The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-30
"Reminiscences by Mrs. Ward


 Before so very long, it seems, we shall be having a book of "reminiscences from Mrs. Humphry Ward. Mrs. Ward tells me that she had practically de- cided to write it this year. but has now made up her mind to write three more novels and then quit, al least for long time so far as novels go. Her "reminiscences should be extraordinar fly interesting. for she has known most of the famous statesmen and men of letters of the past 40 years. The distinguished authoress, whose soldier son, Arnold Ward, M. P now in Egypt, has been in hospital with injured hands, is living at Stocks, her coun- try place, near Tring, in Hertfordshire. but she is frequently up in town. At the beginning of the war she made several recruiting speeches in her sons constituency, and did lot of writ ing about the causes of the conflict for publication in the United States. Few people in England are taking keener interest in every detail of the great conflict.
 Fernald Again Successful
 Chester Bailey Fernald has just come to the front--the artistic front-again. Sir George Alexander. who picked an Lncommonly sour lemon in Hartley Manners play, "The Panorama of Youth" which he will withdraw this week after a brief career. has ac- ccpted a new play by Fernald and will produce it at the fashionable St. Jamess on the 22d. The name of this piece is 'The Day Before the Day" and it is another spy piay-frank melodrama, Fernald tells me- but uncommonly good melodrama say others who nave read the manuscript. Alexander him. self will not be seen in this piece, which he accepted on condition that the censor would pass it. a point on which re seemed a bit doubtful Needlessly. as it proved. The popular manager of the fashionable St James's' believes he has earned rest. He has been ecting continuously since October last, and was the chief organizer of the re- cent big sale of relics at Christies for the benefit of the Red Cross That was no light job. However. Alexander mas engaged an unusually capable cast fer "The Day Before the Day" It includes Grace Lane, as the heroine and Daw son Millward and Lyn Harding in other leading parts. The first named was the Lady Mary Carlisle of Walters pro- duction of Monsieur Beaucaire" and has done a lot of other good work.
 Chester Bailey Fernald Is, of course, an American He was born near Bos- ton and Is best known as the author of '"The Cat and the Cherub," an op cratic version or Whlch recently was seen in New York For four years he was a draughtsman in the navy depart ment at San Francisco. Later he vis- ited China, Japan and Alaska. The last 16 years he has spent abroad. He lives in St. Johns Wood, is a golf enthusiast and of late has become interested in the film business. The last play we had from him was ."rhe Pursuit of Pamela" which the vedrenne Eadie management put on at the Royalty. It ran for several months and is still being played on tour. An other piece of Fernald's was done by one of the dramatic societies Fernald tells me that he has just disposed of the Ital- ian rights of this play. He finished '"Ths Day Before the Day only recently and Alexander was only the second manager to see the script Fernald is now put ting the final touches on still another play which he calls "The Nackender Venus" It is an art student play with the scene laid in Bavaria and will lend itself to elaborate mounting with lots of pretty models and on Fernald thinks 1t should do we'll after the war when the soldier boys get back and want to be amused. But he would not spurn an offer before then,