Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-03

- 1%!I?|Ss
| monger's shop, and every Sunday great
| crowds Of people came to see him. In those
| days a polar bear was a rare beast in Eu-
rope. The Germans called him the ice
| bear" and marveled at his great white coat
| and wonderful capacity for fish. Later on
| Hagenbeck bought a couple of sea lions ana
| a monkey. Then he began charging an ad-
mission price to the Sunday visitors. Little
| by little the constantly increasing geological
exhibit crowded out the fish stalls, and
| Hagenbeck, much against the advice OF ms
| wife and neighbors. became full-hedSed
animal dealer. In the summer he formed
a small caravan and exhibited at village
| fairs. The sailors learning that Hamburg
was good market for all kinds of animals
| brought specimens from every cline. 1t
was not long before lions and tigers and
finally an elephant found their way into the
old fish store The geological societies of
Berlin, Paris and London heard of what
Hagenbeck was doing, and Were soon buy
ing goods of him. When he didn't have just
what they wanted he sent for it. Expedi-
lions We're formed to capture animals that
were known to exist, but had never been
brought to Europe In this way Hagenbeck
scored his first great triumph by delivering
to the London Geological Society the first
hippopotamus ever seen outside of Africa.
The rhinoceroS followed, and then the ST.
berian tiger and the monaghan horse The
business grew from year to year and be-
came enormously profitable. All of the big
zoos of the world were stocked from the
Hamburg depot. A hundred men were re-
CURED to care for the animals-butchers,
cooks and caretakers of every description.
A force of architects was employed to draw
up plans for new ZOOS in various parts of
the world. The business of training animals
was more or less of a side issue, tried at
nrSt more for amusement and then simply
to advertise the Hagenbeck name. But
tnat, too, became profitable, and is now
an important feature.
K x
John E. Henshaw, who is impersonating
the leading character in "a Chinese Honey
moon" which comes to the Columbia next
week. tells peculiar. story Of how he came
to play the leading role. Mr.. Henshaw, it
is said, possesses a vast amount Of the
worlds goods. and also possesses a sum-
mer residence and a number Of acres of
land near Buzzard's Bay, Mass, in which
locality he is nicknamed Cranberry john"
on account of raising the finest cranberries
grown in the Cape Cod district The past
seasons crop was gathered early and in
getting the berries ready for market Mr..
Henshaw employed a certain person to pack
them in barrels and ship to a leading COM
mission merchant in Washington market,
New York city, but, unknown to Mr.. Hen
shaw, the workman kept out about a half
bushel of cranberries from each barrel.
The latter part Of August Mr.. Henshaw
received a telegram advising him to come
to New York city at once, signed by the
commission merchant. On his arrival he
Immediately went to the Washington mar
ket, and was very much surprised to find
that the person he had employed to pack
his cranberries had swindled him There
was nothing left for him to do but invoke
the aid of the law. and in doing this in
New York city, and being a resident of
Massachusetts he must first give bond.
The first person he met was Sam 8. Shu-
bert, manager of the Casino Theater and
he asked MIR. Shubert if he would go on
his bond, to which Mr.. Shubert replied,
Yes. II you will play the part of Samuel
Pineapple in "A Chinese Honeymoon Mr..
Henshaw had hardly gwen a thought to an
engagement for the season and was in a
quandary-cranberries on one side and the
word pineapple ringing in his ears on the
other SIDE and If he was to bring suit to
recover his loss for cranberries he would
have to remain In New York, thereby losing
the engagement But Mr.. Shubert's plead
ings were so hard that he finally consented
to become Samuel Pineapple, and when
next seasons cranberrieS are ready for
the market Mr. Henshaw says he will at
tend to the packing Of the same personally.
Valerie Bergere, who will appear at
Chase's next week with her own company
in the polite vaudeville comedietta, "Billie's
First Love-" may be in the ranks of legiti-
mate dramatic stars next season. She is
now going over the scenario of the play
which Is to be written for her with this
idea in view. In an interesting talk with
Miss Bergere she related some Of the ex-
periences of her career that hitherto have
been unknown to the public.
Some people may think that / am over
ambitious in wishing to have wider op-
portunities because they have only heard
of me within the past few years." said
Miss Bergere, but 1 have had almost
twelve years Of the hardest work, and
when my success came I am sure 1 had
prepared myself for it. People will scarce
ly believe that 1 was German speaking
actress in the Thalia Stock Company, New
York, and that had hard task to learn
English for the Engiish-speaking stage
and conquer my dialect. In fact, when 1
first made the change it was because they
thought my dialect cute. l was hailed as
somew hat of discovery when Mr.. Belasco
presented Madam Butterfly but 1 had
been doing leading roles at the Columbia
Theater In Brooklyn. New York did not
know me, however.
''Pll never forget my trial rehearsal Of
this part for Mr.. Belasco. 1 started In
bravely doing my best, knowing that Mr..
Belasco's eye was upon US. Then, losing
myself in the part, 1 forgot him. In the
big scene / remembered and looked his
way and he was gone. / was so disheart-
ened that l wasn't able to go through the
rest Of the lines with justice to myself.
and knew 1t. / supposed had bored Mr.
Belasco and wouldn't get the part. I met
him later and admitted my fears. He told
me that did very well and would make
an ideal Madam Butterfly I went with
Madam Butterfly afterward in vaudeville
but 1t was too expensive to take on the
road so I did not appear in Washington
The little play I am using was suggested
to me- the writer. Miss Griswold having
been an actress in the same company. The
play had already been tried as a curtain
raiser. 1t seemed to have possibilities to
me, and 1 went over 1t. made alterations
and fitted 1t. as I trust, to my own indi-
viduality. New York critics were kind
enough to call 1t a pronounced success"
X
Besides being among the dramatic "im-
mortals.'' John Drew, 1.-THE Mummy in
''The Mummy and the Humming Bird"
has many lesser accomplishments. To-
gether with grasp Of French. German
and fencing, he numbers among his attain
ments. ability to manipulate the telegraph