davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-07-21

duced and while watching a girl who
was to play a slavey Mrs. Gore
had an inspiration. Apparently the
girl was excessively stupid, although
all she had to do was to carry a
kettle of hot water across the stage.
Let me do that part, Mr.. Vim
cent asked Miss Robson suddenly
"'You!' he exclaimed. Why, that
is only a bit. You have regular
role
"'Yes, I know; but please let me
show you what I could do. could
play the other, too
THE supernumerary was so dull
that Mr. Vincent finally acquiesced
in the recruits strange request. She
arranged her own makeup and
when the night of the first per-
formance arrived was more con-
cerned about what she was going to
do as the slavey than with her reg
ular lines. ."
"All she had to say was Yes,
ma am; Yes, ma am in response to a
Come, Tillie.' as she walked across
the stage with the kettle. But when
it came to the point Miss Robson
did not simply walk across; she
dragged one foot after the other
in the slipshod fashion she had no.
ticed as the typical gait of the Lon
don serving maid in the Clapham
district. The actress who played
the mistress. thinking the newcomer
had stage fright. interpolated the
line: Hurry. Tllie! To which Miss
Robson, nowise disconnected, replied
7 am a-hurryin'.' Then, as she
slumped along she contrived to spill
some of the boiling water on the
handle of the kettle and her efforts
to find a cool place for her fingers
Evening star., 1940-07-21

always been fond Of theatricals and
four years after the Capital was
established here an amusement
place known as the Washington
Theater was erected here on the
northeast corner of Eleventh and
c streets NV, where is now the
Bureau of Internal Revenue. 1t
was designed by George Hadheld
and was first opened on November
16. 1904. The last theater to occupy
this site was the President Theater
and, though its entrance was on the
Pennsylvania avenue side of the
block, the location of the theater
proper was the same as the one
erected there 1875 years ago. Still
within the memory of many, here
also was located the Theater
Comique, or Kernan's Lyceum.
Plays Presented.
The first building on this site, of
which the lot originally included
GA feet on c street and 135 feet 4
inches on Eleventh street, was be-
gun in June, 1903, the opening
play being a grand medley enter
tainment by the celebrated Mr.. Ma
ginnis from London, who has per-
formed in most of the capital cities
of Europe and America" Later
plays here included wives as They
Were and Maids as They Are" and
ways and Means, or a Trip to
Dover" which sounded somewhat
like the titles of the plays put on
there nearly a century later by
Jake Budd and his contemporaries
Billy Williams and Eugene Mas
They included: THE Two Tramps." !"
The Oyster Dealer" Big Foot
Wallace" THE Railroad War;" "A
Messenger From Alexandria" "A
Big Mistake" "A Practical Joke" "
BILL Jones' Cousin" and others with
similar titles.
Here, as far back as 1908, Joseph
Jefferson, grandfather Of the Joseph
Jefferson of rip Van Wrinkle"
fame, played The Rivals" or "A
Trip to Bath" and, a year after
Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star
Spangled Banner" the piece was
sung here. and was received with
tumultuous and unbounded ap-
plause." Shortly afterward Gen.
Andrew Jackson attended a per-
formance here for the benefit of the
poor and, in 1919. President Monroe
and his family witnessed play here
said to have been the first time a
President attended a Washington
Evening star., 1940-07-21

were William E. Philip, Thomas
@. Seabrooke and Edna Wallace
Hopper.
Miss Russell also played in this
city in THE Grand Duchess" and
in 1900 came to the Columbia Thea
ter with the Weber and Fields Stock
Company which put on a double
bill of "Whirl-i-gig" and Barbara
Fridgety."
Quality in Cast.
This company was advertised as
an all-star cast and did include
some of the best top-notchers of
that period, among whom were Peter
F. DALEY, David Warfleld, Joe
Weber, Lou Fields, John r. Kelley,
Bessie Clayton. May Robson and
others. The press at that time
praised the show and said inpart:
weber and Fields stock bur-
lesque company, from their New
York Music Hall, appeared at the
Columbia Theater last night before
an enthusiastic audience of stand-
ing room only dimensions. The
fame of the Dutch comedians and
their noteworthy aggregation of
players, including Lillian Russell.
aroused unusual expectations and
the merit of the performance justi-
fed all the promises made-even the
advanced prices, in the opinion of
many.
"The peerless blond, Lillian, In
the role of burlesque actress, was
not the only remarkable attraction.
There was also May Robson, the
talented character actress so long
with Charles Frohman's companies,
who contributed an artistic carica-
ture of Julia Marlowe in the bur-
Evening star., 1940-07-21

where her father had gone in search
OF health and where he died. The
family returned to their home in
England and May Robson" cher
maiden name) completed her edu-
cation in Paris. She married when
quite young man named Gore
and removed to New York. where
her husband soon died. leaving her
with three little children, two Of
whom died young.
At first Miss Robson earned her
living by painting dinner cards, but
practically threw herself out of busi-
ness by teaching SO many others
how to decorate menus that the
demand for her own work became
Improbable. A chance occasion led
her into a dramatic agency which
finally resulted in her being en-
ployed for small part in "The
Hoop of Gold" though she had no
previous stage experience. OF this
fact the stage manager. Mr.. Leon
Vincent, was not aware until he
asked her to take the stage" when
her hopeless glance betrayed her
complete ignorance of theatrical
parlance.
How long have you been on the
stage?" she was asked.
The crucial moment had come"
we are told.
About 20 minutes Mr.. Vincent
answered for her.
"'Well, was going to say 49, she
admitted, already seeing herself out
on the sidewalk again." But, to her
surprise. the good old gentleman
simply told her to remain after the
rest had gone. and then gave her
q little private coaching.
Two days before the first per-
formance the supers were intro
Evening star., 1940-07-21
Monroe After Capto

Congress had exempted men over
10 years OF age and all women from
provisions Of the law which cast
folks into jail for not paying their
debts. One chap, who unfortunately
had not reached the three-score and
ten marker, was jailed for Is days
because he had not met debt of
$341.
That was the Washington which
awaited the Presidents message at
the opening of the first session of
the Eighteenth Congress.
Senate Session.
Afternoon came. The Senate was
assembled in the room which was
occupied by the Supreme Court in
our day until the tribunal moved
to its present edifice. The men,
bers of the House were in their
chamber, now Statuary Hall.
Many important subjects will
claim your attention during the
present session." reading clerks be-
gan as intonations of the message
got under way. They were destined
to read through several paragraphs
before they came to this statement:
"The occasion has been judged
proper for asserting as a principle
in which the rights and interests of
the United States are involved, that
the American continents, by the free
and independent condition which
they have assumed anu maintained,
are henceforth not 10 be considered
as subjects for future colonization by
any European powers
Forty more paragraphs were to
be read before the clerks again were
to come upon a statement which
later was to command dignity as q
part Of the setting forth of the
Monroe Doctrine. There was, for
instance, the business Of revealing
that the United States Treasury on
January of 1924 would have a sur
plus Of nearly nine millions OF dol
lars" Then came q long outline of
the development and condition of
the Army and the State militias.
Piracies in the neighborhood of the
island of Cuba had been repressed,
it was reported during q discussion
of naval affairs. Extension of the
postal service, repairs to the Cum
berland road and a miscellany of
other matters were discussed before
there came this powerful penping
by the Monroe hand:
"As to the defense of our own,
which has been achieved by the loss
Of SO much blood and treasure
and under which we have enjoyed
unexampled felicity, this whole Ma
ton Is devoted. We owe it, there
fore, to candor to declare that
We should consider any attempt on
Evening star., 1940-07-21

message concluded than express
riders went streaking on their ways,
and before long editors In several
cities had pushed their quilts in
comment.
The National Intelneencer, here in
Washington, had this to say the
next day:
1T (the message) does honor to
its author, and its most important
parts are conceived in the spirit
of the days when he first engaged
in the active scenes Of public life"
The United States Gazette, at
Philadelphia, commenting upon the
statement that European nations
would not be permitted to colonize
in the Americas, presented these
words:
"This Is an assertion worthy Of
the chief magistrate Of . powerful
Evening star., 1940-07-21

lesque on Barbara Frietchie,' with
wonderful mimicry and a sense of
real fun. This burlesque-called
Barbara Fidgety'-was voted the
funniest part of the bill, because
of the skill with which the incidents
of the original play were distorted
and burlesqued into a conglomera-
ton of nonsense. All who saw Miss
Marlowe's tragic Barbara Frietchie'
must have felt that it was sacrilege
for the Weberfieldians to thus trif1e
with her patriotic emotions, but
then the student Of the Weber and
Fields class of repartee learns that
1t is only the sacred things of the
drama that are worth burlesquing.
"This 'Barbara Fidgety' burlesque
was an extraordinary piece of stage
literature. The scenery was copied
accurately and also the costumes,
while all of the characters made up
to closely resemble the originals.
The street scene in Frederick, with
grown man and woman in panta-
lettes playing hide and seek. la
the children, and the tittle-tattle Of
Barbara and her friends, was really
delicious.
Preceding this burlesque Lillian
Russell was introduced as the star
Of 'Whirl-i-gig,' another conglom-
GRAFTON of music, gags. repartee and
burlesque. Miss Russell has lost
none of that beauty which seems
perennial. Though the years are
giving her mature figure, her
voice has changed but little. The
imperial Lillian is still the queen
OF comic opera. whenever she, cares
to return to her vacant throne.
after her season in burlesque 1t
is doubtful however, if she ever
appeared In a stronger company,
in more refined work, than in
'Whirl-i-gig." Though 1t is bur-
lesque, it is on a higher artistic
plane than many alleged comic
operas in which she has been pre-
sented."
May Robson Popular.
May Robson. previously mentioned
as having played here with Weber
and Fields Stock Company, de-
lighted many an audience in by
gone days with her wonderful inn
presentations. But her brilliant
stage career seems to have ended
years ago, though she is still DEM
onstrating her ability as an actress
in the part of the grandmother in
the motion picture, Irene"
Originally May was a musical
comedy star, and as clever bur-
lesque actress as one would want
to see. She was born in Australia,
Evening star., 1940-07-21

Nation, the earliest and the greatest
In this half Of the glove-of a Ma
ton scrupulous of her just rights
and able to maintain them and who
at the same time is the protector of
her neighbors for her own safety"
Over in Baltimore the editor OF
the Morning Chronicle put his
thought in this sentence:
THE conquerors of Bonaparte
could not have anticipated that
their united force would so soon
be defied by young republic whose
existence, as yet. cannot be meas
ured with the ordinary life of man. "
Those words set together, the
Chronicles master mustered his full
abilities as a commentator and q
writer to produce this sentence:
Called an Era.
'"The message itself constitutes
an era in American history. It is
worthy Of commemoration and the
day on which 1t was delivered
should be remembered as holiday
to future generations"
Some editor with an extraordinary
amount Of partisanship coursing
through his veins may have found
fault with the portion of the mes
sage dealing with international af-
fairs. But a search through all
newspapers of the day now avail
able for scanning fails to reveal a
discordant note.
The complimentary comments
encountered on those yellowed pages
that came from the press more than
100 years ago reveal the immediate
and compelling effect Of the mes
sage. With the knowledge that it
had gained great stature in mems
minds before the sun had set on
the day Of It's delivery, we of this
time have no need to marvel at the
vitality and power the message has
retained down through the decades.
Until six or seven years ago the
manuscript Of the Monroe message
had remained hidden from sight in
q safe In the Senate wing of the
Capitol. At some earlier time,
pages Of the manuscript had been
mounted on leaves Of q handsome
ly bound book made at the Govern
ment Printing once for the pur-
pose.
Even today. when 1t is second to
none as q document of immediate
and broad importance, the message
is modestly quartered and rather
obscurely positioned.
It rests in glass-topped case
that stands in . corner of an inner
office belonging to the suite occu-
pied by the secretary OF the Senate.
Nor is 1t alone In that case. It
shares the compartment with the
Evening star., 1940-07-21
Bv Ira L. Smith

In a nook at the Capitol are sheets
Of paper upon which words were
set forth 1l6 years ago by James
Monroe, fifth President of the United
States. The words are those Of a
message sent to Congress December
2, 1923. Many Of them deal with
conditions long since forgotten, but
some form sentences that present
the basis of the Monroe Doctrine.
The monumental sentences which
outline that doctrine are going to
resound in the Nations ears and
stream steadily before the Nations
eyes during weeks of the immediate
future With the world beset by
war and the country facing a presi-
Dental campaign, this is certain to
come to pass.
Few declarations by man have
remained "alive" and in active force
so long as those which the stately
Virginian placed in black on white
more than a century ago. Viewing
their direct application in these
times Of crisis, it is difficult to be-
lieve that they were written by
man attired after the fashion Of
eighteenth-century colonials.
When James Monroe inscribed
that message, Washington was q city
with population Of $1,000. A shoe
maker who could make one good pair
Of shoes daily was paid $3.50 for
his days work. Coachmen who could
handle two and four horses expertly
commanded $3.50 q month and
board. Female servants received
from g to a and board monthly,
with the exception Of cooks, who
were paid from SIS to so monthly.
Quarters Offered.
Congressmen who sat around on
that morning Of December 2 in 1923,
waiting for the hour when they were
to 60 to the Capitol to hear the
reading Of the Presidents message,
may have come upon this announce
ment made by Michael Sardo in
the daily press:
II am situated in the three STORY
brick house at Tenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue and I can very
satisfactorily accommodate q mess
Of ten or eleven members Of Con-
gress with single rooms and board.
The sidewalks from my house. either
to the Capitol or the public ofiices,
are In excellent order"
At the Sign Of the Whale" where
D street came to Twelfth, winter
pressed oil could be obtained for So
cents . gallon, with deliveries made
as far as mile without costs.
Evening star., 1940-07-21

their (the European powers) part to
extend their system to any portion
Of this hemisphere as dangerous to
our peace and safety"
Statement Of Policy.
A few sentences followed and then
came these words:
Our policy in regard to Europe,
which was adopted at an early stage
of the wars which have so long
agitated that quarter Of the globe,
nevertheless remains : the same,
which is not to interfere with the
internal concerns of any of its pow-
ers:: to consider the government de
facto as the legitimate government
for us; to cultivate friendly rela-
tions with 1t. and to preserve those
relations by frank, firm and manly
policy"
No sooner was the reading Of the
Evening star., 1940-07-21
Lillian Russell Opened
Lafayette Square House
May Robson Was One Great
Favorite With Audiences,
And Fame Came to Many
By John Clageff Proctor.

always interesting to note the favorable comments made from
time
ting that the decade between 1890
the pays the eos
Evening star., 1940-12-24
Miss Wright
Is HOnOred

Mrs. Charles Will Wright was
hostess at luncheon yesterday
honoring her daughter, Miss Beat
rice M. Wright, who came from
Vassar College to spend the holi-
days with her parents. The party
was given at the Chevy Chase Club
and the hostess was assisted in re-
ceiving by Mrs. Ernest I. Lewis, Mrs
C. Cazenove Lee and Mrs. Wilson
Compton. Miss Wright was assisted
by Miss Katharine Bell, Miss Phoebe
Lewis, Miss Catherine Compton and
Miss Julia Cuniberti
Other guests were Miss Katharine
Smith, Miss Mary BrookingS, Miss
Anne Buchanan, Miss Kathleen Bell
Miss Catherine Clement, Miss Edith
Huntington, Miss Auretta Lais, Miss
Catherine Hambley, Miss Jean Nc
Kenna, Miss Jacquelin de Sieyes
Miss Margot Mink, Miss Mary Mink,
Miss Dorothea Drayton, Miss Au-
drey Cowan, Miss Catherine Hill
Miss Marguerite Rowell, Miss Edith
Hood, Miss Frances Alderman, Miss
Barbara Baker, Miss Henriette de
Sieyes, Miss Mary Wright and Miss
Ruth Meyer
Mr.. and Mrs. Wright have leased
their huose in Kenwood and have
an apartment at the Warwick. Also
with Mr.. and Mrs. Wright for part
of the holidays are their sons, Mr.
Frederick Wright and Mr.. Thomas
Wright.
Evening star., 1940-12-24
Recent Weddings
Miss Maud Gibbons Becomes
Bride of Mr.. John F. Danner

ST. Thomas Episcopal Church at
Groom, Md, was the scene Friday
of the wedding OF Miss Maud Glib
bons of Groom, daughter of the late
DR.. and Mrs. w. H. Gibbons, and
Mr.. John F. Banner of Upper
Marlboro, Md. The Rev. John L.
Shovel and The Rev. Henry C.
Parkman officiated.
Preceding the ceremony, Mrs.
George S. Harrison OF Groom, sister
of the bride, played organ musie
and solos were sung by Miss Eleanor
Bradburn of Meadows, Md, for
mer pupil of the bride.
The bride wore long blue velvet
dress with sweetheart neckllne and
short sleeves, with turban of blue
velvet to match. She carried a
bouquet of white roses. She was
given in marriage By her brother,
Mr.. Charles L. Gibbons of Will
mette. Ill.
Mrs. Nancy Wilburn of Upper
Marlboro, Md, sister of the bride
was the matron of honor. She
wore similarly fashioned gown OF
American Beauty velvet and carried
yellow roses. Mrs. Eva Smith OF
Cheltenham, Md, was the senior
bridesmaid, wearing gown of rose
velvet and carrying talisman roses
Miss Dorothy Smith of Washington
niece of the bride, was the junior
bridesmaid. She wore a dress OF
salmon pink satin and carried pink
roses.
Mr.. Danner had as best rnan his
son, Mr.. Robert Danner of Freder-
ick, Md. The ushers were Messrs
John and William Gibbons of Wash
ington, brothers of the bride; Mr.
David Danner of Upper Marlboro
son of the bridegroom, and Mr.
Charles Smith of Cheltenham, Md
Immediately after the ceremony
Mr.. and Mrs. Danner left for a
honeymoon trip in the North
After January they will be at
home on Rectory avenue in Upper
Marlboro.
Evening star., 1940-12-24
Residential
Social
Notes
Mrs. Candee Goes
To New York
For HOLIDAYS

Mrs. Churchill Candee has gone
to New York to spend the holidays
with Mr.. and Mrs. William Phelps
Emo. Her granddaughter, Miss
Mary Churchill Mathews, will re-
turn to Washington with Mrs.
Candee.
Col. Edwin B. Smith is spending
the Christmas holidays with his
niece, Mrs. Walter F. Burke, at
Larchmont, N. Y.
Miss Marion Smith, sister of Col.
Smith, who is recuperating from an
attack of grippe, is visiting friends
in Wildwood, N. j.
Mr.. and Mrs. Thurman Hill Of
the Wardman Park Hotel have
their son, Mr.. Thurman Hill, jr.,
home from Kansas University for
the holidays. Mr. Hill, jr., recently
was pledged to Phi Gamma Delta
Fraternity.
Mrs. Charles Morganthal and Miss
Ruth Raines are motoring to Los
Angeles and will return the latter
part of January.
Cadet Ernest c. Raulin is SPEND
ing the holidays with his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. E. Raulin, at 1923
Morse street Sc. Cadet Raulin has
come from the United States Mill
tary Academy at West Point, N. Y,
on leave.
1t. Morton Neely, U. S. n, en-
tertained at small dinner party
Saturday at the Army Navy Coun-
try Club. His guests included DR..
and Mrs. Cuthbert Farmer, Mr..
and Mrs. Bernard Coyle, Miss Lo-
retta Hanson, Miss Betty Seymour,
Mr.. Charles Kindle and Mr.. George
Brennan.
Mr.. Page Seekford of the College
of William and Mary arrived home
Friday to spend the holidays with
his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Ben. H.
Seekford
The Misses Iva and Irene Wright
are visiting in st. Petersburg, Fla,
during the Christmas season.
Mr.. and Mrs. Elmer. Christensen
entertained at a birthday ami
versary party for their daughter
Carroll, Sunday at their home, 816
Violet place. Christmas decora-
tions were used throughout the
house.
Evening star., 1940-12-24
DR.. and Mrs. Devine
Go to Little Rock

DR.. and Mrs. John Leo Devine,
jr., of Minot, N. Oak, have gone to
Fort Joseph T. Robinson, near Little
Rock, Ark, where the former has
been sent for duty with the United
States Army in the Medical Corps.
The marriage of DR.. and Mrs. De-
vine, the latter formerly Miss Mary
Virginia Williams, took place in
Washington in April, 1899. Mrs.
Devine is the daughter of Mrs.
Harrison Williams and a grand
daughter of Mrs. Russell B. Harri-
son, with whom she made her home
here until her marriage She is a
t-granddaughter of the late
President Benjamin Harrison. DR..
Devine, who has been practicing
medicine with his father in Minot
for several years, was graduated
from the medical college at George
town University.
Evening star., 1940-12-24
& Underwood Photo

The bride, who was given In
marriage by her father, wore a
gown of French blue, fashioned in
princess style. Her halo and veil
were of the same color. She car
ried bouquet of white orchids and
lilies of the valley.
The mother of the bride wore a
black and gold lame dress and a
small black hat. The bridegroom S
mother wore gown of blue with
dusty blue hat and gloves.
Following a cruise to the South,
DR.. and Mrs Stone will reside in
New York, where DR.. Stone will
take up his duties at the Psychiatric
Institute of Columbia University.
Out-of-town guests attending the
reception following the wedding in
cluded Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Gume-
rick, Mr.. Harman Gumerick, Mr..
and Mrs. B. Marshall of Detroit, Mr.
and Mrs. Masloff of Chicago, Mrs.
j. Tucker of Baltimore and Mrs. B
Allainer of Derby, Conn.
Evening star., 1940-12-24
Caroline Walden
Will Entertain

Miss Caroline Ihrie Pou Walden
will entertain large group of
friends Thursday afternoon at the
Wardman Park Hotel in honor of
Miss Mary Ann Ferrandou of Wash
ington and New Orleans, a debu-
tante of this season, and Miss Mar
jory Souby.
Miss Walden is the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Anthony Wad-
den. Later she will entertain an
other group of friends and debu-
tantes.
Miss Ferrandou is a student at
Holton Arms and is the daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred H. Ferran-
dou. Miss Souby is the daughter
of the assistant chief of counsel to
the American Association of Rail-
roads and Mrs. James M. Souby,
who recently moved to this city
from Omaha, Nebr.