The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17

tered numerous contracts at considerable;
less money than the hctors received eacl
week before the strike was inaugurated
during the few sweeks the Rats wer,
away from the theatfes the programme
were TILED with maay new names. an,
among the newcomers quite a few mad,
a decidedly favorable Impression, an,
have been retained on the books of tn
ASSOCIATION. thereby providing out some o
me oid TINE actors who now are con
| fronted with the pfoposition of not only
receiving a smaller. salary than before
but IN order To secure en- ga gements they
must pay the same 5 per cent commits
| SION either to the White Rats or to in
| dlVlduai booking agents Just where the
| average vaudeville .performer has beer
henef1ted by the foolish strike is rather
nara 10 see Some of the big people II
| the business have gained a questionable
sort OF notoriety at the expense of theil
| fellow-Rats, but the more unimportani
PAYERS may be excused for asking as tC
| their exact position
| SO far as has been noticed in Wash
| ington the Rat strike. which occupied the
! attention of the entire theatrical profess
| SION Tor week or SO. had no effect on the
business at the Grand nor on the quality
/ of the programmes and were IL not for
/ the press Nashingtonians would not know
| there was rebellion In the ranks OF the
song and dance and monologue men
| against the managers
In New York City, Lovers Lane as
! given at the Manhattan Theatre, is at
| present the pre-eminent success. The
| story of life in small town that Clyde
Fitch has devised and which has been
| splendidly staged by Manager William A.
Brady is exceptionally pleasing, and from
commercial standpoint the new piece
promises at this early date to equal Way
Down East
10y tr.hA ata hn ort NJ
Lord Jeffreys in Klaw a. Erlangers pro-
duction of Sweet Nell OF Old Drury'' with
Ada Rehan in the role of Nell Gwynne.
gives splendid impersonation of the
crafty chief justice of England
Mr.. Jewett succeeded Edward ]. Nor
gan in the role of John Storm in THE
Christian" in which he made great sue
Inflated THE Choir Invisible" Mr..
Jewett is a most enthusiastic Christian
Scientist and delights to discuss this in
teresting subject
In the absence of proximate acquain-
lance with the petty but accumulative an
noyances which beset men and women EN-
inent in public life and without any spe-
ciic knowledge of the resources OF cranks
and the devices of the enterprising, 1t may
escape the average person that a great
man has any other occupation in life than
the enjoyment of his greatness. On the
contrary. there seems to be no limit TO the
demand on the time. patience, resources,
and good nature of distinguished people.
Louis kossuth. the great Hungarian pa
triot, was actually put to the expense of
paying a secretary to write autograph
beggars that he could not grant their re-
quests Ellen Terry put the autograph
fend TO the practical test of buying her
signature with contribution TO bed In
a London Hospital. Helen Gould gave the
detailed figures of sl.Jc0,0OJ worth of re-
quests for money only in single day.
As a rule the men and women of the
stage are free from other demands than
may be satisfied with an autograph. An
exception is said to be Richard Mansfield.
This may readily be believed on account Of
his fame both in this country and in Eu-
rope. He, too, puts autographs on a basis
of paying charity. However. his reputa-
ton, his rapid earnings, the value of his
name. and other consideration make him
a constant mark for certain vainly enter
prising people.
Some one recently fiippantly asked of his
secretary what other labors his sinecure
involved beside enclosing autogra phs and
licking stamps. which nettled the young
man and drew from him some interesting
particulars of the diversified fusillsde OF
PRAYERS and demands Of which Mansfield
is the target aa
Numerous as are the autograph re-
quests they are In an Insignificant minori-
ty. nuisance who presents himself reg
ularly is the professional palmist who
Impression, and make him the feature of
his forthcoming book. There Is the COM
piler of those half morocco. gilt-edge.
colOred Illustrations presentation COPY
compilers IF Great Men of the Cen
fury" who want a history of his life. IL
he accepted all the Invitations to pose be-
fore cameras he could attitudinize before
the bulls eye for the rest of his day and
nave enough free photographs to give sou,
yenir matinees every day in the week.
Then there are the letters asking advice
begging gifts or loans, soliciting situa-
tons. or Offering to act.
Letters asking advice tally up close
with the autograph requests. and only
little less numerous are the invitations
Tor him TO become patron for this or that
chartN enterprise. Since naming musical
compositions for successful plays has
come into vogue he has had more than
his share of attention from the com
poSers Some of the evidences of taste
on the part of the harmonists have given
the heenest amusement to Mr.. Mansfield
The "Cyrano de Bergcrac" waltZes and
the Beau Rrnmmel' minuet might no
wished to exploit the "Shyiock' schot-
tische, The Jekyl and Hyde" polka ma
zourka. the King Richard III lancers,
and the Emperor Napoleon galop.
Mansheld's recent indisposition and his |
three weeks Illness last year brought TO |
him singular testimonials OF afectionate |
Interest in the shape of home remedies |
aud domestic cures for his throat Others |
were patent medicine nostrums with a |
string attached in the shape of an un-
signed slip. Your Acme Throat Tonic |
gave instant relief. with a blank line
for him>to sign Richard Mansfield" But |
sick or well. there are manufacturers of !
soaps, toilet waters. face tonics and |
other articles who express all degrees |
If anxiety to have his name for trade !
mark. or at least endorsement. from sim
pie to moneyed requests. The fact that |
Mr.. Mansfield has private car with his /
own cook suggests to food manufactur-
purveyors of table delicacies numberless |
schemes to get him TO use their goods in |
hopes of an endorsement
Altogether 1t requires an active secre-
tary. well as a sense OF self-respecting |
dignity and firm capacity to say no to |
be eminent without offence to the pro-
prieties.
Miss Henrietta Crossmen and her play.
Mistress Nell. will return to New York |
IN Monday. April %, appearing at Wal
acks Theatre. where she will close her
1wn and the theatres season
In returning to New York with Mis-
ress Nell" Miss Crossman makes an
,ther record, in accord with her phenom-
anal success, having appeared in one |
season in three New York Theatres and |
IN the same play. The fact that Miss |
'rossman has been recalled to New York /
$ proof of her substantial success during
her metropolitan engagement, extending
through three months. and is a compli-
ment that has not been bestowed upon /
any other artist that can be called to
mind at present.
When Miss CroSsman closed her engage
nent at the Savoy In a rather sensational
manner some months ago, deep regret
was expressed that so clever an artist
IN the road however has been very sue
,essful. and her return to Gotham Will