Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05


It Is not often that Washington sees a
strictly local first production of the mag
Hitude of THE Little Pilgrims" which has
been the attraction for the week at the La
fayette Square Theater. The children en-
ployed in the cast are among the cleverest
youngsters seen in a long time. and they
completely monopolize the interest. The
villain with his Vaccinations so long
familiar, the comedy woman with her con-
stantly agitated nerves and all the rest
serve as interferences rather than as assist
ants in the entertainment. The animals
are, however, very important. The attrac-
ton ought in all justice TO have been billed
as The Bellows Stock Company. assisted
by the Bellows Live Stock Company"
David Harum" and The Burgomaster'
played return engagements. The company
playing David Harum' was rather better
than its predecessor; that playing The
BurgOmaster'' considerably worse Both at
fractions played to large business. There
Is no present prospect that the Robson and
Crane performance In the spring for the
benefit of the actors fund will lead to any
union of forces for road purposes. They
will play The Henrietta" in New York for
one night only. Every now and then there
Is hint thrown out that a revival of "A
Comedy of Errors" is among the possibili
ties. but it never gains verification from
either Of the parties most interested.
x
There was not much fear of stage fright
among the quadrupeds on the first night of
The Little Pilgrims" Bipeds with the
exception Of parrots are in danger of for
getting what is expected OF them, but the
F-ia h Il
pended If the worst comes they can be
hitched. But the bull who appears In the
last act became unrUly and proceeded to
reverse the intentions of author and Stage
Manager Bellows At a time when the bull
ought TO have been on the stage and most
OF the company in the wings, the animal
TOOK a dislike to the glare, and chased the
Company into the open. He made for the
door. and disappeared; much to the relief
OF many people. He was found next morn
;Gg pIacidly grazing in the White lot
The series of Sunday evening concerts
which the Empire Theater has in contem-
plation, may put an end TO the services
which have been held there from time to
time by the mission Pennsylvania ave
nue. On pleasant evenings the attendance
was too large to be cOnviently accommo-
dated by the missions regular quarters
and the management of the Empire offered
the theater, which was not infreuuentIy
turned into a church. with the orchestra
leading the music. and members of the
stock company assisting as the choir The
result of this courtesy has been a very
kindly feeling toward the theater by the
mission workers. and while none of them
went so far as to advise going to the
theater. 1t was suggested. both In print and
h. IA hot .l..4+
meEt was essential to anybodys happiness.
- he Empire ought to receive every possi-
bic encouragement in its new enterprise.
John Ransone the Croker monologist
al Chases this week, told a circle of ac-
guaintances the other night a personal
Teminiscence of Andy Mckay, a famous
manager OF bygone days.
4 played for Mckay for three years"
said Mr.. Ransone, and never got apy SAL
ary Finally. when my contract termi-
mated. made up my mind that 1t was
time to return to wearing a white shirt
and hose now and then. and the variety
business would afford me that much luxury
al least So We parted. and soon 1 had
booked myself for twenty weeks all over
the country. When l reached Pittsburg |
found a telegram from Mckay, stating thar
he had secured the Seven Ravens produc-
zion, comprising 10 people, and must have
me 10 do my speciaities First | refused
put "hen ne wrote me glowing details l re-
solved 20 take the chance You know an
actor VIII throw up a certainty any time for
sIltterlns expectat ton. When L got back
10 New York l found that Mckay was in
jersey City, and. going over to TayIor's Ho-
lei. encountered Mckay in the hands of
TWO gentlemen Did l know them? You
bel / did I'd know a sheriff anywhere
And that was Andy's fix; he was in the
Hands of the sheriff and his deputy Even
tgaily matters were compromised and the
Seven Ravens proceeded west There were
"a lot of foreigners in the company, among
them Monsieur Adele the famous wire
walker. This fellow concocted a scheme to
GET the receipts at the next big stand We
played and disrupt the company You see
Andy had been shy on salary | heard of
IL and told Andy and he asked me to keen
him posted The conspirators finally fixed
on the following matinee day In Chica ga as.
the receipts from matinee performances
are usually kept in the theater safe over
night along with the night money | told
MGhay. ana ne by hook or crook. got
hold of a telegraph receiving blank and
wrote telegram to himself as il coming
from Poole and Gilmore. the New York
managers, offering to be responsible for
salaries This he ostentatiously posted
and everybody bit except some cheap two
dollar-a-week guy of a supe. Mckay was
ratified when he wrote 1t, and he put the
wrong date The night performance was
then on, and the mutineers intended to pull
the curtain down and demand their money
before going on Mckay was called back
and he sent Tor me. He asked me privately
II l could hold the stage or keep the au-
dience entertained while he counted up and
said I'd try.
Well. 1 went on. and for forty-nine min
utes sang, danced, told stories and swore
under my breath. Finally Mckay came
back and beckoned me off. He had counted
up. got the money and defied the company
when they found that the money was out
T1nav fniSD
but at the close went all 10 I.ieces
Mckay bought 124 tickets for New York