Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-30

lines, and say, That's bully She doesn't
ask salary-why, sir. the girla a genius
born and bred-and what's more shes a
lady from the top OF her hat to the soles
OF her boots. couldn't wish my own
daughter to behave better"
something odd about her, all the same
Lacornbe reflected: -dreadfully afraid or
being known She goes In and out OF the
theater like a ghost
Mr.. Charles lizard laughed again.
We'll, don't she play the part of one7'
he asked affably How would you have her
como in and out? Whistiing like the over
headg The parts herself-the Lady OF Had
don. She was born to 1t. II that girl hasn't
walked as a ghost some time OF other, put
me down for twenty pounds to an hospital.
And no salary, sir. not single penny
Immense" said Lacombe, but immedi-
ately paused as a weil-known critic passed
through the hall and went out to the thea
ter. almost adjoining the hotel
There's Clayaton.' he went on quickly.
IT'S not often he sits out a sword and
cape drama
Then he'll sit out one tonight end be
ashamed of himself in the morning Let's
ger, my boy It's just on the half hour. We
must be there
What precisely would have happened had
so great man not been there the merely
humble individual might hardly dare TO say.
AS events went. MIR. Charles lizard put on
a light great-coat with a great deal of
splendid ceremony, and giving the many
coiored lackey a shilling, stroled pompousiy
into the street with his cigar still alight.
the boards House Full were conspicuously
displayed, the pair walked leisurely on 10
the front entrance of the Carlton Theater.
and were there gratified by one of those
spectacles which London alone can display
upon the first night OF a new production.
Cabs, carriages. electric broughams even
the motor-cars. arrived in quick succession
before the brightly lighted yestibule OF one
OF the prettest theaters in London From
these emerged women I'm blazing evening
dress, men who had dined, and men capric-
ND ftah 1a BOO
dined-young girls to whom all plays were
dream of delight. mere boys who already
had voted the whole thing rot" AS for the
critics, theye were chiefly patrons OF han
SONS; though a few arrived foot. two
and two, each trying to learn what the
other would say about a performance which
many had witnessed at dress rehearsal.
Snort men and tall men, bearded men and
bald men. they cared nothing for the sue
cess of the play, but everything for the
glory of the notices they must write. An
historical drama could not fail to give them
fine opening. They lolled hack easily in
their stalls as men whose literary knives
were for the moment sheathed but would be
busy anon.
The theater was packed to the very cell
ing when the curtain rose and few of the
amiable first-nighters were missing from
the audience. Famous lawyers, doctors of
letters. and doctors of medicine. editors of
Illustrated papers and editors of papers that
were not illustrated, literary ladies and
Indies who were not literary, novelists, es-
saylSlS, poetS that curious quasi bohemian
crowd which constitutes a London first
night house, stood for most OF the arts and
many of the sciences of our day; and yet
in the main brought childs heart to the
play as Bohemian crowds will. The cynics
of eighteen, mostly representing halfpenny
evening papers, were among the few who
denounced the drama before they had seen
Il. " 'Haddon Hall on the stage again
why" said they, there have been twenty
Di Vernons In our time and why should
this Di Vernon find mercy?" She was al
ready in the coach of failure so far as they
were concerned. The curtain rose upon
their mutterings and did not still them.
1t was a pretty scene, the park of famous
Had6on Hall and the meeting between
pretty Dorothy Vernon and her young lover
beneath the sheltering yews. The unknown
debutante, Eta Romney, received a luke
warm welcome from the audience: but all
admitted the grace of her attitudes. the
charm of her voice, and the earnestness she
brought to her assistance. little amateur
ish in the earlier moment of the play, she
warmed to her work anon; and a love scene
which would have been ridiculous had IL
been ill-played she lifted by natural talent
to pinnacle at least of liberation. So the
curtain fell to some applause: and the great
impressario, Mr.. Charles lizard, again ven-
tured the opinion that she was bully"
though his voice had not that confident ring
1t possessed al the dinner table. Could the
girl make failure OF II after ali7 II was
Just possible. And undoubtedly the play
was not a masterpiece.
So the second act passed and found him
not a little anxious, and he sat far back In
his box when the curtain rose upon the