Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-08

productions. having learned to expect the
best.
In bringing Blanche Bates to the New
National Theater week after next, when
she will appear as the star of the new Jap
anese play, 1.-The Darling of the Gods"
written by himself and John Luther Long,
Mr.. Belasco but follows his accepted Gus
tom of the last few years. Naturally moth
ing can be prophesied concerning the prob
able success of either star or play, but the
fact that In this drama of old Japan Miss
Bates will have ample opportunity for the
display Of those personal and artistic
charms which made her Madame Butter
fly" such notable triumph. will at least
mark her offering at the New National as
Of the year. Miss Bates and The Darling
of the Gods go almost directly from here
to the new Belasco Theater in New York.
to follow there the remarkable run which
Mrs. Leslie Carter Is just closing in ''Du
Barry" Washington has by no means for
gotten the three-fold triumph won here
last season by Mr.. Belasco, Mrs. Carter and
'Du Barry" That event set standard
for future Belasco productions.
A remarkably strong company has been
gathered for Miss Bates support. 1t will
arrive in Washington by special train, and
among its hundred members the most i'm
portant are Robert T. Haines, George Ar
liss, Charles Walcot, Albert Bruning, j. II.
Benrfmo, CASTOR Mervale, Rankin Duval.
Miss Eleanor Moretti. Mrs Charles Walcot
and Ada Lewis.
Mr.. Chase Is now in complete control OF
the Cleveland Emp re Theater, which hence
forth will bear his name. 1t has been left
in charge Of Charles ]. Stevenson. former
ly Of this city. Mr.. Chase returned to the
city on Wednesday last. after an inspection
of the new property. The former Empire
was built two years ago by L. M. Eirick.
While the transaction was somewhat Of a
surprise to the Cleyelanders. the newspa-
pers of that city In printing at cons.dera-
Bile length the details OF the transaction
were very complimentary in their refer
ences to the new proprietor.
X X
One element in David Belasco's new Jap
anese play. The Darling of the Gods" in
which Blanche Bates will appear, concerns
the Samurai. or crossword men, who defied
the Emperor of Japan when he issued his
famous edict against them in 1871. That
was time when Japan was still old Japan,
for that quaint eastern country was no DIFF
ferent, as to customs and manners. In 1871
than In 1871. 1t is only within the past ten
or twenty years that Japan has really felt
the influence of western ideas, SO that In
1.-The Darling Of the Gods David Belasco
and John Luther Long will show US a play
that will be ancient Japan, with its grand
history and its high ideals Of honor-among
which was the deep reverence paid by the
man of Japan to his sword, that itself stood
for all that was high and noble and honor
able.
No Damascus blade was ever as famous
as some of the renowned swords of Japan.
History. tradition and romance TEEN with
the wonders of these swords. They were
tempered into shapes of beasts where the
edge Joined the backbone" They would
cut piles of eight to twenty gold or copper
yen at one stroke and without nick. They
were treasured as the most priceless of neir-
looms and handed down for countless gen.
erationS.
The custom of the Samurai Of wearing
two swords is probably nearly thousand
years old. One sword. the short one. was
for the Samurai himself and one, the long
one, for the emperor. That is, when 1t be-
came necessary. for honors sake for the
Samuraf to die by his own hand he had his
own sword ready at his side for that pur-
pose, and when it became ne cessary to fight
for his emperor the other sword was with
him, worn always ready for that patriotic
service. The sword makers were almost
deified. And the sword became indeed THE
living soul of the Samurai"
The Samurai Of Japan were unquestion-
ably the proudest military caste the world
has ever known The one word of their vo-
cabulary was honor" For this every thing
else was to be sacrificed. The Samurai
would sell his wlfe-and with her consent,
too-to save his swords-his honor-and the
choice would be applauded. For this the
lover would abandon his sweetheart; the
son would even abandon his mother!