Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-27

PSihg NVRb ShAuiNdya
mains, and It is a we'll attested fact,
that nearly half a million people saw
the play during its remarkable run #
an entire season in Chicago last year,
and that equally enormous crowds
have been visiting the Aston theater
in New York, where It ran into !ts
second year. To this add the fact that
in Chicago the play was given 342 con-
secutive times, and that the gross tax
ings during that engagement totalIed
over S625, 900; that the management
reaped a pecuniary profit of a tribe
over $151.OO0 in hard cash, and one
arrives at the conclusion that play
wrighting must be a highly remunera-
tive pastime-occasiona
The new play in which Mrs. Leslie
Carter has scored a big success this
season, "Vasta Herne,'' and which she
brings to the Grand, Davenport, Friday
evening, was written for her by Ed
ward Peple, best known in the theat-i-
cal world as the author of The Prince
Chap" Mr.. Peple was born in Rich
was educated in the University of
Virginia. He came to New York as 4
bookkeeper. and was known as an ex-
pert accountant of more than ordinary
ability. He came to New York also
with two or three libretti, which he
had written jus ter his college days
and which he led in vain to get a
hearing fo~ II New York managers.
But, like Y. ". Jacobs in London,
who turned to literature in his spare
moments as a bank clerk. Mr. Peple
devoted his spare time from book
keeping to the writing of short stories.
and long before he became known us
a playwright, he had won a reputation
as a writer of animal stories that had
caused the New York critics to com
pare his work to that of Kipling.
Among the more prominent of the
many short stories he had written are
''Mallett's Masterpiece, which is be-
ing turned into a one act sketch for
the use of WiIlia.l Farnum. the Cur
and the Coyote" '"The Playwright's
Ghost and THE Fall of Sedri-Azem."
Popular Comedy.-When "The Ar
rival of Kitty" decided and popular
comedy success. is presented here the
theatergoing public of this city will
have an opportunity of witnessing
what last season proved to be one Of
the comedy hits of the entire year.
Music that is catchy and songs that
are original are claimed for "The Ar
rival of Kitty and no comedy pro
duction in recent years has attained
greater popularity. The cast is far
above the average usually found IN
comedy offerings and judging from the
list Of names real fun is promised and
the laughing atmosphere looks ex-
ceedingly bright. Kitty" will be here
Friday evening.
Famous in Two Continents.-Among
the male members of the Sheehan
Opera company, which plays an en-
gagement of one night Monday. Nov
L, at the Moline theater, is a man
famous on two continents, Frank A.
Preisch. a native of Buffalo, N. Y, who
gained considerable prominence in
this country as an oratorio singer.
Going to Europe he studied the operas
and became the leading baritone of tho
famous Carl Rosa company in Eng
land-a position which he held for six
years. Shortly afterward Mr.. Preisch
accepted an offer to sing with the
Royal Opera company in London, an
organization at the time numbering
among its members Caruso and with
which the worlds famous Tetrazzini
made his debut For some years Mr.
Preisch sang roles as leading baritone
with the company together with the
two most famous tenors mentioned.
Mr.. Sheehan, while in London last
year, met Mr.. Preisch and made him
an offer to join his company which
the great artist accepted that he might
once more sing on his native soil and
In his mother tongue. AS soon as his
contract expired last season Mr..
Preisch came to this country to join
Mr.. Sheehah's company. His voice
is one of great power and contains
that indescribable connecting" that
grips the hearts OF his hearers: he is
without doubt one of the greatest liv-
ing baritones today, Mr.. Preisch