Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29

Chester Bailey Fernald does not seem
to have set the Thames afire with his
plays His version OF Heyermann'
"The Ghetto" was so emasculated by
Kyrle Bellew and Mrs. James Brown
Potter, who presented it in London,
that Fernald very sensibly refused to
permit the use Of his name on the paper
or playbills. The piece failed there, OF
course, although 1t enjoyed a short
lived success. after a fashion in this
city. Fernald's friends in England
made the serious mistake, after THE
Ghetto" fiasco OF inviting the public to
wait until the production of'The Moon
light Blossom" then impending This
was written exclusively by Fernald,
and it was put on by am excellent COM
Dany III precisely the manner desired
by the author. Besides, the subject
was peculiarly to Fernald's liking, as
the scene was laid in Japan.
The piece, after the production, was
regarded by most persons as being
pretty nearly failure, and as result
Fernald's stock as playwright has
tumbled appreciably in London. 1t is
argued even by the young mans
friends in this country that if he was
unable to write successful play on an
oriental subject he need have little
hope OF succeeding with any other
theme, for his training and researches
nave given him a decided advantage
over the average author in the mat
ter or Chinese and Japanese literature
Fernald's well wishers would like to
see him confine himself to story writ
ing, as they believe that he would
speedily win International fame for
himself in that field, and, while the re-
Enumeration for one successful play is
equal to that which goes with a score
cf stories. it is easier to write the score
OF good stories than it is to write the
single play. Fernald's studies of Chin
ese life, which have appeared in the
prominent magazines Of this country,
Us delightfully."- written as anything
we have had from native author dur
ing the past decade, and it does seem to
be a mistake for him to wander into
comparatively new fields in the vain
effort to catch up with the elusive ignis
fatuus of sudden wealth through the
medium Of play writing.
Several years ago there was a little
girl in this city who used to give imita-
tons of the various actors and actress
es she had seen. These were usually
done for the delectation of her parents
friends. A little later SIZE attracted the
attention of the Resented brothers,
who were about to produce the miracle
play, "Hannele." The child was en-
gagged for the principal role, but the
Gerry society interfered, as she was
less than 16 years Of age. A contract
for the exploitation of the child's un-
: doubtedly remarkable ability had been
entered into with the Rosenfelds, but
for some reason the scheme was aban-
doned
The little girl was Alice Pierce She
was not heard of for some time, but
finally bobbed up in England as an un-
important member of Beerbohm Trees
company. Next she was touring the
British provinces at the head of a
Belle OF New York" company, play
ing Edna Mays role of the Salvation
Army lassie. Then she went into the
London music halls, where she gave
limitations of popular favorites with
mucn success. A trip to South Africa
followed, and there she made a great
hit. She will shortly return to London
for an indefinite engagement, for the
persevering little girl has developed
dnto high class vaudeville attraction.
Her salary is probably larger than that
of many leadlng woman at the prom
fnent London theatres.
Alice Pierce is a Boston girl. Her
mother is an actress but her father
was a nonprofessional, having made an
enviable reputation at the bar Of his
native city.
1t is interesting to note the methods
employed by those managers in this
city who have certain SO called dra-
matte critics either allied to them by
friendship or community of interests.
When one OF these managers buys a
pla you win see in the papers apro-
pos OF nothing, some mention of the
work in question, most frequently the
bare statement that it has made a
great success in London or Paris. Then
watch the columns presided over by the
friendly critics and in few days you
will almost surely find the announce
ment OF the purchase of the aforemen-
toned play by the great manager. 1t
may be rather injustice to tho I'M
suspecting public. but no one can help
admitting that the scheme is an ar
distically shrewd one. The only trou
bic, of course, is that the public may
eventually "get on to" the critics, and
then the fat will be in the fire, for
nothing they may print thereafter viii
be believed, whether it be true or false;
whether it be legitimate news item
or skillfuily executed piece of press
work.
1t is reported along the Rialto that
farce which has made great hit at
the Palais Royal, Paris, will shortly be
presented in this city, the American
rights having been secured couple Of
weeks ago by a local manager This
farce is said to go the limit in the mat
ter of indelicacy, and if the suggestion
DAN n0aRpl ENl1Alo