Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-28

gives the secretary the charm. The en-
peror re-enters his grand chamber made of
brings the charm, which, when given to the
empress, cures her. The empress enters.
With only one exception men play the
parts of women in the Frisco theater. 1t
is a disgrace for a Chinese woman to be an
actress, while the greatest Chinese actors
imperSOnate women. But this time the
empress is a real woman. She does not
speak one word; she only struts across the
stage. In a few minutes. without changing
her costume, she plays the part of her own
daughter. who is given in marriage to Suen
Key, and once more she paradeS across the
stage, speechless She was just a show
girl A party of tourists now enter and
take seats upon the stage. They laugh and
talk and listen to their husky-voiced Amer
lean guide tell them cock and bull stories
about the play until. firing in a few min
utes, they leave knowing all about Chinese
drama. l found this play thrilling; and,
like the Cinnamon, it soon made no differ
ence to me whether or not small boys play
ed on the stage and the stage manager ar
ranged the trappings for one scene before
another was over, so eagerly did I follow
the play.
The Plot Thickens.
The court again. The same old judge
Two executioners wearing long feathers in
their caps bring in two prisoners, put them
In stocks and send them away to be kill
ed-a short explanatory scene to show the
cruel character of the Judge. The hand
maid of Let Louie But, the heiress, goes to
the rich girls house and tells the mother
that Lete Key, the lover of her daughter,
is to be executed. In the scene following
the secretary of the emperor and Suen Key,
with two body guards, enter Suen Key,
now favored by the emperor, wears fine,
bright slken toys. They all enter upon a
public road and meet a poor old man, who
tells them that his is in Jail unjustly
condemned. The old man is also the father
an ny- Ctrn, Knrr LII,
the poor old man. They all pick up
switches, a bundle of which the property
man has thrown on the floor, and leave,
the old man hopping. The hopping and the
switches meant that they rode away on
horseback. No wooden cups behind the
scenes clattered hoof-beats at their depart
ure. And all CT this, like make believe play
for the child at the kindergarten, was real
for me; and no more did / notice the chill
dren's frolic on the stage or the musicians
now doping themselves with opium
1t is now quarter to twelve. A crowd
comes rushing in. HE get in fee: catch
MIN little want more tomollow night said
Sam, explaining that the management at
this hour threw open the doors free to all
And at lively time did the crowd come:
Just In time for the final execution scene.
Clever Satire.
The bad judge again sits on high Before
him march Lete Key, the lover of Let Louie
But, the rich girl and two other prisoners
Let Louie But. dressed in black, comes to
bid her lover goodbye. She brings a feast.
The rich girls mother also comes and omar
rels with the executioner, who asks money
This part of the play is satire on Chinese
legal corruption. Let Louie But falls trots
on her knees to her condemned lover. ar
ranges his hair, brings his feast, sacrifices
and calls him her husband" The young
women In the gallery, who must sit all to
themselves, shift their little breathing bur
dens and laugh right out. The lover blows
his nose-a sign of grief Even the small
boys on the stage quit pulling each others
love song. The mother and the handmade
each take hand pretty much as did Let
Louie But. The scene is long one. Lete
Key says: Laye bet, goodbye" and, get
ting mad at his sweetheart because she
won't buy him out, kicks her over The
mother scolds him, and the lovers make up
The judge enters. Also come in the execu-
TONERS. wearing long peacock feathers In
lovers, who are swearing faith to each
other. The secretary of the emperor comes
In, and. having heard of the injustice of
Lete Keys imprisonment. frees him. The
freed lover jumps high. makes funny faces
and claps his hands. Suen Key. the favored
one of the emperor. enters with his father.
who is now richly dressed. He rakes the
judge over the Goals takes off the judicial
crown and kicks him out. Then he calls
the poor lover before him. only to learn that
he is his brother Thus ends the play in a
great hubbub.
Earn Their Salaries.
After the play Sam led me through many
narrow. winding passages. Doors opened
from these into little, cherries rooms, into
which never came the light of day Coiled
In hunks, the actors now lay hitting the
pipe. We entered a dark apartment where
lived tragedian and his family. The man
agement quarters their fifty actors In the
theater building. Many of them have fam
lies Board is a part of the contract The
best actors get $1,000 a year and board.
And we'll do they earn this, for they must
spend much time in study. The Chinese
play usually lasts a week or ten days.
Never Go Back On YOU. which began at
Z and ended at 1880, Sam said, was a short
play. The same play Is not put on twice
the same year.
went to the managers office, in a Granny
away up. The ringing OF telephone bell
awoke me from my midsummer nights
oriental dream. went back to WATERMAN
civilization with delightful memories of my
visit to the Mongrel nest Of Frisco.