The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-04
FLASHLIGHTS on TIE STAGE.

Prof. wessmann is quoted In the london
Era as saying: AT the present moment
there Is NO English drama. The plays that
are put ON the English stage are pieces
turned out by literary workmen, Just as
Australian or Indian markets However,
paradoxical It may sound, It Is nevertheless
true; the British theater has slain English
drama The English theater lost ground
not because the greatest themes are eN-
hausted, but because the English theater-
g9sr with the Marcy tatnded in Sol. o. the
treatment Of new themes portrhying the sex
life of mankind"
at was the 18th of March" says Thomas
Jefferson. who is starring in rip Van
wihkle" land certain freshman expressed
his intention Of riding In style in the nm
nunl parade. When ne endcavored to secure
carriage However he was informed that
everything was gone. Hold minute.
though, said the proprietor OF the livery
stable, Y think can let You have vic
torIa' You do, do yer answered the Celt
so yagely, WIN, think not" And the pro
pretor could not understand for long time
why the freshman walked angrily away.
"On ono occnsou" said George Backus,
tho leading comedian In when Johnny
Comes Home" 81 decided TO take n house
ia the suburbs, and after considerable hunt
| ing about found one that suited me exactly
| Tho rent seemed So cheap TINT | was on tho
/ puint Of signing the lease ut once, when
! decided TO SEQ how the affair looked by gns
| light That night l was making 4 second
! tour Of the promises, and went into, tn
| dining room. II was a balmy summer night.
aud as I threw open n window 10 enjoy inc
breeze I was startled 10y queer tapping
Knock, knock! knock!
| II prickcd up my ears aud listened. There
was silence for moment, and the noise con
| tlnucd. ! turned to the caretaker and laugh
ingIly ss saiG a. nv friend know now vbv
! this house is 10 cheap. THERE'S ghost or
-" gu no sir, he said, by way Of reas
surfing me, that's only the noise from ID
coffin factory Hcross the way. They oftcH
And decided" concluded Mr. Bachr
| mot 20 sign the lease"
! Sir Henry Irving has won a great repu
tatlon MS nm inter dinner speaker, but ne
cording to Harry Furniss, hts speeches nre
| carefully prepared and printed In very large
black type, easily read at distance. Here
in Hes the triumph OF the actor. These slips
are artfully placed ON the table out OF sight
Of the audience and while one Of the speak
ers hands rests artistically on his hip the
/ other toys with fruit knife and with 1t
pages of the speech nre turned over as they
re ceay SS the boGy SWAY and 80 well
timed are the Dauses in the speech TINT only
| those seated In close proximity to Sir Henry
are aware he is reading his speech.
a novel stage setting has been built for
the last act OF "out of the Fold" new
play by Iangdon Mccormick. 1t shows n
running brook, spanned by a rustic bridge
Will be laid across the brook near the
bridge. 4 long tank has been built TO ex-
tend dagonlIly across the stage and this
( viii be filled almost 20 the brim with
! water. by an arrangement OF air holes, and
| compressed air pressure, bubbles Will be
I produced on one side Of the stepping stones
( to give the effect Of running water-n bnb-
i bling brook IN fact. Artificial water lilies
viii font on the surface OF the tank and
| sides of the tank to give the effect Of moss
and grass along Its bank.