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&$ " ijjisr-S : - fiVET-p-feSr!! 16 THE MOKNLNGr SUNDAY, M AT 16, 3897. MfSijgr- 0-- 5ACrW 4Pwdfisfc- -4 JIK Brow" COLUMBIA Summer Comedy Company In "A First Offense." NATIONAL Julia Marlowe in "For Bonnie Prince Charlie." first lialf or -week. Thursday, "Romola," Friday, "Romeo and Juliet." Saturday, "As You Like It" LA FA YETTE "Carmen. ACADEMY "Tlie Golden Giant." GRAND .Buckler-Stock in "Our Boy3." ICERNAN'S Bob Fitzsimmons-and "Zero." BIJOU Thursday eveningonly.beneritfor Messrs McKee and Wilson. Theatergoers are faring very wed, tliank you. Tills Is indeed one of tlic briskest Mays -vvliicli Washington has had the pleasure of watching across the footlights in some time The theaters have all the activity, at present, of the merry hive ko often drawn into metaphoi to represent the superlative of up-aud-doing. The lethargy or spnug has given our play houses the go-by and we ought to be glad of it. The impression that theaters should be closed when the windows are opened is a ad erior. There is nothing like a roaring comedy or a brisk opera to make mortal lapse into forgetfuhiess.of the irk some heat and the bedewsome perspira tion. The hlejcllst may preach the wheel unil tiie trite nonsense of going out Into the heart of nature and sipping delights from nature's own lips The wheelman waxes rhetorical, but he has no busincoS doing it ' The theater is the place for rhetoric As ror the heart or nature and the rest bosh You couldn't reach the heart of nature any place around Wash ington and get back the same day to save your life, and, what is more preci ous to the wheelman, your bicycle to boot Where is there aii ancient barn moss-roeied, shambling, anil glorying in mellow color that the ambitious bicycle agent hasn't plastered it with "The frame tolls the name," "Standard of the world," "Perfect in every part," and "Built lfke a watch;" ditto every substantial fence which betokens tiie lusty yoeman; ditto every rambling meadow cutting per eieotivo into a frame for a trade mark; ditto the bold rocks of every hill crest; ditto omnes, until even our old friend, wiiom from constant reading In wayside legends we had come to believe the uul versal !nfaut population does cry for, is banished, obliterated, and made to ut terly disappear. Where tuen will we find nature? Nature pure and simple and even, let us admit, a trifle idealized. Where, ye vain cyclists, but in the theaters? There's no place left In the District, in hilly old Virginia, of rolling Maryland, unpainied. to proclaim the century-end toy, that can compare with "rustic exterior" settings of any one of our theaters Don't foolishly pedal your wheel off beyondJ.he boundary in search of honest nature You'll be cheated. You'll get the aforementioned labelled article. The only genuine tiling Is in the theaters. Pedal there, friends, have your wheels checked, come out of the hot air into the fanned, draughted and perfumed cooling atmosphere of the play house. Be com fortable in a luxurious chair, and as sweet music, not your music from street pianos and asthmatic organelles lulls you Into celestial equanimity, behold the curtain rise and nature unfold itself, pure, unadul terated nature, trees that are green, sun that warms but tans not, neither does it blind; n purling brook, graduated hills and the atmosphere, aitist-made and therefore .perfect, overhanging the picture and giving It the purple glow which is the correct thing in late nature and not to be had at any price elsewhere, and, Deo gratia, not a eign in sight! But, as wc were saying before we got ou that down grade and the wheel got away from us-, the theaters arc doing nicely. Usually at this time they close up silently and sadly, one by one, and al ways icmiuding us of that nursery rhyme about the seven little soinctliing-or-othera .who sat somewhere and something hap pened to tine of them, and then there weie six, and what happened to that seventh something-or-other rhymed with six. Then the sixt h disappeared iu some artful fashion to rhyme with five. And so on till they had all vamoosed. Just so with the thea ters, heretofore. This week the Bijou closes, and now there are six. But that s as far as the game goes this spring. Eacli of the other six refuses to reduce the num ber to five, and Manager Whitesell threat ens to bob up serenely and restore the number to seven again. But not in numbers alone, but in quality and bargains are the public well bcrved. The National this week ends its winter season, to reopen In June, they pay, with a stock The seanon goes out in a blaze of glory Julia Marlowe will this week present a very attractive repertoire of .new and standard plays. For the first half of the- week she will give "For Bonnie Prince Charlie," a play of romantic Scotland New York received it with ac claim, the first time the erratic islandcis have thus received anything this beautiful .woman has done- On Thursday evening it will be a tieat to see what kind of a play has been made of George Eliot's "Romola " Then there will be two Shakespearean pro ductions. . At. the Columbia tomorrow night will be seen the much bruited new stock com pany, the combination which has been the wonder of New York managers and whirls stands undoubtedly ap the best list of names in any stock company In the country today. And, bicyclers, they are going to play at summer prices. Great preparations are being made for the open ing A fountain will piny in the foyer, while the wheelmen sit about on rustic benches and ohiver in the ice Itlasta from i the Btorago vaults beneath. The season Will open In good, interesting style, with . new piece. It will be one of the gen uine, hearty.guesKingflrstiiights for which Ji'ashington is famous. The piece is a light, modern comedy In three acts, "A First Offense," by Paul Wllstach. It is described by the author as a concatenation of smiles, cackles and uproarious laughter riom end to end. But that modest and sell-depreciating creature is apt to bo mistaken. Still, he may be right The company have been In the city since Wednesday and any day since they arrived they could have presented the new com edy, for they rehearsed it for two weeks In New York. A distinguished audience will be present tomorrow night Theie is to be a box party of foreign delegates to the Postal Congress, another of Jonn.e Junior.; occupying several boxes, the Co lumbia Athletic Club sends a theater party or one hundred, and the line at the windo.v has indicated a generous outpour of so ciety. At the Lafayette Grand Opera comes on again for another week. And it is wel come. "Faust" was the best thing that the Castle Square Opera Company has done aud the audiences seemed to prefer It, too Many of the principals of that cast will be on this week in the production of Bizet's beautiful "Carmen." Anna Lichter, Richie Ling, and William Schuster will be the Michela, Jose, aud Ecamilo, re spectively, and Lizzie Macnichol will be heard for the first time in the title role. Doubtless Mr Wolff, who Is the committee on ways and means, has .devised, a way for adopting this role, usually sung by a soprauo, to the low and velvety notes or the Mi'cnicuol voice. The interpre tation will be genuinely Interesting. Miss Macnichol has been studying the part Tor a year, and to its performance she will bring all her resources of nature and art. Tonight Sousa plays and he plays a now march for the first time The Grand Opera House Is In the process or the open and shut game, or rather, shut and open. Last night the winter season eclipsed in the tenebral shadow of the Black. Pntti, and tomorrow night the Rum mer season opens with George Buckler's stock company, .No. 1. There are only two of them. The other is m Baltimore this week, utKernan ARlfe'sothertheater. But there is no occasion to crow for bo.h companies are evenlymatcd.andbesides, we get the No 2 next week They will Alter nate during the summer. The first play on is- "Our Boys," with vaudevlle entr'actes. The Academy has opened prosperously with the Cummings' Stock Company. The Capi'-.alhasaccorded to Louisville judgment. They displayed excellent discretion in opening with "The Lost Paradise.' It is a great play and popular. This week the bill Is "The Golden Giant." Bob Fitzshnmons Is the attraction at JCernan's this week. Though there are girls and comedians galoie in the warm show accompanying, "Zero," it Is believed that the big world champion will overtop them all in interest and thesupreme moment in the entertainment will npt arrive until Bob steps iuto the calcium glare and shows how he did It at Cainon City that merry St. Patrick's afternoon. Mr. Fred Berger, who can toll stories of the early sixties, and yet looks f redi and boyish as a junior manager, is home again at Villa Berger, on Thirteenth street Heights, after arduous duties of a season on tour. Mr Berger's star and brother-in-law, young Sol Smith Russell, has had a very successful season, no extraordinary thing for him. He has stuck pietty close to "A Bachelor's Romance," and hasn't been so busy, as in past seasons, wearing the mantle of Jefferson. Nat Goodwin has been ery busy at that this i ear. What will these two gentle gentlemen do when some season comes along and they both wish to wear the mantle of Jefferson the same year? Tnere Is a way out. Sol and Nat might arrange it between them to have some good merchant tailor (see adver tising columns) make a duplicate of the original' mantle then each promise to keep mu m as to which is wearing the real and which the counterfeit. But to return to Mi. Berger. This will be an unusually easy summer for him. Prom now until the middle of August he will have nothing to do but think,pf ways to rest. Several nice offers have been made to him to manage lady elocutionists and direct township lyceums, and one offer included a smumer salary for Sol if he would to that old maid specialty of his on which he prided himself back in '71 before hand-me-downs got too common for him and he got his eye on Jefferson's mantle. But all offers havo been declined and Mr. Berger will try and worry through the summer on the seventy or eighty thous and dollars made on last season. He is an enthusiastic wheelman when it isn't too warm and the sun isn't too hot and he feels like It, but a spin in the caniage behind his tea in is quite to his liking at all timeu. His health is very good, now that he has recovered from a severe shock given him one day last winter in New Orleans, when lie heard that Mr. Russell had drawn $11 for spending money. The Washington manager is kind, but firm, and he soon put a btop to such levity on the part of his star. In other respects his working season is more or less tedious. Tbrc Is about $10,000 to divide every week. He will tell you that all things become monotonous He even became weary of himself as man ager, so he engaged himself again last year as manager, to double in advance In this way he got more work out or himself andcutdown hlsown expenses. Xtnccossl tated his writing to his printer every week to tell him where to send the posters. But as he dictated thi3 letter to a typewriter and gave it to the property man to mail he spared himself overwork As before remarked there is nothing for him to do now but rest. There is no worry about a new play, for "The Romance" will open next season and run almost all the way through. In ad dition, Mr. Russell will appear in "The Itlval3," and a triple bill, made up of "Mr. Valentine's Christmas," the con densed version of "The Taming of the Shrew," and the old farce, "The Spitj Fire " Mr. Berger has arranged for Mr. Russell to open for a rim in New York, and then the rest of the country will see him. Annie Russell will be his leudlng lnrty in "The Romance" and Blanche Walsh will play Katherine to his Petruchio. Two such leading wo men Is an unparalleled luxury. For summer work Mr. Berger has fit ted for himself a comfortable and hand some lounging room In the basement of his homo. The general effect of the room is a dark red taken from a quaint Dutch fireplace In one corner, but in reality uffected as a back ground for the pic tures which line the walls. At one end is his library, opposite the fireplace, but all other wall spacu is devoted to portraits. All the famous stars are rep resented, there art Interesting pictures of the Berger family bell ringers, In which once famous company Mr. Berger and Mr. Russell first met; an uncom monly amusing collection of Mr. Rus sell's rejected photographs, and behind the bookcase are some pictures of the lord and master of this den. But these are only to be seen by furtive ghmc ings while the hospitable host is pre paring a soothing, withal stimulating, beverage to allay the visitor's fatigue in climbing the hill. Everything possible has been done to make "A First Offense" a success, and everything points that way. Not alone has the author been at great pains to make his comedy tne veiyucinc and lastsupeilatlve of fun, but the playeis are all uncommonly good artists; they have rehearsed heartily for weekf, they all like the play, and so do the favoied few who have peeped m on rehearsals. But, added to tins and as an omen to top and cap It all, the powers supernal are on the bide of the new comedy. Early last week Mr. Wilstach came down to the Columbia delighted beyond expres sion in haing dieamed that the piece was a blahted failure. On Thursday morning Manngcr Frank Metzerott walked into the theater with imall-cmbraclng smile. "Oh, it's all light," said he. Chorus: "Who, which, what's all right?" And he replied: " 'A First Offense.' I dreamt last night that it was- a terrible failure." That really ought to settle it. No play In the history or theatricals ever railed after two dreams hod made it a fuilure. More eyes than the author's will be riveted on tomorrow night's first night. It is a crucial test of the Washington dramatist. It is iu a way h.s opening wedge. With "A First Offense" the up roarious success which is anticipated, the products or the Washington dramatists will be iu demand. At present fhey are not exactly going begging. Witlnrd Holcomb -will haven pi eduction of his costume comedy of Washiugton life of Beau Hickman's day. Al Lipmau, leading man of the stock, will nr-xtyear star in a play by Coyne Fletcher, and Paul Wllstach hopes to finish two comedies for two stars by the opening of next season. Meantime Airs. Burnett has her eye on the future for the stage ver siouof "A Lady of Quality," and Philander Johnson has a dramatic secret or two in his Pandora box. Mrs. Flnke gave a matinee in New York the other day for a chni liable purpose and it 1ms occasioned considerable com ment. Well, for several reasons. Firstly, Mrs. Fiske has been going in rather heav ily for the tragically emotional and has forced a conviction that she Is pre-eminent in that line, and at the matinee she gave a comedy, Sardou's "Divorcons." Secondly, It wasa charity performance, and tickets weie $1.50 apiece, jet the full house was largely made up of professionals. Only genius can draw out, orin, actors and actresses at this or any other price Third ly, she was supremely satisfying In the part, and not only enticed all the cntls Into the theater, but she sent them all bak to their writing shops to say the most ef fusive things possible. As one man ex pressed it, fat Mr. Ford, of the Journal: "I enjoyed it just exactly as much as If I had paid $3 a sent, and Mrs. Fiske were an Italian with an Italian name'' Indeed, this performance but makes doubly certain the established certainty that Mrs Flskeis the bestof the American actresses and only three women lu the w rid are to be compared with her Duse, Bernhardt and Nethersole. She has not that mere quality of talent her tx prcsslon is of absolute genius. Nor is again this genius limited to the tragedy of Nora or the tlcep emotions of Tcss; she pos sesses the comedy spirit of Cyprlenne.and, before all, she won her laurels as an ac trssofliglit,and even rough. comedyparts. Mrs Fiske is tiavcllng on the up grade in the direction of recognition. She threw down the gauntlet as an emotional actress In a play called ''Queen of Liars," and she has persevered Jn her necessarily slow task of securing New York recognition as a serious aud artistic interpreter of serious aud aitistic roles. But she has It now. They gave it to her Tcss and they repeated it, with the forte pedal on, lor C'yprlenne. It only remains fir the whole country to support its country woman. There is no American actress of pre eminence. Julia Marlowe was born in England and Atla Rchan in Ireland. Mrs. Tiske, or plain Minnie Maddem, Is an Ohio Valley girl. In connection with the success or the "Divorcons" performance it may be inter esting to know that one of the successes of Mrs. Fiske's supporting company Aas Mr Alfrpd Hickman, who Is now a mem ber or the Columbia Stock antMvill play the role of Charles Bjnd In "A First Offense" tills week. He relinquished Little Billee, of which he was the original, last year, and since then he has been a vaiued member of Mrs. Fiske's company. T. Daniel Frawley was In the city on Friday evening with his entire Pacific coast stock company, en route from New York tathe Golden Gate. They worofUly here a short "while, arid Tim, or T. Daniel, was too busy to submit to the regular process of interviewing. "I can ouly sny to you,"" said he, "as I said to the Mlr'or man." "That was this: "Washiugton," .Mr. Frawley said, "was the city wheie rbesrnn my career. I used to woik lu the orfice of the Associated Press down there, and to dabble in 'ama teur theatricals outside business hours. Wilton Lackaye and Chailes B. Hanford were members of the same amateur t.r aiiiztition. -TheJitage fever grew upon me with, relentless fervor, and at last I made my professional debut us a supernumerary in a production wkeicot John .McCullough was the star. 13. H. Sothren was in the cast, and I shall never forget the nfght when news came of the death of his father. Mr. McCullough announced the sad tidings before the curtain, and the entire audi ence was deeply affected, many re-ling p incerely the loss of a fellow-man who had done so much to drive away their Indirld ual, particular dull cares upon countless merry occasions. The yearning for greater things, for new worlds to conquer, being fast upon me, I gave up my position in 1882audcametoNewYork. Those werethe I days when the? -Mfrror was down in Union Square, theikljecJMitar of dramatlcgravlta tion.and they were black days for me. For five or slxv;e.ary years I struggled and battled with adversity until I came to ne lieve that I'Jtvpuubdilve a street car, or do almost anything else that would' enable me to live reguljaiy.TJiingb were approaching a despeiate pass when appeared my first good engagement in 'The Old Homestead' at the Fourteenth Street Theater. 'This was followed by an appearance with Kobsonand Crane In 'The Henrietta;' with PanleLFrohman's company In Mweet Lavender,' playing Henry Miller's putt; with William H.Crane for three surreal C years, and then with Nat C.Goodwin. .My next exploit wasln a small company which wenttoCanatlatoplayatStIqlins.nalifax, and elsewhere, and it was dining this ex pedition thatthe notlonof a stock eompany flrst came to me, and 1 became con finced that such an organization might be made most successful It every individual member were Inspired with enthusiastic Intciest in the enterprise. A iter another sea -.on In New York at various theaters, I accepted an engagementln a stock companyatDen ver, where I had not remained very long, when the managers were offeied a house at Salt Lake City. A company of player was dispatched to the Mormon Capital, and I wentalongto direct the organization and to 'produce' the plays. Theexperiment was more or less disastrous; the players mutinied; there , was trouble with the local management, and the company asked me to take them and to direct a venture of my own. I had saved up a little rainy-day matter of some $1,100, and with this the company was purchased from its original owners. "So it was l hat, when thucurtaln went up on my own production, March 18, 1595, at theMarquaniGrandTheater.Portland.Ore., my capital constated of exactly $60, and no end of confidence and enthusiasm. It had occurred to me that there was a field In the far West for good plays with good paper, presented by capable actors and actresses plas which already had won their ppurs before metropolitan audiences. Our first production, "The Senator," did much to establish a favorable Impression, and it was followed by all of William JI. Crane's successes, many of David Belusco's and similar works, which affoided every opportunity to members of the company. FRED. G. Of this City, Manager Singularly enough, the number thirteen has figured largely in my luck, and now, in stead of regarding it with superstitious awe, I rather look for it eagerly as a good caien. We began our first San Francisco . - gagement, opening the new Columbia Theater, on the 13th of May, with thirteen in the company, and we played there for -hirteen weeks, during which time thecity ordained us as popular favorites Thir teen has been our mascot. The seal of Sail ?rancisco's approval augured so much for a future of prosperity thatoneof the theater owners purchased a half interest in the com pany for three j ears. The cnterpiise has grown in p. wer and in scope until I do not believe there is a better stock oigauiza tionin this country, and I am desirous that the company should have a New Yoik hear ing, being confident that their success on the coast would be- duplicated in the East. But I wiah to retain undisputed the teiri tory now covered, and if an Eastern tour should bo made our regular season of thiity weeks would be extendedprobably toforty flve weeks." One of the pleasant events of this week will be the appearance on Wednesday even ing of Miss May Howe us Michela in "Oar men'' at the Lafayette. Miss Howe's last appearance here was when she so delight fully sang Arline with the Metropolitans, and she has since been studying In New York. A funny little incident lvappened at the rehearsals of "A First Offense" last Fri day. Geoffry Stein, as Slavin, hands to Homer Lovejoy (Mr. Lipmau) a letter, which all the other characters beg him to open. On account of its relation to anotiier character. Lovejoy does not wish to, and, in fact, dare's" not open it, until particular stress is brought to near upon mm, aim his secret i5 ori7the verge of being found la o i lie out Then he opens it. As he uiu it ne set un a howlitfg laugh Simultaneously from back "m lihe. wings came another howl, but itFwiui one of protest. It came from Stein. ''Thfe letter which he had glvtu Mr Llpmarf1 and which had been ripped open and was about to be read was a little piece (fa personal correspondence be tween Mr. Stein and, well, another. A new letter -was immediately substituted to continue thfc nqt. John Philip Sousa apd his band will give their last concert here this season tonight at the Lafayette. The program is mnde out by Mr. Sousa", with the evident purpose of gratifying a Sunday evening Washington audience. It contains nothing trivial, some things new, and everything is of specific interest. These features cer tainly are sufficient to please an average, well-composed audience. Sousa has long shown that he is a superior tactician in making up programs, aud this Is one of his secrets of success. Upon this very point he said when last here to the writer: "The musical director who starts out with an avowed object to educate the dear public, and makes that his one pur pose above all others, and all else subser vient to it, would do better for himself aud every one else to Open a public school of musical c llturc, and keep out of concert tours altogether." "He then hol'ds strictly to this Inspired purpose, and clops not go sailing along iivon public notice and public patronage under false pretenses. I take it that a director who undertakes to entertain a i public audlenccafterrecelvlngpublic money owes something to that audience besides the duties of an educator pure and simple, unless specifically engaged for that pur pose. He Is there to entertain, amuse aud divert, as well as to demonstrate a higher purpose to educate; but youwlll find that I inc general puuuc .win require a vast. uu of the forfner to a mere modicum of the latter. "I have sharply-defined Ideas about educating the public, elevating public taste and all that, and am ready to con tribute whatever I can toward both; at the same time, when I am on a tour that extends from one point of this lontlnent tp the furthest antipodal point, and realize that I have an expense account that reaches a good many hundred dollars dally to meet, I take an exceedingly practical vlew-of the case, and come as near as I can to giving the public that which best pleases them, and mostsurelynttractuthegreastest number of people to my concerts. "Itis u sublime tiling to help educate the dear people. But it is also a gorgeously satisfying tiling to count up your box office receipts during a public entertain ment and find that you have taken lu enough to pay all liabilities, and possibly liave a snug little sum over. I have noticed always tliat there is a snap and vivifying energy in a largely-profitable en tertainment of any sort that are never apparent In a largely-losing affair. I prefer to do business at a profit rather than at a loss. But I notice that every where the Sousa concerts are attended by the very best elements of people, which goes to prove the fact that even the most cultured classes take as much pleasure in being amused as do the people of every other class. You will find in every pro giam 1 piesent some educational feature, but much more that is pleasing aud in spiring." The new play Julia Marlowe has pro duced this year "For Bonnie Prluce Charlie" Ib one which pleased not only the genera! public, but met with the high est approval from critical souices. It is a drama partakingsomewliatoftlH' roman tic school which Is now so much iu vogue, but furnishing .Miss Marlowe nndMr. Taber with rolls calling for their highest powers. ThecentralcharactersluthepleceareMary, a beautiful Highland beggar girl, and BERGER, of Sol Smith Russell. Angus, her grandfather, a blind old Scot tish seer, who were conspicuous in the last Stuart uprising, when Prince Charles Ed ward was utterly" crushed and the hopes of the Stuarts extinguished forever. The play was written in French and pro duced at the Odeon Theater in Paris a dozen years ago. It was translated and adapted by Mr. J. I. C. Clarke specially for Miss Mario we-and Mr. Taber, and in the two principal characters they are said to have distinct and brilliant hits. They will also be seen here in "Romola," a play founded on George Eliot's striking quaiantlne story, which has been highly praised foritsliterary aud dramatic worth. The productions which they have made of these plays, as well as of the Shake spearean dramas in their repertoire, are said to exceed in splendor, completeness and fidelity to artistic requirements any in which they have hitherto been seen. Ed. O'Connor, theformer Washington boy, whose pionounced Idt in "Side Tracked" here at the Bijou some weeks ago wasa mat ter of favorablecomment, has been encaged by Wilton Lackaye for a comedy role In "King und Player," the new play to be produced by that star next season. NEW PLAY BILLS. Sousa tonight gives his last concert of the season at the Lafayette. That an nouncement will be enough for most peo ple. Otheis will be interested in knowing that tonight's piogram has some paiticu larly attractive features. One of them is the first performance of thenew two-step by the Match King, "Stars and Stiipes For ever." To make this last concert still moie no table, Mr. Sousa, who is now firmly es tablished as the manager of his own busi ness enterprises, has specially engaged two new soloists.- Of these, Miss Leontine Gaertner, the 'cellist, is already known here as a consummate artist. Miss Zora Gladys Horlocker, contralto, conies with the highest reputation. Sousa Is the past grand master In the art of program making, and the musical menu he has arranged for the delectation of bis Washington admirers this evening is a model in every respect. The engagement of Julia Marlowe and Robert Taber begins at the New National Theater tomorrow evening,in"For Bonnie Prince Charlie," the play which they produced with such brilliant success at WaHack's Theater last winter and which ran there for six weeks. The central character of the piece is a Scotch girl, poor and lowly, but beautiful, whose love for her prince is like Idolatry and whose de votion to her country is such ns a fanatic has for his religion; who would give her life and does sacrifice her good name for Scotland and her prince. During the engagement Miss Marlowe will also produce "Romola," a play wiit ten by El wyn A. Barron, founded on George Eliot's novel This noble and Impressive book contains characters and incidents which lend themselves readily to dramatic treatment, and Mr. Barron's play is ald to be as powerful and interesting as the story upon which itis founded A careful and elaborate production of "Romeo and Juliet'' will also be given. Thcprodtictionhaseverywherebeen praised for its rich, harmonious and accurate qual ities. They will also give "As You Like It," presenting Miss Marlowe as Rosalind, a role in which she has -now perhaps no rival on the English-speaking stage. The older In which the plays will be produced is as. follows; Monday, Tuesday and Weduesday evenlngsatuISaturdaymalinee,"For Bonnie Prluce Charlie;'' Thursday evening, "Ro meo and Juliet;" Friday evening, "Rom.da;" Saturday evening, "As You Like It." Tomorrow night the Columbia Stock Company opens their season at the pietty F street theater, producing for the first time ou any stage a new comedy by Paul Wllstach. The piece is written to be a ripple of fun through its three acts, audit is Identified as "A First Offense.' The Columbia tomorrow night will display its new fountain, its rustic foyer seats r.ntl Ice blast cooling apparatus. The company is remarkably strong, and its strength will show up well in "A First Offense " The sale for the week has already been unu sually large A theater party of postal congress delegates, over 100 Columbia Athletic clubmen, aud four boxes of -Jonnie Juniors will be present. The sale of teats for the opera "Car men," at the Lafayette Square this week, proves beyond a doubt that this work of Bizet's is among the most popular of operas We have had a uumher or Car nieus here this season, but the part as sung by Miss Lizzie Macnichol possesses many origiual features. Miss Macnichol regards the gypsy as "a cold-hearted, hot-blooded youug woman, who is not especially criti cal about the quality or quantity of her lovers." She abo says that the actress who playsthlspart must temper her realism, must never be coarse, butalways brilliant This coquettishaudcattish lieroinehas been moie or less of a favorite among singers who ;ue also actresses, for she has the fascination of a magnetic personality and a human Interest for the audience. The music of "Carmen" is of the true Spanish type, which Is further emphasized in one of the choruses in the becond act, by the accompaniment of castanets. It is In this act, too, that Escamillo sings the favorite Toreador song. The chorus of street lxiys and that of cigarette girls, iu the first act, is also noteworthy. The scenic production Is thoroughly satisfactory. "Carmen" should be one of the most no tableeventsorthesummerseason. Wednes day evening Miss Mary Helen Hore will appear in the character of Michaela. ' At the Academy of Music the Cum mings' Stock Company enter upon their second week with a picduction of Clay M. Greene's romance,"The Golden Giant," with the brightestprospeets ahead of them in consequence of the splendid perform ance given by this company during their opening week. Although thiscompany was much heralded and bore theindorsementof the Louisville press, Washington had to see for itself, and it has seen. On all sides nothing but praise is heard of their work. The company has placed itself in popular favor at once. The best proof of this is ttie advance sale of seats for next week. No better company and performance has been seen at the Academy iu some time than that given by thiscompany the past week. "The Golden Giant" should prove interesting on account of its being prac ticaUy new to Washington, together with the fact that this company has proveditself one of exceptional met it and worthy of the patronage of our theatet-goers. The Grand Opera House comes into line tomorrow night with a company to compete for summer honors. George Buck ler resumes the direction of the summer stock at this house, aiitl he biings to his direction a new system which might work well. He has two complete Mock com panies. One-plays one week here, while the other is in Baltimore, and then they ahernate, giving each two weeks to pre pare a new play, yet changing the play weekly. The bill this week is "Our Boys," an ever delightful comedy There will also be a vaudeville bill headedby X- Ray Bixley. What will probably be the strongest ar ray of vaudeville talent ever seen here in one theater will appear at the Bijou on next Thursday evening on the oceision of the benefit to Messrs. A. V. McKeeand A. S. Wilson. Manager Whitesell has spent some weeks on the program, with the re sult that the pick of the theatrical people in town this week will participate. The Columbia, Kernan's and the Academy will be ropres'nted in the entertainment, aud X-Ray Bixley, the originator of the musical tramp act, will be the contribution of the Grand. Miss Bertha Wood, a charming singer aud actress here with the Castle Square Garden Opera Company, will come from the Lafayette A number of other theatri cal people will also do turns Channing L. L. Pollock and the same cast that gave "The Stepping Stones" last year at the Grand will repeat the piece. Mark O. Davis will play Tyler and Jesse Wheat will appear as Joseph, while the autLor, Mr Pollock, will present a new character version ef the quiet, emotional role of Odette The play has been successfully produced West since seen here, and the cough edzes have been worii off. Seats at the Bijou. Manager Kernan wlllpresentan unusually strongattractionat the Lyceum next week, the bright, particular feature of which will be the appearance at every performance of the undisputed champion of the world. Bob Fitzsimmons, who will appear in an accu rate reproduction or the Carson City fight, illustrating particularly the terrible blow wlth which he defeated James J. Corbett. The chf.mpiou will also be seen lu a scien tific exhibition of bag punching. Iu con junction with the above the attraction will be Oppenheimer's superb spectacle, "Zero." The electrical climax is said to be the most elaborate finale ever attempted An excellent array of specialties are intro duced during the action of the burlesque. Including Miss Carrie Monroe, In the dance phantasmagoria; Madden and Cur ren, the Celtic wlts;Topac and Steele, the judge and the major; Harry LeClalr, in new and original character impersonations, and Mile. Theo, the beautiful and accom plished musical artist. Thcusual prices will prevail and matinees will be Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Two "Weehs More Hiogruph. The Biograph will close its long and phenomenally successful run at Willard Hall on Sunday night, May 20th. This will mark theoS-lth exhibition of this mar velous invention. This is the last week but one, after which time the season will close and Washingtonians will not have another opportunity of witnessing the wondenul effects of a combination of electricity and photography. During almosteight months run of the Biograph tens of thousands have bcn instructed, inteiested, and amused at the motion views presented. That it lias been a most popular amusement Is demonstrated by the fact that it lias enjoyed a literal patronage from the public and has run in the city for nearly eight months; a record that has never yet been equated in the amusement world of thscity. Interestin it has been on the increase since the fiist day the exhibi tions began. During its run in the city upward of twenty benefits have been given churches and charitable institutions, the financial success of which astonished even the most sanguine of their promoters. The present management have endeavored In every possible manner to keep new views before the public and it is with considerable gratification that lc can an nounce thatsuccess has crowned its efforts. New views will he added weekly during the short lemalning stay. A number or new views will be placed on exhibition for the first time tonight at 8:15. Tha cavalry views which were added to tho program last week" bave proven to be of great popularity and will be kept on exhi bition for a fhorttime longer. The work of the horses aud men in these views is shown with a realism that is at times even startling. The hoiseless fire engine and the pillow fight, views that have attracted considerable attention, will also be among the numbers on this week's program. The First rrcsbyterian Church (Dr. Tabnage's) will be given a benefit on Monday, and it la the hope of the ladies to get the eminent divine to announce tho views at one of the exhibitions. The exhibitions during the remaining two weeks will be dally at 2:30, 4:30, and 8:15 p. m., with a special exhibition Sunday evening at S:15. ATHLETICS FOil GIRLS. New York Gymnastic Tencher Given U1h .Experience. I believe after much experience thatyoung girls, if the proper example and facilities are afforded them, come to love athletic siiorts as well as boys. I aleo believe that they can participate in nearly every masculine sport, deriving as much lenefit as do boys. Physical strength In girls is quite as desirable as it is iu boys, and is a subject to which their mothers should give serious attention. Or course the average girl cannot lie expected to develop quite the strength of a boy of her own age. Bur. I have found that with the excep tion of the veiy heaviest work In the gym- "!'!. Kr!s of fifteen to nineteen years of age can take every exercise to which lioys of that age are accustomed. One of the most marked results achieved in tha gymnastic and outdoor work of the girla In Adeiphi Academy is the equalization of their muscular development. Thus, upon taking the measurements or a new girl. It hus frequently been found tiut her right arm and hand, as well as the muscles of the right side of her btdy, are unduly developed from tennis playing. Moderate but systematic exercise at hand ball aud basketball and with the apparatus counteracts this effect, bringing the left side up to the standard of the right. Simi larly many girls are left-handed, and in their GUi atteation is directed to the right side. Young girls under twelve years of ago wear short drcsses and are not bothered with long, skirts, so that in exercising they may wear their ordinary clothes. But the long pklrts usually worn by girls of from fifteen to nineteen years of age are a sledded Impediment to freedom of action of the limbs As one branch of athletic work, I am an eajnest advocate of the bicycle, for girls. I ride a wheel myself and nearly all my pupils do likewise, the youngest knowing hew to ridea wheel ev.en when they do not own one. After much observation of the effects of bicycling on girls, I have yet to rind a serious objection to the sport. Like all athletic 6ports for girls, it is good for thetn if Indulged inin moderation. I would earnestly recommend it to mothers desiioua of having strong, healthy daughters tha they see to it that they begin exercising under a gymnastic teacher at an early age. In the case of a girl of, say, fifteen years of age, beginning athletic exercise, who has never before received Instruction of this kind, it is much harder for her at the start than It is for a boy of the same age. Unless she commences with the mildest exercise her body becomes stiff and sora and she is apt to become prejudiced ti gainst all sports. Itis net essary to arouso the interest of the pupils in the work. Girls are likely to be timid when first brought into the gymnasium I have pointed out to several novices the uses or thedlfrerentap paratus. but could not induce them to try the exercise In the presence of anybody else. But going out, leaving these girls alone in the gynasium, I haveseen them try one kind of exercise after another. Their curiosity had first to be aroused and this timidity could only beovercutne by familiar izing them with the gymnasium and wth the sight of their classmates at work. A good healthy girl, when the novelty has once worn off and she has indulged in rough and tumble work in the athletic field with her girlfriends, is as eager for another game as any boy. In Hie Adeiphi Academy athletic work 'is compulsory among the girls uq to fif teen yeats of age. After that it Is op tional. But all of those who have taken the exercise before fifteen years of age continue it steadily after that from pure delight and zeal. The changes in the physique and general health of girls which this sort of exercise effects are remarkable. Young girls grow so rapidly that the ordinary physical mea surements taken at big college gymna siums are not of much use to the teachers in their case, except as a guide to indi vidual characteristics. But the appetite, the complexion, the grac and agility and mental alertness are sure indices to tho physical condition, and with the proper kind of exerci.-e all of these show a de cided Improvement. The most popular games among the girls now aie handball and basketball. The former is one of the best games for a uniform development of both sides or the body, exercise both equally, legs and .inns alike, and we have two handball courts. One of the advantages of basketball for a large school Is that there are five on each side, so that ten girl.-? can be in the gamo at one time My girls exercise in the boy's gymnasium, and they do all kinds of work theic, exceptthe very heaviest. New York Journal. Dyspepsia in the Air. Mrs. Mulcahey Phwat be yez afther doin' there, Timmy Mulcuhey? Timmy -Mulcahey Smellin av the cook in', mlther' O-O-O-O-Ohl but It's good! Mrs. Mulcahey (angrily i Coom right away from ther this minlte! Don't yez know they be afther iiiakiu thim patty de foygrasses an' all thim kind av t'ings? Does ye want ter git dyspepsia an' gout, an' be afther bavin' me paya bigdocther's bill fer yez? THE OLD STORY OF LOVEJND LIFE, As Told in tha New Book, "Com pleto Manhood.1 Thousands of happy men pronounce this work the means of their physical salva tion. It gives the latest scientific facts con cerning marriage. It describes the only known method of attaining fullest natural manly vigor. 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