The times., 1900-12-23
THE PASSING SHOW.

THE PASSING SHOW.
The time was midnight, Just before the
dawn of the Christmastide, the place the
lobby OF the Columbia Theatre, the dra-
matis personae the professional inhabi-
tants of the frames decorating the walls
of the lobby, and two huge pictures OF
Herbert Kelcey and Effe Shannon. which
had arrived during the day, and which
were now comfortably resting on easels,
handsomely decorated with holly and mis-
tletoe
The night watchman had just finished
his lonely rounds from cellar to paint
frame, here gathering up faded mash
note. eoldy forgotten by the nsiads of
San Toy" and there, hearing TIE ghost
of a sigh which might be recogr .zed as a
component part of Jimmy Powers heart,
as sigh for a laugh that never came
Treading his way by the light OF bis trusty
lantern through the silent auditorium to
make assurance doubly sure and watch
mans sleep sweeter, he was startled to
hear angry voices sissuing from the lobby.
Carefully putting out his light, he listened.
and distinctly recognized the voice Of
Frank Daniels, remarking, "A nice place
to spend Christmas Eve, when all ..is rest
of the world are enjoying themselves
stuck in an oak frame and nailed to a coid
plaster WALL" TO which. Answered Chauncey
OIeott in his choicest ssMavourneen" dia-
leet You shouldn't Kick; look at me.
They've got Andrew Mack over me and q
ballet dancer under. and If she kicks I'll
come down with crash"
Mack here began an argument with Oh
colt, and they would have surely come to
blows had not William Gillette stepped
down from his oaken enclosure. Grasping
his cigar firmly, he separated the two,
saying, Gentlemen. I'm surprised. Your
heated argument savors of intensity, and
& good actor is never intense. Keep cool
in the dramatic situations and smoke-I
do
Speaking Of keeping cool and smoking
at the same time strikes me as para
doxical," said Maude Adams. from her
dainty enclosure, near the front door.
Here am l within a foot of the door, and
every time 1t opens there's a dreadful
draft on my back. I'm sure l shall have
pleursy before the season finishes
Then all was silent for a moment The
electric lights in the street grew dim.
The glass enclosing Richard Mansfield
slowly raised SO that the eminent actor
could adjust his eyeglass and find suffi-
cient space to frown and say in a Henry
v delivery: What varlets are those
that grin, and grin again, and dare to
grin again at me-" At this point the
Rogers Brothers trembled so that their
frame was nearly torn from the wall, and
Blanche Walsh, who, though More Than
Queen" knew she was less than Mans
field, left her frame and rushed into the
cottage OF the Sag Harbor' picture i'm
medately under her.
In the midst of the confusion the night
watchman was startled by noticing that
the frame containing Joseph jefferson,
in which he had noticed the dean OF the
profession a moment before, had become
empty. At that moment he heard the
tread OF footsteps and the swirl of a
dress behind him, and, turning quickly,
was spellbound to find Mr.. Jefferson, with
his arm around Olga Nethersole's waist,
carrying her up the balcony stairs in the
most approved "Sapho" style. At this
juncture Mr.. Kelcey, taking Miss Shan
non by the hand, left their easels and,
bowing to their conferees, said: Ladies,
Gentlemen, Comrades: We are heartily
sorry that We should have caused this
disturbance by our late arrival, and
promise"
Just then the tolling of bell and the
ner, who had been pasted back of Stuart
Robson. broke through the comedians
shoulder and mechanically ex-
claimed: "Sh, 'Tis the Christmas
chimes" but Nat Goodwin stepped down
to the oak Dashboard and said Chimes
nothing; it's Mrs. Carter. She's swung
out too far and broken her curfew bell"
Then the night watchman awoke and
turned the watch clock back two hours,
and the early rays of the Christmas dawn
had arrived.
Manager Janette, of the Academy of
Music takes much pardonable pride in the
list of coming attractions to his house,
and there is every reason to believe the
performances will be accorded the patron
age they deserve.
After Through. the Breakers" this
weeks booking, Sporting Life" which
was seen at the National last season and
made quite a hit. viii appear. Then will
come in the order il dicated Harry Lacy,
in THE Still Alarm" the HanIons' ever
popular "Superba,'' Charles Dickson in
Mistakes VIII Happen Al. Wilson, the
German singing comedian, in THE Watch
on the Rhine" w. j. Thorold's successful
melodrama, Near the Throne" Blaney's
Am African Farm" Thomas Z. Shea in his
repertoire of popular successes. and Rose
Melville in her original creation OF Sis
Hopkins"
Since his entry into the amusement
field here, Manager Chase, of the New
Grand, has proved somewhat of fairy
godfather to a number of Washing
tonians with ambitions that led them vau-
deviileward. In doing so he has been
much more generous than most mana
gers. who usually when applied to for a
novice reply, First get reputation"
It was through Mr.. Chase's patient
hearing of her early efforts that Mabel
Maitland got into the stellar ranks of
vaudeville, and is destined to stay there.
The college trio of youngsters from here
found the New Grand the golden gateway
for them. Clara Stevens and La Petite
Alma were first introduced by the Wash
ington manager, and owe their present