The San Francisco call., 1899-11-03
BLACK AND WHITE
AT THE ORPHEUM

The nine days wonder stretched 10
fourteen this time and then ceased Mile
Lofty has been thrust back to the first
division of the Orpheum evening, and she
finds herself leading up to new attrac-
tlons Mile. Lofty has to depend upon her
flags to make the house ring with APP
plause. Her act is old, and must pave the
way for Louise Dresser, who holds the
place of honor The king is dead, live the
king.
Miss Dresser has cheeks like the heart
of a ripe watermelon, and her ribbons ac-
company in green. Altogether eatable is
Miss Dresser. She stands temptingly be-
tween two wide-mouthed pickaninnies
and the whole is joyful Wabash picture.
There is an old theory, upheld by Mr..
Morrsey. that a ''natchel bohn COON is
far behind burnt cork performer, but
the theory isn't worth a dumb canary
while Miss Dresser's pickaninnies can be
seen upon the same stage as Jack Nor
worth. The first glimpse of the little
brown boys conjures up visions of melon
patches and chicken roosts such as burnt
cork never suggests. And there is a
whip-poor-w tone in the genuine negro
voice, a queer little wall that is the right
full heritage of these same youngsters and
that can no more belong to the fairer race
than can the shiny moon.
Jack Norworth. on the other hand, has
jokes that patter fast enough and are
new enough to keep ones wits bobbing.
But he has no reason for his blackness.
There is not one Southern sway in MS
body, there is not one Southern slip In his
words He is most emphatically a be-
BACKED white man, and in so being he
flies in the face Of Providence and the re-
logue is too old a fad to support the
monologist of its own strength Only
when he is much more clever than Mr..
Norworth can he revive the fad.
There was a remark made some time
ago about the Ethiopian and his skin.
Vice versa.
Ada Palmer Walker is 1.-The Bohemian
Girl at the Tivoli.
1t is a case of cold-blooded murder. She
is thrusting the daggers of her voice
through Il dreamt 1 dwelt," and the re-
suit makes one shudder. The daggers
were never sharpened to such nicely be-
fore. Besides, one minds more when the
victim is dear old darling like the
Marble Halls song
In happy contrast stands the fact that
Mr. Greene and Mr. Schuster, as Thad-
deus and the Count. are making them
selves more agreeable than ever. There
isn't a man in all the Tivoli many who is
a more all-round satisfactory singer than
Mr.. Schuster. He can be adapted to any
occasion, being as grand as he is comic
and as comic as he is grand. He has
good voice, a good presence, and the only
danger is that he may prove too good to
last
Caroline Knowles, the new conner. is a
stunning gypsy queen when one need only
look. but she is unfortunate when one
shrinks weakly away from its opportuni-
ties. But as Miss Knowles came to us
with ''comedienne" for her degree, it
would not be fair to judge her by her
work in THE Bohemian Girl" Did any
body say that she pretended to sing?
The bitterest disappointment Is Alf
Whelan,s Devllshoof. 1t might pass for
mediocrity If Mr.. Whelan had not in one
rash week of THE Mikado" shown how
positively good he can be- 1t is fatal to
any mans peace of mind to once win a
reputation for cleverness. Thereafter
greedy people demand big things of him.
and they complain sorey If he gives what
would be called enough from an every
day person. Mr.. Whelan has climbed
high enough to feel the bump in case he
should fall.
"The Three Musketeers" is George