The San Francisco call., 1899-08-11

prOprietreSS of the TiVOH always
prominent figure where funds are to
be raised Edna Wallace Hopper.
petite and pretty in white, with the
perfume of the new mown hay of her
| Livermore ranch clinging about her;
Miss Juliet Crosby, who in private life
is the wife of Fred Belasco of the Alca-
Ear; Miss Marie Howe and Elspeth Nc
Neill of the same theater; Miss Esther
! Jacobs, a concert singer from New
York. who will soon appear in public:
JunoesQue Mary Van Buren of the
Frawley Company; Della Stacey, Mary
Linck, Hattie Belle Ladd, Helen Henry,
| Irene Everett and Beth Franklyn-aH
| were there.
AS head of the finance committee NJ.
H. de Young was on the stage, eX-
changing bon mots with several pretty
! affidavit-takers to the efficacy of this
and that dentifrice. Mayor Phelan, his
secretary, Colonel William P. Sullivan
Jr., and ]. ]. Gottlob and s. H. Fried
| lander were there and Henry e. Nc
Pike, who, besides being the secretary
of the executive committee. is one Of
the attorneys for Mrs. Langtry.
i Manager Gottlob started the speech
making. He thanked the people for the
turnout they had made in response to
the invitation of the managers and he
( appealed to their patriotism to make
the benefit success by digging deep
into their pockets. He then introduced
Mayor Phelan, who was greeted with
cheers.
Members of the Executive Commit
tee, Ladies of the Profession and La
dies and Gentlemen" said his Honor,
7 desire on behalf of the executive
committee, which was formed for the
purpose Of welcoming our California
Volunteers and all other volunteers to
this city to thank the gentlemen who
represent the theatrical profession or
this city and the artists who appear on
the boards, who have generously con-
tributed their services to make the re-
ception of the troops a success.
''The executive committee, l may re-
mark, is composed of the editors of the
three leading daily papers and it is
more than coincidence that the dra-
matte profession now comes to their as
sistance You will remember that be-
fore the days of newspapers the play
ers disseminated the news from ham
let to hamlet, from castle TO castle,
from court to court, and Shakespeare,
so dear to that profession, has SAID:
Good my Lord, will you see the play
ers well bestowed? They are the alb
stract and brief chroniclers of the time.
Better have a bad epitaph than their
i'll report
Far from having their evil report.
We have their good opinion ana Co
operation. And they, the original dis
seminators of news, have come TO the
aid of our newspapers. They who hold
in the hollow of their hands the des-
TIMES of our States, who fight our wars,
who fight our officers who direct our
statesmen who are in fact OmniSclent
and all wise, have gone back to the
dramatic profession for assistance and
it has responded nobly.
I am here in behalf of the news
papers to thank the artists and to in
form YOU that they have undertaken
great task-the raising of $4,000. But,
if it is a very great task, it is for
worthy purpose. 1t is our duty to wei
come these brave boys, not so much in
the name of San francisco, but IN the
name of the nation, for it will be in this
city that they will set their feet again
on American soil for the first time.
"A monster entertainment is to be
given here Thursday, beginning at II
| o'clock-an entertainment the like of
| which has never been seen by the
theater goers of San Francisco, expert
enced as they are in wonderful things.
Many of you have your favorites now
appearing on the stage in this city
| the men have their favorite actresses,
and perhaps the ladies have their fav-
orite actors. Uaughter) And there is
| d difference of opinion among many OF
you as to the histrionic merits, ability
and charm of these people. There will
| be competition right here on this
stage next Thursday, in which each
actor and actress will vie with every
other to show the mettle in them. The
press will be silent on that day as it is
under deep obligations to the profess
sion, but you will be able to express
! yourselves on the merits Of the profess
| sionals. They will, therefore, be upon
! their best behavior and do their best to
| win your approval. Therefore, come
one and all, but in order to come you
will have to pay your way and as it is
in a good cause do not be backward in
| paying.
1--WE have here Wendell Easton, who
will offer these seats. Apart from the
merits of the performance the sale of
seats will enable the committee to give
a fit reception to the boys who have
offered up their lives in defense of their
country. Therefore let your giving be
commensurate with the worthiness of
the object
The applause that followed Mayor
Phelan to his seat was a satisfactory
evidence that the crowd was in a re-
ceptive mood. Wendell Easton jumped
forward to clinch the nail.
Ladies and gentlemen" he said, ION
behalf of my fellow auctioneers l take
pleasure in saying to you that we ac-
cept the invitation of the theatrical
mana gers committee to do our part OF
ena bling you to knock these little black
spots off the map, as the California vol
unteers have knocked those other black
spots. the Filipinos, off the map. We
do not propose to do much talking. You
understand the business in front of US.
This is a serious matter. This is war.
, s.rTbis house was not built for war.
IT was built for peace and I'm sure
, MANY of you have enjoyed a number of
! nieces here We are not able to go down
and face you even. We are going to
attack YOU in the rear. We are going
. to come down and charge you face to
: face and reach with our hands into
YOUR pocketbooks-
: Mr. Easton then explained the plan of
the auction, impressing on the minds of
nirosnective bidders the fact that the
> money they bid was only in the way
of premiums and that in addition they
! would have to pay the fixed price for
each box and seat.
] Now, girls" he said. turning to the
semicircle of beauty, up and at 'em!"
, And at 'em they went, as Mr.. Easton
had planned, aiming to take the friend
, | ly enemy in the rear. Out through the
; flies and down into the pit IN single file