The sun., 1919-09-28

forgotten or overlooked by others who
have engaged In similar research.
On ono such journey he came across
= volume entitled ''The "reminiscences
of Michael Kelly" singer at tho
Theatre Royale, Drury Lane. This
volume was published in 1926, whereas
Dickens's "Oliver Twist" did not APP
pear in print until 1887, when It was
first published in Bentley's miscellany.
This was the year that Dickens ar
ranged to write "The Memoirs Of
Grimaldi," the greatest clown in tho
annals Of the theatre.
The school Of pickpockets. which If
the central motif in the tale OF "Oiiver
Twist" and which has had a romantic
appeal, was not mere Pigment of the
great novelist's Imagination, If tho be-
lief Of Mr.. Thurston is worthy of
credence. There is a peculiar fascina-
ton about the waif of the streets ap-
prenticed to learn the trade of
scientific robbery from an efficiency
expert, and 1t did not surprise Mr..
Thurston, therefore, to find the So
called legend Of the thieves school told
in sober fact in the memoirs Of this
knight of the sock and buskin, Kelly
and Drury Lane. Indeed, the actor
makes his tale of travel as charming
in its irresistible way as the miracles
of the Indian magicians.
In this collection of manuscripts,
which is large and valuable one, Mr..
Thurston, who is now playing at the
Globe Theatre. possesses some Of tho
original texts of the letter written by
NA IA ltaI.
fore he had gained even local fame an
writer of fiction. He has great
admiration for Dickens and does not
in the least attempt to detract from
the value of his work by citing the
parallel between "Oliver Twist" and
the tale of Kelly, the actor.
Lillian Scarlet, the feminine half OF
the team which plays the old fashioned
tunes in Happy Days. at the Hippo
drome, never tires of watching the
struggles of the average citizen to
nerve himself up to Join in the refrain
OF Captain links" or "Oid Black Joe."
TT is always the same" says Miss
Scarlet. "At every performance there
10 this battle between the Unborn hor-
ror Of the Anglo-Saxon OF doing some
thing conspicuous and the equally ma
tura desire to open ones mouth and
sing the beloved old songs. The latter
always wins, but not without some
very funny Incidents. At first when
wo begin to play there isn't q sound
except the banjoes. Then as we finish
the second and third songs I begin to
| hear humming all through the house,
with an occasional half-repressed
! phrase, quickly smothered. The Little
| Brown jug never fails to start a few
lusty souls to singing in spite Of the
scornful glances of envious neighbors
And by the time we get to My Bonnie
Lies Over the Ocenn all of the gall
lery and at least half tho orchestra
has thrown or the morbid chill Of
sclf-consciousness and really admitted
that 1t is singing. love to pick some
special person-perhaps q portly pros
porous commuter sitting beside his
prim and we'll dressed wife-and read
In his face his intense longing to IN
dulge In few splendid 'swipes and
his horror at the thought of tho re-
proving glance which win be his re-
ward. He fidgets, he huns, he MUIR
murs a word or two in a sweet re-
strained tenor and finally he lets go
and in spite of the wifely Hush Will
lam, everybody is looking. You never
could follow q tune anyway and why
you should choose this place to make
a public exhibition Of yourself I don't
see,' he casts all shame to the winds
and renders The Battle Cry Of Free
DOM to his intense personal satisfac-
ton and the inspiration of his neigh
bors. The secret Of our success in
this act lies In this universal longing
to express oneself in song. with the
protection afforded by thousands OF
equal Offenders"