The times., 1899-06-04

his leisure hours at the Government OBJ
servatory. 1t is little of relief for one
TO see star who wishes to observe other
stars and not pick them to pieces. We can
stand more astronomical Investigators like
Mr.. Faversham.
Here are a few typical ones from the
vaudeville houses:
Have you heard my last song?" Il
hope So
"All this time we have been believing
that women caused the trouble in the
world. 1t is not so. Trees are responsible.
The apple tree got Adam into trouble. the
cherry tree caused Washington to keep
from telling lie. and the plum tree made
the Harrisburg deadlock
Among certain class the belief is COM
mon that theatrical people invariably
'firt." This opinion is strengthened to a
certain degree by the frailties of the stern
er sex and a chance Indulgence in the art
by an occasional actress. AS a rule, ac
tresses are ladies in every sense OF the
word True. it may require cool head
and ready wit to escape the handsome
prosecutions of the men. and how this was
once done will be interesting to illustrate
versatility and aptness The other after
noon after long rehearsal Miss Georgia
Welies concluded that she would take
car ride to one of the pleasant summer re-
Sorts She energetically studied her
part for next week and was perfectly
oblivious to all other affairs until her re-
turn. Then youthful masher, who
thought he recognized her, made bold to
cast some killing looks at the dainty in
genue.
Still she studied on. but instead of dis
couraging the fellow it appeared to i'm
nrAEG a,,,ro x.a
worth having. Finally, he took a seat
beside her in the car and addressed her.
Staring at him in mock amazement and
genuine surprise Miss Welles took her
card and wrote upon it. Excuse me.
am deaf and dumb" Apologies were i'm
mediately offered, to all of which the deaf
ear was turned apparently. Then he took
the card and made lame excuse for his
previous indiscretion. more quiet man
never existed than he until he left the
car on II Street AS he did so, and the
trailer started on its way, Miss Welles,
with twinkle in her eye. leaned out and
said: Il want to thank you. You have
amused me immensely" and like the wife
OF Lot he was turned into a salty pillar of
modification. Really he did not appear to
have been a bad sort and is said to be quite
wealthy. Among the several punches of
roses the little cripple girl received on
Monday evening was one bearing the in
scription: In return for merited lesson
in gentility."
A series of neat pen and ink sketches
of famous actresses and actors now adorn
the lobby of the Columbia. They are the
work of a local artist and are very good
specimens of pen work.
From the fact that the engagement of
the company has been extended until the
10th of June, the "trip to Europe contest
will end at that time. The offer of Mr.
Frawley has aroused decided interest and
some keen ways Of securing the desired
pasteboards have been worked by several
OF the contestants.
1t is universally known that the friends
OF amateur performers are altogether too
charitable, but the absolute reverse is the
case with professionals. The immediate
relatives OF an actor tell him what they
think of him in very short order, and their
advice is more generally needed than that
of the professional critics. Even when
one becomes as prominent as James X
Hackett he finches a little at the picking
of flaws There is something very touch
ing and beautiful about the affection ex-
listing between Mr.. Hackett and his pretty
little wife, Mary Mannering. Just after
Mercutio had made his dying exit the 9TH
er evening, and Immediately did his resur-
rectton entrance in response to the llaud-
its of the large audience, Mr.. Hackett was
seen by Times reviewer. He spoke light
ly of his work in Romeo and Juliet" say
ing it was only a little holiday in way,
but expressed qualification at the prospect
of going back into his own play, Rupert
of Hentzau." which has been SO generally
successful.
q see my wife this week." said the
handsome fellow who is even more charm
ing personally than professionally. She
will meet us in Chicago and at the matt
nee sit out in front and view my Mercutio
Do you know I'll be more nervous then
than when we made our New York ap
pearance. Mary and l are invariably
frank with each other, and if she don't
like my work l shall hear of it and that
Immediately. 1t is a partial compensation
for us both TO be so successful in our work
but if either OF us were less prominent We
might be with the same company again.
No one outside Of our business can appre-
ciate the heartaches success causes. Fail
ure is more poignant, but less lasting"
From June l, 1898 TO May % 1899. ia
plays were presented in New York Three
fourths Of them were failures and ma
jority ran less than a month. A dozen were
great successes and twice as many made
money for their owners either in Gotham
or on the road. Added TO this list of pre-
miers, are forty-odd revivals of Shakes
perean and classic drama and the best of
the oldtime plays. After New York,
Washington is the most prominent place
for initial productions and several of the
plays included in the former list were sent
into the Metropolis with the Capitals en-
dorsement.
1t will be joyful for the numberless
Washington friends of Tim Murphy to
learn that his improvement from his re-
cent attack of pneumonia has been so rap
id that within the week he will be from
Oshkosh to Clarksville, Tenn. This Illness
was one which narrowly missed robbing 8
the American stage of one of its brightest
and most interesting entertainers. The
summer months will be spent at the home
of Mr.. Murphy's mother law, and the
experience there afforded will no doubt
serve as the foundation of many ante-cur-
tain speeches, giving the lie to the popular
believe of infecility between relatives OF
this degree.
Mr.. Murphy's Illness was caused by an
overdose of one-night stands, the abomina-
tion and dread of an actors life. After his
engagement here early in the year, his
tour embraced nothing but one-nighters.
with the occasional treat of two-nights'
business in the same town. His friends
here think his business management was
badly cared for. as his tour precluded the
possibility of his taking any rest and the
time not spent on the stage was consumed
by curling up in a two-by-four Western
sleeper. if that luxury was available. which
was not so frequent as to cause bed sores
There is an element OF hard luck in
Tins efforts to be recognized as one OF
the foremost comedians OF the American
stage for while possessing far more ability
and cleverness than the average entertain
er his name is more frennentlv sean on