davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1904-01-03
y A CHAPERON WHO FAILED :: Blu j. HERBERT WEIGH y

side OF a house to let pass a young
Venetian. who stared at Marian in too
fiattering admiration. The slit Of SKI
above was still blue. but the shadows
Of night were beginning TO engulf the
bottom, SO to speak, OF the Via della
Barbarossa. Miss Pritchard was becom-
ing more and more alarmed.
For mercy's sake let us get out Of
this, Miss Prothero," she gasped. while
were still alive"
Why, this is finey" exclaimed Marian
over her shoulder. Just think of itl
These pavements are worn by the foot
steps OF a thousand years. This seems
like a pathway right back to the Middle
Ages. I see a little shop ahead. Well
go on to that, anyway"
SO they ventured on. There was a low
doorway above two steps that led down.
Marian boldly poked in her head. A
broad back in a white jacket was bent
over a glowing range. 1t was kitchen.
The chef turned. showing little eyes
that looked out of a fat face, which at
OiiCc DiOSSoAitu INTO al expansive Smile
Bon soir, mesdames. Entrez"
"Avez vous. avez vous-ah-ah-have
you any old dishes that you would be
willing TO sell?'' Miss Pritchard' s
French had failed her
The chef shrugged his shoulders.
"C'est ne pas un shoop. mesdames
but a cafe. Entrez. We serve many
Amercaine. Some LADIES' ct gentleman
came in very soon for re table de'hote."
The chef looked toward room be-
yond the kitchen. making a low bow
and a gesture Of placing the hospitality
Of the establishment at their disposal
Marian's and Miss Pritchard's glances
followed his. They saw three long ia
bles, covered with snowy cloths and set
with china. Everything was immacu-
lately clean and the odors We're en-
ticing
Lets do it," exclaimed Marian. with
enthusiasm. 1T viii be a great lark"
II don't think il would be at all"
Then came many newcomers. They
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

ing and received permission to visit
them the next afternoon at 3. A canal
was near. Good-bys were called from
gondola TO gondola. To Miss Pritchard
was given a place among the cushions
in the bow Of the commodious craft,
while Marian and Valentine occupied a
seat together nearer the gondoIier The
waters were dark and stiIl. It was a
night to soothe one. and in a moment
Miss Pritchard was breathing In even
rhythm. with the saucer clutched firm
" There was little silence.
DO you believe, Miss Prothero." ask
cd Valentine at last. that you would
dare 10 call me Teddy now?"
Il think that perhaps I might" an
sUered Marian slowly. CHANGING At the
peaceful figure among the cushis-s.
The gondola stole stea1thily along be-
tween ancient houses that seemed to be
brooding on the centuries Of lie and
death that they had seen The music
OF distant mandolins and violins and
harps was in the air. There werD gid
ing lights md phantom shapes OF boats
and a million stars
do you suppose that heaven win Be
as wonderful as this?" asked Marian
Not without you" replied the young
man fervently.
In little while the gondola stopped
gently and the gondolier rested on his
oar in an attitude OF Interrogation. VAL
entine glanced up and saw that the pen
sion was before them.
"Oh. go on-anywhere," he exclaimed
to the man. adding to Marian: 1--WE
don't have enough such parad!ses in this
world to cut them short. Besides. Miss
Pritchard has been such trump this
evening that IL would be most ungrate-
full to interrupt her slumbers. Don't yo1
think so-Merian2"
Perhaps il would be--Teddy," she an
sweTed in a voice that was like the rip
pie OF the water as the oar swept It and
sent the gondola gliding on.-Philadel-
phia Ledger.
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

lucky escape of that word Teddy the
and Mr.. Valentine had all to them
selves. The June nights remained just
as balmy as they had been. The quiet
ocean, the star-studded sky and the air,
with its strange soft odors. were com
bination just as potent as before with
subtle suggestions of the soulful and
the infinite; but the young man and
the young woman did not tarry as late
as on the first nights under the avn
ing OF the after deck nor talk of the
same things. They knew that while
Miss Pritchard might seem to be doz-
ing in her steamer chair she wasn't.
Within the month after she and Ma
rian arrived IN Queenstown they ac-
compIished much. They kissed the
Blarney Stone, absorbed the beauties
of the Lakes Of Killarney. made a lit
tie trip into Scotland, and mingled with
the crowds in London and on the bou-
ievards in Paris. They could also say
proudly that they had stood in Venice
on the Bridge Of sighs." and foated in
gOndolas on the Grand Canal All the
while Marian's soft eyes had been alert
not alone for the wonders of Europe.
but quite I'm vain in the passing show
did she watch for the stalwart figure
Of certain young American.
She and Miss Pritchard, on a Satur-
day afternoon. sat at a little table in
front of a cafe in the Piazza San Marco
eating Venetian ice cream. A band
played. pleasure seekers in endless pro-
cession passed slowly by. and the old
buildings. stately but grim with years,
encompassed and looked down upon the
scene.
This is beautiful" remarked Miss
Pritchard AT last, but I'm beginning TO
feel tired Of all this crowd"
so am l. responded Marian quickly.
DO you know. these odd little streets
that run into a square have a fascina-
ton for me- They are so mysterious
looking. Let's explore"
They had 10 stand close against the
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

greeted the chef hilar,ously. and then
filed into the dining room.
Miss Prothersi''
Mr. Valentine"
The eyes of each were aglow. and
Teddy advanced impetuously. He also
greeted Mss Pritchard with a fine show
OF enthusiasm and then proceeded with
the introductions. Miss Pomeroy, Miss
Thompson. Miss Jordan, Mr. Currier,
Mr.. Hackstaff. the Chevalier Primoli. .
All were Americans except the cheva-
lier. Even Miss Pritchard began al
once 10 feel at home. AS for Marian
ii was only necessary 70 glance into her
shining eyes to know her feelings
When they We're seated Valentine was
on her right, Miss Pritchard was on the
other side. and beyond the latter was
the chevalier
My star is in the heavens tonight. "
murmured Valentine. "and I'm in the
seventh heaven"
Marian glanced apprehensively at
Miss Pritchard.
"Oh. she'll be all right half whis-
pered Valentine. pr mol win keep her
occupied. He's a reg llar hypnotist."
The Chevalier had dark. compelling
eyes and a caressing voice In a mo-
ment he was leaning toward Miss
Pritehard in his attitude OF devotion.
You like Venice? Yes? All. it is beau
tiful. beautiful But have you seen
Rome? No? You have yet to live thea.
You viii be there in one week? Most
excellent 1, too. shall be there 1t will
make me proud to show you and your
| charming friend the Paiais Primoli
have four passions-my house. my city.
my country, and la femme Americaine.' .
The Chevalier spoke I'm lingering ca
dences. all the while his eyes were fixed
on Miss Pritchard's. Pale roses. like
those at the end Of suramer. began to
blossom on her cheeks.
Poor Miss Pritchard!'' she exclaimed
in an undertone 70 Valentine II don't
suppose she has ever heard anything
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

loving cup. We shall drink II standing,
LADIES' and gentleman. and senorita
Preet-chardi shall put US all under the
great obligation of the first seepi''
The Chevalier was on his feet, hand
ing The goblet to Miss Pritchard with a
most courtly bow. All the others rose.
II was a trying moment. Venice and
Rome against New England. with the
environment immensely In favor Of the
allied powers. Miss Pritchard looked
appealingly toward the ceiling and
then toward the Cheva3er Nstrer was
he more enthusiastic. magnetic. COM
pelling. In brief. he was irresistible.
With huttering hands Miss Pritchard
grasped the glass. She meant to mere
~ touch It to her lips, but her hand
trembled at the Nervousness of it ali.
and she swallowed a generous mouth
full The Chevalier was delighted. The
goblet went rapidly around the table.
Primoli. the last TO drink, drained it.
and then dashed it on the open hearth
behind his chair.
SO that II may nev-ar be profe red
by other lipsr' he cried.
The crash of the breaking glass fell
strangely upon Miss Pritchard's ears.
The Chevalier was still speaking. but
his voice was as from a distance. The
others. through the cigarette smoke.
took on an aspect Of unhealthy. Miss
Pritchard felt an absurd desire to laugh.
but with a strong effort OF her viii re-
strained herself and said to Marian
with even more than usual dignity:
4 think, Miss Prothero. that il is
quite time for US to go. 1t is getting
late" She drew out her watch. thar
mentor that in the past had held her 50
strictly 10 the exactions OF her life. and
studied it severely. but without being
able to quite suppress a little giggIe. As
che passed out OF the dining room she
had Venetian saucer in her hand.
1t was Valentines pleasant duty to
see the two ladies to their pension. The
Chevaler pressed their hands in part
The Washington times., 1904-01-03
FREEHD CHAT ABOUT THE STAGE AND STAGE FOLK :

Miss Ring was announced to star in
May
Meantime. however. she was featured
with Jimmy Powers in THE Jewel OF
Asia" which also turned out a gold
brick. With this record behind her.
then she appeared as the chief figure
in The Blonde in Black" booked 10
last the summer out at the Knicker-
booker. but which barely survived a
month Of poor business. And on top OF
this came THE Jersey Lily" in Sep
TENDER. at Hammerstein's Victoria,
which even its interpolated song. BE
della" could not save. The company
closed few days after leaving town.
and Miss Ring took ship for the other
side Of the ocean.
"Hearts Courageous"
The next star to go under was Orrin
Johnson. the pleasant young actor, who
of late had been associated with Annie
Russell as leading man in Mice and
Men," The Girl and the Judge" and
"A Royal Family" in which latter lie
succeeded Charles Richman.
He is a Kentuckian, and last spring
rather prided himself on the fact that
the press had had very little to say
about his career. He was planning TO
have it all sprung on the public as a
surprise when he should burst forth
as star in the fall.
The vehicle selected was a dramatiza-
ton of what his note-heads declared to
be HALLE Erminie Rives' triumphant
story. Hearts Courageous but .he
outcome was an affair complicated ia
the average intelligent auditor The
production did not live to reach the
road. and Mr. Johnson was made the
lover in "A japanese Nightingale"
Meantime. William Collier was having
troubles of his own at the Bijou Some
three years ago he was an all-conquer-
inc star in ION the Quiet" which had
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

man who appears to be a very uncer-
tain quantity-Henry V. Esmond. a
young English actor. who has had some
pronounced successes and several very
decided failures.
His When We Were Twenty One
served Maxine Elliott and Nat Goodwin
well In this country and went back
on them in London. while. on the other
hand. his Zone Summers Day" and
The Wilderness did better in London
than they did in New York. for John
Drew and the Empire stock company.
respectively. Yet his "Imprudence"
scored in both cities serving Faversharn
as starring vehicle last season. and be-
ing played for months IN London under
its real name. "Biilys Little Love AZ
fair" the Billy here being Fay Davis. q
most delightful portrayal
The latest collapse is that OF Alice
Fischer. who came into such pleasant
fame last year with Mrs. Jack" For
some inscrutable reason a farcical
comedy CT country life called What's
the Matter With Susan?' was selected
for her second venture. and proved the
last straw for the luckless Bijou. which
had already witnessed three failures
under the Collier regime After two
weeks of Susan the doors were closed.
and have heard OF no future booking
there up to date.
Possibly this is the house Sydney
/ Rosenfeld has secured for his Century
Stock Company, that Is going to revo-
/ lutionize things generally in the theat-
rical situation-accordi,Ig TO the rOseate
promises put forth.
! Certainly. the situation needs a tinge
OF color, but I think / have shown IN
the foregoing that IT must come from
the playwrights. for It is they. and not
the players. who have been responsible
for the awful preponderance OF early
| frosts. Here's a Happy New Year 10 all
the players. especially to the ten to
| whom 1903 was so unkind
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

like that before. She's from New Eng
land. you know. They say that men are
very scarce in New England towns. and
certainly men like the Chevalier are 1
do believe she's actually blushing |
never before saw her look so attrac-
tive"
There was much laughing and raillery
at the long table. Everybody but Miss
Pritchard was slipping red wine. and
one of the girls-it wouldn't do to men,
ton names-began to pun a cigarette
Miss Pritchard awoke to her surround
ings with a start.
My dear" she whispered TREMENDOUSLY
to Marian. this is most shocking. i
think We had better 60.
''Of course. We couldn't go now" re-
piled Marian.
The Chevalier was aghast at the sug-
gestion of Miss Pritchard going. He
assured her that all the great ladies OF
Europe smoked cigarettes. She listened
but under the spell of the Chevalier'
deferential but devoted words and eyes
this asperity melted away again, as ice
before the sun, and when the dessert
was served rose time had come once
more on Miss Pritchard's cheeks The
Chevalier leaned trifie nearer
II ask you, senorita Preet-chardi. one
small favor. 1t is that you honor the
cordial Primoli with a little taste 1t is
the pride of my house 1t is famous
Cardinals, princes. kings. have praised
it, but nev-ar may it be so honored as
by la belle Americaine'
us IL IA drink? 1 never inculgC
in" Miss Pr.tchard had begun to re-
turn TO primness, but her voice was lost
I'm the noise the others were making in
calling for the cordial Primoli. The
Chevalier excitedly gave the order for
the ingredients. In compromising them
he was all fervor and concentration.
The others watched him closely.
All he cried suddenly. lat last Il is
done! The cordial Primoli shall be a
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

homestead farm was abandoned" and
went upon the market.
Some of the Causes.
Many farmers. either with children
engaged in some other avocations. or
without children, having secured a COM
potency by industry and frugal habits,
had retired from the farm 4. the neigh
boring city or village to spend their de-
clining years at ease. Sometimes the
owners OF farms. seeing only the bright
side in other occupations and the dark
side in theirs. mortgaged the farms to
raise money for engaging in some other
business, in which they failed In
either OF those cases the farm was for
sale.
BY 1889 there were 50 many Of these
farms that the Legislature took alarm.
and in that year authorized the ap-
pointment by the governor and council
OF a commissioner of immigration whose
duty II should be TO bring about within
the measure Of his ability the repeo-
ping of the rural districts OF New
Hampshire. Gov. David II. Goodell
and his councillors filled the place thus
created by the appointment thereto OF
the secretary Of the State board Of ag-
riculture, and a few years later the two
Offices were formally consolidated.
Gradually Pepeopling the Land.
The first statistics collected by the
commissioner showed 1873 abandoned
farms within the State. The continued
operation OF the causes named above
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

Nights Dream" could carry It through
the I'VE weeks for which il was origi-
nally booked at the New Amsterdam.
Nat Goodwin, who was starred in it as
Bottom, had the humiliation OF seeing
his wife, Maxine Elliott. All his unex-
pired time with "Ecr own Way" and
soon afterward he changed from the
Dream" to the farce. My wife's Hus-
bands"
A somewhat similar experience befelI
James K Hackett. who started out with
a thoughtful affair called John Ermine
Of the Yellowstone dramatized from a
series Of pictures. The play was CT
fective only in spots After working up
to what one would naturally expect
to be a splendid situation. the situation
would arrive and turn out to be not as
thrilling as the Incidents that led up 70
t. The piece lasted only three weeks
in New York. and the tour soon after
ward closed. TO permit Mr.. Hackett to
rehearse a comedy by Broadhurst. au-
thor of What Happened to Jones" and
why Smith Left Home"
Most of the critics had told Hackett
that his vehicle was not serviceable.
but in the case of Jessie Millward and
"A Clean Slate" nearly all Of them
praised It hugely. but all TO no avail.
The public would have none OF play
whose points were too subtle, and for
whose strongest situations one had to
wait too long. The engagement ended
in town. and believe that Miss Mill
ward has not yet signed for anything
else.
But the failures were not all con-
fined to New York. Out in Chicago
Julia Marlowe came such a croppel
with her new play, Fools Of Nature
that she closed her season Of her owr
free will. and decided 70 remain of the
boards until next autumn. when she be-
gins a three years co-starring term
in Shakespeare with f. H. Sothern
Fools of Nature was written by Q
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

welcome as was extended TO this ia
vorite comedian of the Mulligan Guards
days on his opening night in September.
when he had Annie Yeamans and one
or two others Of his old associates b.
his side
Still no amount OF enthusiasm on an
opening night could atone for inferior
work in play building. and assurediy
Under Cover" was one of the poor
est specimens in the art 1t had ever
been my misfortune to SIT through. 1t
dragged out a miserable existence for
some two months part of the time with
boost between the acts from vestG
Tiiley, who had collapsed in ''Algy." Z
piece of her own. out West. Then the
company closed, with the possibility
that Mr.. Harrigan may go out later
under his old MANAGER. Mr.. Hanley. in
one OF his old plays. "Old Lavender"
But while this old star was experience
ing hard luck, another young one was
having his troubles, too. This time It
was Arthur Byron, who left Off being a
villain with Maxine Elliott, to lead a
forlorn hope in Clyde Fitch's Major
Andre" which ran barely for ten per
formances and was then retired.
Mr. Byron did what he had done after
his last seasons failure-"Petticoats and
Bayonets'-went into leading work with
Mary Mannering The trouble with
Major Andre" might be diagnosed as
slDerimposing trite comedy on tragic
! foundations. and bad balance through
out
No fault could be found with the au-
thor in the next play TO collapse unless
it was the poor Judgment Of the man
I agement in permitting his name to ap-
pear. For 10 the mind Of the average
/ entertainment seeker in New York
| Shakespeare appears to be synonymous
/ with boredom.
/ So it was that not even all the gor-
| geous trappings with which Klaw &
] Erlanger provided "A Midsummer
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

a long run both in town and on the
and tried a new farce, The Diplomat"
oy Martha Morton. who used to write
successes for Crane. and who has taken
The prize offered for the best play b.
the 'Theater Magazine"
Well. THE Diplomat did not nearly
achieve the hit of ION the Quiet Col
iier became discouraged and accepted a
big offer from Weber & Fields TO 81
into their stock company for a season.
"a the end Of which period they agreed
to star him under their management.
Cnhappily. the agreement did not stipu-
late that Mr.. Collier was TO have moth
ing 20 say about the plays chosen.
He rejected "A Fool and His Money
and Checkers" and elected to appear
in Personal" a lifeless affair which
lived only long enough to permit of the
rehearsal of another Collier favorite.
who Is My Father which proved to
be the worst yet, and was speedily
sidetracked to make room for the once
despised Fool and His Money" which,
however was now offered too late to be
OF any Use. The public had come to
distrust the Collier judgment, and after
brief trial of the third play in his
season, that, too, was shelved, Mr.. Col
lier anS Weber &, Fields severed their
relations amIcably, and the actor. who
made his first individual hit in a comedy
Of his own called Mr.. Smooth" is now
resting" and. it is to be hoped. writ
ing something for himself
Others in Hard Luck.
But it is not always an actors OWL
plays that can carry him to success.
Here was Edward Harrigan put to the
front once more b. Liebler & Co. at tine
Murray Hill, in a new comedy from his
own pen about Irish New York. He
called it Under Cover" and not ever
Irving could boast of such a hearty
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

well patronized, in the publics effort
to forget their worries in amusement
Plays Don't Suit the Public.
Only the other night l was chatting
with one of our leading managers on
the situation. and he reminded me that
in the last period OF hard times-that Of
the early nineties-he had established
the reputation of a new star and devel-
oDed him into one of the best-paying
propositions in the field. 1t was then,
too. that Charles Frohman climbed to
the top. John Drew and Maude Adams
caught on. and Sothern and the Lyceum
fiourished nightly
THE fault you will find" this man
ager added, lis in the nature of the Of
ferings themselves. The public does not
find what it wants. and hence decides
to stay away"
Suppose we look into the offerings OF
these ten stars, and see what reasons
there may be for their temporary down
fall. About the earliest TO give up was
Blanche Ring, in The Jersey Lily
But then, the people had come to expect
little else from her. She was a star toe
quickly made, just as Bertha Gailand
was. of whom 1 spoke last week
Summer before last Miss Ring hap
pened to sing an interpolated song in
The Defender about THE Good Old
Summer Time" / did not discover that
there was anything especially extraor-
binary about Miss Rings singing Of the
song; it was more in the chorus work
that the popularity lay. But neverthe-
less her name was connected with the
thing, and on the strength of 1t Mrs
Osborne engaged her for the leading
part in Tommy Rot"
Here she really did good work in rem
dering a tough song, THE Belle of Ave
nue. A. and with no other foundation
and bearing in mind the fact that
Tommy Rot" was a miserable failure
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

with the article. by mistake or o,ba--
wise the owner would step forward
ana the subsequent proceedings were
unpleasant
ne other day woman who left her
umbrella on the ribbon counter TO ba
sent TO this department saw anotbar
woman take II up and move toward the
door. nv
Iiere! Where are you going with
my umbrellaT she shouted.
90 and sit down. retorted the ac-
eused woman. I've had this nmhrsIla
since last Christmas
me girl at the counter did n.s know
men woman owned the umbrella. Ths
noorWaiker could make no decision. But
the woman who claimed to have owned
tne umbrella for year got away with
III all right. The other one Just cried. e
The Washington times., 1904-01-03
Beauty and Health.


1t is new trick" said the care
tsker. and I don't see how it can be
stopped unless the management re-
fuses 10 return all lost goods that have
not been retained in this department
more than twenty-four hours. A great
number of things that find their way
here are not lost at all. They are sim
ply left on the counters for us II take
care of by customers who are too lazy
to check them at the proper place II
they don't want to carry them around.
Our fioorwalSers have seen women
leave an article on a counter and walt
near by until they saw the salesgirl
send IL to the lost property department
They knew it was safe, then, until they
called for it. If the girl did not send IT
there promptly she would be reported.
II any other customer tried to get away
The Washington times., 1904-01-03

as follows: II owe your State n great
debt for its ministrations TO me and
mine in the way of beauty and health,
Oi his summer home at Newbury. Sec
retary OF State John Hay says: IT
was greatly pleased with the air, the
water. and the scenery. have nowhere
found more beautiful spot"
New Hampshire abouads in Just spa
beautiful spots. And IL may well b
thaS welcoming the world to this God
given loveliness Of mountain and lake.
stream and sea, win in the future be
one of the Granite States chief runo-
tons in the national life.