightfully."- sweet voice and
much musical ability. The German girl
OF Monica Lee is also a notable feature,
and Fanny Midgely as Primrose is eS-
eellent. In fact, Browns IN Town is So
lar above the last show at the California
theater that it deserves special acknowl-
edgment."