New-York tribune., 1922-02-19

that l have passed among those hosptabls
and amusing folk. And among then, ale John
l. Nelly stands out boldly, a figure of COM
pe'llng interest 1t was not merely the quality
OF ms speech. bnt it's endless va-.-sy that
charmed me, for he was one Of the few funny
men have known to whom / could listen IN
definitely without being bored. I arrived at
ms mousse IN company with Miss Ada Lewis
one afternoon at 2 o'clock and remained pnt;
in the evening always amused and laugb-
ing most of the time. Justice cornpels mo IN
add that Miss Lewis acted ae = bealtbf,,
stimulus to our hosts food Of ren1iniscooce
and comment
He commented quite freely on some of his
ne'ghbors, ono Of whom. being socially am
bilious, had caused a sensation By onracinc
a butler but he didn't stay lonr.o said
Kelly. "The fare didn't suit him. When Il
came to crackers and sardines for lunch. and
ne had to change the plates for the crackers
he QUIT the job You see they pad him 50
much that they didn't have any money left
for the food"
VI Two ladies who we're rivals for .hc social
leadership Of the pace he said: The rot
tired of knocking each other and AZ their
parrots had learned everything they said tlev
put them out on the front piazzas and let
them keep the knocking uo.o
Early in life Kelly had been n,e,nber Of the
company which under the name Of Washbyrn's
Last sensation performed in tie small vii
iagcs OF New York State and Ne.r Fnpland
II was variety show, with half q DOZEN In
oIans as an added attraction. and ~ this vas
long before the advent Of Buffalo BUFs Wild
west show the savages in ther war pant and
iea'hefs proved strong drawing card and
were viewed with awesone fear bv the vapjnz
aSriculturlsts. Kelly entertained the audience
with his singing and dancing and also owned
the lemonade privilege. bat the boys who sold
That beverage on commission ived in such abb
Ject tear OF the aborgines that they did not
care to resist whom the red men consumed
glass after glass Of their wares and refused
payment There was a strawberry in each
glass, and the boys were expected to keep it
intact to be served to the net purchaser.
As Kelly wa the king Of the dressing roon,
actors Miss Cisse Lotus was the queen Of
the same class. Many OF the wisest MANAGERS
Of her day engaged her II the expectation that
She would entertain audiences by her acting Is
we'll as she had impressed them. She wa at dif-
ferent times the salary lists of Henry Irv-
ing, Augustin Daly, Dan Frohman and George
II. Tyler. But she was an imitator and not an
actress. and there IS wide difference between
the two. For the one works alone" to quote
from the lexicon of the varietv STAGE. and the
other must blend her work with that Of her as
soc.ates. But when Miss Lotus ioined the
Weber 6 Fields organizations which at that,
time employed some Of the best talent in theJ
profession. she found her meter. and as a
drawing card held hcr own with the best oil
hcl associates.
Miss Lotus and is st.ll IN :mitator and
entertainer OF Incompatible gifts. And in this
line OF work her beauty OF face and person,
her delightful personality and her charm of
manner added immeas surably TO the value Of
her entertainment. Strange as it may seem
to those unfamiliar with theatric art. although
she could not act she could initiate acting and
nothing in all her wide repertoire impressed
me as did her imitation Of Miss Rose Stah in
4 scone from The Chorus Lady" once stg-
gesteu to the manager Of that play toc feast
pility Of having the two ladies exchange roles
for single scene some evening in order 10
il the audience at either house could note
the difference. but he did not welcome the sug-
gestion. Although Il might have proved
good advertisement. it would have helped Miss
Lotus much more than MS own star IN COM
menting on her lack Of skill as an actress I
am not seeking to belittlo Miss Loftuss ex-
traordinary talent. for she IS so wonderful IN
her oNn speciality that She does not need TO
do anything else. She viii receive q hearty
welcome if she ever appears here again.