The evening world., 1911-08-19

--tts major GROW n SuSS W"
velope from his upper vest
pocket and tossed II On the
on the table.
- Perhaps II was injuSi-
| cious." he said mildly. but the sum
was % merely nominal that l oou8ht
tickets TO the theatre tonight. It's
new war drama, Lydia. | Thought you
would he pleased to witness hs hrst
production In Washington. l am told
that the South has very fair treatment
In the play. I confess I should like to
see the performance myself"
Miss Lydia threw up her HANDS IN
silent despair.
still, as the tickets were bought. they
might as well be- used. SO that even
ing. as they sat in the theatre iisteninS
to the lively overture. even Miss Lydia
was minded to relogate their troubles.
for the hour. to second place.
The major. In spotless linen. with his
extraordinary coat showing only where
1t was closely buttoned, and his white
hair smoothly reached. looked really
fine and distinguished. The curtain
went up on the first act Of "A Magnolia
Flower" revealing a typical southern
| plantation scene. Major Talbot be-
trayed some interest.
Oh, see." exclaimed Mss Lydia,
nudging mis- arm. and pointing TO her
p~i
The major put on mis- glAss-s ana road
tho line in the cast Of characters that
her finger Indicated.
Col. Webster Calhoun II. Hopkins Hsr'
graves.
ITS our Mr.. H~argraves.' said Miss
Lydia 1T must be his first appearance
in what he calls the legitimate I'm
so glad for him"
Not until the second act did Col.
Webster calhoun appear upon the stage
When he mad his entry Major Talbot
gave an audible snin. glared at him,
and seemed to freeze solid. Miss Lydia
uttered a little. ambiguous squeak and
grumpled her programme In her hand
For Colonel alhoun was made up al
nearly resembling Major Taboo as on
|. pea does another. The long. thin white
hair. curly at the ends. the aristocrati'
beak Of a nose, the crumpled. wide
ravelling shirt front. the string tie
with tho bow nearly under one cal
. were almost exactly, duplicated. An
. then, to clinch the imitation. he wor
!, the twin 20 the majors supposed to b
unparalleled coat.
liigh-collared. baggy. empire waistSd
4, unprecedented. hanging a foot lower Il
front than behind. the garment coul'
have been designed from no other pat
, tern. From then OH, the major and Mis-
: Lydia sat bewitched. and saw tn
v counterfeit p~resentment or . haught
Talbot dragged as the major after
q ward expressed 1t. though the slsnder
ous mire of a corrupt stage"
M. HargIaves had used his oppos
a tunities we'll. He had caught tn
. majors little idiosynorshss OF spsect
accent. and intonanon and his pompou
courtliness TO perfection-esaggeratin
all to the purposes OF the stage. Whe
he performed that marvellous bow this
II the major fondly imagined to be tn
II pink of all salutatlons. tho audienc
/, sent forth y sudden round OF heart
:, applause.
. Miss Lydia sat lmn,ovable. not DARN
y 10 glance toward her father. Som
u times her hand next to him would b
laid against her cheek. az IL to conces
J. the smile which, in spite OF her dt,
i approval, she couIu NOT entTeiS SuI
press.
The c~ulminauon Of H~arsrave's AUDI
c!ous imitation took place In the thir
:. act. The scene Is where Col. ca
houn cntertains a few Of the neighbour
ing planters In his "den."
Standing at q table in the centre {
the stage, with his friends groupe
about him. he delivers that !nimitabl
rambling. character monologue so Il
nous In "A Magnolia Flower" at h
same time that he deftly makes iuleI
for the party.
, Major Talbot. sitting quietly. hi
white with Indignation, heard his he,
stories retold. his pet theories an
= hobbies advanced and expounded. an
lie the dream OF the Anecdotes and Rem
lniscenses" served. exaggerated an
I. garble1. His favorite narrative-that
his duel with Rathbone culbertson-ws
# not omitted. and It was delivered wit
1, more fire. egotism and gusto than n
:, Major himself put into It.
= The monologue concluded with
7, quaint. delicious. witty little lecture q
I'd the art OF connecting a julep. Illustrate
1t by tina act. Here Major Talbot's del
s. cate but snowy science was reproduce
ID to a hairs b~readth-from his DAM
handling of tho fragrant weed-"tf
one-thousandth part OF a grain too muc
II, pressure, gentlemen, anu you extra
y. the bitterness. instead OF the aroma,
~ this heaven-bestowed plant'-to h
&c golicitous sele ciion OF the Odten straw
Is At the close of the scene the audien
4. raised a tumultuous roar OF appreci
tion. The portrayal Of tho typ was
exact. so sure and thorough, hat q
q. leading characters In the play were 70
gotten. After repeated calls. Hsrsrav
came before the curtain and bowed d
W rather boyish face bright and nush'
al with the knowledge OF success.
en- Al last Miss Lydia turned and look
o. al the Major. IIis thin nostrtls we