New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-25

The performance OF the night was 70 be ths
elimination Of a series OF plays. which Tony"
had been giving his audience for month. Each
evening the protagonist was Roland. but the
scenes were different. Each performance was
like a chapter Of a book, IN which the hero
passes from one experience to another. and the
plot of the theme in which he figures gradually
developed There are three old books OF Caro-
Iingfan legend which Tony" has read until they
are threadbare. and he knows them all by heart
Each night. therefore. he improvises a separate
drama, and after the end he viii have 10 start
with the career Of Roland again from the begin
ming. The actors well as their parts are
manufactured by Tony" and the.r wooden
heads and tin armor, their robes and dresses,
were all made in the front part Of the theatre in
the daytime.
Behind the curtains Tony with the assist
ance Of half a dozen boys is making active
preparations. From the several hundred pup
pets stacked up against the wall NJ quickly Sc
lects the dramatis persona Of the evening and
by means of the iron rods screwed into their
heads he hangs them up in line from con-
venient rafter.
The hubbub of the audience ali at once ceases.
The curtain after a few bitches There is green
boy at the windIass), is rising Tony mounts
the narrow platform behind the canvas strip
which portrays to the audience The Forest Of
Pain" and, snatching a gOrgeously armored
mariOnette from the rafter by the rod in his
head he marches him out the stage. All at
once the dangling pUppet takes on the manners
of a king. His stride is pompous. His head has
a naughty toss. Tony gives a twist Of the
rod, the king confronts the audience. Tony"
jerks wire; the king lifts his gorgon helmet
Tony pulls on another wire; the king
swings his sword aIoft. Tony" clears his
throat and the king procIaims himself no
other than the mighty Charlemagne. There
are more Kisses than cheers from the au-
dience These spectators have little use for
kings. If they did, they would not be here
While Charlema gne is stalking up and down
the stage. telling how he had reiterated from his
expedition into Spain. and with what anxiety he
is awaiting the news of his rear guard which he
fears has been cut off by the Moors. Ganelon
comes sinking in from the wings The traitor,
who is forever plotting against his master and
as often forgiven, is greeted by an outburst OF
long drawn Kisses "Tony's' assistant Pietro.
who works daytime in the macaroni bakery in
the basement. manipulates the caitin paIadIn
with the sense of a true artist. Ganelon seems
more to crawl than TO walk. Tony" deepens
his throat, and GaneIon tells in a ponderoUs
stage whisper how he has plotted the destruc-
ton or the rear SudfO ana Ifle UeStIii Ol li-
BILE Roland. Then the hypocrite kneels in mock
loyalty at the feet OF hi master.
The audience is growing restless. The show
is too tame. The spectators are not of that class
who care to bother their heads about the alb
stract. The man who has all day dug in the
or pushed lis cart from street 70 street,
longs for something more realistic. something
that will strike the eye, start the blood, and hold
the nerves in tension The whole situation IS
summed up by small boy on front seat, who
at last yeIs out in the English which he has
learned from his BOwery playmates:
Desc are a couple of stiffs Give US fight"
Tony" knows that the battle scene which he
has planned for the final scene will be all the
more enjoyed if delayed. and SO he throws IN
another element which long experience has told
him will be appreciated. He hands over Charlie
magne to assistant, and, snatchins satan
himself from the rafter, hurIs the devil over the