Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-29
MUSIC

tended the Columbia Theater this week did
not understand Italian If some OF the en-
thusiastic auditors could have known the
precise meaning of some Of the scenes they
were applaudng they would have sub
sided into silent dismay. But, thanks to
their unntelligibility, the plays were listen
ed to with complacency by young women
who were out so late by special dispensa-
ton of parental authority, granted on the
theory that they were improving their
minds and could listen without blush to
some of the foulest ideas that ever contami-
mated human speech. Duse Will play
nothing but D'AnnunZio- This is mat
ter for her own conscience-and, should she
undertake to give them in Engllsh, 1or the
police "Sapho' was an innocent nursery
rhyme compared to her present repertoire. >
Carrie Behr, the soubrette of Hanlon
Superba company, takes delight In collect
ing souvenirs from the different cities She
visits. She has pottery and sombreros from
Mexico shells and ferns from California,
ard hundreds of souvenir spoons from ev-
erywhere. and hearing of the fad of col
Letting worlds fair stickers that is now
prevalent in st. Louis, she commissioned
tho Superba advance agent to procure as
many as possible before her arrival. as she
was to devote all her leisure time fair week
to that object. A practical joke was play
ed on Miss Behr IN the west Seeing SO
many of Outlaw Tracy's souvenirs and be-
longings, shoes, buttons. knives, reviewers,
etc, on exhibition in many different cities
enough. in fact, to dress company of out
laws-she made a wager of gloves with
Robert Rosare, the clown of Superba, that
she would procure something of Tracy )
that authentic, and wrote requesting
the manager of the Seattle Theater to pro-
cure her a relic. Now Rosaire is acQuaint-
ed with the same manager, and prepared
q Sou. 10 J,f-4 to t,a 4i,,,a
nice package with a pasteboard box cover
ed with express stickers came. and accom-
panied with letter. The company were as
sembled eager to witness the great Tracy
relic. Opening the letter, Miss Behr read
Dear Carrie: Enclosed you will find one o
the footsteps of the outlaw Tracy; open
the box with care. as it might step out
Carrie eagerly opened 1t and found about
pound of sand. and with an exclamation
cried The horrid monster. They joggled
the box and the footstep is gonel" Rosaire
is wearing new gloves, but is not happy.
* X u
Charles Clarke otherwise Seth Perkins,,
who is one of the Oldest members in point
OF years and service of THE Old Home
stead" al the Columbia the coming week,
has had many experiences. One of the
funniest and most embarrassing happened
in this city back in the COS at the old
Grover Theat ter.
Charlotte Cushman volunteered to play
Lady Macbeth for the sanitary commits
sion Wallack was cast for the role of
Macbeth and Davenport for Macduff.
Clarke was to impersonate the bleeding ser
geant, and at the last moment he was
asked to fill the role of the physician. He
went on as the sergeant all right He was
wearing his hair short at the time, and In
order to fasten his white physicians wig to
his head was compelled to wear a skull
cap. After dressing for the character and
grIdironing his face with the necessary
wrinkles, he put on the wig and PLAYED the
famous S!eep-walking scene with Lady
Macbeth. He quite forgot that he had an
other scene and proceeded to remove his
wig and outer garments preparatory to en-
1oyins peaceful pipe before donning
MS street clothes.
ne had no sooner lighted the pipe than
'Halloa. there! Halloa there!' came
sounding through the speaking trumpet In
the dressing room, followed instantly by
the exclamation, Clarke, Clarke, Where
are you? Here's your other scene. Hurry
on"
Clarke rushed down stairs minus his wig.
and. taking only sufficient time 10 get into
his tab jacket before hearing his cue he
walked deliberately on the stage with no
other head covering than his skull cap. The
audience received him with a yell Wal
lack looked at him in establishment.
'Canst thou minister to a mind dis
eased?" said WaIlack.
Clarke should have replied, Therein the
patient must minister to himself" but his
line went from him and he said, That's at
the option of the woman"
"Oh-ah-ah-ha!" roared Wallack. What
are you talking about?" And he went on
with his line, They come-hearest thou of
them?'
Wishing himself Somewhere else. when
Clarke should have replied, Your royal
preparation makes US hear something" he
simply said, We've heard of them a num-
Der OF times"
That settled it. Davenport and the entire
company, with the exception of Walack
were roaring with laughter in the entrances
Go on the stage Kissed Wallack in
an undertone TO Clarke. Clarke looked at
him In dazed sort of way for a moment
then turned and faced the private box
which contained President Lincoln and his
family, General Grant and two or three
notabies, and finding that they too were
cognizant OF his dilemma, for they laughed
uproariously at the joke he bowed solemnIy
10 them, then to the audience in general
and strobe off to his dressing room fol-
lowed by hurricane OF laughter and ap-
plause.
That" said Mr. Clarke to the writer.
was the only time that 1 ever attempted
TO gag Shakespeare"
Carroll Johnson, the minstrel, who will
be at Chase's next week. is full of time
killing anecdotes OF old times In mlnstrelsy,
although Mr.. Johnson is still in his prime.
His story of how minstrel men became
Identified with the wearing of great big
diamonds is interesting as showing the
growth OF the custom that has overspread
the theatrical profession like an epidemic.
Il claim to be the first black-face come
dian To wear one of those diamonds that
SHINE like a locomotive headlight" said
MT Johnson. Not that claim to be the
hrst to have had money enough. but II
grew out OF my fondness for precious
stones. l came into possession of my first
diamond while on the roaG in the west with
w w. Newcombs MINISTRIES. The country
was new then, and MINISTRIES coined as
much money as some of the government
u'ints located around the country 1t was
ditheu!t 10 carry your accumulated salary
when you got any, and l was never In the
habb of throwing mine away 1t occurred
10 me TO invest my savings in a diamond
which. as you know. is always good coll
lateral in quick loan. Through friend
heard that well-known railroad man In
council Bluffs, where we were then play
ing, wanted to sell a big Sinner as they
were called in those days. We got to-
gether. and found 1t was a monster sew
eral carats In size and without a flaw.
bought 1t for $1,000. and it was worth sew
-era1 hundred more. Well. l had IL made
into shirt stud, and / tell you In the
rural communities where diamonds had
never been seen 1t was a better advertising
novelty than our brass band. | yould 90
into hotel, ard the shine OF the stone
would catch cverybody's eye and one