Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09

| ROUNDS OF comedy, but the pecuniafy AZURE
great to be withstood. Mr.. Wilson now
| finds himself on the threshold of that more
mature existence which yearns for suDstan-
| tai artistic achievement, as well as TOT
/ money and applause. The unrest OF the
histrionic temperament Is traditional. Com
| edians are always DESTROYS of playing TRACE
| dy, and tragedians entertain quiet amoi-
tion to convulse the world with laughter,
but are compelled to restrict their endeavors
In this direction to the modest obscurity OF
| the after-dinner speech. Mr.. Wilson has no
| intention Of essaying Macbeth, but expects
to appear In legitimate comedy to which
| his style of fun making will be properly
| adapted His only effort in this Held Wlthln
recollection was his appearance as David IN
| Joseph Jefferson's revival OF 1.-The Rivals,
| with an all-star cast.
A PROPHETIC ADMONITION.-The I'm
certainty of life was illustrated in a melan-
choly fashion by conversation which Jo-
seph F. Harris, associated In the business
management of Kellar, had with the late
Jerome Sykes in Chicago not long ago. Mr.
Harris was suffering from severe cold,
and with his customary genial soiicitude
Sykes said to him:
you want to be careful about that cold.
You know we heavily built people some
times go suddenly. 1t looks as II we ap-
peared so prosperous and happy that some
sort of a compensation had to be provided
in the uncertainty Of our hold on the pleas
ures of this life.''
1t was but few days later that the
comedians death occurred.
Sykes cold was contracted in social
gathering, where the various participants
appeared in costume. His masquerade was
that Of Highlander.
CHASE'S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
Chase's fifth anniversary occurs next week.
The theater is now In its most prosperous
season, and enjoys patronage that is quite
as refined as it Is large. Each year Inn
provements and alterations have been made
| In the interior, both auditorium and stage.
and it Is now one of the handsornest most
commodious and hospitable play houses to
be found In the country. In every depart
ment 1t shows the careful personal conduct
increasingly given by Mr.. Chase.
AN UNFORESEEN HARDSHIP.lThere
was phase of the situation which involved
an unforeseen hardship In the action of the
authorities. in Chicago in closing the the
aters in that city. 1t results in leaving a
| large number of people dependent ON what
they can earn from week to week, without
employment in midwinter Members of the
Mr. Bluebeard. company, which was play
| ing at the Iroquois Theater when the
| fire occurred. are to be taken care Of by a
monster benefit in New York city, but there
| will be countless other people who are
suffering through an unexpected lack Of
employment left unproyided for. The
catastrophe may be regarded having
killed the better part of the Chicago the
atrical season, and that city has, of course,
been one of the main reliances of man
ayers. The confession is frankly made that
! the depressing influence of that occurrence
| Is felt in box offices all over the country,
and 1t may serve to place the season. which
at the outset was none too good on record
a N n o icfo afn
MISS ELLIOTT IN HER OWN WAY"
| Miss Maxine Elliott who has just con-
cluded a long and somewhat unique run
| in New York, in Clyde Fitch's comedy,
Her Own Way" comes to this city during
| the week of January % Miss Elliotts New
York run was something of record break
| er. as she was transferred to four different
New YorKtheaters in four months in order
| that her stay in New York might be pro-
| longed to the utmost limits.
ANNIE RUSSELLS FIRST POSTER
Annie Russell made hit after hit at the Ly-
ceum Theater. New York, while a member
! of the famous Lyceum Stock Company. It
was finally determined to make a star Of
| her. 1t took much persuasion to get her
consent. She told Mr.. Frohman that she
| did not think she was capable of assuming
| such responsibility. ALLOW me to be the
| judge" replied Mr.. Frohman. How far
seeing he was has been proven by the sue
| cess Annie Russell has met with. How
timd she was Is shown by little incident
| that occurred. Mr.. Frohman was busy one
day planning her tour when she came into
his office in great distress. They are get
| ting out posters she said, with my name
on them in letters taller than l am. Please
please make them take off those big letters
can't live up to them Mr.. Frohman
| told her she would have to do So and she
has.
MRS. GILBERTs SUGGESTION TO AN
| EDITOR.-On the occasion of Mrs. Gill
berts eighty-third birthday she was in re-
ceipt of many letters and kilograms of con-
CALCULATIONS. The newspapers devoted
much space to praise of the actress, and
every one united In trying to make 1t a.
| joyous occasion. Mrs. Gilbert undertook to
| thank all for their many expressions of
kindness Here is a copy Of letter sent to
one of the newspapers which is characteris-
stage:
| A note from Mrs Gilbert:
| My dear Mr.. Editor:
Thank you for your kindly reference Ito
my eighty-third birthday in this mornings
paper. 1t was well meant, but the figures
| are not quite right 1t is true that l was
| seventy-fve years Old eight years ago, but
| at that time / began to grow younger every
! day. really You should subtract the
| elapsed years from the total instead of add
| ing them. That makes me only sixty. don't
| you see? - ~.
| h.jCordially yours,
| Mrs. G.. H. GILBERT
| P. s. Can't you put in something nice like
| the following:
| I'VE gladly make the correction and are
1 surprised atIoura own error. for we had OBJ
served the fact of Mrs. Gilbert's growing
youth ourselves. Our chief surprise Is to
find that 1t WAS only seven years ago that
| she began a. new scheme. She had seemed
to US to be growing younger every year for
| the last twenty
SALvINI'S- AMERICAN APPEARANCE
i-Tomaso Salxini has written Liebler Co
that he expects I'd reach this country about
March %. and viii be ready to open in New
! York April with an English-speakins
company In -Othello." Mr.. salvini will
give from one to four performances in each
| of the following cities: Boston. PhiladeI-
phia. Washington, Baltimore Pittsburg St.
i Louis. Cincinnati. Chicago and Cleveland.
| This announcement recalls the first an
pearance of the distinguished artist in this