Evening star., 1935-02-10

forty-niner who had Just returned
from California with his pockets lined
with "pay-rock."
John Mccullough made his debut
on the National stage as Hamlet. In
February, 1884, he played his last role
here as Richard III. Ee was then
moody and preoccupied, he repeated
himself over and over in conversation;
1t was from here that the announce
ment that he was failing went out to
the public.
Washington Is a good theater town,
for most of the public men are fond
Of the play. I was much amused on
the opening night to see the doughty
form of Gen. Van Vliet as he wandered
up and down the aisle looking for his
seat. He went to enjoy the play and
dressed in citizens business clothes.
Gen. Sheridan attends the theater oc.
casionally. President Arthur was
great lover Of the drama, always COM
ing late and occupying a box. The |
moment he appeared the orchestra i
struck up Hail to the Chief" and on
several occasions his entrance was
| applauded by the entire audience.
Most of our Presidents have been
fond of the theater. Washington had
box at the new Chestnut Street
Theater when he was President in
! Philadelphia, and he often went with
his family to see the Grand Circus.
He attended the theater so often. in
deed, that the papers Of the time
criticized him for it. When he en-
tered the theater the band always
played the Presidents march. the tune
to which Hail Columbia" was after
wards written.
Mrs. John Adams speaks highly Of
the Philadelphia Theater, which she
and her husband undoubtedly attended
when he was Vice President. jefferson
acquired liking for the play while
he was in France His tastes we're
varied, and he enjoyed anything from
a play of Shakespeare down to a circus
side show. In his diary you will find
entries stating that he paid II cents
/ for seeing lion 81 months old, and
5 cents for seeing an elephant, and
on the 25th of January, 1898, Is cents
/ for seeing Caleb Phillips, dwarf. To
/ this item is appended the note. He
weighs 80 pounds now, and when born
( he weighed, with the clothes he had
| on, 3 pounds"
Madison. Monroe and John Quincy
Adams we're all theater lovers. and
during the last years of his life Adams
took part in quite a discussion con-
! cerning the character of Hamlet
| Jackson often went to the theater.
as did also Van Buren and the rest
Of the Presidents down to Lincoln.
The theater was President Lincoln's
chief recreation; he was often present
in a closed box at Fords when the
! people did not know it. He frequently
took his little boy Tad with him and
| the child would sometimes venture
behind the scenes. On one such oc-
caSion when there were a number Of
characters on the stage the actors
dressed Tad up and led him to the
footlights. The President saw some-
thing familiar about him as soon as
his eyes fell upon the boy. A moment
later he recognized him. bursting into
such hearty laugh that the audience
recognized it and clapped until the
President stood up and bowed to them.
President Cleveland is reported to
| =
think he has attended a play since
he has been in the White House. He
is said to enjoy comedies and farceS
and to like a minstrel troupe or comic
opera better than grand opera or an
oratorio.
Boss Shepherd.
Within the next month Alexander
:
Shepherd IS expected to return to
Washington. The papers are now full
Of his praise. and grand celebration
is to be given in his honor. Whereas
when he went away from Washington
he was denounced as a jobber and a
fraud, he returns the most feted and
honored person in the Capital City.
1t was Shepherd who changed
Washington from a struggling South
ern village scattered over an immense
territory to the most magnificent city
OF the world During his governorship.
30 Of the 300 miles of poor streets we're
improved, the most populous streets
were paved with wood and concrete,
parks were made, sewers were dug,
canals were filled and nearly 20 mil
lion dollars were spent in baautify ng
the Nations Capital. To pay this in-
mense sum Congress appropriated
five million dollars in cash. two mil
lion dollars were raised on street i'm
provementS bonds, and the remaining
millions were foated in the shape of
bonds at high rate of interest.
Shepherd was worth a hundred
thousand dollars at the time he be-
came Governor. He was only SO years
old then and he had made all this
money as plumber. While he was
Governor he dealt largely in real estate
and among other things built over
1000 buildings. He spent S1O,0O0.O0O
In construction and handled much
more than this IN lands While he was
wealthy the people praised him, but in
1876 when he became financially en-
baraSsed there was none so poor as to
do him reverence. He left Washington
bound for Mexico, saying he would
not came back to the city until he
had made enough money to buy the
whole place. understand that he has
made another fortune there in mines.
but it is doubtful whether he has
enough to carry out his vow. The
Washington he left was far poorer
city than the Washington to which he
returns. But if the city could pay him
what she owes him for the good he has
done her, he might be able to supply
the rest.