Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-22

world and, as it is not necessary to
guess about his plans, it is incompre-
j hensibie that so many conflicting state
ments are published concerning his tour
of this country. The route was, of
course, fully arranged long ago and
sufficiently explicit announcement Of
his repertory was made TO enable any
dramatic writer of ordinary intelligence
to steer clear of the fairy tales which
so many of them have been printing.
One paragraph which has been going
the rounds is to the effect that Mr. r.
wing, during his American tour, would
use but one play obespierre" This
statement was so so manifestly absurd
that it is remarkable that it gained the
slightest credence. No actor possessed
| of the least business prudence would
think of stalking everything on one play
entirely new to the country which it is
his purpose to tour.
As a fact, Mr.. Irving will naturally
not abandon 'Robespierre'' in any city
of importance in which it appears TO
maintain its drawing power, but he will
not be stupid enough to attempt to keep
it going if the people appear not 10
| care for it. Mr.. Irving is an artist, and
it is said that artists of every sort are
poor business men, but that does not
hold good in his case. He does not, of
course, attend to the details of his tour
He has an excellent business STAFF, but
all arrangements of Importance are
submitted to Mr.. Irving for final APP
pToyal.
"Rebespierre" is said to be one of
those plays which impress equally
| critical persons in an entirely different
maner. One critic will think it
really great play, while another, no
more difficult to please generally, viii
regard it as being unworthy the IN
questioned genius of Sardou. This is
not said in an effort to cast a doubt
upon the merits of 'Robespierre" in ad-
, vance. but is merely mentioned for the
purpose of demonstrating how unlikely
it is that Mr.. Irving would put all his
eggs into one basket; in other words,
that he would stake everything on
''Robespierre" without anything to fall
back upon.
The fashion of bringing high priced
vaudeville stars frCm the other side Of
the water and then separating from
them at short notice seems to be grow
ing apace. George w. Lederer, the
manager of the Casino and the New
York, is responsible for the new craze.
He did not plunge right into the vaude-
vile line at the opening. First, he
brought over Louie Freear, the talented
little English 'slavey" of whom Josep-
hine Hall gives fair limitations. Some
trouble occurred, or was said to have
occurred, and Miss Freear departed.
Whether she quit voluntarily or was
discharged, dependent knoweth not.
Then came Marie Lotus, the music
hall star from Albion. 1t is generally
conceded that Miss Lotus appearance
at the New York did not seriously in
terfere with the equilibrium OF the
country. Again there was trouble, and
when it was over. Miss Lotus and Mr..
Lederer had departed.
A little later the announcement was
fiambuoyantly made that Marguerite
Cornille. a European entertainer. had
signed with Mr.. Lederer after scores of
American managers had vainly en-
deavored for years to induce her to
visit us. Stories were also printed OF
how shrewd Lederer was and how he
had compelled other magnates to pay
more for the talent they wanted than
they would have paid had Lederer not
been on the spot.
Well. Cornille came, and. while she
was not by any means failure, she
most emphatically did not create a SEN
sation, which is what Lederer wanted
her to do. Next, trouble about Cornille
singing on roof; Lederer wanted her to
she refused; Cornille discnargd;