The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-24
ghe uag Eagle: Sunday gaormino aouenrber a. 1901


Small wonder the play is a successful bit
OF realism, with self-confessed, ardent
realist Tor star. owner, manager and gen
eral overseer.
When Elsie De Wolfe bought THE Way
Of the World" from Clyde Fitch it had
been refused by most Of the leading man
ayers Of this city. They complained be-
cause it had no young girl love in 1.-THE
love parts being played by married and
divorced and unhappily married people.
There were too many properties required,
they said. and too many stars. and an
actress couldn't be found, they concluded.
| who could play the part OF Mrs. Croydon
cOnvincingly.
Elsie De Wolfe had Just closed her con-
tract with Frohnan, and was star-gazing.
She read the manuscript Of Clyde Fitch's
/ latest play ana liked it, She saw in if
the chance to put on play such as she
thought the public wanted-fuu Of realism
and as nearly like their daily lives as it
could be.
! She went TO Versailles last May with
/ her household and her manuscript. leased
/ a little French chateau far from the
nadding crowd" and settled herself to
work
Not the work Of studying her part, but
! everybody part. from parlormaid to lead
ing woman, from scene shifter to play
wright.
She studied The Way of the World
TIL she could close her eyes and see the
position OF every person in every sense,
could hear their lines, note the infection
OF their voices. their gestures, the color
Of their gowns. the color scheme OF the
rooms, the decorations. And upon all these
things she made notes; and as a result
Of these notes she made lists Of the peo-
PIE who could naturally best I'LL the parts
because the training Of their own lives
had qualified them for It.
For six months Miss De Wolfe worked
night and day, paying no attention to
days according to hours. but resting only
when she was too exhausted to work. She
spent her money as she spent her time
advisedly but not sparingly.
She resolved that her properties, as well
as her people, should be real Many
good act has been robbed of It's realism
and attendant success by poor stage me
chanism and sham properties: and many
strong scene has been made ridiculous
BY inharm0nious blending Of color, mod
eTn furnishings and paintings in an an
tique room, or inappropriate wearing ap-
perel
To every one Of these details Elsie De
Wolfe gave personal attention, from the
star gowns, made at Worths and Pin
gsnts, to the cooks black gown and
white bibbed apron with the cameo |
brooch which every prosperous cook puts !
on for luck.
The costume OF the French ou-nou, or |
baby's nurse, is also true to the letter. |
with white cap and long ribbon stream
ers; and the babys robe ar the eventful |
christening is a copy OF one made by /
the same firm for Mrs. Oelrich's baby.
Miss Devote also made sure OF the |
correctness Of her christening favors, by /
ordering duplicates Of those provided for !
the Cornelius Vanderbilt baby at Mail |
lards And the tea-table-that wonder
ful tea table, pushed in on wheels by a
perfectly correct butler-is a finer piece Of
realism to Miss De Wolfe than her whole
cast
There is just one other in existence"
says Miss De Wolfe proudly, and that
IS owned by Queen Alexandra. They
were made by a famous italian cabinet
ing from business; one for Queen Alex
andra and the other for the Warehouses
Of Anglesey, at whose home I saw it this
summer.
Everything 7 saw during those months
took its place in my mind under on Of
two headings: Fit TO be introduced In
my play or otherwise. I considered that
tea-table decidedly TT and without max
ing known my intention, decided to get
one like it.
IT couldn't find one a7ywker. At last
[ inquired who had made it, and then dis
covered that the Italian had gone out of
business So L gave up in DESPAIR, and ,
In q letter TO the Warehouses, who has
always been perfectly dear to me, I con-
fessed the scheme had failed. IN ordinary
Louis XVI tea-table had been provided
for the room. when, three days before
my opening. that tea-table arrived, the ,
gift of the Narchionese OF Anglesey."
No wonder the matinee girls lose track
Of Mrs Croyden's Irritation when the tea ,
table makes its entrancet It isn't the :
chink Of cut glass as she mixes NeviHs !
cocktail that keeps their eyes "on the ,
ball" :
It's the wonderful power Of the sugges-
lion Of blu blood. even unperceived and ,
that never fails to touch the !
feminine heart.