The San Francisco call., 1899-07-30

dimpIed white hands complete a COS
tune that is as richly elegant as 1t Is
becoming and the coon song which
the little actor sings in clear strong
voice is one to bring down the house
wherever heard. Buck and wing dane
ing of the most approved type alter
mates with the melodious stanZas, dur
ing the last one of which most Won
derful thing happens.
The polished mirrors, which nave
heretofore shown us six smaIt plnk-
tiYhted and white-satfn- clad figures,
bowling, gesticulating, smiling and do
ing simply surprising things with their
pink booted feet in unison with the
graceful little boy who holds the cen
ter of the stage, become suddenly
transparent and Arnold's vocal apos-
trophies to his charmer, who, he de-
clares, is Sweet as sugar cane, are
addressed to a lovely little maiden who
becomes instantly and mysteriously
visible. seated, Juliet fashion, in bal
cbny at the rear of the stage
The whole effect is for the moment
bewildering, and is the result of long
study of the properties of certain chem
icals and the laws of reflection and re-
fraction. All through little Arnold's s
turn the possibilities of this combina-
ton Of glass and ingenuity are eX-
plotted to the utmost and the result Is
delightful in the highest degree. Ar
Rollins appear and disappear in the
most surprising and apparently mex
plicable manner. At one moment they
are on the stage dancing like talrleS IN
company with a dozen other small peo-
pie, all similarly costumed and all Wy
ing with each other in the matter or
steps and postures. An instant later
and a solitary couple are waltzins In
a moonlit garden under canopy of
dew-heavy roses, and their fairy CON-
panions have disappeared apparently
into thin air The whole thing is as
fascinating to the eye as it is confus-
ing to the average mind.
When little Arnold, costumed and
''made up in exact likeness of his IA
nous teacher. Katharine Bartho, comes
in a Whirl of billowy lace and simmer
ing silk and dances one of the divine
Bartho'S" own especial dances on the
very tiptops of his little toes, ,ssix other
imitation premieres perform the same
difficult feats with just as much ease
and grace as does the f1esh-and- blood
sprite who looks identically like the
lBartho viewed through the wrong end
tof an opera glass. When he does the
more than difficult 'ankle rock step"
in which he rivals his quondam in
structor, half a dozen other Katharines
proceed to prove conclusively that 1t is
really not so very difficult after all;
when he crosses the stage on the points
of his pink slippers the half dozen pick
up their fluffy petticoats and march and
countermarch, and meet him, and back
away from him, and circle around him
until the whole place seems to be
whirlpool of feminine f1nery, and pretty
faces, and gracefully beckoning arms,
and utterly enhancing pink legs. A
single pirouette fills the whole place
with apparently feminine dancing der
wishes. and over all the beautiful col
ored lights hover and change from mo-
ment to moment until they all blend
into the combined hues of the rainbow,
and then-presto! Katharine Bartho's
little impersonator is walking quite Sc
dately along a river bank under the
soft light of twinkling stars, with no
company whatever save that Of his own
sweet self.
A cakewalk participated in by four
teen contestants, all Of whom are
equally proficient in this modern fash
ionable amusement, is as altogether
lovely as a cakewalk can possibly be.
Little Ruth, q plump little darling OF
eight happy summers. does we'll her
own share toward making this feature,
and all the others IN which she has