Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-20

-
Ss$46@S outs. roulette wheels poker
tables, chips and-a photograph of Maude
Adams.
Within a week Of that occurrence an
English diplomat came upon a photograph
in the presidents study at the White
House which caused him 10 remark. "Ah,
your American creator Of Peter Pan"
w call her simply the creator OF Peter
Pan" replied the president.
1t is a long stretch from a Broadway
gambling den to the White House. but It Is
characteristic OF the real Maude Adams
that she bridges K.
John shand in Mr.. Barrie's comedy,
what Every Woman Knows is q pic
ture Of tho man who processes to under.
stand women and OF the disaster that
awaits him. I'm an extraordinary queer
character" says he, and I suppose no.
body knows me well except myself; but ]
know you'll know you, Maggie, to the
very roots OF you
II wonder says Maggie.
AIRY one who knows Miss Adams can
imagine her amusement at the temerity OF
the man who announces a portrayal of
the real Maude Adams. 1t would take a
grander egotist than John shand to make
the attempt, and yet, az Prof. OSBORN re-
constructs the extinct ana mysterious
creatures OF tho carly PIlocene by as
sembling a fragment here ard a fossil
footprint there, so It is possible by fol
lowing Miss Adams trail and reporting
what She says and does to compose a
sketch thai is true and lifelike. And az
that is in this account is true.
Night after night, rain or snow or star
light, there is always Il strangely mixed
crowd at Maude Adams stage door.
There are working girls from the gallery
whose cheap seats have meant self
denial, girls with their young men from,
the balcony, happy girls, girls with heart
ache, a great many half grown girls, q
great many mothers and grandmothers, al
mingling with a sprinkliag of the smartly
dressed women from the boxes and stalls
People leaving the Empire theater glance
at the crowd in dim lit Fortieth street and
say, isn't Il absurb?' "Why can't they
leave her alone?" Isn't IT absurd p" is
the r%ejoiner. Lets wait and see what
she does to them when she comes out. -
And the first thing they know they, too
are swelling the crowd.
Ten minutes after the play is out every
type OF theatergoer is represented in this
crowd, except the typical stage door loafer
After twenty minutes or half an hour:
waiting what do they see? A little, ful
coated. person trips out followed by 6
maid and secretary and pops into a CLOSED
motor car. Perhaps she waves her hand
Perhaps they hear her say good night al
she is whisked away. But that is all. Ye
night after night the crowd repeats itself
What Maude Adams really thinks OF thes,
demonstrations would be hard to find out
but 1t is known what she said on the sub
ject on one occasion. The first night thal
a certain English actor played in he
company he left the theater just as she
did, and seeing the crowd, stopped il
Amusement.
But. 1 say, reallyl% he exclaimed, what
are all these people doing here? Is any
thing the natter"
Not that 1 know Of" she replied
They're probably here to see you"
He shook his head, II know better thar
that" he said, but 1 am surprised. o
course 1 know that over here there arr
crowds that wait for Mansfield and Hacket
and the really big people, but what arr
they waiting for now"
This is the only story that Maude Adam