Evening star., 1901-02-23

when fortune seemed to have dubbed to-
gether to gloom upon the soulful James. a
troupe arrived at West Troy, and his spirits
writhed with hope. The troupe consisted Of
one highly approved Joe Webb, supporting
cohort and two magnificent St. Bernard
dogs. They played 1.-THE Dog of Montar-
gis, written about the story OF Aubry de
Montdidier, the Peddler of Ghent, and dra-
mas where the canine triumphant thwarted
villains. saved heroes and committed un-
paralleied deeds OF glory. Fate and the
flowing bowl of West Troy left the part or
Macaire in the French mountain melodrama
open for an aspiring genius, and the come
iy, bright and talented young Herne boldly
offered himself ready to take the absconded
highwayman's place, allow the famous dog
to bark at his upraised club, tear at his
heels and otherwise threaten instant and
CORY removal of his plaster calves. webb
was delightful fellow vraf Bohemin and
learned in all the tricks of catching ap-
plause and leading the gallery on to howis
Young Herne went from the little red cot
tage at West Troy, with all OF Its environ
ments and home life, into the mysterious
life or an actor, an actor with a dog or
Montargis at his clanking heels. He had a
panoramic, adventurous and picturesque
life OF ups and downs, and all of his great
successes, splendid achievements and tragic
diSappointments make romance of i'm
mense interest
Herne has seen life in all of its phases,
has feasted and tasted among all its richest
treasures and is today one of the best pre-
served meliowest, productive actors OF tne
old school. He is immeasurably human IN
ms character sketching and dramatic STU
atoms. The baby in 1.-The Hearts of Oak
won thousands of dollars through the reg
ular matinee contingents from ocean TO
ocean. Hernes simple pathos will sway
nearts that Hugo's tragedies could hardly
touch; There is a quaint nominees TO all
comedy that leaves his pen and quiet nat
uralness most engaging. Above all, Herne
h1Ipn
ana James Whitcomb Riley are devoted
| chums. They meet seldom, but are jealous
| or every minute the fruitful companionship
| is allowed. When Herne- meets Riley In
| Indiana, the poet sits thoughtfully through
| Herne's play, and after the play they wan
| der around in an atmosphere especially Gre
| ated for sympathetic humorists, and laugh
| at each others stories, sympathize over
| pathetic fabrications of their inventive
| minds. or the true real suffering exploited in
"reminiscences. Mostly they talk of children,
| because both the men love these little jokes
| on poster1ty, and once when the two Jfms
sat out In an Indianapolis park until day
| light. telling stories of children, nearly all
| imaginary, the greater number Of those de-
| hclous Riley childlike sketches which are
| reaching the hearts of multttudes just now
| were told under the morning starlight to
| Jim Herne. The ragged little chap and his
| strawberry shortcake and dozen like 1t,
and one which never saw print. but which
| IS as airy a baby trick as ever Riley con-
ned Twin girls, very tiny and very beau
tiful, could never be told apart and one day
| Girofe was very naughty and Girofa very
mamma of the gemini put the naughty little
girl to bed, and in order to make the pun
| 1shment more indicative. she dressed up the
| other twin in her prettiest gown and rib
| bons and allowed her to go out walking in
| the parks. A lady met the small walking
| maid and said, How do you do? Now
which one Of the twins are you?" The
| baby lifted her curly head and said, 1oftily,
| Il am the one that's OUT That Is Herne' 8
story.
| The Lafayette Square Company displays
| marked reticence concerning it's plans for
| the future. Its plays are announced only
one week ahead of time. 1t was intended
| earlier in the season to produce ''Quo
| Vadis." but shortly after the intention be-
| came public the Whitney company came to
| town. and reaped harvest so liberal that
| subsequeRt gleanings would be scarcely
worth while. The appearance of this pro-
duction just at time when the Lafayette
| square company was contemplating the en-
| terprise may easily have been regarded as
| something more than coincidence.
The engagement of James E. Shea at the
| Academy Of Music was an enormously pros
porous one. Mr.. Shea occupies a peculiar
| position in the amusement world. Few ac-
tors have succeeded in securing recognition
range of taste. 1t is impossible not to per-
| ceive in him the well-disciplined mentality
which makes the intelligent and forceful
| reader of lines. Yet Mr.. Shea does not hes
| itate to throw considerations Of fine art to
! the winds IL he feels that his audience de-
mands it.
Il always endeavor to adapt my interpre-
tatton OF character to the audience before
whom I am appearing"
How do you guess it's preference :" was
| the natural query.
Il feel 1t. Any one Of a thousand little in
terruptlons may give warning that I am
! not holding the attention of the people in
| front who have intrusted me with the re-
| sponsibilities Of their evenings entertain
ment. A cough, the rustic Of program or
the scraping OF foot is sometimes un
mistakable warning that attention Is not
close and sympathetic. and that more en-
| phasis. or emphasis of different character,
| Is demanded. I have no fault to find with
the career OF popular-prfced star. Ny DO
sition Is very Independent one. and find
my audiences almost without exception dis
| eliminating in taste as well as liberal in
their patronage.
Mr.. Shea is one of the most prosperous
stars before the feotlights, and from a pc
cuniary point of view is fully justified In
| sitting those ambitions which lead he ac-
tor to the domain Of $1.5O and So for the
best seat.
Questions OF pronunciation arise so fire.
quently in connection with the theater that
doubts assert themselves In cases which
ought to be perfectly plain. Even so plainly
christened gentleman as John Hare was
obliged TO submit to cross-examination on
this point during his stay in Washington
A young woman explained to him that she
had heard the pronunciation Of his name in
dispute, and the assertion had been made
that it was pronounced "Har'' without the
final eye. She concluded with the query:
How Is your name really pronounced
Like that of the animal" he answered
laccnically, and thus settled once and for
ever a query which might have puzzled the
future photographers.
The veteran theater-goer was in q remi-
niscent mood after the performance of
'She Stoops to Conquer at the Columbia
Theater last Saturday night Said he:
ITO my mind the most interesting char
acters in the play were Bouncer and his
| daughter in the first act. When May Ten
Brock, as the daughter. comes into the
hostelry and demands and receives all her
fsther's money I was led to believe that
John Henshaw. who played Bouncer so
cleverly, wished 1T was reality instead Of
play, and that the bright little woman had