The National tribune., 1909-09-30

but surely. began his downfall. His first
case of public drunkenness brought his
dismissal from his position with its sal
ary of 5000 month, good until 60
years of age and pension after il he
behaved himself. Then everything went
wrong. He could keep no place very
| long on account of his habits. In 10
| years he was discharged from "a jobs
| kept sinking lower and lower, was jailed
seven times for drunkenness, each ex-
perience bringing increased discourage
ment and desperation. "A Grinker," he
says, 'is never the same following i'm
prisonment for drunkenness" After
giving figures with regard to his expert
ence which lasted 80 years, his average
daily drinks and what they cost him,
the total time spent in saloons buying
these drinks, etc, and other interesting
statistics he sums up with the following
startling statement: Thus my total
loss in money for the 80 years Of my
slavery is S61.990.88. With this $751;
990.8S in bank at four per cent 1 should
now be in possession of an annual in
come of $2,479.63. 1t gives me pain to
put down the figures" Truly, 1t must
have.
1t is very gratifying to those who
| look upon life with optimistic eyes to
see the constant efforts which are being
made by the young people of our large
! CltltS u Nelp SOfle one. Even BlTlS WHO
SeeF to have no thought save the pur-
suit of pleasure and the performance of
social duties take up a particular line
| of philanthropic work. in many cases,
perhaps, largely because some other girl
| friend has done SO. but which in the
end becomes the serious purpose of
their lives. All this is very promising,
and every new society of this kind
should be enthusiastically given the
glad hand" Some New York girls
have just started little club which
they call the Society of Good Cheer"
1t has only Is members as yet, but it is
bound to grow. It's object is to visit
the convalescent sick in the city. in the
hospitals and wherever they are to be
found and cheer them up. 1t isn't a
society where the members are expect
ed 20 give money; only certain amount
of their time is required. OF course,
naturally. the members will collect mag
azines and books. and gently insinuate
to their friends that flowers and any
thing else which would contribute to
| the comfort or pleasure of invalidS
would be acceptable. The doctors and
ministers are expected to inform them
of isolated cases. There has been a
good deal of work of this kind done by
private individuals for many years, but
this is believed to be the first organized
effort, and nothing seems to amount to
very much these days unless it is or
lganized and systematiZed.
A very unique presentation of the
play of Macbeth has just taken place
in an old castle in Normandy. The
wife of Maurice Maeterlinck, the writer
of successful plays as well as of books,
who is herself an actress of acknowl-
lodged ability, was the originator of the
idea which she carried out most sue
lcessfully. 1t seems it has been pet
scheme of Nine. Maeterlincks. for some
time to give the great tragedy a stage
Isetting which should be the real thing
and worthy OF it. and not the make
believe which must necessarily be the
case with all plays put on in theater
She conceived the idea of having it take
place in a genuine old castle, as much
like the castle of Lord and Lady Mac
beth as possible, and she hunted around
until she found this ancient abbey in
Normandy, supposed to be as old as the
| 'werd sisters" themselves. To help
along some charity in which she was
interested gave pretext for carrying
out her scheme, but the number of tick
cts was limited to 80 spectators each
of whom paid $50 for their ticket This
little group of so persons, keeping a
discreet distance from the actors, fol-
lowed them over the old castle as they
moved from room to room or over the
lsrounds. The first scene took place in
the great dining hall or refectory of the
| castle where Lady Macbeth received
and read that wonderful letter from her
spouse which forms the second great
| episode in the tragic story. The recep-
ton of Duncan, who comes up with his
train. all on horseback, was particularly
impressive Everyone gathered on the
outside, and the scene was lighted with
| torches carried by the servants of the
| castle, which gave most realistic eff
| feet In fact, the only light that was
used at all during the play was that
given by candles, torches and lanterns,
from which the actors glded back into
gloom and utter darkness when they
| made their exits. The witches danced
around the caldron on the lawn outside
he abbey, and the spectators watched
them from a gallery. The effect was
quite hair-lifting. The great banquet
room, which also took place in the re-
| fectory, while very impressive in most
| respects. has been criticized by some of
| the spectators on account of a change
made by Mr.. Maeterlinck, who adapt
ed' the play. He introduced a new
piece of business" in making Lady
Macbeth faint dead away, after remov-
ing her crown. and being dragged away
by Macbeth. like a limp rag" toward
| the door of their chamber When one
remembers how magniticently she keeps
up thru the whole of that great scene
when at her wits end to get control of
her husband and keep him from "giv-