Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26
DRAMA

each other, and for the protection of those
living on our side of the creek-the Shake
Raggers-had planted flag pole made
from one of the spars taken from fathers
Shipyard right in the center Of the settle
ment SO that when wanted we could call
the clans together by hoisting red flag, II
for fight, and white rag, usually stolen
from clothes line. II for a dance. When
a dance was tagged then all the families
from Whooping Schneider to Drunken
Schneider, with Big Geo. Schneider to Lit
tie Fatty Schneider, with all their cohorts,
and they nearly filled the settlement, would
attend. For music we called in a left-hand-
ed fiddler, a Frenchman named Tebeau,
whose musicalproficiency was limited to three
tunes, Arkansas Traveller Money Musk
and the old-fashioned plain square quadrille;
to make up for his lack of music and to
give variety to his performance he would
also sing the tune and keep time by pound
Ing on the floor with his heavy boots. His
playing went as near as can recollect-
Diddle De De-pound, pound, pound.
Diddie De Dunn, pound, pound, pound.
Diddle DE De Dunn De Dunn, pound, pound.
pound.
and so on; and instead of calling the fig
ures he would sing them There were but
nVe known to him and we used to dance
them over and over again till Tebeau got
tired or hddling, pounding and singing
them. 1t was not long before the Shake
Raggers' dances became known all over St.
Louis, and the left-handed fiddler Tebeau
was called to preside at more pretentious
affairs. Musicians soon initiated him, and
1t was not long before the concert saloons
and free-and-easys along the levee, where
rlVermen and roustabouts congregated
picket it up, and naturally as the Missis-
slppl was then the main artery Of travel,
Tebeau's rag-tfme extended along it's length
and spread up and down it's tributaries un-
til it became known all over the country.
clark also tells me that rag-time was first
heard on any stage at Esher's Bowery,
where Tommy Peal and Alex. Ross first
danced steps to it. ]. c. (Fatty) Stewart
was stage manager there at that time, and
Harry Fisher, SO long known as Harrigan
and Harris Dutchman, and this season
playing an Irish comedy part with his East
Side New York Dutch dialect. was one of
the company. Archie Boyd, myself Clark
Joe Emmett, sign painter then. and later
loaf there. And so,' concluded Wilson, you
have now heard the true origination of
rag-time' -
Adele Purvls Onri. who has been playing
In vaudeville in Washington this week, do
Ing an exceptionally clever bit of Juggling
and serpentine dancing on revolving ball.
is the daughter Of aged Henry Brown of
London. now a retired clown and circus
man at the age Of eighty-two. The inter-
esting feature Of the relationship at the
present time Is the fact that Mr. Brown
was at one time court jester to Prince Al
bert and the late Queen Victoria. He held
the position at the time the institution was
abolished. some years prior to the death
Of the prince. Miss Onris father had an
Intimate association with royalty. it will
be seen, and was well known throughout
merry England. Therefore when he left the
palace to take his place in Cirque 1t
was quite natural the press agents Of those
days should boom him as a "headliner." in
the largest types known In the period. Miss
Onri has very large and interesting COL
lection OF scrap books containing many Of
her fathers programs, play bills and press
clippings. He was hailed everywhere as
being "a clown who stands at the head Of
his walk" There was strong vein OF the
"show business in all the Brown family,
Miss Onrrs sister, Sarah Brown. having
but recently retired from the stage, and
her brother. Frank Brown. now being In
South America with a circus.
The MANAGEMENT of the Grand Duchess
Theater in London refused to discontinue
the performance at that house on the even
ing Of Queen Victoria's death. Whether he
was encouraged in his refusal by the star.
Mrs Langtry, now appearing there, Is not
known but many persons evidently attrib-
uted this attitude Of discourtesy to departed
royalty to her, for upon her appearance on
the street after the show she was assailed
by a mob which attacked her brougham
and almost demolished it. Mrs. Langtry
was obliged to proceed to her hotel under
police escort.
.LoHENGRIN."-The performance of
"Lohengrin' at the National Theater last
night drew the best and the most enthu-
siastic audience Of the week. 1t is the best
known work of Wagner and Is most popu-
lar because there is in 1t the most melody.
The opera was superbly staged, and 1t may
be said here that the spectacular effects of
all the operas have been brought out to the
fullest extent. There have been some origi-
nal features in stage work that show that
the stage manager. Mr.. Temple, Is not
bound down by traditions. but has ideas Of
his own. and is not afraid to work them
out The chorus was generally to be COM
mended for its work, although the score of
"Lohengrin" Is much more difficult than
that of any other opera presented. 1t seems
easy because it Is so well known, but 1t Is
extremely difficult Of execution. and that
the chorus got through so well Is a tribute
to the severe schooling it has had. The or
chestra was held in better form by Mr..
Eckhold than by Sig. Sepelli. and barring
the fact that it did not get the exquisite
piano effects that were expected it did its
best work.
The cast was not the same as was given
in the preliminary announcements, nor
was placed on the program. 1t was first
stated that Homer Lind would sing Telra-
mund, and on the program he was set
down as the Herald. He did not sing at oil.
ward knight sang the latter character, Mr..
Golf singing Telramund in very good form.
Phoebe StrakoSch was the Elsa, and her
performance was much better than any
thing she has hitherto done. The music is
much better adapted to her voice than that
of AIDA which she sang Monday night.
and she fully deserved the applause she re-
ceived Philip Brozel sang the title role.
and was generally effective, particularly so
In the third act in his duet with Elsa.
Louise Meisslinger gave to the part of Or
trud dramatic action and forceful declama-
tion and proved herself one Of the most
effective members OF the company.
Tonight the season will be brought to a
close with a double bill, "Cavalleria Rusti-
cana" and 81 Pagliacci," in which the best
members of the company will appear.
Tomorrow the company leaves for New
York, where 1t will disband. Some of the
principals and chorus will be distributed
among Mr.. Savage's Castle Square COM
panies in st. Louis and Chicago. while the
others will be looking for engagements.
Most Of those who came from abroad will
return to Europe. It Is understood that
Miss De Lussan and Mr.. Pringle will return
to Mr.. Graus forces
COMING ATTRACTIONS.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-The only and
original Peter +. DALEY, assisted by score
or more Of clever comedians, singers and
dancers, and surrounded by company Of
sixty people, mostly young and pretty girls
with good voices, will be the attraction at