The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-29

William Morris, of the Century Players who will appear at the Hyperion next Frl- day and Saturday in Much Ado Aboat Nothing" is fond of telling an episode that happened to him several years ago when he was playing ''Ihe Lost Paradise The play was meeting with varied criticism because of its sociaiistic character. It came one day to a western town, the name of which, by the way, Mir. Morris refuses to divllge, remarking merely, Tt is in the center of the gardening district of kansas. The play would never have been presented in the town, anyway, had it not been for a luke in the booking for not only was the place noted for its religious tendencies, but tEe remainder of the population regarded dol- lar in the light of sacred pledge-t0 le kept. No nrst-class productions mad ever been known.to play to a full house, and 1t was carefully avoided as quarantine sta ton.
 From here on let Mir. Morris tell his own story: What was our surprise, therefore, when we got to the theater and were in formed by the opera house manager that the house was sold out. We all looked blank. So did the opera house manager. He was a curious individual, that manager. He chewed tobacco and wore silk hat, and he sized me up in way that was caution.
 Say he asked in long drawl, what sort of show Is this? Pretty good: Our man ager informed him that 1t was a sure hit
 Sort of religious? he drawled again: lie was here told the story. Never did l see such transformation in man lace. Then he delivered himself of one short powerful expletiye and struck off down the street on q dead run. Well. we, wondered and we kept on wondering, and we never ceased wondering even when we reached the thea ter. That theater certainly was filled. There wasn't seat from ton to noor ana what an audience. Men with enlongated locks and clerical lO0ks--a perfect synpo- slum of parsons, preachers and theologues And the queerest part of the whole thing was that every last one of them held a book open before him. Then the orchestra start ed and played of all things 'N4arer, My God. to Thee, the audience at tinss joining in the chorus. It was the sDookiest thing you ever sawl Half of us were lau@hing but half of us weren't l belonged to the second half Then the curtain went up. Well, we didn't get far in the first act, not very far, when there was ptRdemonlun, and finally one old preacher got up on the stage and broke loose on me. He called me every name in both testaments and some that weren't in either. and all the while the au- dience howled encouragement And what do you think 1t all was? We'll this town was the seat of q theological institute, aiiu every mothers son of them, and daughter too, of that crowd, seeing the name or the play The Lost Paradise thought it was a reading from Milton's Paradise Lost. And the crazy opera house manager had so billed it. We left on freight that night. The Century Players are making an renV zen forced tour so to speak, as the blJou the ater, New York, where the company was to have opened February 20, has not yet com pleted the alterations prescribed by the mu- nicipal authorities to make it safe to the public Mryor Mcclellan Is the booking agent for quite. a number of attractions that have been affected by the stringent reg ulations; otherwise New Haven would not have the opportunity to see MT. Rosenfeld's fine company.
 There will be matinee Saturday. Seat sale opens Wednesday. Prices: Night, $l.o0, S1 and n cents; matinee, 25 cents, 90 cents, D cents and $1.
 Since Miss Maude Adams was unable to fill her engagement here about a month ago because of an attack of the grip, which con tinued for only a week, she has been play ing ever since and her doctor says that she is again in the best of health Miss Adams was desirous of returning here at as early date as possible, and her manager, Charles Frohman, rearranged her entire route so that she could fill date here. She comes here at the Hyperion Monday and Tuesday, March and s, for an engagement of two nights only, presenting her beautiful new play, "The Pretty Sister of Jose, which is renuted to be the most beautiful as well as the most popular play that this charming young actress has ever appeared in. Seat sale opens Thursday. Prices S2, $1.50 and $1.