Evening star., 1902-02-18

IL
by gallantry wins commission. and by
diligence and ability acquires wealth He
has saved the life of an officer OF high So
cial position and the latter aids him In his
struggle to be a gentleman. At great per-
sonal sacrifice the former common soldier
keeps secret his infatuation for lady OF
noble birth with whom his brother officer
Is in love, and saves the favored one from
the dishonor that would have resulted from
the non-payment of gambling debt
Brother Officers supplies the opportunity
for several attractive stage settings and the
display of some dazzling uniforms.
The greater part of the work falls to the
lot of White Whittlesey, Charles Wyngate,
John T. Sullivan and Lillian Lawrence. Mr..
Whittlesey is very happily cast as Lieut..
John Kinds. V. c., late sergeant 10th Dra-
goons, the officer of lowly birth The first
act presets him in the embarrassing posi-
ton of being suddenly thrust into high So
ciety without having had any previous ex-
| perience In that line. Throughout the re-
| mainder Of the play he is thoroughly at
| home in dress suit. The part calls for a
| display Of versatility and Mr.. Whittlesey
| last evening met the requirements in a
manner that earned the unstinted applause
| of the large audience present. Miss Law
| renee as the Baroness Roydon gave an in
depreciation that was within the bounds of
| good Judgment, while Mr.. Sullivan seemed
properly assigned as the villain, Robert
| Hutton. and looked after the character in
| his usual excellent style.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER-At the
| New National Theater last night Ben
Hur' began the second week of it's remark
ably prosperous engagement. The necessity
| of giving an extra matinee on Friday fndi-
Gates the popular rush to see this splendid
| spectacle.
| ACADEMY.-Rose Melville and a we'll
balanced cast presented at the Academy
last night isis Hopkins before house Of
large proportions. with the former in the
principal role. that of Sis. and repeated her
| success of former occasions. Sis is char
acter originated by Miss Melville. and is
that of a girl of Posey county, Ind, who is
eccentric and grotesquely attired and Is the
laughing stock of her home village. 1t is
not all comedy. but the interest centers in
the simple country girl as portrayed by
Miss Melville. The village hoyden goes
abroad and returns to her home with pol
ished manners and fashionable attire. She
has dropped her peculiar dialect and awk
ward ways, which, however, are assumed
in an instant almost just before the final
curtain.
George II. Maxwell and Mabella Baker. as
Pa and Ma Hopkins. were we'll cast, as was
T. f, Kyle Ridy, the unselfish lover of
Sis. Harry Crandall portrays the role of an
undertakers assistant who is always look
ing for customers in manner warranted
to cause laughter. A. d. Richardson. who
has the schemer's lines, did excellent work.
THE NEW BIJOU.-General Manager
WeSefarth appeared before the curtain at
the Bijou again yesterday afternoon and last
evening and reminded his patrons that be-
ginning two weeks from yesterday new
policy would be inaugurated at the thea
ter, which would then cease to be the Bijou
and become the Empire Family Theater.
Mr.. Wegefarth told his attentive patrons
that from that time on smoking would be
eliminated and that the Empire Theater
would be the home of clean crisp vaude-
Vile and high-class musical comedy work
by the enlarged stock company. He said
the theater would be a place where ladies
and children and people of refinement
might come with the assurance that moth
ing would be done on the stage by word,
act or situation that could offend anyone
Mr.. Wegefarth detailed some of his plans
for the future in regard to the booking Of
high-class attractions. The announcement
met with the heartiest kind of applause,
and 1t seemed as though the managers ap-
peal for his patrons to stand by him" in
this new endeavor is destined not to go un-
answered.
The speech was timely. 1t came during
the intermission Of what is generally
speaking the best show that has been at
the Bijou this winter. The vaudeville por-
tlon of the program set a high standard,
but the burlesque company was not to be
outdone and during its half Of the per-
fcrmance kept things lively at great rate.
Six acts make up the vaudeville bili the
best of which was the work Of Hassan Ben
Alis six ''Whirwinds of the Desert The
acrobatic work of these four adults and
two children was by far the ceverest seen
on a local stage this season. There was
veritably a whirlwind Of tumbling and
aerial feats that kept the audience ap-
plauding continuously. Another feature
act was the character work of Zelma
Rawlston. whose male impersonations con-
tinue in the very front rank. John w.
World and Mindell Hastings in songs,
dances and limitations are away above the
average. Tascott sings 'coon songs in
white face and sings them well. Palmer
and Harvey, as Hebrews. and Frey and
yS,,ll rH-
plete the olio The stock company gave
king kidder' as it's burlesque The COM
edy feature is brought out strongly this
week and the comedians get to work in a
mighty pleasing fashion.
The appearance of the stock company,
however, brought a pain to many a John
ny's heart, for in the smiles that played
around Susie Rocamora's pretty mouth
they read the happiness that she had found
In newly married life. which began last
Saturday Susie is married. and her hus-
band is clerk in one of the departments.
She will continue to be Susie, however. to
the Bijou patrons and their successors at
the "Empire,' notwithstanding the fact
that much of the romance. like the smok-
ing, will have been eliminated.
KERNAN'S IYCEUM.-Phn Sheridans
Biz City Sports Hurlesque Company has
made quite name for itself during the
past decade and this season the organiza-
ton IS as strong as ever. The company
has been going over the circuit and reached
Washington yesterday for the first time this
season. appearing at kernan's Lyceum be-
fore two large audiences. The City Sports
lack novelty, but this deficiency is made
up by numbers and general hustle. The
opening sketch, AN Irishman's Visit to
Paris serves to introduce the chorus In
fetching changes of costume and many
songs and dances. The Speck brothers, two
funny little dwarfs, open the olio and
laughter was continuous while they were
or the stage. Annie Morris followed with
md
and Fulton had a funny sktch called "Mul-
llgan's Masquerade" Craig and Ardell
played well on variety of instruments:
the Kelley brothers had n clever bag
punching turn; Schuyler and Carroll put on
their illustrated songs In taking style, and
the four Nelson sisters closed the olio with
their well-known acrobatic turn. Thirty
Minutes Of Trouble" was tho closing bur
lesdue. A hot basket ball game, played
by lady members of the company, was the
last number on the bill and proved as at