Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-11

VHE oId-fashioned mother with
the type of girls she used 10
raise mad her innings at the
Be,asco Theater the past week,
and the size. character and en-
thusiasm of the audiences that followed
the simple annals of an old-fashioned
home devoid OF villainy. suggestion or
thrills speaks volumes for the conten-
ton for only the better and brighter side
Of life in stage productions. Some man
ayers have excused the doubtful char
acter of their plays with the argument
that 1.-The public demands that type OF
entertainment. But none will contend
that il is public made up of little
groups of mothers and their daughters
such as laughed and wept over the story
of Little Women" al the Belasco Thea
ter the past week.
Nor is il such a public as greeted the
magnificent spectacular production OF
Miss Cora b. Shreve, at the National
Theater. in which hundreds of children
49,. ala charm of their innocence and
talent to the entertainment Of crowded
houses that never seemed tired of ap-
plauding. Songs We're sung and dances
were seen whose counterparts at least
have been professionally presented be-
fore. but never as the children pre-
scented them The civic reformer
might have learned from the two
entertainments that the surest way to
conquer vice is to shame ii with the
charm of virtue Better a thousand
times the force of chastened public
opinion than the fire Of a Chastising
propa ganda.
As greatly as Washington admires its
local stock performers and their produc-
tons. il is sometimes disposed to be more
exacting of them than of the regu-
ular road attraction. and less lenient
With possible shortcomings. The reason
possibly may be found in the spirit which
prompted the accused in a criminal court
- respond to the judges rebuke with
ITS a rale delight Yer honor. t lick
the wife ye love. sometimes
Some one has mentioned the subject of
waits between the acts. 1t is delicate
topic because adjust it as one may some
one is still going to be dissatisfied. With
N elaborate new production each week.
Il is not at all to be wondered at that
longer wait should be required than with
road production which has required
months of careful preparation and we'll
oiled machinery to adjust to a nicely
Why not make the most of the waits?
The theaters have their foyers and lob
bies in which the wife. the mother. the
sister and the sweetheart may enjoy
little promenade. IL the wait be long 1t
IS restful and refreshing. The mantle
doctor, for instance-will also have an
opportunity to see his patient, or friend.
orwell. it will give him few minutes
to keep in touch with the world. And
the stage hands will have the time neces-
sary for a better setting. the players a
chance to rehearse a little scene, or re-
fresh q lapsed memory. the stage director
will be happier. the performance better
aud there will be nobody to offer a ''kick''
but the doorkeeper-and who cares for
the doorkeeper?
Which makes a remembrance of that
worthy and of all the theater attaches
with whom the public has to deal during
the season apropos- Washington theater-
Ruers have reason to feel gratif1ed that
In every local theater the management
has provided a courteous and obliging
looked by the patron, but its absence
might mar many an evenings enjoyment.
EYES THAT MISLEAD.-Much Of the
success that has attended Ching Ling
Foo the Chinese magician, lies in the fact
that he misdirects the gaze of the spec
tators with his eyes OF the multitude of
magicians that appear annually before
the public this noted Chinese performer
is the only one who seems to work with
his eyes rather than with his hands, al
though there are other strange physical
characteristics as we'll that attract the
attention of the audience away from the
tricks he is about to perform
While performing he has a wonderful
smile-nothing seems to bother him. He
performs his tricks-the most difficult in
the world-as though it were play for
him. He never makes mistakes.
A descendant of Confucius. and. 1t Is
claimed. a mandarin. Ching Ling Foo
looks as much like the average Chinese
that one sees in this country as a gen
uine hen looks Ike peacock lie was
born and raised in Picking. The Forbid
den City. and is one or the nnest types
Of northern Chinese.
The many uncommon physical charac-
teristics which single him out are MS
size. his eyes. his profile and his smile
Six feet is an unusual height for Chi
nese, whose average height Is five feet
six inches. Ching Ling Foo Is six feet
tall and as agile as a ballet dancer, al
though ffty-six years old. But those re-
rnarkable eyes. AS one looks at CHING
Ling Foo at close range they move ike
an Atlantic coast lighthouse beacon. Tney
dart from side to Side-a fash OF somoer
brown then a flash OF white The eyelius
half cover them. but they are not dreamy.
II is his long glance that confuses You
az YOU do your best to see what he is DO
ing or about to do. He smiles and his
face lights up. His eyes speak Tor hlm
They seem to say now watch closely.
You wait for his eyes to guide you, Out
they misguide you and after the Trick Is
done you will ask, Why did j look at
those eyes all the time?
WANTED TO STOP THEM--Mr- Her
bert G. Pointing, F. R. CT. 5, the oHciai
nhotographer of the British antarcuc eN-
nedition, who accompanied the late capt
p = Scott to within IL degrees OF the
mole recites the following
vas explaining some OF 'ne eApe
r,snres we encountered and yarnlns .ipou,
The animal life of the frozen south ~
a roomful OF people In switzerland ono
dav when / CHANGED to remark that tae
nenrnin was degenerate Dlro, Slowly
changing into a fish''-a fact recognized
nv scientists-whereupon the assemDiase
was thrown into commissions OF iaushtei
by Mrs Lavery. wife OF tne eHlnen,
PAINTER who commented: What a pity.
can't they be stopped?
THE SPOTLIGHT.