The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-11

From the foregoing calendar 1t will be seen that The Grand will be open four of the six nights during the com ing week, and that while all of the attractions are not those of long runs on Broadway, they have merit. Espe- cfaiiy is tLts true 0fs Hoftense Mel sen. to appear on Monday night.
 Miss Nielsen is a sister of the fla nous prima donna, Alice Nielsen, and this fact alone would prove drawing card. But in addition to this fact she appeared fin Montgomery last season as the Mora" of Ibsen's prob lem play, "A Dolls House" In this role she made decided impression on a representative Montgomery audi ence, and her essay of the leading role in Mrs. Dane's Defense" on Monday night, will attract.
 Another attraction is that of Al Fields Minstrels. In the past this old master of black face fun has been a favorite. and this year is said to have an offering that far surpasses last seasons success. Somebody has sald that two hours of real fun and laugh ter is worth a barrel of medicine, and it Is claimed that Al Field can produce the laughter.
 Barney Gilmore, who will keep The Grand open during the last two days of the week. is said to have com
 
 "Kidnapped in New York" with new scenery and costumes. and many up- to-date specialties pleasantly thrown in.
 Hortense Nielsen.
 Hortense Nielsen is announced to ap- pear in this city on Monday night at The Grand in Henry Arthur Jones' cel- ebrated play, Mrs. Dane's Defense" powerful modern society drama.
 "The brillian young artiste," as Miss Nielsen has been described, was born in Nashville Tenn. She is the daugh- ter of Erasmus and Sarah Nielsen, both the latter being we'll remembered by the oldest residents of Nashville. Miss Nielsen has only a, faint recollection of her father, a tall, military looking man, who, when she was but little child, succumbed many Years after the civil war to a wound gained in Shat memorable struggle.
 Her mother, now a sweet faced, white haired old lady, strong in her southern sympathies. at one time de- 4ending her home, gun in hand, with sturdy Irish vigor against band Of maurauders. at other times giving her services and means to relieve the brave soldiers of the beloved cause.
 Miss Nielsen's father was by profess sion an architect, but he was also a man of studious attachments. an ac- cumplished linguist and a musician of considerable ability, particularly de- lighting his friends with a baritone voice of beautiful quality.
 Coming from such stock 1t is no wonder that the child's mind was filled with high ideals and lofty ambition.
 After the death of the father the Nielsen family migrated to Missouri, settling in Kansas City and from thence to San Francisco Even as @ little child the dramatic instinct was ufT In friends and the assistance of her mothers wardrobe. she would impro- wise little plays of her own invention on the top of the old fashioned square piano, where she would then mimic the gestures of actresses whom she had seen in wide-eyed wonderment at the theatre. As she grew older. Hortense Nielsen, in conjunction with her now famous sister Alice, the prima donna, would appear at private concerts at which Hortense would recite and Alice would sing. Later they both joined the chorus of an opera company ap- bearing in San Francisco, but the dra- matic stage had more attraction for Hortense. and after many futile at- tempts, Miss Nielsen finally succeeded in securing position to play boys and other small parts with the famous Mime. Modjeska, then in the zenith of her career as Shakespearean act ress.
 After several years of exceptional opportunities to play important parts and a broadening experience combined with educational advantages derived from witnessing the performances of so great an artiste as Mme. Modjeska, Miss Nielsen secured an engagement as leading lady with the famous La- fayette Stock Company in Washington, D. c. Here for two years the young actress scored one artistic triumph af- ter another. It was here that Miss Nielsen's present manager. MT. c. A. Quintard. witnessed her performances and immediately offered her an en-