The times., 1901-03-17

thing as gratitude does not dwell in his
person He has been put 10 so much
trouble 70 win success that he is really
In no fit condition to appreciate per
formance. Another curious phase of the
disease is that the afflicted one. with
money to inCinerate. should spend ten
times the value of ticket to secure free
admission 1t is for the cure, correction,
and surcea Sement of the fiend 8 canker OF
the brain that the Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Deadhedds ~ pro-
posed.
Few people of the many thousands VINO
are now paying 81 a seat To see NINE
Sarah Bernhardt playing in LAiglon
are aware of the fact that she once played
i'm Sullivan. Ind. at 35 cents a head but
there are folks out Sullivan way who are
still telling their grandchildren about It.
It was not when Nine. Bernhardt was
taking her first steps In the theatrical
profession, nor was it because she needed
the money. that she gave this special per
formance at reduced rates. She was then,
as now the queen of her art, and that Is
why Sullivan. Ind. did not come out or
it's trance for a week afterward.
1t was many years ago. and, accorulns
to the Saturday Evening Post, Bern
hardt was making a tour OF the country
on the way from Louisville to lndlandpo-
lis the train was stopped at Sullivan by
the news that a serious freight wreck had
occurred a few miles up the road, COM
pleteIy blocking the tracks, and MAKING z
progress to Indianapolis Impossible uitii
the next day In vain the manager storm
ed at the railway employees and warmed
the wires with frantic messages TO every
one connected with the road, from the
president down to the dispatcher Notn-
ing couId be done There was no other
road that could be reached, ana Sarah
was in despair.
VERY well" said the manager at
length in excellent French and with
forced calmness, "since we cannot leave
town we will give a performance here.
Impossible" said Nine. Bernhardt.
Quite impossible.
f'Not a bit" said the manager; and ne
went about It. The Frenchwoman, being
under contract To play certain number
of nights. was induced to consent. Ihere
was no opera house in Sullivan, through
some strange oversight on the part OF the
man who laid out the town, but the Ma
sonic Hall was rented and some OF the
scenery was crowded into II. The local
lob Office got out a lot of handbills IN a
hurry and messengers were despatched 70
the adjoining towns to spread the giad
news that Bernhardt, the divine Sarah,
was to play in Sullivan that night ana
that admission would be 80 cents
NO use trying to charge metropolitan
prices here" said the manager to the
treasurer. and that gentleman sighed and
said he supposed not.
come into town long lines OF farmers
wagons, each holding family party.
There were whiskers in Sullivan tnat
night which had survived many herce
Storm and their owners carried them up
10 the Masonic Hall and crowded in To
see This woman that the papers say so
much about. When the house was faii
the great Bernhardt, cautiously took a
peep at it from behind the fiimsy curtain
Mon Dieu' she cried. raising her jew
eled hands look al the Indians:
But she played Fedora for them and
acted until II O'Clock. AS she played in
French and the university extension sys-
tenn had not then gained much OF loot
hold in Indiana few of the auditors knew
whether Fedora was q new game or some Ll,g,.
thing 70 eat But Sullivan, Ind, saw
Bernhardt just the same, and that Is
enough glory for one generation.
.Dick" Carroll. the principal comedian OF
THE Burgomaster," relates that he has a
Boston friend who keeps a cigar store and
who is an old school chum. Whenever Mr.
Carroll goes to Boston it is his custom to
call on the friend and take luncheon
with him. The friend is not particularly
famous for his liberality. In fact, he Is
what may be termed close. When the
comedian dropped in on him recently there
were the usual cordial greetings, which
were interrupted by the entrance of Gus
toner Carroll retired to corner ana
ensconsed himself in a convenient chair'
awaiting the end OF the business transac-
tfOn While thus occupied, poor, mis-
erablv clad woman, bearing a child in her
arms entered the store and umldIy ap-
preaching the proprietor, asked MIN 1or
aims.
MIST did not want to appear TOO close before
his customer. and pointed over TO CarroIl
with the remark: Il am sorry, out can
do nothing for you. There Is the proprle"
tor He may aid you.
he canadian praGDrd the situation I'M
mediateIy and. waving his hand grandlIo-
quently directed the unfortunate woman
back to his friend with the reply: hat
all right. give her d dollar out OF tHe
This was a body blow, and the tobacco
mist was glad TO compromise with a guar
ter.
There promises to be a revolution in
theatre prices in New York before many
days Already several of the more i'm
portant managers have reduced their tar
IFS from the s. scale and the latest recruit
to the cause is Jacob Lift, who Will soon
put on what is claimed to be the largest
and most expensive melodramatic produc-
tion that Broadway has ever seen, Ine
Price of Peace
Mr.. Lift has cut down the Broadway
theatre admission from the 81 schedule
that prevails at most OF the metropolitan
playhouses 10 rate that VIII range from
of the front rows at S1.50 Mr.. Lit In
making this very radical change, an
nOunces that he does not beueVe any
theatrical performance Is worth y, and
that the era Of overcharge for amuse-
ments is past. Already the New York
Theatre is playing to enormous business
and making large profits at 30 cents for an
orchestra chair. while Oscar Hammerstetn
has determined to slash the prices a his
Victoria Theatre. The HashimS have
met the prices of the New York
Theatre at Roster & Biafs, and the best
seat in the house can be had for 80 cents.
Whether the movement tnaugurated by
Managers Hammerstein, Sire and Lit viii
be followed by the other Broadway amuse-
ment directors remains to be seen but
there is every likelihood that they will be
forced to meet the reduced charges OF
lose a large share of the theatrical pat
ronage of the metropolis.
Willard HoIcomb, who adapted the old
French comedy of De Banville, Grin
goire," for the use of Homer Lind, the
actor-singer. who will present it at Chase S
this week calls his playlet a vaudeville
melodrama.' and defends his choice of IT,
tie as follows
THE original meaning of the word
! 'melodrama' was a drama with music
| thao is, music introduced legitimately into
/ the play or as an accompaniment tt
/ heighten the effect of the action Iht
common use of hurry or 'ShlVer music
/ to work up the climaXes Of sensational
/ plays has served to pervert the accepted
/ meaning of the word. Just as vaudeville
! which originally meant comedy or HSh
/ entertainment interSperSed with songs dIlt
/ dances. has been made TO cover a ihtiIli
/ tude OF sins so the good old word melo
! drama has come to be synonym Tor
7 sensational play, characterized prlhcil PAM
/ bv battle. murder, and sudden dedIn o-
! the familiar n-buckets-ot-Dlood ol