davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

:. white curtains behind which swung
pillows OF clothes.
I've seen many stars dressing
rooms" said Miss stoddsrd. Z have
-peeped into Margaret Anglin's and Ma
dame Nazimova's, and, oh, host Of
other leading women's, but this is the
dnest and biggest and prettiest 7 ever
saw. right here in this Valencia the
ater."
: Never mind another chair for me-"
I said as she turned to point Artist Rohr-
hand to his seat TN sit on the couch"
There wasn't room for another chair.
sumptuousness and size being rela-
tive qualities. no ofense was meant or
taken, and the apartment no doubt IS
large for a dressing room, though It
wouldn't be considered big for a cigar
box.
An air OF irreproachabie cleanliness
bervaded the room. Everything from
the white slippers-zmau ones-under
the shelf that stands beneath the mir
ror and which might be called the
work bench, was regularly placed, in
perfect order and might be found in
the dark should the incandescent lights
with their yellow globes around the
looking glass go out. The pots Of
paints which Miss stoddard will use to
draw her pretty face into the like
nesses Of others were all just so, and
the breeze that hoated through the
little half opened window found nothing
TO futter or scatter to the floor.
Our hostess sat bundled up She
had been i'll. Indeed, she was for sew
ersl months sick nearly to death in a
sanitarium, and she has a cold, so she
remained wrapped up and kept the
o1eerest. but pretty, little Quaker bon
net on her head. Such effect OF de-
Ia1reness and frugality as was
wrought by the bonnet was contra
dirted by q blue flowing veil ana a
smart gown Of blue which, for excel
lent reasons, I will not describe for
gou. I know it was blue, and that's
CROUCH for any man TO know about a
cfess.
Miss stoddard looks as though she
lid be able to manage her affairs.
Sic presents 4 bewiidering contrast In
her mouth and voice. The first is firm
and. strong. as Of one who has much
niA and certain and sure convictions.
but her voice gives the lie TO her lips,
for IL is mcilihuous, feminine and
hsuntingly beautiful. ] have seldom
heard more melodious Utterance or
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

more worthy side of character Not
that he or we didn't enjoy The Man
on the Box" but its motive was in a
joke and there were no serious ele-
ments of life woven into the amusing
comedy. His role, in brief, was that of
a farceur.
'Tn The Substitute. said he few
days ago while chatting in the office
of the American thater, II think have
found such a piece as 1 was looking
for 1t has q big motive. and it is like
life in this-it is partly smiles and
partly tears: it is made up of the grave
and the gay and its basis is we'll es-
tablished, I think, in truth. 1t begins
q farce and ends in seriousness, and I
am glad that the west is to see it be-
fore New York gets whaclS. at it.
am going to take it to New York
and Chicago later, but / hate those
awful death watch audiences in New
York. They chill me to the very mar
row in my bones. Besides there are no
factions theatrically here and there
are no dramatic axes to be ground. San
Francisco gives you a fair hearing and
if it likes you it tells you so. L am not
afraid that the public will refuse to
accept me in serious moods 1t is not
true that a farceur can never break
loose from his business of laugh get
ting. The public will follow an actor
into any realm of acting so long as
there is earnestness of purpose and
some skill exhibited
"It was strange how 1 got this play.
1t was in the eleventh hour l had
not found the piece I had been looking
for and which I told you of on my
last visit to San Francisco. I had de-
cided to accept Jacks Honeymoon a
pretty and funny farce which had been
written for me. One day I received
the script of this piece by Beulah Dix
and Evelyn Sutherland. I read 1t at a
sitting and wired them Of my accept
ance. / liked it because of what it con-
tanned between the lines-the business
and the Significance that lie deeper than
words and which a gesture or play of
facial expression serves to bring to
light. / do not so much care what the
lines are like so long as the play means
something. develops situations which
are normal and genuine and so long
as the motive lying back of all this is
true and worthy.
The play was at once put in rehear-
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

his acting version OF Peer Gvnt" he
restored many OF the most famous cpl
sodes in the comedy. making a restOra-
tion of nearly third more of the
original text 10 the prompt book than
was used in the Norwegian theater;
and Louis James. ever faithful 70 the
author. has added additional text until
now his prompt book is as nearly per-
feet as is possible to compile for stage
purposes.
He has successfully visualized the
Morocco scene, with the theft of the
yacht and the subsequent explosion.
the ballet of Anitra and her maidens.
the scene of the ship at sea. the storm
and the most realistic wreck seen upon
the stage in years.
Grieg wrote his first Peer Gynt''
suite under a pure emotional impulse
after contemplating this drama of
human life in It's not yet acted state.
Fhe first suite contains Morning"
Asses Death 'Anitra's Dance and
The Hall of the Mountain King" and
is familiar to all who have any ac-
quaintance with good music IL became
more famous than the play. When
Ibsen prepared peer Gynt" for the
stage he invited his friend Grieg to
write further on the same theme. and
he produced the second suite. which
includes ''Ingride's Plant" ~Solveig's
Song and Peers Homecoming Curt
ously. this suite is rarely heard except
in the repertoire of great orchestras.
even If its beauties are no less con-
spicuous than its earlier companion.
Mr.. James. in summoning every sym
pathetic and intelligent attribute TO en-
hance this poetic comedy. has naturally
utilized all the Grieg music; this is sup
p1emented by other Grieg compositions
and Norwegian folk music which fur
nished the tonaI background of the
performance. Equally discriminative
has been Mr.. James in the selection OF
his supporting company. Aphie James.
who has been his chief support for sew
eraI seasons, plays ~Solveig.~ the faith
ful sweetheart who for a lifetime
patiently awaits her wandering boys
return. Miss James is said TO invest
the character with a charm OF wistful
tenderness that makes her splendid
antithesis to the Dragging and arrogant
Peer Gvnt'' The cast chorus auXil-
aggregate nearly so people. The
comedy ia revealed in five acts and
eleven scenes. necessitating the musical
prelude to commence at $40 O'Clock
and the last curtain falls at IL O'Clock
or few minutes after. il the stage
hands are not familiar with the COM
pleXities of the production The role
of Peer Cyntv is one which requires an
actor who is a comedian we'll
ira gedian. for IL compasses every phase
Of human existence and emotion from
cynical worldly wiseness Of middle life.
to life shrivens old age.
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

sal and here we are for your approval .
Figman claims the distinction of
being responsible fok the expression
Where did you get that hate
He had been asked to participate in
a benefit given many years ago in New
York
Il have even forgotten now to whom
the benefit was being rendered. But L
was to do an impersonation of Angus
tin DAILY. There were a number Of
other players in the sketch and all Of
them were cast in roles of noted actors
or theatrical managers. was TO be
Augustin DAILY. / did not try to Carl
cature nim but endeavored to put him
on the stage as he really was. DAILY.
as everybody knows, wore q peculiarly
shaped tile. 1t was his own block and
idea. and his halter kept it exclusively
for him. l asked DAILY for permission
to get one made from the same block
and was indignantly refused. Then 1
schemed and got one in spite of him.
1t was just like Daly's. and so I ap-
peared at the benefit. In reviewing the
performance some critic said that
Figman was supposed to be at the
theater to impersonate DAILY. but that
DAILY came himself and gave the imi-
tation of Daily The remark was made
in a jocular spirit. but Daily was NOR
tally offended. He never forgave me
and when 1 met him on the street the
next time he passed me by as though
he had never seen me in all his life
I wrote him letter of explanation and
told him that as I was working for
Frohman I had to do as L was told;
that 1 had been instructed to imper-
senate Augustin Daily and so had done
as was bid He paid no heed to the
letter and we remained strangers. But
the story of his displeasure got into
the Lambs club and among the profess
sion generally and / was tagged with
the query. Where did you get that
hat2' for the tile was, in the last analy-
sis. the identifying factor in Daly's
makeup
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

the change is accomplished by Nine
Nazirnova with wonderful skill. and
every step of the progress of her soul
from frivolity and carelessness to
knowledge and sadness is made clear
and plain
are mixed up in the pronunciation of
the Russian actress name She told
me that she pronounced it Naz-irr-o-va
with the accent on the second syilable
but that the masculine pronunciation
as for instance of her brother-would
be Naz-i-mo va. with the accent on the
third syllable"
Miss Stoddard told us how she had
been mistaken for a Quakeress on ac-
count of the bonnet before mentioned
Said one patron of the Valencia to an
other: What kind of a looking woman
is Blanche Stoddard off the stage?" Re-
piled the other: "She must be a Ouak
eress, she wears their style of bonnet,
In order to do the honors of hostess
up properly, Miss Stoddard next pulled
aside the dainty pink and white cur
tains and disclosed the wardrobe. Jf
you have seen her in "Aristecracy'' you
must have observed with a Easp the
white gown with a train that reaches
across the stage How she eyer gets
it on in that room will remain another
feminine mystery, but 1t was there
with a small stock of other gorgeous
gowns, which, while might not fully
appreciate, must be noted down here
as wonders
Made in Parfs?' I asked, to be socia-
BILE.
NO. said she. '.in San francisco.
They're good enough, are they not?"
I'm glad 1 didn't have to buy them,
said
That's where leading woman's SAL
ary goes. Hung up on pegs in her
dressing room.
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
New Company for
The Princess Playhouse

Harry Campbell of the management
of the Princess theater went to New
York last Thursday TO assemble new
company for the Princess. kolb and
Dill's engagement will terminate in a
few weeks and the organization which
will come in their place viii carry on
the fortunes of Manager Loverich's s
musical comedy and comic opera house.
Campbell said before leaving that he
had not set his mind on any particular
players but that he was going after
the best he could get. The principals
will all be new. That's one thing GER
tain" he said. We will keep up our
policy of bringing new faces and new
voices to the Princess We propose to
gather together a company that can
sing and act the new musical comedy
and song show pieces, and we are going
to pay for comedians and get the best
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
LOUIS JAMES PLAYS
IDSEN'S PEER GYNT'
Playwright's Masterpiece viii
Be Presented at Van Ness
With Grieg's Music
Cast, Chorus, Auxiliaries, Musi.
clans and Mechanics Num-
Der Eighty Persons

Louis James will appear at the Van
Ness theater for one week only. be-
ginning tomorrow night, with matinees
on Wednesday and Saturday. in Peer
Gynt,'' Henrik Ibsen's masterpiece. The
author, who has been dead but two
years. is best known to the stage as
the playwright of the new school, the
apostle of the modern He wrote Peer
Gynt, in 1867. under Italian skies,
while he was travelling under the in
dulgence of pension provided him
by the Norwegian government. He
was at that time admired for his five
poetic dramas. and the north pro-
claimed him second Shakespeare.
The popularity of Peer Gynt' begot
an insistent demand for it's presenta-
ton upon the stage. a behest TO which
he yielded. after long insisting that no
player in Europe could compass the
many requirements of the role, and
that no stage could realize its pictorial
exigencies.
When Richard Mansfield presented
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

natural gifts made certain her success
in the role she was studying and which
she viii play this next week, Zira~ The
last time 1 heard her was when she
played the role of Ruth Wilding in
-Zira,' when, at the Columbia theater.
Margaret Anglin appeared in the name
part.
Ruth wilding and zira, The range
of modern dramas scarcely contains
two characters more different. Miss
Stoddard has Ruth Wilding's mouth
and Zira's voice. do not know whose
temperament she has. but 1 dare say
neither's.
Ruth Wilding was a good wcman." J"
Miss Stoddard was saying. She was
good and gray. In fact, I dressed her
in gray. There was not warm spot
IN her nature, but she was thoroughly
good, just the same-that is. good from
a woman's standpoint. She had done
no wrong. Zira had. Ruth Wiidfng
finds poor Zira in South Africa. She
is passing through the country and
may never see Zira again, but she does
not hesitate about undoing the woman,
who has repented. She wants the
world TO know the evil that was in
Zira's past and SO she denounces her"
You said she was q good woman,
this Ruth?' asked.
Certainly she was. She did what
she thought was her duty. She imag-
ined that il was the proper and the
right thing to do. That's conscience,
and Ruth obeyed it. That's why I say
she was a good woman. Perhaps neg
atively good, but good
''She had no mercy, she had no ten
derness. She had no heart; when she
found that Zira innocently enough had
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

taken her place thinking her dead, she
pursued her relentlessly and without
sign Of feeling? And yet she was
good?7 l asked.
Yes, good-from woman's point
Of view.
But Zira was better" Miss Stsddard
proceeded. Hers was heart made
warm and true and fine through mis-
cry, sin and unhappiness. Even her
voice. as / conceive the role. must have
been tender and sweet. To be able to
smile one must have wept In Zira
find that beauty of character which is
beauty before it is truth. 1t is beauti-
full just because il is, and its colors
are many. ] played Ruth Wilding as
hard as ever I could. / wish to play
Zira as tenderly as l can. / found
Ruth Wilding an interesting character
and well worth studying, for we meet
her type frequently. / find Zira lovable
and fascinating. You will see which
you think l do the better.
NY finest experience since leaving the
old Grand opera house in this city?
Well, my finest experience was in meet
ing Madame Nazimova. Money would
not buy the memories of my associa-
ton with this great woman. I do not
know anything about the old time
actresses, of course, but I will say this
about Madame Nazimova: She is the
greatest actress that has stepped OH the
American stage in the last 10 or 15
years. No. l Will bar no one. She is
any wonlan's peer on the stage She is
regal and superb. What woman couId
play as she did the Countess Coauette?
Any one else would have made her
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06


vulgar gross and repulsive. But
Madame Nazimova is as far removed
from vulgarity as perfect blossom is
different from .toadstool. She Is per-
fectly fascinating and on or off the
stage she is wonderful David Warfield
came one night to see her as Nora in
The Dolls House 1 witnessed their
meeting between the acts, when the
great actor came to compliment the
great actress. 1t may sound silly to
say it, but tears of genuine emotion
were upon Warfeld's cheeks as he
greeted her in his warm, impulsive
manner. I'd rather have your praise
said Madame Nazimova, than that of
any critic in New York She told him,
and she meant what she said, that he
was the greatest artist living except
one said she. and that is Olinoff.' Olin-
off, you know, is the greatest of Rus
sian actors whose highest fame is con-
fined to his own country, the language
Of which. alone, he speaks.
Miss stoddard was for some time
and until she resigned, the principal
mova's company. That is where. no
doubt, Miss Stoddard drank deeply Of
the Ibsen, Norwegian brew. She is, one
would say. addicted. to Ibsen.
'Ibsen goes to the heart of his char
acters. He reveals them as they are
He does not drag in a soliIoquyl to let
his people explain themselves and talk
about their souls He shows you their
souls, and he leaves nothing uncovered
When anybody tells you that they are
easy TO portray, you make up your
mind that that person doesn't know
what he's talking about. The most diff
cult thing to do naturally on the stage is
TO laugh. or cry, or emit a startled shrek
or shout The emotional expression
must come spontaneously and without
taking thought 1t must be the re-
action of the primary emotion and
result from it. Do not think it
easy to be natural. 1t is very diff
cult. and that's what makes Ibsen
so hard to play, because his char
acters are natural and behave normally.
~sI played with Nine Nazimoya in
Hedda Gabler,' The Dolls House.
and other Ibsen plays, and know what
I'm talking about. In other roles you
may hide a lack. of training and
ability under great fuss of business
and fine parade of personality. but you
can not do it in Ibsen. wish you
could see the metamorphosis in Nine
Nazimova- when she plays different
roles. The change seems to possess her
to the last detail of dress and deport-
ment, and she even resembles her char
acters physically. From the opening
act of The Dolls House. where Nora
is found a careless. thoughtless toy, the
delight of her husband and the charm
Of his friends, to the end where she
goes out into the world a maturcd.
disillusionized and thoughtful woman,
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
Figman Back Again

Max Figman, who was here about .
year ago and who made a fine impress
sion with his impersonation in "The
Man. on the Box" said at that time
that he hoped when next he came to
San Francisco it would be in a piece
which would afford him better oppor
tunities to display the serious and.
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

one more warm and mellow. It is not
nervous or excitable. it does not jerk
up or down, and it never is in chat
tering mood. 1t sings. mainly and
what she says takes on added charm
for the manner OF its saying.
I thought as she talked that her
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06

uTHls. gentlemen" she said, with
out intention to fiatter. 'Is my
home. Here is where 1 live.
What DO you think OF it?"
She pointed proudly around the lit
~1a room. It's woodwork was painted
white. the walls were whitehall is
such as was visible above the pink and
The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
This decks attractions

VAN NESS-Louis James in "Peer Gyrt"
AMERICAN-Max Figman in "The Substitute"
PRINCESS-Kob and Dill in 'Weiner and schnitzeI"
ALCAZAR-"The First Born"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
VALENcIA-"Zira"
PANTAGES-EMPIRE - Vaudeville
NATIONAL-Vaude,iIIe
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-11
AT tllr 0hnrrhra
December 18th, 1908.
Baptist
&. X. Delepinr, P"s."

&. X. Delepinr, P"s."
Preaching services rv'r. = "da'
IL Il III. and 1880 I'm.
sunday school M 10 am. ef" .
The Baraca class meets wiz" b" ;.
school. T..
Ladies' Aid society on Wednt-.i''.!
afternoon at the place ANNOUNCED ri
the Sunday morning service.
We have now comfortable chairs,
a warm house aud we trust " are.
hearts to welcome all who, will ''t-
tend the different services. w, It.
wife YOU to come We are here 10
minister to you, we labor to make
the services useful to you and Inter
esting. Come and try and come
again If you like it as we hope you
will. 80
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
l.. N. b. Anderson, Pastor.
Sunday Shcool 10 a. NJ, Preach.
ing, 100 a m subject, citizenship
above. $40 y. III. Epwnrth League
ropic. 1.-THE JOY df Overcomers."1
Miss Anna Anon 7:3O p III. PreaciI-
ing. subject The Value of.our Birti'-
ripht :" AT ;he close of the League
and lrsor, prh'schiug. installa isn
sci vice for the Epworth League will
b. held. Prayer meeting Thursday
10 p m.
Following are the officers OF the
pworth League for the ensuing
months: President E N Clipper
field: lst vice President. Miss Anna
anon; 2nd vice president, Miss Lois
:, tier: 3rd vice president, Mrs. Ellen
~ Anderson; 4th vice president, Miss
unice Oliver; Secretary, Miss Flor
=, ce Oliver; treasurer. Walter Lodge
f, rganist, Miss Elizabeth Campbell
Assistant Organist, Miss Leah Rich;
Choister, H. NJ. Ashbaugh.
Prayer meeting Thursday 1870 pm.
The public invited. Strangers well
come.
CONGREGATIONAL
w. L. Rowan, pastor.
S. S. at 10 a. m.
Morning service IL a. m. Topic,
1.-THE Masters Message" G. E. 6:45
pm. Evening service 7:30 p m. topic |
"COmpetitive Christianity"
LUTHERAN.
English Services next Sunday at
10 80 a. m. at the Old School Build |
ing. Il
The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-11
CONGRESS COMENES
HOUSE AND SENATE MEET MON.
DAY FOR SIXTIETH
SESSION.
Legislators Separate After Short Scs.
sion in Order to Pay Respect to
Memory of Senator Allison.

Washington, Dec. As the
hands of the clock in the hall of
representatives in the national capt.
tOl converged at noon today Repre-
sentative Joseph G. Cannon of Illi-
no1s let fall the gaveI that is the
outward symbol of his authority as
speaker of the house of representa-
t1ves and announced in his usual
short, sharp tones that the members
OF the house would come to order
While this scene was being acted
In one end of the capitol another
very much similar. but on a much
smaller scale, took place at the other
end at the same minute as the sem
ate was summoned from its private
conversation to public business by
the voice of Vice-President Fair
banks.
AS the present session is the Sec
ond session of the Sixtieth congress,
no organization was necessary,
Speaker Cannon retaining his au-
thority by virtue of his former cleo
ton and Mr.. Fairbanks as ex-officio
presiding officer of the senate.
Today's session was very short
After the absolutely necessary bust
ness was transacted the two houses
adjourned for the day in order to
pay proper tribute to the memory of
the late Senator Allison of Iowa His
successor. Albert B. Cummins, was
sworn in today.
The programme of the leaders is
to pass the appropriation bills, hold
ing them down as much as possible.
and sidetrack all legislation that is
not absolutely essential. New legis-
lation, entailing heavy appropria-
tons. will be put over, because the
condition Of the Treasury will not
The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-11
SIMON TAKES CHARGE
Rebel Leader PrOclaims Himself Ex-
ecutive of Hayti.

Port au Prince, Dec. 7.-General
Antoine Simon, commander-in-chie
of the revolutionists, who SatuedaY
entered Port au Prince at the head
of an army of 5000. issued procla-
nation in which he assumed the title
of Chief Executive and declared that
he would organize provisional gov
eminent pending the assembling of
the Parliament.
The Cuban steamer Oteri arrived
from Kingston Sunday, having on
board General Fouchard and 80
other exiles. General Simon agreed
to permit General Fouchard to land.
The two revolutionary leaders re-
NAMED together for some time at
General Simon's headquarters. and
after what proved to be very amic-
able meeting, General Simon pro-
claimed General Fouchard chief ex-
ecutive of the army. all the forts and
the Haytien gunboats firing a salute
of 81 guns.
The situation at Gonaives and St.
Marc is grave, the movement In ia
vor of General Antenor Firmin hav-
ing been greatly strengthened.
The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-11
Opens Gates to Chinese Women.

Portland, Or. Dec. 9.-New regu-
lations providin fgroteh nathanSJo
lations providing for the pre-fnvesti-
cation of American-born Chinese and
to give them a passport to make a
visit to the Flowery Kingdom In
stead of having the cases acted upon
after the return of the applicants,
have just been adopted by the De-
partment at Washington. There is
some fear felt among those whose
attention has been called to the
change in the programme that
great influx of Chinese women to this
country will follow and there will be
no means of stopping such tide Of
immigration. The law provides that
an American-born Chinese has
right to marry in foreign country
and bring his wife to the United
States to live.