Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-19

for1nance was like a matinee. The lighter
moods prevailed. whether under the
quaint ministrations of Miss Adams or
Under the more robustly hilarious sugges-
ton Of Mr.. Lew Dockstader. Chanhins
Pollock's play-quite the best tnins ~
has done-afforded footing on midoie
ground. his work being neither SO sup''e
AS to require microscopic attention 70 ap-
preciate its fine points nor yet so broad
" humorous as to cast intellectual con-
siderations to the winds.
Miss Adams Is an ANNUAL visitor VINO is
awaited with the same confident expect
ancy as our old friend Santa Ciaus hiih-
self. She does not represent the intense
and emotional in dramatic art, but she
does represent the wholesome, the pleas
ant and the sincere. She does not hpid
the mirror up to nature in Its tempestuous
disturbances. She is a personality whose
presence in the scenes the author Pro-
yides animates them with potent mdl-
vidual interest: vivifying the common
place into warm human interest restrain
ing extravagances OF imagination that
Outer dangerously on the brink OF
travesty.
The cleverness of Mr.. j. NJ. Barrles
lines is indispensable. Yet. with no cyl
.lenc. Of intent in the matter Miss ADAMS
demonstrates her independence OF them.
She takes the monosylla BILE mo- and in
vests 1t with a series OF signif1cances
which no now Of wordy abundance could
attain. 1t is never a fiat, incorporating
negation. 1t is strictly a vomans no
with a world Of possibilities in its inter-
probation. 1t is mo" OF ttInid protest
or generous self denial. No one has given
80 convincing demonstration OF the adj
vantage of learning to say no. She
,nultiplies the word into tone picture OF
sparkling profusion. It bubbles and cas-
ladies' through her speeches. Sometimes
when in the meanderings of plot a wave
Of emotion strikes an obstruction of cir
cumstance there Is a perfect fountain OF
''no's'-a prismatic spray that leaps into
the dialogue and vanishes so swiftly that
YOU scarce realize it was there.
So complete is the affection in which
Miss Adams is held by vast array of
admirers that there was certain resent
ment when she was compared to that
idol or AN olden day. Maggie Mitchell.
plays were revelations of the gentler
side of human nature, and her appeal
IN sympathy vas as complete as it was
indefinable. She was awaited by thou
sands as the one actress who could JUS
tify visit to the theater. and her ad-
mirers would have been as warm In de-
tending her against the suggestion of
future rivalry as Miss Adams devotees
- IT, 30
the recognized feminine ideal of delicate
romance and untainted sentiment is a
proud attainment for any actress, and
comparisons should not be Odious.
The Charming Pollock play has a brisk
imaginative vigor that is not suggested
Ivy its title. such Little Queen The
queen portrayed by Miss Elsie Ferguson
is not the shy, timorous and unworidly
little exile fancy pictures as it reads
the obliging advance mans resume of
the story. On the contrary, Miss Fergu-
son is rather commanding of personality,
confident and courtly. The portrayal
is an entirely plausible and consistent
one, though scarcely in harmony with
the fantastic spirit which gives the lit
tie Zenda episode its wonderful allure
ment. PHILANDER JOHNSON.
THERE'S MANY A SLIP'-Sam Col
Inns, the German comedian of the Joe
Weber Travesty Company, returns each
summer to the home Of his ancestors in
Germany. A few years ago he decided to
make his expenses by acting as an anna
teur newspaper reporter. He had friends
on the editorial staff of one OF the leading
New York dailies. which is particularly
fond of printing society and foreign news.
Learning that Prince Henry of Baton
burg was about to sail for America, Col
Inns cabled his journalistic friends and
was commissioned to take the same ship,
secure an Introduction to the royal voy-
ager and pump him az TO his plans
while in this country.
Sam was introduced and. explained in
Ills very best German--which is not nearly
80 good as his stage broken English-that
ne was a nephew Of Samuel Gompers, the
american labor leader. He thought to
impress the distinguished passenger with
the importance OF the Gompers family.
50 to gain in prestige. All the way
pereses and Of their influence in various
american cities. Prince Henry bore it
all with becoming dignity and patience.
Finally. as the steamer was creeping
ap new I oFH DAY. sam polIstcO WILL ~ soC
10 the green hills Of picturesque Staten
island and fervently exclaimed in Ger
man:
"Ah, your royal highness. that beautiful
island is full Of GoInperses!'
Indeed said the prince, and to Sans
surprise in excellent English. 'but. my
dear cir, must ask you to tell me some
thing that has been puzzling me ever
since had the pleasure of meeting YOU.
Pray. tell Ine-what is gompers?'
SOME VAUDEVILLE CORRESPOS-
DENCE-The close analysis to which
acts placed before the ladies and chill
dren who now pstrOnize polite vaudeville
are subjected is illustrated by the follow
ing letter received by the management OF
Chase's Theater II is needless TO remark
that the cancellation requested was ar
ranged without DELAY.
NEW YORK December L. 1&,9
Dear Sir: We wish you to kindly accept
our cancellation for Washington, week
If December 20. 1909. We understand the
management Is very hard to please and
may take exception 60 q few things In our
act which we cannot cut out and as our
gowns. etc. for our weeks work. we
,hink il best to cancel and avoid all ar
gument. Miss IS gowns are OF the
attest cut, which I am afraid they would
not allow her to wear. not that 1t would
offend. for we have played to a lady au-
siience always. and we have never been
asked to cut anything out OF our act, but
we are little afraid OF Washington.
Trusting mis- will not make any differ
wishes, MISSES AND -