The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-12

animal over with candy brides. and finds
4 welcome saddle at every performance.
A peculiar situatiot presented itself one
evening at the Garden Theater in New
York that had not been noticed before even
at rehearsals. About 1879 the horse was pc
ing led to the stage, when it evidently
changed its mind and stuck half way in
the stage door. refusing to bulge either
way. The man in charge did not seem to
understand the animals eccentricities, and
it was necessary to telephone the staple
and find out what would be best TO Go IN
the dilemma. The answer was Get a lady
to lead him to the wings"
While he had a prejudice against actors
he was particularly partial to actresses.
The fact was he had been a lady's pet
and it had not been noticed that on pre-
Vious occasions the court beauties ana
extra ladies had been making their en-
frances at the moment this admirer of the
fair sex passed the stage portals. One OF
the ~prettiest of the court ladies was at
once delegated to lead the animal into the
theater every evening.
THUS the chief lady-in-waiting to the
Queen is also master of the horse
It is at last authoritatively announced
that Augustus ThOmas's virile American
play, Arizona" is TO be presented in Lon
' don. Kirke La Shelle has signed contracts
with the managers of the Adelphi Theater.
| and ABOUT the TllUt4e Ol JdHudIS VI san
from New York with n complete American
company and all the stage paraphernalia.
1t is understood that this latter condition Is
what Mr.. La Sheile has been holding out
for. He has insisted that Arizona" should
be done in London with ain American COM
pany throughout or not at all.
Fanny Rice began her vaudeville tour
December so in Detroit. Miss Rice has just
copyrighted a novel and effective stage set
ting which she will use this season. 1t con-
] sists Of more than LOCO square feet of royal
7 purple velvet, artistically draped over the
entire stage. One feature of her vaudeville
act will be the introduction of her famous
singing and dancing dolls that were such a
strong hit in "a Jolly Surprise" the first
play in which she appeared as a start.
Fanny Rice is one of the few women be-
fore the public who have 4 real sense of
humor. This may appear a strange state
I ment to make in view Of the fact that there
are so many ''comediennes'' coming and GO
ing nowadays. But the mere singing of a
comic song or the deliverance of funny lines
are not evidences of an innate perception of
what is humor. The test comes when the
performer is alone on the stage, dependent
on his or her ability to hold the attention
and really amuse an audience through a
scene of some length
Robert Taber, who has been in London
for several years, has purchased the Eng
lish rights of darcy of the Guards and
purposes producing it in London this spring,
appearing in the role now assumed by Hen
ny Miller at the Savoy Theater. Mr.. Taber
will send a representative to New York this
month to copy the Miller production.
sss
In the first act of Justin Huntly Nc
Carthy's drama, IF 1 Were King" E. II.
Sothern recites some verses entitled IF
Villon Were the King of France" This
poem is the keynote of the play.
All French folk. whereso'er We be.
Who love your country, soil and sand,
From Paris to the Breton sea,
And back again to Norman strand.
Forsooth ye seem a silly band,
Sheep without shepherd. left to chance
Far otherwise cur Fatherland.
II Vilon were the King of Francei
The figure on the throne you see
Is nothing but a puppet planned
To wear the regal bravery
Of silken coat and gilded wand:
Not so, We Erenchrnen understand
The lord Of lions heart and glance
And such an one would take command,
II Villon were the King of France!
His counselors are rogues. Pardie,
While men of honest mind are banned,
To creak upon the Gallows Tree.
Or squeal in prisons overmann'd:
We want a chief to bear the brand
And bid the damned Bursundians dance;
God! where the Orinamme should stand,
II Nilon were the King Of France!
Envoi.
Louis the Little. play the grand:
Buffet the foe with sword and lance;
IT'S what would happen. by this hand,
If Villon were the King of Francel
ss.s
TIL grand opera, after an arduous road
tour, has again hung its banners on the
outer walls at the Metropolitan opera
House, New York. Its opening week was
devoted to Tristan and Isolde,' Romeo
and Juliet and 1.-THE Barber of Seville"
Mr.. Grau reached New York firm in the
determination to do no more touring. as his
life has been made n nightmare by the ILL
nHss of artists and the consequent disguest
Of the public. But the chances are that the
willing dollars in other cities will attract
Mr.. Grau again and yet again The New
York season opened auspiclously, and the
Indications are for a very profitable opera
engagement.
Perhaps the surest evidence that the TO-
mantle style of drama has slashed its
swashbuckling and adventurous way out OF
current popularity is shown in the fact that
the microscopic imaginary kingdom on the
Continent, made popular by Anthony Hope,
now finds itself principally useful on the
operate comedy stage. r. A Barnet, in his
libretto for Frank Daniels's new piece, Miss
Simplicity" has been the first to burlesque
this idea of a nongeographical golf-links
kingdom, and reports of Danielss success
in the new play indicate that Mr.. Barnet
has achieved a result that is diverting.
Sidney Ainsworth. who plays Lieutenant
Denton in the special company of "Ari-
zona," was a volunteer in the late unpleas-
%antness with Spain and saw active service
in Cuba. When Arizona recently played
Mr.. Ainsworth's home, in Madison, Wis.
the members of his VOLUNTEER company at
tended the performance in a body.
Ian Maclaren (the Reverend John Wat
son, D.. d. is another of the foreign literary
lights who will be made rich from play
royalties on their writings. 1t is thought
that The Bonnie Brier Bush" will endure
in popular favor for many. many years.
Hall Game C'The Christian'0 and ]. NJ.
Barrie f'The Little Minister') are already
rich men from their American play royal
ties alone.
, Miss Suzanne Sheldon, although an Ameri-