Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-28

MISS ASHLEY'S GARDEN.-When the
Country Girl company arrived in town
last Sunday afternoon one of the prominent
members of the cast was missing. Monday
morning rehearsal was called and still this
principal was nowhere to be found Being
late to rehearsal, or even absent, is nothing
altogether unusual for those who are
featured in the show. But nevertheless
there was deal of speculation concerning
the possible whereabouts of Minnie Ash
ley when Mime Sophies' understudy was
going through the part this particular
Monday morning.
The shades of Monday evening began to
fall and still there was no word from Miss
Ashley. 1t seemed though the fash
fonable first-night audience was to be dis
appointed 50 far as her appearance was
concerned. Just before the curtain as
cended. however, there was a fluttering of
skirts at the stage door, and the energetic
little woman who had so long been truant
hustled in. demanded to know the location
of her dressing room and repaired thereto
without another word. The mystery was
still deep. Finally word came that she
had gone from Philadelphia to New York
when the remaining members of the COM
pany had come to Washington. What
could have taken her to the vicinity of the
metropolis. and what should have kept her
there until the very beginning of the per-
Torrance was matter of much conjecture
The illness of her mother was suggested
but no one had been advised of such an
eXigency. Perhaps the modiste or the mil
liner had called her to the greater city. No
one seemed to know.
1t was not until we'll toward the middle
OF the week that any one dared to venture
an Interrogation of the naughty Miss Ash
ley. But some one did and then the whole
truth came out. She had gone to Great
Neck, the pretty little village on the north
shore OF Long Island. where she owns one
of the handsomest summer homes of the
colony. And she had made the tedious
Journey for the sole purpose of seeing that
her vegetable garden was planted as she
wished it, She had worried greatly over
the matter throughout the last week of
the companyS stay in PHILADELPHIA and
had boarded the first train for the north
when the Saturday evening performance
had ended. AS more details were learned
OF this garden there was little wonder that
she had gone to personally superintend its
beginning. 1t is to be a rarely esthetic
patch. First, there is to De a row of sweet
peas. then row of green peas. Flowers
VIII alternate with vegetables throughout
TINS wonderful creation. One of Miss Ash
leys Ideas is to have trailing nasturtiums
as background for yellow squashes
Those who boast her friendship are look
ang forward to a visit to Great Neck when
this handiwork is in full bloom
THE PASSING OF THE LITHOGRAPIJ
Washington lately saw the passing of thu
theatrical Autograph "Lithographing or
window FASTING, long since lost its eff
racy theatrical advertising medium.
and the local theater managers becoming
convinced OF this abandoned it. Results
have amply Justified the wisdom OF the
move. Aside from the garish and forbid
ding aspect Of most pastors the cost to
the theater amounted to more than the
same money would secure advertising in a
more profitable and legitimate field. The
placing of Autographs also proved an easy
means for pilfering agents who suffered
from lapses Of conscience. Indeed. a recent
exposure brought to light a systematic
traffic in photographic PASSES. Dishonest
agents were found to be Regularly turniag
them over to a dealer who, In turn, had
regular purchasers. Besides the financial
loss to the theater the courtesy was also
detected from Its rightful object-thes per
son In whose window the 1Ithograph was
shown-and when the purchaser Of these
passes appeared to demand his coupons II
usually resulted In a long argument at the
box office window over the location of the
seats. This latter circumstance was obvi-
Dusty due to the Misrepresentation Of the
dealer. The Autograph itself was in large
measure the instrument of Its own failure.