The times., 1899-07-23


| correct than it has ever been hitherto
Not only has greater care been taken In
the mpflation-Kernan's is given among
the Washington theatres for the first time
but expert editing has eradicated most
of the exaggeratiCns that far-seeing con-
tributors were wont to supply. When it
is said that the names of and details con-
cerning over 5000 playhouses are included
in the published information, together with
list of the country's dramatic editors.
railway officials who transact theatrical
business. bill-posters, and other desirable
people, it will be seen that the Guide
is really a substitute for decades of eX-
rerience to a booking manager. Such an
individual. when attempting TO prepare
his route without the edition, must feel
bit like that egotistical star who reached
the first city on his map before remember
ing that he had left his support at home.
The present year has been, and threat
ems to be still further. marked by various
productions of single plays. Last spring
it was Dumas THE Three Guardsmen"
which thus became a subject of universal
attention and this winter a multiplicity of
Jewish dramas are expected TO rise from
the anticipated success of Children of the
Ghetto But from general appearance, it
is safe to say that no solitary theme will
have been given the numerous eXploita-
tions promised for the story of Dickens "A
Tale of Two Cities" Already four separ-
ate and distinct versions of the celebrated
novel are announced as being prepared for
production and this number will doubtless
be very sensibly increased as soon as the
theatrical dogs in the manger awake to
the possibilities which others have seen in
the work.
"A Tale of Two Cities" was initially per-
formed something over twenty years ago
in London. The adaptation was by Charles
Dickens himself and the title was not
changed for stage purposes. The authors
slight knowledge of construction doomed
the piece to failure. and it was not seriously
revived until the Rev. Freeman Wills ar
ranged form of the book which Martin
Harvey presented a twelvemonth ago at
Sir Henry Irvfng's theatre. This vehicle
which is known as "The Only Way" prov
ed to be most powerful play and was SO
successful that, at the conclusion of its
Lyceum engagement, Mr.. Harvey took him
self to the Prince of Wales, where he is
now. Charles Frohman saw THE Only
Way" in London and bought it for the use
of Henry Miller. Thomas E. Shea also
witnessed the offering there and being un-
able to procure the American rights, pur-
chased another extraction of the Tale"
entitled Sidney Carton" from a we'll
known New Yorker. This effort Mr.. Shea
promises to give an elaborate production
next September. Meanwhile Washington
newspaper man is said to be laboring on
the narrative with the intention of provid-
ing Godfrey Stein. the capable local char
aoter actor. with material for the coming
season, and Brei and Falk threaten to
stage n fifth version written by Will F.
Sage and called Destiny" When it be-
comes generally known that the Dickens
dramatization may be bought outright for
fifteen cents there will probably be still
others in the field.
The case is only a new one of an old
kind-an example of the ease with which
one manager may profit by the brains and
temerity of another, or, failing. may pull
down his colleague with him. Fortunately
"A Tale of Two Cities" can make nothing
but good plays, and at least two of the
stars named have a sufficient following
to ensure success. 1t is to be earnestly
hoped that the third may do as we'll as he
deserves. AS the remainder will proba-
bly, never be heard from after the first
snowfall, 1t is unnecessary to individualize
further.
A gentleman who signs himself Arthur
Delamater writes TO The Times to enquire
from what magazine the Stage Stories
you have been printing on your dramatic
page are copied" Mr.. Delamater is also
anxious to know if the files of the periodi-
cal to which he refers are available and if
not whether the tales have ever been pub
lished in book form. In reply it is possible
to state that the stage Stories which ap-
pear in these columns are written espe-
cially for The Times and, unless borrowed
from this paper, have never been used
anywhere else.
Apropos of the exceedingly hot weather
which has recently fallen to the lot OF
Washington and Washingtonians is
thoroughly amusing story which Godfrey
Stein, of Eugenie Blair's company, has of
late been telling to a select crowd OF his
acquaintance. The tale carries with it
a moral and that moral should be most
beneficial 10 those individuals who are in
clined always to bound the veracity of
others with their own ignorance. Accord
ing to Mr.. Stein, the anecdote in question
relates TO an occurrence of two summers
ago. The local actor was spending a few
weeks and great many other things at
certain seaside resort toward the north
ern end of the Atlantic coast. He had
chosen the town because of its quiet its
freedom from fashionable people, and its
general offering in the way of rest.
A weeks stay in the village convinced
Mr. Stein that its advantages were all that |
had been claimed for them. The ocean
the population and a majority of the Wis
itors were simple to the point of vacancy
At the table assigned the player was one
man trifle more intelligent than his as
sociates-thCugh not much. In common
with the rest he had never been either |
south of New York or west of Albany. |
and his arguments with Mr.. Stein were
tinged alike with skepticism and pro-
digious belief in his own attainments.
pf ha pf
heat came up and everyone present had
something to say regarding the most ex-
cessive torridity he or she had encountered I
When the conversation reached Mr.. Stein
he was not at a loss for narratives. He
spoke of the unbearableness of the weather
during July and August in Washington,
and, as an evidence of his conservatism,
related that not infrequeutly the asphalt
payements here became so soft that one
left prints of his shoes in crossing the
street.
The immediate effect of this story was
a silence that could have been heard. APP
parently no one at the table put the faint
est faith in the account yet no one wished
TO take II upon himself 10 call Mr.. Stein, .
who was stronger then than he is now. a
liar Finally the self sufficient gentleman
mentioned turned uneasily in his seat and
made an effort to shame his neighbor (
Well" he said, thoughtfully, that's !
pretty hot, but / know OF hotter place
still Down in Central America there's
town that beats Washington all hol-
low for temperature. Eggs can be boiled
in a lake near by, and birds are frequent
ly fried on the housetops. There's a hill
in that town four miles long. A year ago
the city council decided that the top of
this hill needed attention, and they paved |
it with asphalt. The general opinion was
that asphalt would be decorative and dura-
BILE. But it wasn't. The f1st hot day /
that came after that thing was laid melt