The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-21
CELESTIAL STARS FAREWELL
NOM LING HAS MADE HIS PILE
AND FACES HOMEWARD.

that ever appeared upon the New York
stage, made his farewell appearance In
the Doysrs Street Chinese Theatre last
Monday evening. In tha course Of ten
years OF ~unremitting devotion to his art
Mr.. HON has accumulated the Chinese
equivalent Of a fortune and has risen TO
the top OF his profession. 1t is now his
intention to retire 10 his first wife In China.
buy a province and settle down to a well
earned rest.
Mr.. HON Is confirmed in this purpose by
tho fact that the god OF chance has lately
smiled upon him. Owing to tho fact that
the tragedian has for years lived a life that
has justly won him the praise Of all the
piOus Chinese OF New York. he picked a
lucky ticket in the Chinese lotte ry that
has lately been drawn. IL Melted Mr..
HON 81 ZOO in American money and de-
termined him in the conclusion that he had
now really rounded out his career.
Ter years ago the Edwin Booth Of the
Chinese stage was a no account super in a
San Francisco theatre. But he was am
bilious and a hard worker. He came TO
New York and worked his way up until
to-day no stands proudly at the summit
of his profession. He will return to China
by way Of San Francisco, which he left only
a decade ago as a poor and unknown youth
with no capital but a steadfast purpose.
There he will show his countrymen what a
really great tragedian is really like.
Tue SUN was a but late In hearing his
news and would ave been beaten on the
story bv the Chinatown Daily Neus but
for the fact that the compOsitors OF that
esteemed contemporary are still engaged
in setting IL up. As it is The Suns readers
may rest assured that they are getting
ehA DAuua hRfOra anybody RlaA nNrfaida ~
Chinatown.
Mr.. HON has a repertory Of about 400
plays, in all OF which he ia letter perfect.
Il was therefore a triie difficult for HIM to
choose in which one he would make his
last appearance before the New York public,
but after much thought and many prayers
to his thespian ancestors. whom he can
trace back for at least fourteen genera
tions, he determined upon the great tragedy
called ma Ma hoan Sung AS trans
lated by Charley Gong, this means Two
Trained Nunses-Al Fortune Tellers.7
Mr.. Gong is a person Of extraordinary
distinction. He ia the first Chinese play
wright in 500 years. With the exception
Of a work from his gifted pen no Chinese
play has been written since about the year
400, which means. of course, that prac-
tioally the entire repertoire OF Mr.. HON
Ling and the Chinese theatre in general
was written over 200 years before the time
of William Shakespeare. Mr.. Gong's play
has had a New York premiere and the
IlAAAAOlA W Tux AHEt AAAhk AAlAlJllNO dHIthl
from all accounts TO have been divided.
Some acclaimed IL as q masterwork, but
there wEs a considerable contingent OF
the ultra oonservetivc. as might have been
expected, which Contended that Ii was not
quite up o. the standard set by the masters
OF the thirteenth century.
It 10 a privilege. however. TO he able TO
set down here the plot OF Two Trained
Nurses-An Fortune Tellcrs." as il was
narrated last evening by Mr.. Charley Gong
himself, and as nearly as possible in his
own words. Said Mr.. Gong:
Were a mana rich man-got two wife
and then he lef home TO a far country in
business. Second wife she younger-he
take more intlest in second wife stead OF
first one-see' After he leave. first wife
kind OF clooked.. First wife higher than
second one in China-seel Pletty soon she
give order second wife bling nice cup tea
to serve her. All lite!
Second wife come soon-hear nan voice
in bedloom. Think bes' thing no go in
there but when husband come nome back
she tell him. All lite!
She go way-leave cup tea on table
outside. Pletty quick they Ccme out-see
cur tea and know second wife come serve
= her. So she sIeak TO nan and say sEc
come serve her SO don't say word course
she know What We do-scc'
Man could not think how fix her. She
say I got some scheme. What kind Like
scheme you got? he say. She say. middle
night-maybe third ~Satch-re put w
some yn'rnite or oil and BUN hcc w in
third watch, Servant girl she listen what
they talk she leLor, other woman in her
house making her dless. She say: / hear
ohter woman try talk. She say BUN you
up-third-wstch maybe middle night.
Woman get excited when she heard this
leport, ask what I'm going do save my
life without he bulned 10 death. Sink out.
say servant girl. SO they go. wandering
different wayside.
They meet tlained nurse. You savvy
tlained nurse. She do everythingjus
hka uytd.u-- ~ hr4sl,a - m vgnrk f,r hor
life. Tl0i0ed nurse she TEX them IN her
house 20 kin them there. She not got
out any sign for fortune teller business. but
she all same demium sect All lite! She
Say second wife going be gleatest woman
in kingdom IN few years. She say: We
three go to capital and find your husband.
lie Calculated highest rank in kingdom.
40 they three take journey TO 90 forward
whore find her husband in the place there.
All litel
HON Ling her husband. You savvy.
He no uRlly. He play husband. Phnce
60 out with knrlor. You savvy Emplot:
He all same liooscvelt in China Such
happen they met some tough people who
fought try kill them. HON Ling he como
up. Plince say You better protect us lf
Won can So HON Ling project and kill
Ling 10 the kingdom and promote hisn az
the highest General. Al. lite!
Hon Ling see wife and two tlained
nurse. He say what happen you come.
"AA'A gAN' INV iAAAh iheb 80 WV WIN -
some one, something against the family.
She told him she leave tea tray be and come
tell. If any chance you get away from
Government. better go down home and do
things up. she say, So Hon Ling ask
permission from Emplor. He find man
10 house With first wife. he kill that wife
for doing something wrong, Al lite
Kill her right on the stage?'
Sure said Charley Gong. Then she
got up and walked away. She no play no
more that night. She dead. But course
this lover lun away and didn't get kill. He
got alive out. came back and went home
leport TO his father. His father chamber
lain. he a man politios with government.
He Fly TO get HON Ling put out. Emplor
give order HON Ling come testify the case
before government to sec which long.
which lite. All litel
-They both make up the testimony be-
tween each other. Then the lover had
order from Emplor TO get beheaded. Course
after that the lover had his head beheaded.
all ltel That all"
They don't really cut OF his head. do
theY7' Inquired the dramatic critic.
Sure. he don't have to stay dead" said