Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

S>A
ready wit who is able to supply words when
his memory fails him the sense that his
sins and failings are liable to strict note
and discovery is grievously distressing
Some years ago one of Sheridan's plays
was put on at short notice at the Boston
Museum The actors were not as fully pre-
pared in their parts as they usually We're
1t was agreed that gag must be the order
of the night, and that the performance be
''got through somehow. But the stage
manager, cycling the house through the
usual peephOle in the curtain, perceived a
well-known critic In one Of the boxes hold
ing In his hands copy of the play. The
alarm Of the company became extreme. A
panic afflicted them and their powers of
memory were paralyZed. They refused to
confront the footlights. The audience grew
impatient, the orchestra was weary Of re-
peating their tunes Still the curtain did
not rise AT length the stage manager pre-
scented himself with doleful, apologize
part, he said, "the prompt book Of the
play has been mislaid. The performance
announced cannot therefore be presented
unless" and here the stage manager looked
In the direction Of the critic in the box.
any one among the audience by a happy
chance happened to have brought to the
theater a copy Of the comedy The critic
rose and said his book was at the service
OF the stage manager, and it was according
ly handed to him. The players forthwith
recovered their spirits; exposure of their
deficiencies was no longer possible and the
performance came off to the satisfaction of
all concerned.
With circumstances such as these con-
fronting the player it is no wonder that he
objects to the published play. The dram
atist Is thus deprived however. of a source
of revenue that would undoubtedly prove of
considerable magnitude.
James f. Dolan and Ida Lenharr, who
head the bill Of fashionable vaudeville at
Hashims Academy Of Music next week.
have had very peculiar experience as ca
terers to the public taste For years they
were both known as travesty artists of the
better class and were always a strong fea-
ture of any bill. Then the present vaude-
vile idea sprung up and supplanted the
old-style variety show. With it came the
fad for comedy sketches and short plays
Dolan and Lenharr, as usual on the alert
and quick to see the trend of public taste
had sketch written for them but it did
idea of The Heightened Burglar and
wrote little comedy for himself Its sue
cess was instantaneous and nothing of its
KIND has ever created more laughter In
fact, so great was It's popularity that after
season in vaudeville theaters Mr. DoIan
elaborated his playette into a farce-comedy,
and ne and Miss Lenharr starred in the
farce for season with big success. How
love, and this season they re-entered the
vaudeville field, with their former sketch
Frightened up, and now they have less
work TO DO than when starring and are in
receipt or salary which equals the profits
OF the average farce-comedy company each
week There Is no worriment for them and
they nave expressed themselves as much
more satisfied in their original snhere than
when they were on their starring tour.
Viola Aliens career affords new proof
that there Is no royal road to histrionic re-
noWn. Before Miss Aliens schooling was
over, when she had not seen more than
dozen plays and without any instruction
whatever In theatric art. she assumed the
title role in 'Esmeralda" at the Madison
square Iheater. Her father, G. Leslie AL
len, one of the best character actors and
old men, ON the stage today, was acting
In the play. The stage manager had seen
Miss Allen about the theater with her par
ents. AS a new Esmeralda was desired to
replace Miss Annie RUSSELL and as Miss
Allen looked the part" he asked her father
II ne thought she could play it satisfactory
~ lie replied that as she came Of good
theatrical stock he was sure of it. Within
a very short time after her unusual sue
cess In "Esmeralda.' achieved without
preparation PREF ar 1or the stage, she became. when
renee Barrett, and appeared subsequently
and in like capacity with John McCulloueh
ana the elder Salvini. Her career as lead
Ing lady with Charles Frohman's stock
company is known to all theatergoers.
Belle Archer, the well-known actress and
singer, died at Warren. Pa, last Wednes-
day night from blood ciot on the brain
!! she was the star OF new play, Jess Of
Bar B. and was in that town to fill an en-
gagement. AS Belle Mckenzie she made a
great hit in "Pinafore." and afterward. with
ing lady Of Ford's opera company, which
then appeared at 9th and the avenue now
the Bijou. After her experience In Pima
fore she was leading woman with E. III.
Sotnern Tor two years. and also filled like
position with the late Alexander Salyini
playing In The Three Musketeers." "Ruy
Bias" and Don Caesar" She also ap-
peared In Augustin Days production Of
Ada Rehan's place in Tennyson's Forest
ers" when Mr.. DAILY sent his company on
the road with that play. Four years ago
MISS Archer appeared in "a Contented
woman when Carolyn MiskeI Hoyt gave
1t up. and carried 1t through three wears of
success, earned by her own management
Sam Lockhart, the elephant trainer, came
over from Baltimore yesterday to learn
whether or not his huge pets can enter the
theater through the same entrance as the
human performers. He found that they
can. and then INDUCED in a few reminiscent
observations.
I've been training elephants these last
twenty years and more" said he Before
that trained canaries. 1 haven't made I'D
my mind yet which is the hardest to do.
Some folks have flattered me by saying
that l have natural gift for it. Maybe I
have. Anyhow. ! like 1t; I've done nothing
else and it's too late to start fresh. /
thought my other pets. Jock and Jennie
were the smartest elephants every taken
from India, but 'Trilby and the two others
are far cleverer. They have all but human
brains In their heads, and are just as tract
able as dogs. Generally speaking, elephants
are the meanest Of all animals to handle,
because they have Vicious tempers and long
memories for injuries. But they are cow
ardly, too, and most trainers simply rely
upon their animals fear OF the goad In
teaching them to perform. Some too, are
such natural-born man killers that you are
not safe moment with them. You've got
to keep your eye always ON Them and Your
hook ready to punch 1t into them. Many a
good trainer has been gored, crushed or
trampled to death In q twfnkling because
for q moment he forgot to be watchful. But
my three are picked elephants-that Is,
took long time to study them and their
dispositions before finally selecting them Tor
show work. They've grown fondss and