The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-23

often on the stage nowadays We should
have got our notice" in less time the
II takes to write this sentence.
The Scotch character comes in for
a sly poke or two. There was a land
lady in Edinburgh who had a tre-
mendousy Scotch reverence for the
Sabbath; or, shall I say, a tremendous
respect for her neighbors' reverence
for It," In the actors room there was
an ancient and decreplt plano. A
caller Of musical taste sat down to
play on 1t. In came the landlady:
"Mr. Barnes. I'd thank We II we wad
ma play the music on the Sawbath.
Later in the evening the friend, for
getful of taa admonition, struck a
note or two: "DiA no ask ye not
to play the music on the Sawbath?"
The actor remarked testify that there
was no harm in 1t. and nothing else
to do. The landlady left the room.
bu; soon returned. saying: my monny,
] brocht We twa packs o cards" A
Dissertation not patent even to the
keen ears Of Edinburgh neighbors.
one of Sothern's practical jokes
is recorded. Billy Florence was the
victim. Coming home late one night
when Mrs. Florence had retired Billy
found note on his hall table, Dear
Billy-Why did you not call and see
me as you promised 2 Emily" As
he knew NO Emily he suspected
Sothern ard sent him a note some
thing like tits: Dear Sir--You are
no gentleman to play such a vile trick
on friend. Had your silly note fallen
into other hands than mine It might
have caused endless trouble. You have
taken an understandable liberty. which
will never forgive, and I beg that
when we meet IL may be as strangers"
So far the affair is not particularly
humorous, but tie absence OF indi-
vidual address gave the joker chance
of which he promptly awaited himself
He wrote another note: Dear Billy
| got an extraordinary note from you
this morning or course ] saw in a
moment 1t was not intended for me.
so I sent II to Boucicuult Yours ever,
Ned"
The name of Samuel Phelps GS0i-
1879 is not one Of the few. immortal.
Even an English work records him
thus dispassionately: "a sound and
capable actor, rather than one of any
marked genius: In spite Of his predi-
lection for tragedy. most successful in
such characters of comedy as called
for dry humor." He scored most heav-
lily as Sir Pcrfindr Mdcspcophdnf in
Charles Mackln's THE Man of The
World but II was not thus that
he affected Ills younger fellow artist:
He played more parts and wider range
81 parts than any actor who ever spoke
the English language. should not claim
Tor Phelps tina, he could play Otheno or
R,chdrd m. or even Myiock as well as
Edmund kean. or Lear well as Forrest,
ibsi Drp0osr we'll az Garrick. or
Coy,oidnus rs well a. John philip Rembe
All these and many others have left rep
utstlons in one two. three even six
parts, but Phclpss reputation rests on
sixty more From lSii to ls62 he con-
Quoted Sadl.rs Wells Theatre
All this time Charles Kesn was doing nne
work at The Princess hut the great heart
of the public was with Phelps
when ! followed lin to his last resting
place and saw London standing bare
headed for miles as We passed. knew
that many thousands NJ people had lost
friend whose artistic endeavors had
amounted to genuine henefactions and
whose particular niche in their regard
could not he quite filled
II this sort of sentiment takes the
edge of some OF the authors critical
judgments. it gives his pages per-
sonal, intimate quality that has its
place no less than the austere pro-
nouncements Of the accredited courts
of judgment on the drama. In suisse
quent chapters actors and events OF