Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-22
DRAMA

with my father attending a series of out
of-door meetings somewhere in Pennsyl-
vania, and one night just before the open
ing OF the meeting l went to the organ
where Mr.. Sankey was seated and crawled
upon his knee He seemed to me- l re-
member to be thinking deeply about some
thing, for he did not speak as was his
usual custom. Then suddenly he began play
Ing and singing the hymn from which our
play was written, and this little episode Is
particularly green in my memory. He af-
terward taught me the hymn and gave me
an autographed copy of his hymnal, which
still carry with me.
HOW SHAKESPEARE sPELT HIS
NAME.-The imperishable controversy as
to the correct spelling of shakepeare's
name has burst forth anew. Apropos OF
Viola Aliens appearance here in THE Win
ter's Tale at the National Monday even
ing, some facts regarding this question will
not be amiss. Disraeli in his "Curiosities
of Literature was one of the first to take
authoritative cognizance of the wrangle;
but he was satisfied to go no further than
to point out that Shakespeare's name Is
spelled "Shakspere'' in the register of the
Stratford Church, that while 1t appeared
shakespeare" in his will the instrument rs
Endorsed "ShackSpere,' as Is his bust IN
Stratford Church Investigation likewise
showed that the poet had inscribed ms
name Shakespeare and "Shaksper." Incl
OenUdlly, the NAME Is Sptiltu oHahSSPNotN
in the first folio. and there is much other
testimony of a curious and confusing ma
ture.
There are those who have marveled great
ly at the variableneSS on the part OF inc
poet in the spelling of his name, and nave
endeavored to discover in 1t some deep
enigma. Investigation brings to light how
ever, the curious fact that during the poet
time it was no unusual thing for prominent
people to spell their names in several ways.
The poets own son-in-law signed hlmSelI
Hawl and Hall; Henslowe sometimes signed
his name Heglowe, and Sir Walter Raleish
spelt his Rauley and as Raleigh; Alleyn
wrote his Aleyn, Alleyn, Allen and Aim
The poet Sidney very often speheo ms
name Sydney; Spencer wrote Spenser, klu
as Kyd, Middleton as Middleton, ana Dry
as Dreyden, Dreydon and Driden. Or.
Elze discovered that Marlowes name oc-
ours in ten different spellings, Throckmor-
ton in sixteen, Gascoigne in nineteen, Choi-
mondeley in twenty -fVe, PerciVal IN lWen-
ty-nine and Bruce in thirty-three. But OF
all. the name of our poet is the one Whlch
exhibits the greatest number of varieties
no fewer than fifty-five having been count
ed. In the records of the town council OF
Stratford, for example, the name of the
poets father occurs one hundred and sixty
six times and in fourteen different FORMS
viz: Shakesper, Shackespere, Shaksper,
Shackspere, SHAKESPEARE, Shaksper, Shak-
spere. Shakspeyr, Shakysper. Shakyspere'
Shaxpeare. ShaNper. Shaxpere and Shax-
speare. Certainly, an old gentleman OF
orthnographical variety.
If we but knew how the poet himself spelt
his name there would be an end to the as
pute. There are six of his signatures which
are recognized as being genuine Ihree
of these appear on the WILL the fourth on
the mortgage deed relating to the house In
the Blackfriars. the fifth on the deed OF
bargain and sale relating to the same prop
erty, and the sixth is the autograph in the
folio edition of FlOrio'S translation OF
"Montaine's Essays" These several sigma
lures are so indistinct that one cannot de-
ot,frv MOL
others have reduced them to the form
shakespeare.
AS has been pointed out, the first folio
has the name spelled Shakespeare; yet
his Lear" which was published in 1905
and 1.-TWO Noble Kinsmen," 1884. 1t is spell
ed shakespeare What would seem to
add authority to this spelling as being the
one intended by the poet is the fact that
the editions of Venus and Adonis." LII
cretia,'' and the 'Sonnets," which were pup
lished under the poets own eye, the name
is spelled in the same way. Yet, confusion
''doubly confounded'' is added to the queS-
ton by the fact that in the commendatory
verses, where the poet is mentioned by con-
temporary authors, he is always called
shakespeare" the same spelling as the
first folio. Milton, 1t may be taken TOR
granted, was acquainted with the poets
wish to the spelling, and so when he
wrote: What need my Shakespeare" he
probably did so advisedly Again In the
five most carefully written Stratford docu-
ments, the name occurs five times spelt
Shakespeare" On all the tombstones OF
the poets family at Stratford the name Is
Spelt in the same way. The poets brother |
Gilbert also wrote his name Shakespeare
All of these later circumstances have prov |
ed of decisive weight, and the most emil |
nent editors, including Furness. have ac- |
cordingly determined in favor or this SPELL |
ing.
A VAUDEVILLE AUTHoR-ACTOR.-I
1t was Milton Mobiles who coined the IA
IT. rNsrr
sued her."
It was in THE Phoenix" a play of his |
own, and later he extended the list of his |
creations to include From Sire to Son." |
Love and Law" For Revenue Only"
these being lengthy dramatic works, while |
recently in vaudeville, he has written his |
own one-act sketches. "Bilgeville Junction."
''Why Walker Reformed "a Blue Grass |
Widow" and now, 'The Days of 49," in |
which he will appear at Chase's next week. |
1t goes without saying that no dramatic |
attraction is stronger and no players more |
popular in such theaters as ChaSe's than /
Milton and Dolly Mobiles. They practically /
discovered new field, and they fill it en- |
tirely to the satisfaction Of the public, If /
one may judge from the fact that out of /
ffty-two weeks a year they play about |
fifty. making the round of the leading |
vaudeville houses from Boston to San Fran
cisco, and from Minneapolis to New Or /
contemplated entering vaudeville he spent |
six months in studying the character of the /
current offerings and the tastes of the au-
dienceS, as demonstrated by the success ac-
corded the leading attractions of that pc
riod six years ago. He says that his OBJ
servations took in the east and the west as /
well. and his conclusion was that vaudeville
had come to stay, that 1t will grow stronger |
each year with the best class of amuse-
ment-seekers, and that the demand for tall
ent of all kinds will steadily increase
He decided that he could cater success
fully to vaudeville audiences as a writer
and an actor. He retired from road man
agement deliberately and permanently.
solely with view to entering the new field
His first offering was an eccentric farce,
called "Bilgeville Junction" Its success
was instantaneous. This was followed by
why Walker Reformed" and that in turn /
by "A Blue Grass Widow" Each little |
play was pronounced superior to its pre-
decessors. Mr.. and Mrs. Mobiles could con-
tinue almost Indefinitely with these little
comedies should they elect to do So but the
author-actor says that his best work In HIS |
new field is yet to be done. He proposes to
continue producing.
A DRAMATIC HEN.-One of the charac-
tiers in 1.-THE virginian' is not human |
being, but is as interesting as any man or 1
woman I'm the book. 1t is q hen-not n corn |