Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-24

ana HOW 1t Terminated in q Very
Abrupt Manner.

Abrupt Manner.
/, Clara Morris I'm the Critic
IT was before I came to New York that
l one night saw a really fine performance
almost ruined by single interruption 1t
was domestic tragedy of English rural
lie, and one act began with a tableau
copied exactly from a popular painting
cailed waiting for the Verdict" which
was also the title of the play
The scene gave an exterior view Of the
building within which the husband and
father was being tried for his life on a
charge of murder. The trembling old
grandsire leaned heavily on his staff the
devoted wife sat YEARLY by the closed iron
gate with babe on her breast tired but
Visiiant, faithful dog stretched himself
| at her feet While his shaggy shoulders
pillowed the head of the sleeping child, who
was the accused mans darling
Inc curtain rose on this picture which
was always heartily greeted and often 50
Wen 1t told its pathetic story; a second and
thlrd round of applause greeted II before
1ne dialogue began. The managers little
daughter. who did the sleeping child. con-
tracted cold and was advised not to VEN
ture out of the house for fortnight so a
substitute had to be found-and a fine lot
OF trouble the stage manager had He de-
ciared half the children Of Columbus had
been through his sieve-and there was the
trouble, they all went through-there was
no one left to act as substitute Rut ar
last he found two promising little girls
sisters they We're and very poor-but the
mother vowed her children must he in he'd
AT s-theater or no theater; yes, she would
hhe TO nave the money, but she'd do with
out IL rather than have child out of bed
at all hours. AT first she held out for q
ciock, but at last yielded the additional
half hour; and to the great disappointmenr
OF the younger child, the elder one was ac-
cepted for the odd reason that she looked
SO much younger that her sister
the company had come down from CIeye-
there he elf.
lays attendant a first night bur the
mouse was good the star" (Mr Buchan-
am was making fine impression and the
play was evidently go" The big pic
ture was looked forward to eagerly, and
when 1t was arranged We had to admit that
the pale, pnched little face of the strange
cnlld was more effective as it rested on the
dogs shoulder than had been the plumn
smiling face of the managers little one
Inc curtain went up, the applause follow
eaItnoSe pehind the scenes crowded to the
wings 10 look On-no one noted that the
hands OF the clock stood at $40 nor heard
through the second burst Of applause the
siam OF the stage door behind the very
smail person who entered, and silently peer
ing this way and that; found her stern.
avenging way to the stage and that too
favored sister basking in the sunlight of
The grandsire had Just lifted his head
and was about to deliver his beautiful
speech OF trust and hope, when he was
stricken neipiesS by the entrance upon the
stage OF boldly advancing small person
OF most amazing appearance Her thin lit,
tie legs emerged from the shortest of skirts.
"hiie her small body was well pinned up in
great blanket shawl the point of which
trailed fully quarter OF a yard on the floor
behind her. She wore a woman's hood on
her head, and from its cavernous depth.
wnere there cleaned a pale malignant
small face, voice issued-the high far
reaching voice Of child that triumphantIv
commanded:
You, Mary Ann yure ter get I'D ont of
Sfr {Dbf
ter go ter bed, too-mother says so,'' and
the small Nemesis turned on her heel and
traiied on the stage, followed by laughter
that seemed fairly to shake the building.
Nor was that all. No sooner had Marv
Ann grasped the full meal ming of this dread
message than she turned over on her face
ana scrambling up by all fours, she eluded
the restraining hands of the actress mother
ana made hasty exit to perfect shrieks
OF OF laughter and storms of applause, while
the climax was only reached when the dog
trained to lie still so long as the nrassura
OF the child's head was upon his shoulder
finding himself free. rose, shook himself
violently, and trotted off waving his totI
pleasantly as he went '"'.
mat nnlshed 1.-THE curtain had to fall
snort overture was playe;l-and the err.
tam rose again without the complete tab
leau and the action Of the pIay was 70
sumed-but several times the laughter was
renewed. 1t was only necessary for soma
one person to litter over the ludicrous rec
oiection, and Instantly the house was
laughing with that person. The next nirht
the managers child, swathed in flannel
with mouth full of cough drops, held the
well-trained dog in his place. until the prop
er moment for him to rise, and the play
went on its way rejoicing.
And just to show how long-lastinx Is the
association of ideas. l will state that wears
many years, afterward, 1 met a gentleman
who had been In the auditorium that night
and he told me he had never since seen a
blanket shawl, whether in a store for sale
or on some broad back, that he had not in
stantiy laughed outright. always seeing
poor Mary AIMS obedient exit. after
that vengeful small sister with her trail
Ing shawl