The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-03
TEUnA,S
LETTER.

WV Ew YORK, Nov. N.--To those
INV who know their Thackeray, the
W performance Of Mrs. E1ske in
UN Becky Sharpe" now running
"a " to crowded houses 1t the Fifth
Avenue 10 . distinct disap-
pcintment. II Ii always . daring expert
mont TO dramatixe popular book; every
body who has read VANITY Fair" (and who
has notD has his own mental picture Of
the fascinating Becky. and to see someone
personate on the stage another and utter
;ly different conception IL disillusioning. The
real Becky was q wheedling creature, ca
ressing. suAvs. with little captivating airs
of artlessness and innocence: so that. when
she threw on the cloak of hypocrisy II was
a horrible shock Mrs. Fiske plays the part
without the least atom of charm. with .
hardness and impudencs of manner. an
abrupt. harsh voice and 5erky style that
makes II impossible to understand how
anyone could be attracted toward her. She
throws out no arts, no allurements; IL
neither amiable nor ingratiating. She has
a pretty figure but an awkward manner.
and her poses are ungainly. giving her .
matronly. middle-aged look She has a way
Of folding her hands upon her waistband
ana settling back in her chair In a way
that irresistibly suggests the fat landlady.
The best character OF the play, the one
that makes It success and gives romantic
interest to the play II Barrymore in the
part of Rawdon Crawley. Tall. handsome,
dull in understanding, laundering, good
hearted, the Same dear old Rawdon we
have known and loved these many years.
In his great love for the worthless Becky.
his boyish high spirits, his great horse
laugh. he is Thackeray's character to the
finger tips. In the anger scene, when he
unexpectedly returns and finds his treach-
erous wife supping with the wicked Earl
OF Steyne, he rises to splendid work. and
the scene where he knocks down the old
roue. and. tearing the diamonds from
Becky's white shoulders. throws them At
him a. he writhes upon the floor. rouses
the house to round after round Of applause.
The great scene Of the play Is the ball at
Brussels, on the eve Of the battle Of Wat.
erloo. The curtain rises upon magnih-
cent ballroom with winding stairway ami
galleries; the men in uniform and court
costumes, glittering with orders and heavy
with gold lace; the women IN the fashions
OF the day. turbans, towering ostrich
plumes and voluminous skirts. The hall 10
crowded, the lights scintillate upon the
bright-hued silks Of the ladies' the hand
some uniforms of the men; they form in
groups. bowling. taking snuff and flirting.
Suddenly wild scream rings out. 'What
is it?" what is the natter" IT heard
something!" cries poor Amelia. IT thought
heard something" Nonsense" every
body says, at Is nothing"
ION with the dance. let Joy be uncon-
fined"
Orderlias In uniform run in with notes
and messages for important-looking elderly
ofncerA Suddenly a wounded man a.aggerS
into the ballroom and totters WEAKLY to-
ward the staircase, Then again the sIlril
cry is heard; all talk at once; the boom of
cannon! 1t fs q grand scene, handsomely
staged. that leaves vivid picture on the
mind.
If my readers viii remember I warned
them during Dewey week that the time
would come when Americans would turn
upon the hero they had raised SO high and
try to tear him down. To their shame. be
1t said. that after giving him q house as
free and voluntary gift. they now quarrel
with him about II. He gave 1t to his wife
in a deed Of gift as almost all married
men give their homesteads. 1t IL incon-
ceivable that such an act should have
called down SO dire and villainous abuse.
The papers wrote most insulting articles;
letters were sent to the admiral from peo-
pie who demand their money back" the
honest, manly face that we have cheered
so loudly was Kissed at a. biograph per-
Torrance in Washington. Then Dewey
broke his long silence and his appeal to
the American people for fair play is pathe-
TIC II IL were uOL u QlSBTdCS tudt he Suuuiu
be placed in such a position. Every jibe.
every Islander. the story Of the kissing will
be copied and read in England, Germany
and France. Over there, where only great
and important incidents get into print. they
will take It more seriously than It deserves.
We have much to bulsh for. The two war
ring factions. Sampson and Schley, by their
bitter attacks and Jealous rivalry deprived
both brave men Of their just rewards. The
gallant Hobson has been turned into a
laughing stock for penny-a-liners to sharp
en- their silly wits upon, and now our
admir- al Is assailed before the world.
The subscriptions still pour In to make
the Dewey arch permanent. The commit
tee in charge has brought down storm Of
protest and Indignation by proclaiming
that the permanent arch was not to be
called the Dewey" but the Navy Arch"
and declared that there was not and never
had been any intention to put Dewey's
or any other navy officers name into the
inscription on the arch. The chairman of
the committee and the secretary explained
that they made this announcement not
in any spirit of criticism Of Admiral
Dewey. but because such an explanation
seemed to be timely. TT is national
monument that we intend, not to be erect
ed in honor Of any single individual, but
one that shall stand for all time as tes-
timony to our appreciation Of the glorious
deeds Of the navy which Admiral Dewey
represents; not the deeds Of one day alone.
but those which have illuminated our his
tory from the time Of Decatur and Paul