The Washington herald., 1909-10-31

we;A he had kissed her. and she felt
/ toward him a singularly adhesive sem
/ timent.
Booth Harrington, the novelist, and
Harry Leon Wilson, editor OF comic
weezlies were hired to write out a play
on his plan They created for the hero
Inc girl OF sixteen I'm years. but no
more than six in purity Of mind, for
she hasn't curiosity enough as TO the
| sexes, I should say. to wonder why
half the people wear trousers and half
skirts. SO here We have a runaway girl
/ who soils her reputation. and smirches
+ her familys honor, all with 10 notion
that her escapade means anything more
I than an irresistible desire to be with
/ the young man whom she loves un-
awares. They say Harrington and VIII
son gave Nell more 20 do than her dot
! ing, yet judicious husband would let her
/ undertake, and che play had to be
amended for safety When tho manu-
script was ready, he employed Win
cheH Smith, an actor and dramatist,
TO direct rehearsals Howard Pyle, the
artist, 20 make pictures for It's char
acter costumes and Harry Howe Shell
ly. 70 compose accompanying tunes.
while he set about electric devices to
| illumine the scenes. As you know. /
| don't waste space on names that YOU
don't care a rap about. but I do IL this
/ time 70 show the extreme care and cash
that managing husband will spend to
give his precious wife a chance at fame
on the stage.
Difference OF Opinion ns TO Merits.
! Again ! say that l had never seen an
1 audience so at odds as the one at Spring
/ times" Introduction. There was no new
production in rivalry. so an the first
might contingent was there with its
! caustic wit cynical humor. and Initiated
| taste. 20 deride a heroine who had no
curiosity, much less any knowledge as
/ to SeNuality They were outnumbered.
though. by many women, and some men.
/ who thought her the dearest. cutest
little thing that ever was on any stage
The remarks were disputatious. almost
Quarrelsome even with the women. "She
/ Is just too sweet FOR anything" was
met by Yes anything but tany for a
sunday school picnic:' and when one
smart belle said. We'll. her purity is a
good lesson for us wicked first nlghters. %
another Of the same mOdiSh type re-
/ torted, That's So and 7 expect they'll
/ bring out the paper slips and building
/ bricks for Kindergarten class and finish
/ the play In words of one syllable" How
ever. there was no reason 20 doubt this
/ by going clear away from modern real
/ istic ways and means, getting into an I'M
/ theatric atmosphere, and illustrating a
/ half fairy. half ultraromantic tale
Thompson's wife Nell. Will prosper much
/ I'm 'Springtime."
Having shown you. in this example
/ how much care has TO be taken I'm max
/ ing plays % serve specific purposes.
may as well add an account OF the
scheme 20 hold up and silence Tender
ioiners In the departing audiences. The
usual call for the star actress was made
/ after the next TO the last act. man
\ came out 20 say that Nell thought an
/ actress ought not 20 put aside her as
/ stunned character before the play wa,
: over; but that, n her friends desired "a
/ have her thank them az the end OF tho
/ performance. she would be glad and
proud 90 respond. So those who liked
] her stayed in their seats 70 hear her say
! i love you all and even those who dis
dained her declaration Of love couldn't
get out for the aisIes We're blocked by
ushers carrying flowers TO the stage
There was nothing so small as q mere
bouquet. but so many big floral con-
strucuous that. when placed behind the
/ f0otlights they reached sOldly across
from wing TO wing. That sent friend
and foe away with handsome sight "a
last them until they saw the reviews IN
the next mornings journals.
E The story Of "SDrinEtlme" IS that the
girl after tagging her lover from their
parish nearly 10 New Orleans. is com
PEELED Co go hack. for Jacksou's battle Is
| i'm IN hal. 20
see sixteen candles burning on the altar
/ Of the chapel because after living SIX
| teen years she now Is dead 10 her father
and 90 the cousin 10 whom he had affi-
/ a-ced her. Her mind Is deranged by her
/ C-.sf. She doesn't know her lover when
/ ne comes. nor her father who st@nds
/ ready 10 XIII him as soon as his prayer
! in the sanctuary is done The demented
maid wanders in and repeats his prayer
/ 90 God FOR mercy IN seeming answer
/ reason is restored to her. whereat the
/ fathers JOY Overcomes his vengefulness.
and he lets her go into the lovers arms
| Authors are slow TO put affairs I'm their
/ plays, lest pious resentment be aroused;
and they are apt 20 be incomplete in cor
/ ners; but here the holy shrine. illumined
with the candles. is at the center of the
! scene. and the prayers are spoken with
/ all possible fervor.
Some Vaudeville Rivals.
/ Harry Lauder used 10 be a Scotch coal
miner. Yvette Guilbert a French seam
| stress. and Albert Chevalier an English
/ bookkeeper. Now they are head!iners in
| New York vaudeville theatcrs belonging
% three rival syndicates. There IS nc
need TO believe merely because it is said
! SO, that Guilbert and Chevalier get q
! thousand dollars "a week apiece and
/ Lauder fifteen hundred but I don't doubt
IT, The opposition I'm vaudeville is des-
! perately aggressive The receipts at the
three houses are lifted during these en-
/ gagements with prices increased by sell.
Ing the good seats through Spectators. "
one or two thousand above the average
such are the prizes that these poor
buffers hope 10 win" said my COM
panion, as we watched the abuse OF
awkward volunteer on an amateur
night az a cheap Bowery theater.
There's spell OF low pay every year
for Lauder I'm London. though, because
the first manager 20 give a chance there
made perpetual contract for four weeks
each season at six pounds. or about
thirty dollars At other times he is good
In that city for half as much as he re-
ceives in New York.
! It is hard TO comprehend LADDERS val
( ue at first sight. He Is a rlIut Of q