davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
BY EUGENE FIELD

| English. Could anything in a dramatic
way be more preposterous7
| To the lover or good, round English tho
| Italian language is the most namby-pamby
in the world It Is the vernacular OF tenor
| singers IL is composed of five vowels,
waxed mustaches and shiny silk trunks ;
| its literature has come to consist OF the
measly librettos of dying operatic
| school.
During tho performance of The Gladi-
ator" last Monday night we heard Roman
matrons--the most austere representatives
of the feminine sex we know of-ad-
| dressed as "signoras" We would as soon
think OF calling an Italian brigand a dude !!
The dialogue of a Salvni tragedy Inn
! presses tho average auditor much as the
subJoined dialogue will impress you,
| gentle reader:
( Viola Allen-You sent for me. me lord?
Salvini (glooElily)-Si. sIgnora-
Viola Allen-Wherefore l prithee, tell
| me?
salvini (selzing her by the arm)--
! Questa infelice grazzio guglelmo 81 gia-
| como puella leustra
Viola Allen (deprecatingly)-oh. me
lord
Salvini with suppressed rage)-sosplro,
| ah m'appari-questa adagio banana rod
rigo piano2
Viola Allen (eageriy)-on me soul. I
| know not
SalvlnI (glaring at her)-Che le morte
sostenuto miserere piazza milano presto
patti2
Viola Allen (shuddering)-Me lord. you
| amaze mol
Salvinl dragging her L. u. E.)-Sperato
| hermann guestato habani vigilo genoa CO.
| Jumbo guesta graZia nouvello
| Viola Allen-Oh!
Salyini-Descendo, crescendo ct diminu-
endo piano-forte
Viola Allen-With dagger me lord?
Salvini-Fortisslmo!
| Viola Allen-When the pale moon shines
| on yonder pallid copse?
| Salvini (frowningly and hoarsely)
zaroni pianissimo?
Viola Allen-Heavens will be done
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
Behind the Scenes

Some time when the world is drear and
cheerless go to the advertising columns
OF a theatrical trade paper for mental
stimulus, says the January Green Book
For Instance:
FOR SALE-Mind-reading act. Ny orig
inal and complete act; something new;
a scientific success; copyrighted,
Here - a mechanical doll" who wants
partner; a snake king" advertisea
"dens' for $40 and up; a pony dog and
goat trainer "at liberty; two 10-foot
pythons "at liberty; . glassblower.
human fly, a freak with no legs and
human fish-ail looking for work. Else
where one finds: Freaks for sale or
trade" and a collection OF wild animals
10 exchange for a small cylinder organ.
An "Al Blackface, tramp and silly kid"
win work for $40 week ''and ALL" And
That darnd old frawd. old Rubin Hay
sede. the kuntree sherman, giving Suth-
ern. Yanky & misserlanus reedins & res-
sertations. Price one hundred a. fifty dol
lers & car fare both wGys; cash In ad-
vance. He ISN'T worth It,"
To you Is discovered the secret Of where
stage money comes from-S5O00 of 1t for
SO. Comedy monologue Is offered for 81
for each Is minutes of words Then this
for climax:
Singing comedienne, who Is also con-
tortionist and slack-wire performer, de-
sires permanent position. Also has great
dramatic ability. Fifteen a week and alI-'s
Wha. a find for Dillingham;
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
An Unruly Audience

It Is said of e. s. Willard, the English
actor, whose death was recently an
nounced, that he was not reluctant about
rebuking his audience when the occasion
required it. During farewell perform
ance of David Garrick." in Milwaukee,
the audience became somewhat impa-
tient few moments before the final cur
tain. Mr.. Willard was standing near q
mantel on the stage, and as he heard the
hustle, stopped in the middle OF his
speech. The audience. of course, noted
1t and sat down again, in absolute silence
Waiting until one could have heard a
pin drop in the theatre, Mr.. Willard
turned his head and said, in very quiet.
even tones, 81 beg your pardon 1 thought
perhaps I was disturbing some one
Dramatic Mirror.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

can accommodate about 200 children, is
crowded to the doors. This deficit has
been underwritten by the Merton Civic
Association, which hopes to give two or
three evening performances for adults
and through these raise sufficient money
to cover the deficits incurred by the chill
dren's movies"
The Saturday morning movies" II sue
cessful, will be followed by Sunday
Afternoon Story Hour" at which the
stories of the Bible will be told by pro-
fessional story teller accompanied by
moving pictures. To this story hour it
Is planned to ask no price of admission.
The experiment at Merton is both signih-
cant and interesting, and will be watched
with the greatest interest by parents who
have felt for a long time the need of just
such movies" as these for their children.
All children along the Main Line from
Overbrook to Bryn Mawr will be permitted
to come, and this Is one of the liberal
phases of the experiment. that 1t will not
be confined as it might easily have been,
to the children of Merton
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
MERION'S MODEL SCHOOL
TAKES UP THE MOVIES
Saturday Morning Matinees of Photoplays in
the Schoolhouse Mark an Advance for the
Films on Lines of Civic Betterment
BY EDWARD BOX

x,tIE first carefully thought out plan to
nresent trustworthy movies" for chill
,-on IN a Philadelphia suburb is about to
:. tried out at Merton under the auspices
!, the Merton Civic Association. Com
s,arcing next Saturday morning, Janu-
49,, IL. the first of a weekly series of
,h,,dren's Saturday morning movies"
Iii he given at 1890 o'clock, at the Mer-
~, Country Day School, which is four
,,,rutes' walk from the Pennsylvania
pouroad station at Merton. a specially
..rs,rueted fireproof booth, answering
avery requirement of the fire laws. has
,r., been finished, and the most modern
.ouipped moving-picture machine has
been Installed
The films will consist of n humorous
,eei a reel OF adventure, some of the
wonderfui nature study reels and a COM
ria,a play at each performance. Two
,,'or,en representing the womens commit
,oe Of the Merton Civic Association will
nsrsonally see each reel before 1t is ac-
ssnted for public presentation, so that
sach performance will represent the most
,r,slliRent order of censorship. The fixed
idea in the minds of the women inter-
ested In these Saturday morning movies
viii be that parents can feel perfectly
safe In allowing their youngest children
10 20 to these movies" with the full
conyiction that they will see the best
aims that are put out for children.
The prices of admission ave been fixed
at regular movie" theatre prices Ten
cents for children belonging to the fami-
lies OF the Merton Civic Association. is
cents for other children. and 20 cents for
adults accompanying children.
Ii is not expected that these prices will
cover the expense of the performances;
a deficit is locked for on each Saturday
morning, even If the schoolhouse, which
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

otdtence, one 70 tHe Neto lofN'
TIME author OF "Androoles and the
i Lion" received one Of the worst shocks
Of his life when an American editor pub
llshed It's text under the heading "a
Comedy" It is not a comedy It lie pre-
cisely what the author calls II, a fable
play; that Is. an entertainment for chill
dren on an old story from the children 8
books which, nevertheless, contains mat
ter for the most mature wisdom to pom
der. In England 1t proved fard test
for the hexibility of the mind OF the
British playgoer. The genuinely religious
people, the scholars and tho serious pub
lio generally were impressed and intense
ly Interested. The children we're delight
ed But the hardened playgoers did not
know what to mako of It, At first they
settled down to a Christmas pantomime,
with low comedians and comic lion, and
began to laugh very good humoredly.
Then they suddenly found their teeth set
on edge by scene of the sort OF satirical
comedy they most dread and dislike; that
is comedy that satirizes the kind Of
thing they are accustomed to accept as
extremely correct. official and heightened
When the play was produced In Berlin
Il was reported that at this point the
Crown Prince rose and left the theatre
When IL was produced in London at the
nelBnt OF Ine dbltdtlOh ny 'ic 'iiii'"'i'
woman suffragists, the suffragists pres
ent were so excited by the satire on the
official point of view that the sensation
in the house, which was felt without
being clearly understood, almost upset the
performance for IA moment.
But worse remained behind. No sooner
had the old paygoers readjusted them
selves. with n dsagreeable effort, to the
episode of satirical comedy than they
found themselves plunged without mo-
ment's preparation into the deepest reali-
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
FIRST AID TO ANDROCLES
AND HIS FAMOUS LION
The Author of the Merry "Fable Play" at the
Adelphi Explains Few Obvious
Matters for the Playgoer
By BERNARD SHAW

ties OF religion, the most unbearable OF
all subje for the purely theatrical pub
lie, as IL is the most enthralling for the
real national public at which the autnor
always aims. And before the playgoers
had recovered from their CONSERVATION.
or decided whether they ought to be
scandalized or not they were back In
pantomlme fun again. And so IL went
on, getting more and more bewildering
always except to the serious people who
held the thread until the fun, the satire.
the historical study of manners and char
acter and the deadly deep earnest were
all on the stage at the same moment,
many of the audience being SO torn one
way by laughter and the other way by
horror, besides being quite upset by pure
shock, that they did not know where they
were, and left the theatre rending their
garments (metaphorlcally) and crying
blasphemy. while the deeper people for
whom the play was written proclaimed
that great movement In religious drama
had been inaugurated.
None Of these extravagances are likely
to recur now that the first shock is over.
But It Is stu helpful to warn old play
goers that they must not expect Andro-
cles and the Lion" to fall into any OF
the classincations to which they are ac-
customed. and that they will get fun and
earnest, history and satire, on the same
plate and at the same moment; so that
1t behooves them to keep on the alert
and not confuse these elements. IL II :
should seem to them that the author has
himself sometimes confused them-that
for instance, he is satirizing or making
fun of the truths of religton-it VIII be
prudent for the scandalized playgoer to
consider very carefully whether the
truths of religion have not become as
ISOLATED in his mind with the mere cir
cumstances and ceremonials under which
religion is professed which Is quite an
other matter. The lady who said. "Don't
Continued on Page Four
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

ond. by visuallzlng his memories or i'm
aginings, He can. II he so desires. wreck
n train, burn a house. sink a ship, or
blow up a fort, since he does not have to
repeat the expense every night. It is
natural that the new art should tend to
run TO excess in those things which It
can do best. The film artist is so tickled
at the idea that he can portray motion
that he is apt to put in too much motion.
But these are the inevitable ex-
travagances of youth.
The motion picture has established
itself and in some form or other will be-
come permanent part of the intellectual
and esthetic life OF the nation.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

can't keep up with the seasoned Fare
wellers from abroad.
You may not have noticed, but some
little time back l made quite a charming
| and impressive little address from this
same stage, and after the performance Of
| this same play, making a farewell for
myself and SherlOck-mixing In some
pathos and n few little things like that
| to help along, That was three years ago,
and I haven't done thing since. l am
ashamed!
There isn't any reason In the world why
we can't do as well in the farewell busi-
ness as any other country on the face of
the globe. we have the farewellers and
We have the people to say farewell TO-
Now let's get together and see what we
can do about II. As | said, this is only
my Second Farewell, but II | can get back
here In the spring that win be one more,
and at that rate-if can only keep II up,
l will be up even with my competitors by
the spring OF 1922, and by the winter sea-
son of 1887 I'll be well in the lead.
But. of course, you viii realize that
can't do all this by myself. There is one
thing 1 need. and that Is you-your SYM
pathy, your affection, and all those
things. but above all your cooperation.
These farewells would be very expensive
things to give all alone IN an empty thea
tre Just for the fun Of II. And for that
reason II seems to me that audiences
should do their part in the noble work of
putting our beloved country in the lead In
this respect as she is in so many others
OF less Importance. l hate TO talk to you
about duty. but there II is-this is your
patriotic duty. and l have to tell you
about it, And now that l have called
your attention TO the matter l am sure
you will do your share. which is merely to
come here and be farewelled to. 1t won't
be for long, and therefore IL will cause
-.
thing else aside for the time being and
come here every night until about the
end OF this month. The nights are all
that are necessary; we can take care OF
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
PART i
By SAMUEL Mccoy

chap, 1 liked the look in his eye. HI
had a sense OF humor. that chap. Ant
you couldn't scare him. Between you anC
me, was a bit afraid of him myself
Preparedness" was his middle name, Il
you ask my opinion.
But, take 1t from every side. the the
atre has its good points. One does meet
such interesting people. Take that mar
who married a dumb wife, for example
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
THE SYMBOLISM OF THE MOVIES

The folloiDiag Is by Henry Mdcmdhon.
on erldlte and enterprisin0 press agent,
,motS ,,nn. me Wa"y @ "mo deSert9d g. the teDm
so ercelloHt that the NeiU York Times
prints mdnU signed articles such as this
o. matters outside his OioH company, the
frfnn0Ie.
|nHE lack of adequate Interpretation
L and criticism must astonish the Mas
tan or other visitor coming to these
taores and noting the predominant posi-
uon rapidly being taken in the amuse-
ment world by the motion pictures, The
enema is a Topsy dat jes' growed" +"
there are no canons of the art no rules
Of criticism.
The assumption" says Walter Prich-
Ara Eaton that we can go back to what
lmounts to sign language at this stage
81 civilization Is one of the most touch
akers c-edulity"
How about the "sign language" of
pure music? The Sign language" OF
sculpture? The sign language Of
pAlnungi The function OF all art is to
.sucn the emotions Ideally and 1t matters
Ho' whether the signs or media be
nolos or tones or carvings or pigments
mere facial and bodily attitudes and
expressions.
30 one seems to have sensed the fact
nat ,aa. me new art is symbollstic. The tech
sssue oL the motion picture is closer akin
music; the frequent recurrence of
ssi lhemes Is both agreeable and
1fy, resy, and the constant shifting OF
~ instead OF being a blemish, Is
,s'' very virtue OF this new dramatic
i ~ ekss-photographic form. which is best
Fss sseterzed as ''art by lightning flash"
M s. ntue series OF pictures, continu-
- Irom to is seconds. symbolizes a
,=nument, passion, or an emotion. Each
-essslys series, similar, yet different,
ss me emotion TO the next higher
sb ss,'s,b ul at last, when both of the
se.an ssasi emouons have attained the nth
-, 20 70 speak, they meet In the final
snoek OF victory and defeat.
sies OF pictures has TO be swiftly
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

moving. The picture maker has to use
the rapier of suggestion rather than the
bludgeon of logic The environment often
counts for more than the act. The fic-
ton of the removed fourth wall" of the
staged drama Is gone forever. and the
position of the moton-picture spectator
is that of one who looks out of doors
from an open window upon the whole of
Life spread as on a panorama, seeing
swiftly, understanding swiftly, because
the eye is so much swifter and more
understanding than the ear.
My point is that the efforts at criticism
are neither truly analytical nor construc-
tive. They do not lead anywhere. nor
show the direction the next great step
forward will take. Often they belittle
the New Art or deliberately ignore its
finest phases. Thus We are told by one
prominent New York reviewer that youth.
beauty and facial eNpressiveness are the
sole requisites of great motion7picture
actress-in other words, it's not art at
all, but merely a trick impaired to a
bright girl by a clever director. / Won
der If that reviewer ever studied the
career and achievements of Mae Marsh?
IL he had, he would have found genius In
the film as well as in his Old Art.
The film play compared with its
rival, the stage play, has certain serious
defects, notably the absence of sound
and color. But on the other hand II has
certain compensating qualities OF It's own
and producers are very wisely laying
more stress on these instead OF initiating
what the stage can always do better.
For instance, the film playwright can
use all outdoors for his background in
stead of a painted and rumpled back
drop. He can change the scene oftener
than the Elizabethan dramatist. He can
dip into the future or the past as though
he were In Wells's time-machine. He
can use literally an army OF supernum-
eraries in place OF a dozen attendants
with spears. He can reveal the mind of
his characters in two ways. neither OF
them possible on the stage, first by bring
ing the actor so close that the spectator
can read his facial expression. and sec
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
sALVINI IN POLYGLOT DRAMA

But what II no bear II not hither7
Salvini (raising his sword on high)-
Questa padre nouvelle bella donna troy
atore. Signora Che le mezza?
Viola Allen-Yes, my lord.
Salvini-Si?
Viola Allen-Yes.
Salvini (approvingly)-Si. (Exeunt.)
eugene Field, in tho Chicago News,
January II, 1850
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
PROGRESS

Tho moving pictures having at length
totally eliminated the regular drama, II
no longer becomes necessary for actors to
know how to use their voices. As the
stage was the only place where the aver
age person could learn how to talk prop
erly, the art of talking properly, which,
even under these conditions, was not
much OF an art, died out altogether.
Thus people used EesticulatlOn to convey
what ideas they had. In the course OF
time men became monkeys once more,
but experienced considerable incOnyen-
ience, ms all the trees had been cut down.
There were. however, the ruins Of many
tall buildings left, upon the roofs OF
which they did the best they could
Life.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

Yet am sweet-tempered
enough. goodness knows. Ask
Androcles. If you don't believe
me. I adore young people. l
dance divinely. Ask Androcles
II 1 don't. I'm playful. Yet 1
am lonely. at times.
Androeles is all right In his
way. but get fed up with An
drocles. He Is too meek. Moth
ing can ruffie him. A nice
chap, understand me, but
well. you know what mean.
Nothing dashlng.
would like to see more
OF that slangy little army
man. that Roman centurion
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

the matinees. So it is perfectly UNDER
stood and It Is very nice of you. am
sure. and it will help us along whole
lot.
AS I said 1t will soon be over, and then
perhaps next spring, we'll give you an
other whack at 1t for my third. There
fore, as 1 shall see you so soon again.
will only say au revoir until tomorrow
night.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

tneir madness.
Jolly chaps, all OF them
in that show - the old
octor with the chin
whiskers. and his red-faced
medical friend. The red
faced one roars pretty we'll
for a human. too.
Well. here comes that
melancholy dinge that is
keeper OF the menagerie. I'm
of. old chap, Drop In and
see me some evening, Wen
go out for a bite after the
show. What. you don't care
tor oh, well, no hard feel
ings. I'm always amiable.
Ask Androcles
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

MIR sALvINI is a great actor and a
lNl great artist: he has a magnificent
physique, noble voice and splendid In
tellect. In certain lines he is simply in
comparable. But we do not wonder that
his performances are not generally popu-
lar in this country. He plays his parts in
Italian; his company play their parts In
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08
INTERVIEWING
"ANDROCLES AND THE LION"

/ hear him roaring every night. Really
he roars better than do.
His wife, too. Is a good sort She bites
people ON the back of the neck. There is
something l admire about that woman.
They don't let me bite anybody, you
know, Do you know. she's not so dumb.
My private opinion Is that most talkative
wives whose chatter drives their hus-
bands out of the house have method in
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

WHY is 1t that some actors and most
w actresses have people running around
after them-"lion hunters" they call
such people. 1 believe. Why is It that
nobody waits at the stage door for me?
I would dearly enjoy an after-theatre
bite; but people seem TO avoid lions as
dinner guests. Somehow, they distrust
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

r AM really very ashamed to appear be-
i fore you this evening. and especially to
come out here and talk to you pleasantly
like this across the footlights, for have
been shamefuily lazy and negligent the
past three years. With all that time at
my disposal this Is only my Second Fare
we'll. 1t Is really shameful. do not Won
der that you feel as you do about IT,
must say 1t looks as II We Americans
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

,, The loiioict7g A sognrpNattton t Oh o. t'ggo ,go
lion" one for distribution to the London
oudienCs, one TO the NetC York.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

Beino the oraveIy uttered ,cords OF a
curtain speech spoken By William Gillette
after the last act Of Sherlock Holmes.
on hts present fdretOeH tour.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-08

Continued on Page -Four
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-06-03
LARGEST RALLY
EVER HELD HERE

One of the largest political rallies
ever held in Pensacola was that last
night in Precinct u, when about 65
candidates spoke to a crowd of one
thousand voters. Owing TO the great
number of candidates present Chair
man w. L. Meyer limited them to
only three minutes each. After the
speaking fish chowder was served in
Warfeld's old store at the northwest
corner Of Intendencia and Alcaniz
streets.
The first to speak were the candi-
dates for county judge, and after this
the entire list Of candidates was car
RED through, each being invited to
speak, a privilege which all present
accepted. After the first list was fin
ished any candidate who wished was
allowed to make further remarks, and
the meeting continued until late int
the night.