Evening star., 1912-09-15

summer hold-over amusement
offered nothing unusually In
teresting OF sensational TOT
comment AL H. Wilson opened the CO.
lumbia regular season with character
istic offering. and II was patronized with
enthusiasm by those who like such
things. II left nothing to talk about but
Mr.. Wilson and he has been talked
threadbare.
Chases presented a bill of high-class.
polite vaudeville. doubtless tempered to
suit the warm weather. and the Cosmos
Theater of the smaller houses. celebrated
in elaborate style it's fourth anniversary.
while the Casino Theater reopened its
doors under the management OF Allen
Rachrach and A. Julian Brylawski, man
ager of the Cosmos, for a new venture
in the field OF refined but low-priced
vaudeville.
The Poll Players scored pronounced
success with their offering of Pierre of
the Plains" Ii served to disclose Mr.
Van Buren i'm a new and pleasing line
of Characterization and Miss Jewel in
an insenue type of role that she knows
so well how to portray. Mr. Kert also
did good work. The play was well
mounted and well played throughout.
Music lovers will hail with delight the
advent of a national opera house such
as Oscar Hammerstein holds out. as one
in a chain wherein will be presented
season of the highest-class grand opera
each wear. 1t is to be hoped the plan.
evidently so carefully thought out, may
be found practicable and easy to realize
in Washington.
Washington is soon TO nave anotner
opportunity to see The Rainbow the
delightful play in which Henry Miller.
supported by Ruth Chatterton. charmed
local playgoers last season.
Many are the inquiries being received
as to why the regular season is opening
so soon this year. A New York authority
saws Ii is because taxes are so high In
New York the managers had to get busy
TO secure the money to pay them. An
other, probably wiser one, says pro-
ducers of plays to go on the road are
hoping to gather in some OF the en-
thusiasm'' that has been shown during
the summer for the stock companies.
FINE CABRERA brief resume OF
the career of George Nash will refresh
the memory of his friends. who know him
as one of the most capable actors now
appearing on the American stage. he
will soon appear at the National Theater.
Mr. Nash made his first stage appear
ance with Dion Boucicault In The Long
Philadelphia, in 1884. The legitimate
drama appealed to him and number OF
years following found him in the COM
panies with Thomas keene, Frederic
warde. Lillian Alcott and others promi-
nent In their day.
He was also in THE Rivals with the
original Jefferson and Florence combina-
ton. remaining several Years with Mr
jefferson and leaving him 10 become
leading man In Hands Across the Sea =
He played in THE Club Friend and
.'Chimmie Fadden.
During Olga Nethersoie's first engage
ment in this country he played Mercutfo
in Romeo and Juliet; valruis. in "Frou
repertoire. Following this he played In
Augustus Thomas New Blood and in
Arizona then with Otis Skinner in
Prince Otto" and later with William
tralia in The Dictator He was with
MIR. Collier I'm his original production of
Caught in the Rain
Engagements followed in THE Witch
ing Hour" The Harvest Moon, The
Gamblers and Officer 665. the melo-
dramatic farce that has been running at
the Gaiety Theater in New York city
since the first of the year. and In which
MIR. Nash created the role of Alfred Will
son. the gentlemanly cracksman.
This brief history of the stage life of
George Nash would be incomplete with
out recalling his appearance in Washing
ton years ago in Augustus Thomas The
Harvest Moon" Playgoers who saw his
creation of the role of Monsieur Vavin in
that play of suggested thought. cannot
fail to recall the artistic skill of his char
acterization.
MISS BLAIR'S LITTLE JOkE.-Eu-
genie Blair. the emotional actress, tells
probation of wit
When / crossed the border between
Canada and the United States / found
the customs officials very strict. One of
the hardest articles to get by them, and
perhaps the one most often smuggied
into the states. is Canadian whisky.
'On this particular OCCASION. con-
tinued Miss Blair, Il was bringing across
over quart of the choicest for some
Buffalo friends. when the inspector who
evidently believed In go.>s to the bot
tom OF things. my grip not excepted. dis
covered the christmas cheer
Don't you know. young lady. that all
you are allowed in hand baggage must
be wearing apparel
But. sir. that is wearing apparel
replied, laying stress on the is
Wearing apparel? thundered the in
spector. as he held up the quart
Yes. SIR l m>ekly answered. that's
my nightcap- He passed me and the
'nightcap.
AFRICAN MARATHON RUNNERS
In British East Africa. that telegraph
less telephoneless tract" messages and
letters must be sent by men afoot or not
at all The mail carrier qualities for his
post OF government runner by covering
100 miles a day for six consecutive days.
After thus proving that ne can hold
out reasonably well afoot. that he has no
organic or functional heart trouble. and
that he has a determined disposition. he
Is engaged at a stipend OF cents a day.
II is not stated whether or not this wage
IL ito start with or that the British
government promises rapid increase II
competent
The runner is not required to do his
100 miles every day. but he must be able
20 If occa sion requires. For ordinary mes
sage-bearing forty or fifty miles day Is
enough The stations are 80 miles apart.
and the men travel in relays II the let
ter's destination is more than $50 miles.
This runner of unmodifed marathons
must tote his own provisions. consist
ing OF two quarts of water in a calabash
xourd and a few chunks Of jerked
"rhino'' meat. "Rhino meat. ly the
way is not so bad as IL sounds. We have
Mr. Hemment's own word for that, nd
he ought to know. for he and Paul Raj