New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-18
SUFFRAG|STS GASP
As |0LAUS FRANCES
"LySIStrata's" Shepherd Gre
ateS Sensation with His
SCanty Leopard Skin.
PLAY A BIG SUCCESS
Florence Gerrish, the Barnard
Girl, Dances Barefoot, and
Mrs. Blatch Has a Few
Words for Ants.

When Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch head
Of the Women's Political Union. asked
Charming Pollock To speak at the recep-
ton which IS 10 be- given AZ the head
quarters OF the union. No. o. East eth
street. next Sunday afternoon. in honor
of the men and women who appeared at
Maxine Elliott's Theatre Yesterday after
noon In the suffrage benefit performance
OF AiistOphancS's "I.ysistrata' she told
him that Do. could slash at the acting
knife the pley, say anything he liked. but
he mustn't cut on. inch or tn. leopard
skin worn by Iolaus who did the shcp-
herds dance 81 'he cud OF tn. play.
And when lolaus bounded on, upon the
stage. yesterday. tn. reason Of Mrs
Blatch's Vcruing was evident 10 th.
naked cNe. You didn't need opera glasses
To detect IL.
II lolaus's ,aiior for th. occasion cut
tire garment according 10 the skin that
must have been a mighty small Leopard.
lolaus's dance was ia celebration OF tue
peace Just concluded between warning
Athens and Sparta. the peace brought
about by the strike OF the women against
thelr husbands and their homes. and z
came as the startling climax of most
exquisite spectacle.
Peace in spotlcss whlte-Miss Madge
Macdona had bestOwei the laurel upon
the representatives Of Sparta and Athens
back Of these three on the steps OF the
citadel. were grouped the triumphan;
v omen IN their flowing robes of blue and
soft Yellow and rich red
tirst. seven Grecian eiils-they were
really New York girls. and their names
were Katharine crane. Marian Whitman.
Isabel FOOte. Constance Buel. Beatrice
Bu-l Eeulah Hepburn and Cordelia Hep
burn. but 50 classic were their costumes
that YOU never would have suspected their
modern origin bat for the give-away pro-
sramne-tripped out from the wings and
did charming dance Then lolaus.
wearing his leopard skin. leaped
into the middle front. and ther.
was gasp all over tine house. II
was 30 sudden there was nothing to pre-
pare one
The play. II is tue. was-weli frank il
vas Just what made some highly proper
members OF the Women's Political Union
say that really il ought not To be acted
but there was nothing In It to prepare one
for such q leggy appearance a. Iolaus.
The nearest 10 IL was Miss Florence Ger
r..h's bare tootsie-wootsies Miss Gerrish
is the Barnard girl who took the part of
Aiyrrhina. aud The only woman sufficient
Is classic In her feelings TO dispens. with
footgear and risk cold in her head.
Yes. lolaus was startling. but, all the
same, all over the house most respectable
matronly suffragists were craning their
necks and Whispering
who II he? What's has name: Swan?
\ portrait painter? Wei. well. isn't he a
Bacchus' My. my
Mrs. Batch came out before the curtain
at the beginning. when after some CON
fusion. due TO the insufficient number Of
ushers. the audience had got seated Mrs
Blatch gave brief apol0ey-or rather a
reply TO those women who had declared
'Ll sistrata" not suitable for presentation
"The ants" she concluded, should SEE
this play. for in IL the women gain their
ends by indirect influence. ana the anti-
love indirect influence. They should see
this play. because IL would show them
that indirect influence IL only love IN
illegit.mate channels. Had those women
OF Aristoplaness play had the vote they
wouldn't have had 10 stir up all Athens
in order 10 end the war
II was curious to note that the words
spoken by the women in the play again
and again struck as modern note as
Mrs. Blatch's speech.
"Voteless We cannot" cries one OF them
when asked why she doesn't achieve some
change needed in the government.
II do pay taxes; from my flesh runs
rich tribute" cries another
Then there Is the eternal feminine, too
Abstain from love? | cannot
IL is so unwomanly." means one pretty
Athenian girl when Lysstrata impiofes
her 10 swear that she will see her hus-
band no mere until the men agree to end
the war.
When the curtain fell AT the ehd OF the
short performance and the actors had
appeared and bowed their thanks, there
were cries OF Mrs. knoblauch' Mrs.
Knoblauchw II was Mrs Charles f..
Knoblauch whose unceasing work had
made this performance possible for she
has directed the whole business ana the