The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-05

The closing week in Lent is not
much of week for aulusements and
very few are on the list. The theater
will be open Tuesday matinee and
night. however. for a vaudeville con-
cert in which Mr.. Frederick V. Bow
ers. composer of Because Always"
Wait and when I Think of You"
and other popular songs, Will sing. He
will be assisted by Mrs. Claudia Ha-
zen White. elocutionist; Miss Mabel
Powell, dancer; Sannie Brown, Sa-
vannah's favorite young actor; Miss
Florence Lilienthal contralto; Mr..
Willie Freear. impersonator. and sew
eral others. The prominence of those
who are to take part assures an en-
tertainment of merit. The programme
will include Mr. Bowers favorite
songs, Rotations by Mrs. White, and
a programme of specialties by Miss
Powell and Master Brown. Miss Lii
ienthal will be heard to advantage in
her contralto selections, and Mr..
Freear's representations will be a fea-
ture of the programme. The pro-
gramme has been arranged with the
utmost care to make the entertain
ment a popular one The sale of
seats will open tomorrow morning.
The prices are: Matinee, % and 10
cents, and Night, 50, 80, 25 and Is
cents.
Mr.. Bowers does not call himself
great singer, nor a great composer,
but he takes himself seriously for all
that. When asked at the De Soto last
night, he said:
Il was born in Boston, where, when
! was ten years old, 1 attended the
Conservatory of Music. Even then 1
had the gift of composition, although
it was not, of course, worth very much
as a source of revenue. When 1 left
the conservatory 1 went on the stage
as a singer-I was then only fifteen
and at nineteen 1 wrote Because AL
though Because is a great song now,
and has made a hit it did not catch
on at all at first. / had the hardest
kind of work getting it accepted by
publisher, and / went from one house
to another over and over again be-
fore l finally persuaded M. Witmark
to take it up. This firm had little con-
ndence in the venture. and it was a
long time before the public showed any
appreciation. few copies were
bought and sung. but there was no
enthusiasm. Gradually however, it be-
gan to pick up. And you know what it
has done since.
when l was 20 years old I COM
posed Always which is the reply to
Because. This was a repetition of
my former encouragement. Publishers
said it was good, but of too high a
class to become popular. But once
more their judgment was at fault, L
am glad to say, and this song has had
and is having an immense sale. Next
came Wait and l had exactly the
same trouble in making ii go that had
attended the others. Wait was finally
picked up by Camille D'Arville. who
thought particularly well of it. and it
prospered thereafter. When l Think of
You was boosted into favor by Ma
rion Manola.
'All these songs have been heard in
Europe. and Because and Always
are sung everywhere. They were sung
at the coronation of Queen Wilhelmina
at her request. In the Early Morn
ing, is being sung in Bluebeard.'
Down Where the Cocoanuts Grow
l am singing, is one of the hits of
Sally in Our Alley My last song
thus far is No One But You 1 am
engaged at present on a big musical
comedy, which is to be sent out next
season"