Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-10-31
THE "HoRN" OF HAMPTON HoeE.

Col. J. Hampton Hoge, one of tn,
crushed tradgedians of the politica
stage, who posed in little play as
candidate for Governor of Virgini,
not long since. and the same who MI
Cleveland ran off the Democrat
stage some years ago-inadvertently-
is now playing an engagement over il
West Virginia, in the company of tina
great cOmmedian and mOuntebanh
| Col. N. b. Scott. Whether in the pla
now being staged over there, Co
| Hoge tells those pathetic stories whic
SO often give color and zest to his play
IN Virginia, we do not know, as &C
counts of his performances have no
in full reached us. But there is n,
Question that the Colonel has som
sad stories to tell in the midst of hi
master pieces, the most pathetic 0
which is in his great 81 -,o-comic pro
duction entitled my trip to th,
Golden Horn.''
This tale of woe Invariably brings
the whole audience to tears, in fact II
is enough to make a craven image
weep, it is 80 full of sad romance, vile
SANDER, ungracious treatment, and
damnable ingratitude, by one Grover
Cleveland, then playing the part OF
President of the United States at the
National theatre. and man too, who
but for Col. Hoge, might today be
utterly unknown. At the time Col.
Hoge's character was so brutally as.
saulted by Cleveland, he, Hoge, was
barn storming around San Francisco.
wearing the garb of a Democrat. Many
did not know 1t was only his stage
costume. He was said to have on old
battered garments just like Democrats
wore then and now wear, and actually
went about the streets in them. He
was loud and boisterous In bis words
and behavior, just as Democrats are
when they accomplish some great feat,
for instance, have elected president
and have the first fat job of their lives.
1t Is said he wanted to show the peo-
pie of the Pacific slope just how much
liquor a real Virginia Democrat could
drink, and he played that part to per-
lection, be also wanted to show them
what wonderful man a Virginia
Democrat could be when he took a
notion to be great, and how he could
'hake up city as big as San Francis
20, and paint it deep vermillion. He
vas eminently successful as we learn,
n fact this was the only real successful |
our the Colonel ever made, and that
why Mr.. Cleveland gave him that
'lg encore. He responded to the en-
ore, he came back all right, but as
ne curtain was lowered it began to be
whispered, why we have never fully
Understood, that he would no longer
lay IN that company, and he has kept
is word.
Ills engagements In West Virginia
far have not been very successful,
ecause be is looked on there with
'alousy. So many of the star per-
'rmers over there used to play veryl
Ifferent roles from those thew play
now, they are like Col. Hoge, thew
I've suddenly changed their costumes
ID like him have wakened up to find Z
elr talents not appreciated, and like t
m too have sought other engage t
ents. c
Virginians have all along looked on | t
I'd listened to the drama of the "Gold- i
Horn" with feelings of deep inter-
{. AS played by Col. Hoge, it was the o
ost remarkable production of the l
y. The part wherein the Colonel p
estles with the thorn" and the horn Il
Is the best OF him is thrilling in the d
IRENE. but when Old Grover, that II
m creature who SO often figured in t.
'se days when the play was written a a
tragedy as We'll as drama, steps n,
On the stage and seizes one horn of fe
dilemma the scene is brought to a al
max, the like of which has not been f.
messed on any stage hereabout In a 81
g time. In that scene the Colonel Ell
ed and fell and for while it look W
more like a tragedy than com edy. th
1e wonder whether Col. Hoge has M
the original production or whether ~
g giving the whole play to the West Fl +,
'glnia public. The play is enjoy tn
,. AS played in San Francisco it tn
many mixups and funny scenes. a atl
enjoyed 1t over here, but we do
know whether it will thrill West be
glnla audiences as it has done us. Re
We hope 1t will. If be is not play. r ms
my trip to the Golden Horn" for Ho
West Virginians no doubt he is ass
ing new one of equal interest ilc'
merit. We sincerely hope our ~ ~
lnguised dramatist may meet a inf
lai reception and play to full fac
'es. He has worn himself to a kind TO
'azzle in Virginia, but he may ap- a ane
very attractive in his new garb sou
there and may really give a good ISIS,
'. Commedian Scott who is play lts
him must be little hard up Just ha r
for actors, when he has to take for,
nd carry out there one 80 crushed hav
ur distinguished fellow citizen. Spi
Is much on his uppers as far as Fro
ical pap goes. He has never been doll
'ed to appear upon the boards of core
|ational theatre, although it was ao 81,
osed by him some time after he the
ned from the Horn-the Golden conl
that he would he engaged tboro it
Ugh salary Possihl1 the - Con-
West Virginia are easily pleased.
must be if they crowd to see Col.