The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-04-06
A STAR OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE.

A STAR OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE.
Miss Sophie Kuker, Of Florence, Who is
Rapidly Winning Fame on the Stage
as an Actress of Great Talent.
The people of Sumter will on Wed
uesday evening have an opportunity
of witnessing the dramatic talent and
the histrionic ability of beautiful
and gifted daughter of their own
State, Miss Sophie Kuker of Florence,
who bids fair to out rank in the held
of drama, the exalted position, so
long enjoyed by Clara Louise kellogg
in the world of music.
Miss Kuker, who is known OH the
stage as Virginia Howell, and who IS
the daughter of Mr.. Theo. Kuker, OF
Florence, S. c., will play the leading
r role M in the melodrama siWhy Women
SIM at the Sumter Opera House, on
the evening Of Wednesday, April 6.
The artistic merit of Miss Kuker
should require no introduction to the
people of Sumter, who less than
decade ago, were wrung to tears by
the wonderful acting of her sister
Agnes, then pupil at st. Joseph's
Academy, in her realistic portrayal
of the life of those fated stars of his
tory Mary Queen Of SCOTS and Marie
Antoinette. Those who had the pleas
ure of witnessing these amateur per-
formances will not be surprised to
learn that the genius of the older SIS
ter has been likewise inherited by the
younger, and that Miss Sophie is find
ing an outlet for her talent in the
more appreciative and more remuner-
ative field of a professional career.
Miss Agnes, who perhaps "hast
chosen the better part, is now, by
the way, the wife of DR.. King. an
eminent physician of Florence.
Although having been before the
public for less than two years, with
wonderful rapidity, Miss Howell,
as she is professionally known, has
achieved the greatness of being termed
star and by her continued sue
cesses has established her right to
that scintillating ephithet. well,
you see it was this way" she said,
with reminiscent sigh. discussing
her work in Philadelphia the other
day, "I had my first taste Of acting
when I used to go over to the con-
vent in Sumter to take the part OF
Dauphine when my siSter Agnes
played "Marie Antoinette." 1t was
as you know, produced several times
for charity and other purposes. l re-
member On one of these occasions my
mother had made little pair Of black
velvet trousers for my costume. Oh!
I was a very little girl then,'' she
added quickly with smile. And L
was so desperately proud of nay boy
ish attire that I could hardly wait
for the night of the performance.
With uncomfortable enthusiasm l dis
played my outfit to the good sister who
had the play in charge, and shall
never forget her look of horrihed
amazement, as she gazed upon what
was really little more than bitur-
Gated skirt. You can not wear those,
she said, why not9' 1 enquired, be-
cause I do not wish it,, she answered:
I'll go home then,' retorted. Well
you nay go she replied, but you can
notnnwear those trousers It is super
fuous to add that I remained and sad
ly donned the little kilt which she had
provided. But it was sorry work for
the son of hundred kings to stoutly
defy the revolutionists and Jacob:tes
in skirt!''
Looking back it seems a far cry
from the tall, wcmanly girl, who
gazes upon the world from the depths
OF her blue eyes with all the arrogance
of a Castillian to the precocious, dark
haired child who played the Dau-
phine with the wonderful irresistible
magnetism of which she is still mas
ter. But the spark of ambition
then ignited has burned steadily on.
until today it glows, as beacon and
lights it's way to fame.
Miss Howell. while possessing to a
striking degree the attribute of beauty,
can also boast of that rare and most
excellent thing il woman, a melli-
iuous voice, so low that there seems
no range between it and silence, yet
so audible that it can ne heard in
the remotest gallery of a play house.
These qualities make Of her an actress
for whom a great future is expected
and combined with the graciousness
of her personality and the innate re-
fnement Of her nature, mark her as
young woman of rare qualifications.
It is to be hoped then that she may
draw a full house on Wednesday even.
ing, and the pleasure thus derived
will doubtless be mutual.