Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28

nent theaters in the principal cities The
arrangement of these little cardboards, each
meaning the expenditure of S1.50 or 81, dis
played considerable taste in the way of har-
monious blending of color. With this ex-
pensively framed photograph was letter
that is quite as much out of the ordinary as
the gift itself. 1t read like this:
MY dear Miss CHASER: VIII you accept
the inc!osed as a souvenir of many delight
full evenings when Dolly Warden, or rather
the two Dollys-the little woman and her
charming opera-have helped lonely man
through that dreary period between dinner
and bedtime, which is the hardest part of
the day for one who is a stranger in a
strange city? You will see that Dolly and l
have been in the same place at the same
time in various parts of the land. To be the
really proper thing I suppose 1 should go
on to say that love for the opera and admi-
ration for it's star have caused me, man
of leisure, to follow the company around
the country Alas, the very proSalc fact is
that 1 am not a rich man or man of lei
sure. l am, instead, one of those very pro-
sale individuals who are addressed by con-
siderate persons as commercial travellers,
but who are ALWAYS referred to as drum
mers' behind their backs. Still, l hope the
fact that 1 take orders for lace for living
will not prevent you from accepting my III
tie gift. If you are in generous mood
when it is received | would be very glad II
in return you would send me another Pho
tograph of Dainty Dolly decorated with
the autograph of the little lady herself"
A PIKE THEATER STORY.-"The re-
cent destruction of the Pike Opera House,
In Cincinnati, by fire and the consequent
loss of our home theater will bring forth
many "reminiscences from the oid-timers
who have played in the house during Its
thirty years of existence" said Byron
Douglas of the Pike company to party of
friends at the Lafayette last evening.
about every great star of the past three
decades has appeared at the Pike, and the
historic stage upon which so many famous
players have stood will never again see
them, for modern ground-foor theater
will doubtless replace the burned house. An
old actor told me one day story of how
the founder of the house, s. N. Pike, tried
to improve on nature as it WERE and en-
deavored to construct indestructible seem
cry. Mr.. Pike had an idea that scenery
could be made of iron, and to that end he
sent to Pittsburg and had the thinnest
sheets of metal procurable rolled instead of
canvas. Iron frames were made; but when
the scenery was completed it was found
that the stuff was not only so heavy that 1t
could hardly be moved, but also, and moro
important than all, the scene paint refused
to stick. Then they tried oil paint, with
equally poor results, and then they care
fully and completely hid the improvements
in an inaccessible ROOM
STOCK COMPANY AT THE COLUM-
BIA-The announcement of the starring
engagement of Miss Bertha Galland at the
Columbia Theater in May comes In the ma
ture of a surprise to Washington theater-
goers. The Arden company last summer
was remarkably successful, but Mr.. Luckett
decided to give the people an attraction this
spring which would eclipse all former eff
forts both of his own well as those Of
all other persons interested in supplement
tary companies. Mr.. Luckett abandoned
the old idea of forming stock company
and decided ON a succession of plays such
as would be suitable to Miss Galland, who
opens a season of five weeks the LIST of
May. Her opening bill will be 1.-THE Pride
of Jennico,'' in which she made her first
hit with James X. Hackett. 1t was as a
result of her charming performance of OF
title In this play that Daniel Frohman Of
fered to star Miss GLAND. 1t has been de-
School for Scandal" Macbeth and
Twelfth Night" all being plays in which
Miss Galland is said to be without a peer.
FLoRoDoRA IN FRENCH-Florodora
has invaded the realm of the ieur de lis
and is now playing in Paris. The CORE
spondent in that city of the Dramatic Mir
ror writes of it to his paper in this very
interesting style:
that it will remain for a long time at the
Bouffes Parisiens 1 do not doubt for 1t is
light, pleasing, pretty thing with charm
ing music and, despite the difficulty that
our translators have had In placing the
French words to the English music, there is
so much to attract about it that 1t meets
with continued success. Perhaps this ap-
probation will not be as great as in other
countries, for, as our NJ. Pierre Verber
says, You cannot translate a piece; you
must adapt it. And this, 1t seems to me
our transators have failed to do; for. par
bleau, the words fit the music like monks
robe on harlequin. NM Vely and Schwat
have not done quite well.
They introduce in this play of Owen
Hall and Leslie Stuart cake walk, and
VOLTA, that Is almost enough to make the
piece a success, for how Paris does enjoy
the cake walk! And Mile. Nanon. who
sings The Honeysuckle and the Bee,
dances in this new form of dance with g
grace and abandon that calls forth at eacf
creature, she is quite breathess. Even sue
cess is tempered, and the silver cloud has
its dull lining. The piece Is we'll staged
the chorus sings fairly well and dances IL
| the same manner, but the musicl 1t Is the
music to which this F'lorodora owes its
success. For 1t Is dashing. frolickins
thing, with light and grace and movement
and there you have 1t. 1t suits Paris, pool
L VIM - SSltiliS idlllcf tlfeu, dIleT I'LL
| of the dull and the unsightly and the pic
| lures of daughters marrying their mothers
| paramours and such diverting pictures
poor Paris. who is not quite as bad as sh,
| is painted"
THE TRAINING OF "SUPERS. TIL,
| supernumeraries of the Mansfield produc
! ton Of Julius Caesar are not to be con
founded, the representative of the com
pany declares, with the ordinary pieces O
animated dramatic furniture" once de
scribed by Dutton Cook, perhaps their osll,
| apologist, in this fashion: THE theatrica
supernumerary is a man who in his tim
certainly plays many parts. and yet Oh
tains applause In none His exits and hi
entrances. his debut and his Disappearance
alike escape criticism and record. HI
| name is not printed on the play bills and
| unknown to the audience. Even the per
sons he represents on the stage remain
anonymous. Both as a living and fctitiou
A he t. - = y