The times., 1899-07-23

pany-J. L. MaclSaye, Paul Arthur. Csorrs
Giddens, William Wyse. Harry Cane. ".
Lestocq. Fred G. Latham. George Arliss.
Marie forke Mary Elliott Page. EVELYN
harrison. Lilias n Earle, Elsie Chester.
Lucie Miner. and Roberta Ersk,ne. ThoSa
who know Mr. kearney will know also
Row fully he must have deserved this
honor and how he undoubtedly appreciates
1t.
The serious illness of two members Of
her family has made it necessary for Ellen
Vockey to abandon the starring tour In
"A Spy of Spain,'' so auspiciously Lagun
last December in New York. Miss vockey
whose home is in Washington. viii
therefore, conduct dramatic studio here
The school will be opened with the COM
ing of cold weather.
Hal Clarendon has been engaged for
next season with Katherine Rober. Mr..
Clarendon is a Washingtonian. and has
been seen in support of several we'll known
stars since his professional debut fouI
years ago.
Wilton Lackaye and Mrs. Lackaye have
gone abroad for brief tour OF England
Scotland, ireland, and France. Both will
be back in time for the rehearsals OF
Children of the Ghetto" in which Mr..
Lackaye opens at the National Theatre
early in September.
The Danish Sisters, TWO extremely pret-
ty girls. who were seen last season with
the Biiou stock company. are to go on
the road in September with Hurtig <
Seamons ''Bowery Burlesquers." Both
are natives of this city.
fptn J0t p-ba -
fords what are among the most delightful
portions Of the entertainments seen at the
Lafayette, is winning fame for himself
and popularity for his compositions AT
Atlantic City. Mr. Johnson will be back
in town with the beginning OF the theat-
rical year.
Charles Shaw, brother to genial Jed
Shaw. OF the National. was in town re-
Gently. Mr. Shaw presides over the win
dow at the American Theatre. in Gotham.
1t was during a rehearsal of East
Lynne" last week at the Columbia that
a Times man caught Mrs. Ella Wren as
she was crossing the lobby for glass of
water. then and there submitting her TO
an interview. Mrs. Wren is a woman
whose charm of manner and scintillance
OF wit greatly enhance the relation OF her
long experience before the public and
make talk with her greatly to be de-
sired. Il have only ten minutes time be-
fore my next scene" she remarked when
she found herself hopelessly cornered
and ten minutes is an exceedingly short
space in which to crowd the events of
forty years. Nevertheless IL you are will
ing to forgive my brevity you shall have
just as much OF my biography as We can
Jam into the moments available.
To begin at the beginning my family
was composed altogether of votaries of
Thespis, and, this being true, il was but
natural that my ambitions should have
been formed early. My first appearance
on the professional stage was made when
i was only eighteen-eyen in confidence
you shall not have the date-and | played
Besdemona to the Othsllo Of ]. B. Howell.
an English actor whom few people now
alive Will likely remember. The place
selected for my debut was New Haven
and l cannot remember whether it was
generally considered successful or other
wise. At any rate, l remained with Mr.
Howell for some weeks, and then. after
a short rest, went to Richmond, Va, that
/ might join the one really good stock
company it has ever been my pleasure to
see The organization numbered about
twenty-three members-among them John
Wilkes Booth, Edwin Adams, W H.
Bailey, Ben G. Rogers. and Samuel Ches-
ter-and the dramas presented were done
with degree of accuracy and adequacy
rare at that period. During my stay with
this troupe We were seen in support of
several famous stars, whose very names
are reverenced even in this day and age
There was Edwin Booth and there were
also Mr.. and Mrs. Waller. John 5. Clark,
Annette Ince, Jane Coombs, Barry SuIIi-
IOhn Collins nfh
GUS for mention.
Not only did the combination have the
credit of acting with such men and women
as these but it presented a score of new
plays that have since become classic. FIRST
among these, perhaps, was the well-knuwn
comedy of EverybOdy's Friend which We
did before the date of the alleged premiere
at Wallack's. We also offered long line
of Shakesperean works and found favor
in them.
Personally, after a long stay in Rich
mond, l went to McVicker's Theatre, in
Chicago. and was there while the Presi-
Dental convention was in session, and its
delegates were creating all possible ex-
citement in their efforts TO nominate either
Lincoln or Douglas. l returned to Rich
mond IN time to witness the outbreak of
the war in 1851, and TO be, at least in two
important ways, mixed up with the strife
Lutl lOIlOWtu. Clit III lHtot lUClueutSs
which | remember well, was in the fact
that l was selected TO read Colemans
verses on the death of 'Stonewall Jackson
in front of the curtain at our theatre Like
the remainder of the town, the house was
draped in mourning and the sincerity of
the fearful silence with which l was greet
ed proved most impressive. The second
event was a domestic one. l met and was
married 10 Col. Charles Blair, a Confeder-
Gen. ]. B. Stewart the honor of being the
haudsomest man in the army"
Some time before General Lees sur
render the company at Richmond closed
and l undertook 4 Southern starring tour.
The greater portion of the money in the
country was then located between Lynch
burg and New Orleans. the boundaries of
my route, so that the experiment was not
only profitable but fruitful in future re-
suits. l am still remembered in my old ter
rit0ry and can always count on good
houses there. The dates played included
one of seven weeks at the New Orleans
Theatre and while at that place OF amuse-
ment undertook Juliet, Pauline, Lucretia,
and other legitimate roles. Next became
leading woman for Mr.. and Mrs. F. B. Con-
nelly at the Brooklyn Park Theatre, and
then | spent two years under the direction
of Bidwell. Spalding & Mcdonald. On the
arrival of Madame Rhea in these United
States / Joined the tragedienne and sup
ported her for seven successive seasons /
do not like to blow my own trumpet but
can l pass over my experience with
Madame Rhea without recording that her
A. B. Chase. complimented ne.
when l left her. upon being the best nurse
in Romeo and Juliet and the best Mad
anne Prudence in Camille he had ever
seen.
After quitting the organization l went
into retirement ana for eight years de-
voted my talents TO instructing the chill
iren OF my daughter, Eugenie Blair. ana
nor husband Mher HnaIl,- L ..........-,