The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

Henry NJ. Blossoms four-act comedy.
Checkers" draInatized from his popular
novel Of the same name, will be produced
at the Century Theater March 16. Mr..
Blossom is a st. Louis writer whose first
fame was built up by a series of magazine
articles written in this city. The four scenes
or the drama are laid in Hot Springs.
Ark; in GAINESVILLE. a little country town in
Arkansas, and at the Washington Park
race track, Chicago. Rehearsals have been
in progress at Lyric Hall and Madison
Square Theater. New York, for the last
three weeks.
Helen Marvin, who plays Nan in THE
Country Girl" said the other day that
hard work and thoroughness should be the
two handmaidens which wait upon the art
OF the stage.
why, do you know" she said. when
received the role of Nan and knew that
she was q rough but big-hearted Devon
shire girl. I conceived the idea that to
round out the character and make 1t stand
out with prominence 1t should have the
true Devonshire dialect.
Il knew no more about that than the
average pig does of the Latin grammar.
There was only one way to find out. and
that was to go to Devonshire. The opera
was not to be produced for three months,
and SO had ample time on my hands A
week &Iter i nad received the part was
on my way to England.
For q whole month 1 staid in Devonshire
made the acquaintance of a couple Of the
country girls and fostered that acquaint-
ence. / learned every trick of the voice,
every meditation. The hardest thing that
] had to learn was the high-pitch timbre
in which most of the Devonshire girls
for three days was so hoarss that 1 could
hardly speak. but after awhile it came to
me easily.
During the last week OF my stay I sur
prised these two country maidens Of Dew
opshire by my dialect. spoke 1t to them and
with them, wherever We were In company.
The result was that felt when left that
Province that was as much a Devonshire
lass as any girl born into 1t.
II had great sport coming back on the
steamer. for I posed as an English maid
from dear Devonshire Nor was II until
the last day Of the homeward journey that
disclosed that i was a Missouri girl. with
all the nasal twang of the States.
"a certain well-known New York man.
ager. who shall be nameless for q variety
OF reasons. having heard that had gone
all the way TO Devonshire merely to ac-
quire this dialect for role that 1 was
about 10 create, wrote me letter in
which he said that a woman who held her
art &c close to nature was deserving q
place in his company-ard that whenever
i wished to give up the race toward prima
donadom, q place In his company awaited
me.
so you see. hard work gets its reward
some time or other"
Lake the heroine Of ono Of Richard Hard
ing Davis's Van Bibber tales. Miss Mabelle
Gilman has dog. and. like Mr.. Davis's
heroine also, Miss Gilmans motto il "Love
me. love my dog
with large projecting jaws and row Of
teeth lilat could bite holes in sheet iron.
Miss Gilman's dog thinks that most Of the
attentions which q gentleman should bestow
upon his mistress should be contributed by
himself He II intensely jealous
Edgar Atchison Ely. one OF the leading
members Of Miss Glman's support in ''Tha
Mocking Bird each night has . love scene
with her, and Mr.. Hooligan, the canine ad-
.ntrer u not allowed to witness 1t. usually.