Evening star., 1903-10-02
OF the Official known in England al an
aletaster? The Office still exists In this

OF the Official known in England an an
aletaster? The Office still exists In this
country, and is OF very ancient origin.
At Barnstaple. in Devonshire. the other
day an alderman was gravely admonished
for having in most uhaldermanlike fashion
neglected his duties public aletaster. His
compeers went the length of mulcting him
in the sum of Is. 4d.. and he was only re-
1nstated upon his solemn pledge to amend
his ways The oath formerly administered
10 lne aietaSters was quaint adjuration:
You shall truly serve the office of ale
ICunderS or aletaSterS of this town until
the next election day. or that you be other
wise discharged of the same. You. shall see
that all brewers of ale or beer in this town
40 make good and wholesome drink for
mans body and do sell the same at such
reasonable rates and prices shall be as
sesseu by the mayor of this town. and IL
any 90 to the contrary you shall present
we same at the next jury court after such
o.ence committed. You shall also see that
all bakers OF bread within this town do
max, MAKE good and wholesome bread for mans
oooy. and sell the same at such assze and
ia.es as Is appointed by the statute con-
suerlhg the prices of corn and grain in
sh, she market. and if any default he you
aiaii present every offender or offenders
you shall know of So helm you Cod
What glorious vista of useful public SER
wee IS opened out by the first part of this
| oatn! An aletaster of experience and energy
might make for himself an honored name
IN local history. What a sensation would
be created and what thrill of satisfaction
would pervade the honest mans being If.
after q display of unwearied diligence in
the pursuit OF his arduous avocation he
were able to bring a nice fat prosperous
brewer or an erring boniface before "the
neA, jury court on a charge of acting un-
larry by the kings ieges, The office has
lately been revived in the Ormskirk district
at Lord Derbys suggestion
May Save the Lyceum.
Playgoers, American no less than Rrit-
lSn. viii be pleased to hear that an effort
Is after all to be made to rescue the I.yceun
Iheater Sir Henry Irving's old playhouse
from the hands of the destroyer. The di-
rectors are about to lay before the share
holders scheme for the reconstruction of
the famous house in accordance with the
demands of the county council and ii seems
likely that new Lyceum will arise Phoe-
niX-Ike from the ashes of the old building
and prove itself a worthy neighbor of the
other fine theaters which are to be erected
in the new thoroughfare, Aldwych. One of
these, L hear, is to be called the Waldorf
and it is stated that a palatial music hall
is also to be built in the neighborhood
which at present is without variety the
ater. Another interesting rumor is that
the plans have been passed for the
ton of YiddiSh theater on the site of
Wonderland" the home of boxing con-
tests and queer competitions in the East
End, whilst a new theater is also spoken of
in Shaftesbury avenue. close to the Apollo
and Lyric. Interest in the Savoy is quick
ened by the statement that it is to be re-
opened with new comic opera written by
Mr.. George Grossmith, jr., in which the
chief part will be taken by Mr.. Fuller
Golden, the American humorSt. who has
recently made big hit at the Palace
Music Hall. The ubiquitous George Ed
wards is behind the new venture.
1t is probable that the Savoy Theater
will not be out of the hands of the builders
before November. sum of 10000 is be-
ing expended on structural alterations. in
order to meet the wishes of the London
county council in the matter of protection
from fire. Patrons of the old theater. with
which the names of Sullivan and Gilbert
will ever be associated, will scarcely recog-
nize the house when the plans now in course
of execution are completed. The three
tiers of boxes on either side of the stage
have been demolished. and in their place
two single boxes level with the grand circle
will be erected. The space formerly occu-
pied by the lowest placed boxes will be
taken up with additional stalls. In all
parts of the house the seating accommoda-
ton will be improved. and even the gallery
seats are to receive attention from the
upholsterer. new ventila ting scheme has
been devised, the heating arrangements
have been entirely remodeled and new
exits provided. Not the least of the changes
will be in the approach to the theater. as
the new roadway now being constructed by
the Savoy Hotel Company will give direct
access to all parts of the house from the
Strand
Frohman's New Plays.
On Friday and Saturday Of last N.eek
special performances of four new plays
took place in London, three under the direc-
ton of Mr. Charles Frohman and the
fourth under the management of Mr.. n. J.
Norman. All the plays are for America,
and the special performances for
copyright purposes in this country. Cap
tain Dieppe," by Messrs. Anthony Hope
u D1,NJr 1or
New Theater the cast including Miss
son and Mr.. Dion Boucicault. Mr.. Justin
Huntley McCarthy's "A Proud Prince" the
story of King Robert of Sicily was tried
at the Vaudeville, and at the Criterion Mr..
E. H. Sothern's play, THE Light That Lies
in Womans Eyes produced. The
musical comedy entitled THE Fisher Maid
en- the libretto by Mr.. Arthur j. Lamb
and the music by Mr.. Harry Won Tilzer,
was performed at the SALISBURY
Mr. HaddOn Chambers new four-act play,
entitled ''The Golden Silence" will be pro-
duced at the Garrick Theater on Tuesday
evening, the 22d instant, and Miss Dorothy
May, the youngest daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs Kendall, will have prominent part in
it, A little while ago Miss Dorothy Grim
ston, she is known in private. took small
parts at the Garrick. and also attempted
a French part-the heroine in "L'Anglais
Tel Quon Parle." which Nine. Rejane
played in front of La Passerelle'' during
her season there These tentative efforts
have decided the modest debutante In favor
name of Kendall, believe, hereafter.