The record-union., 1899-04-23

ments by a considerable portion OF the
press. The quiet little man evidently
intended to bring good cheer and good
tidings with his optimistic views, bu-
he bumped his head unwittingly against
an unalterable fact in the affairs Oh
men, The conditions that prevail in any
country with regard to any art are
never '.well-very we'll" They are al
ways, in the nature of things, "deplor-
able-very deplorab.e.''
AT least the great mass of those who
try and fail of reward always feel that
way, and the few envied men VINO
enjoy success. should have discretion
enough to hold their tongues. If Hare
had declared that the conditions exist
ing were outrageous; that genius was
crushed in the bud by the mcnstrous
folly OF managers; that unread master
pieces all deserved production, he would
have spoken mOre wisely. Hundreds Oh
corroded and spluttering pens would
have written down Bravo" and hls
cheerful intentions would have met
with unanimous response. Perhaps ne
has thought of this and will speak
again.
A dramatic version of Egerton Cas-
ties romance, THE Pride of Jennico,
has been accepted by Daniel Frohman,
, according to a London announcement,
and is to be seen in New York next
season. Castle has written also four
act play of modern life, called "A Mere
Peccadillo." which will be produced be-
fore long by Forbes Robertson. This
latter piece seems to be something in
the nature Of a problem play.
John Hollingshead, in a letter to the
Westminster Gazette, has this inter-
esting note about lie Juif Polonais."
He says: 1T must have been intended
for the theater, and was adapted by the
twin authors = the Beaumont and
Fletcher of France and produced at
the little Cluny Theater, opposite the
Moyen Age Musee-the Sadlers Wells
of Paris-in 1870 1 happened to be
present at one of. the first perform
ances, and brought the book back with
me, and also the Alsaian song used in
the piece-'The Lauterbach.' The piece
1 recommended to Hermann Vein as a
great one-part drama, and the song l
used in a Gayety burlesque. The rep
resentative of the guilty burgomaster
in Paris was an actor, since dead,
named Talien-a master of melodrama.
His burgomaster in the first act was a
plain peasant, giving no Indication of
criminal remorse and superstition. 1t
was not until twenty years after this
that the part was essayed by two of the
great actors of the Theater Francois,
for the house of Moliere, like all subsi-
dized theaters, is a follower, not
leader"
Jean Richepins new play, Les Tru
ands,' just produced at the Paris
| Odeon, is assigned to Paris in 1874,
and treats chiefly of the rivalry be-
tween Robin Ccsteau, the leader of a
band of outlaws, and his son, for the
love of a dancing girl. To prove his
bravery the younger man robs Notre
I Dame and kills an archdeacon The
father is arrested for the crime and is
willing to confess it in order to save
his son, but the latter surrenders, and
there is contest between the two men
as to which shall die for the other
This is described as the most effective
scene in the piece In the end the old
man is rescued from the gibbet by his
gang, led by his son, but is killed by a
stray arrow. One of the characters in
the drama is Villon. The piece is not
expected to be so successful as LIE
Chemineua."
The late Mrs. Kelley was a con-
scientious student. Talking one day
to a friend about her successful per-
formance of Nyda in THE Last Days
of Pompeii," she said: How hard I
studied the ways of blind people for
that part! I attended day after day
the blind school, and watched the pu-
pills under variety of circumstances.
| remember seeing a woman thread a
needle with her tongue, and one little
incident I noticed one day. I introduced
with great effect. Kelley and 1 were
walking down the hall, and girl who
was passing, with her eyes wide open.
ran against Kelley. You see, he had
no idea she was blind. AS she brushed
against him, she gave an impatient lit
/ tie sound, which l initiated as Nydia,
and which always won me a round of
applause. 1t is a wonder did not hurt