The Washington herald., 1912-02-18
WHAT THE WEEK HOLDS FORTH.

covered, and will soon be over here with
us" Haddon Chambers ill-timed reas-
surance has robbed the season Of all pos
sibility of what promised to be an even
greater novelty than "A Slice OF Life"-a
sight Of the man who wrote "A Slice OF
Life"
Because. when the two pIaywrishts
left each other, after this accidental
meeting at the Garrick Club, Mr.. Barrie
Was able to return to his house at
Adelphi Terrace and unpack the luggage,
that was even labeled, and give up the
tickets that were already bought for
his first trip to New York in fifteen
years. But Charles Frohman, TO whom
the disappointment Is as keen as to
anybody else, almost brings Mr.. Barrie
among US in the following word picture
Of the playwright with whom he has
now been associated for over fifteen
years:
Describe him. Mr.. Frohman says,
Well, that is not easy; but imagine, II
you can. quaint little figure in an odd
little brown coat, a remarkable fine head
that has only within recent years dis
carded an inveterate golf cap for a der
by; picture to yourself this simple little
figure Of a man with a shamblinE gait, q
tightly held pipe sending forth great
clouds OF smoke, a pair Of deep, thought
tul eyes that look through you rather
than at you, countenance locked in the
immovableness Of mysterious silence or
suddenly relaxed into mischievous smile
and you have the first traits one notices
on seeing ]. NJ Barrie. His converse
ton is a kind Of poetIcal and pastoral
excursion as far removed from the every
day noisy world as ever a poets fancy
was. But he can tell an everyday story
well and mimic admirably: as in his ac-
count Of the old Scotch woman OF Rer-
rtemuir, who would say: Jane, you'se
an idler, yen nae come TO any good >"
The one touch Of humor that somewhat
softens the disappointment OF Mr.. Bar
rie's now indefinitely postponed visit is
contained in the letter from Haddon
Chambers to Charles Frohman that tells
how near Mr.. Barrie was to sailing. The
letter ends with the perfectly serious
saying: Il know yOL will be glad that I
saved Barrie a trip over seas in mid
winter" Mr.. Frohman says he isn't.
A remarkable tribute is paid to the
acting Of Miss Elsie Ferguson in the
dramatic columns OF the New York
Tribune. Washington admirers Of this
young actress would never dream of
acclaiming her as the leading comedienne
OF the Broadway stage. or of thinking
OF her present achievement as anything
become. Her New York following, how
ever. has placed her on a pedestal Of
glory, and seems to think her work in
The First Lady OF the Land" ranks
with the very best seen in the metropolis
this season.
Among those who assembled in this
city last Wednesday before the House
Committee on Patents were Augustus
Thomas, Charles Klein, Charles Burn
ham, Victor Herbert. and William A.
Brady. Their purpose was to secure an
of the copyright law which
viii visit graver penalties on play pirat-
ing than is the case at present.
Lewis Waller. the celebrated English
actor, will shortly retire from the cast
of The Garden OF Allah" to revive
''Beaucaire'' in Broadway. He has played
this role nearly 100 times In England.
between Mansfield and Wal
Ter will now be in order. A. NJ