The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-03-10

the title of .'The Memoirs of Chevalier DIES
Grieux ana Manon Lescaut.'
Some time ago. when Mr.. Keicey and
Miss Shannon entered into arrangements to
produce a dramatiZation of this work. the
press agent of The company. who was then
In Boston. hied himself to a bookseller to
purchase n dozen copies Of the volume for
, distribution where they might do the most
good. The bookseller did not seem at all
surprised at receiving the order. and when
asked how many mere of the edition he
had in stock remarked. About fifty" The
following day the press agent, having use
for Il half dozen more ''Manons." was told
by the bookman that he could only nave
three. as the balance had all been sold"
Upon being asked why Il novel which had
been published for 50 MANY years should
have such a remarkable popularity, the
storekeeper said:
II couldn't account for it until a week
or so since. at which time | read Alice OF
Old Nincennes,' which is one of the best
sellers just now. In this work the heroine
is caught surreptiliously reading 'Manon
Lescaut.' and her folks take the book from
her by force and punish her Tor reading it.
So / take it for granted that all the women
VINO had never read 'ManoI Lescaut,' and
never thought of reading it before. imune-
diateiy wanted to see what was in the for
hidden volume and started the boom; near
~ all the buyers are young women. So.
you see, it's the cid, cid story. The apple
and Eve repeats itself"
Me and Mother is the title of a dones-
tic drama which will nave its initial st.
Louis presentation at the Imp rial, begin
ming with the matinee of to-day.
The hero is a young blacksmith. and one of the
most striking Of the scenes is n his shop. The
p!o; hinges largely on the operation OF a gang
of counterfeiters. The, scene of their operations
is in. one OF the small towns OF Michigan. They
have as their head a man who is rated as the
richest in the village, and who is one of the
most respected for the general character Of his
open everyday life. The hero is in love with the
daughter Of this man. ard while he has discov-
cred the character of the gang and the identity
Of the leader. love causes him to attempt the
protection of Tie latter, even at the sacrifice OF
his own good name. In the end, however. the
gang is brought to justice, and there is such a
happy ending that the young man is repaid for
the trials and tight places he has passed through.
There are a number of the latter, and they form
the most thrilling of climaxes in the course or
the narrative. one of the other principal charac-
tiers is that of a green country boy who sleeps
with one eye open and who is responsible for
much of the plot.
Two Little Vagrants'' is to be at Hay-
Inns beginning with the matinee of to-day.
1t was one of the most successful of the
dramas which Manager Garen gave his
patrons last season. Fan-Fan, the star
part of the play. will be unprecedented by
Neva Harrison. The part is that OF a boy
reared as a thief in the streets of Paris.
The plot hinges on the efforts of a woman to
save her sister-in-law from the results of an
get of infidelity. To do this she places her own
reputation In Jeopardy. Her husband believes
her guilty and plans a fearful revenge. The
child he believes not TO be his own. and he EN-
rloys a burglar to steal 1t. Seven years pass.
The child has been reared as u boy and drilled
in crime. AS a boy she picks the pocket of her
own mother. The latter is unaware of the iden-
tity OF the child. but something tells her to re-
fuse to identity the stolen pocketbook. The
father has learned his mistake, and, meeting the
burglar, offers him a large sum of money 10
restore the child to her mother. In the mean
time the child has escaped. and in order to win
the reward a substitution of children Is made by
the burglar. Fan-Fan has found refuge with the |
mother and established his identity. Learning
that the burglar is in possession OF n number |
OF papers which imperil the father, he returns |
to the den of thieves. secures the papers and
opens the gates OF one Of the main locks OF the |
Seine.
Nathan Hale which is to have a pres
at the Grand Opera-louse, Is one
of the best of the plays by Clyde Fitch.
The title part is taken by Howard Kyle.
Halo 10 one Of the most familiar of characters
to the student OF history of the time of the
Revolution. He was one Of the young |
est OF the officers under Washington and gave
his services at his own personal sacrifice. Ar |
rested as a spy. his historic. words were that he !
was sorry he had but one life to give In the
cause Of his country. Hale's only reward for
his bravery and patriotic zeal has fallen to the
memory OF his name. The characters are drawn
to lie, without any effort at exaggeration. The
facts which the author had to work upon were
sufficient. The play abounds in romance and
as well as in the tragic events Of war.
There is a love story running through 1t from
beginning to end. 1
The publicity department of the Jerome
sykes Foxy CUTLER Opera Company is
ooing wonders for Helen Bertram these !.