Newspaper Page Text
THE TIMES, WASHING-TOff, stf&AY, DECEMBER 26, 1897.
10
: . : ".' ' 3S5r-i
jJb fX xw. jr 1 I I U
Till week Mainly out b-ildly as one or
the very strongest of the season. In Mrs.
Fiske we have t lie i cputedly greatest living
American aclrcss anU tlie Lorimer Stoddard
play, "TcsM of tlie D'Urbervilles," width
liafa been critically approved as a dramatic
achievement worthy of her. "Will Gillette
is -well know n as a giUed actor or versa
tility, extending from broad farce to
impressive heroism, and bis "Secret
Service," in which be will appear at the
Lafuyettc.has tecelved the nppiobatiun
not onlyof Ait erican audiences and critics,
but it is the first American play ivlitch
has received unstinted praise from 1-un-
don. Fanny Davenport returns "with tier !
sumptuous Sardou productions and "vvjll i
present "La "losca," "Fedora," and "Cle
opatra at the National Here are three of
the stmngeM attractions the American
stage presents Tlie Columbia continues the
Fasslon Plaj picttaes The Academy lias
a popular melodrama in "Humanity,"
Kernan'b pitton1 always tin joy the Irish
fun or the KuseU Brother, and the Bijou
promise.1- a bill m lino with recent olfer
lugs.
To that iwriioit of the theatergoing com
munity "who Mill retain same appreciation
for pood plays and good acting, the an
nouncrii ent ol Mrs. Fiske's appearance
here thi- week iiiT"TeM of the iL'rbe
villes'' is sure to ox cite pleasurable an
ticipation. Mrs. Fiske i- one of the most
MliiQere and biilliant actresws on the stage
today, and "Tess of the li'Urbe'illis"
created more comment tfian any other
play piodticed in New York lat season
Mrs. Fluke's engagement here will be
played at the Grand Opera House. Mrs.
Fitke has refused to appeir ut any 'heater
operated by the Theatrical Syndicate, and
so, like Fianio M ilson, -he comet, to a
theatei oidin.irdy devoted to popular priced
attraction
For many years Mrs. Fluke Pas been a
"Sir. Gilette and MNs
conspicuous figure in the history of the
stage or thin country. Since babyhood,
when she p'.uyed the gypsy boy to Char
lotte Cusliman's Meg Merrllies, at her
lather's theater in Now Orleans, Mrs.
Fiske has beeu a favorite with the public.
As Minnie Macldeni she was known 'mil
liked In a wide range of exacting rob!&.
Of the miscellaneous experiments of her
early career, she is still remembered as a
delightful comedienne in plajs of frivo
lous vcit ''Caprice," "In Spito or -t H"
and ''Featherbrain." Among the actors
whoappeared with her in thore experi
mental ventures were Richard Mansfield,
E.H.Sothern. Wilton Lackajeand A'dhatn
."SS.
"&m
Sav
N
V
''W'X.
Mrs. Fislco.
Faversham, .all of whom hae since ."t
tclaed prominence.
It was eirtent rrom the first that Mis.
Tislco ioe?scd the.fluld or ductile rem
peramont whioh makes your allrojnd
actress-j our Duso. your Eejane. Dljn
Bouoicault wasaraong those who rtcognlz-jd
herlatenttalent for more pretentious wnr.k
And so, after a brief retirement from the
Btage, Mis. Fiske approached the pnper
goal in DatuJ1-' '- Jiaaian" fa.
Dumas' Fcnnnc de Claude" and In Ibsen's
'A Doll'a House," and reached it fina'ly,
amid cnthiisnWie acclaim irom the critics,
in her realization or Thomas Hardy's ''Tess
of the TPL'rnevH'es." This is Mrs. Fiske's
most pennanuit triumph.
Any analyst of the play in advance is
impossible; but Loriiner Stoddard, who lias
adapted Hardy's novel for Mrh. Fiske's iise,
is credit-d with having performed Ills hard
tak with i.ususal adroitness. 'T'-s
IF Urbeville.s" is one of the noteworthy
novels of this decade, and it cannot help
n aking an ciiu' s ng P'aJ'- Such changes
in the story as the conventions of the stage
demanded-are mid to be in accord with tlie
spirit and treatment of Hardy, For .x
ample, the chief deviation from the novel
is in the way in which Tess confesses to
Angel Clare her betrayal by Alec D LTi Ne
ville. I n the play Tess is said to make this
disclosure to Angel in a letter, which she
leaves with i rose cm the window sill of
Angel's cottage. Tlie letter is stolen, and
Tess becomes the wife of Angel, confi
dent that A ngel knows all and has forgi"en
her. The crisis of the play is reached in
the scene after the wedding, where Tess
learns for the Hrst time that Angel N ig
norant of Ler unfortunate pist. Mrs.
Fiske's acting in the confession mene has
been praised by men of such diverse critical
.Sews as William Dean Howell and Hubert
Ingersoll as the most intense known lo
modern drama.
Certain American play writers hare bit
terly complained because t he public did .tot
supportth?lr e'fort. The leasou given why
the public should support them was .'hat
the authors were American. Butltwouldbe
as deplorable as it would be astonishing
ir th' public should sudd.nly take to sup
porting bad plays because they are Aimri
eau. .No country ever throve artistically or
financiolly-by building a wall around itseir.
The way to stimulate the writing of good
American plays iH to convince the writers
I-erry in 'j?ceret Service."
that nottiing which they do will be ac
cepted unless it is good.
It Is pleasant , therefore, to encounter now
and then a writer who 'assumes that; his
failure Is because what he has written is
not what Is wanted, and that lilssueC2ss
will come when he hag earned It. Mr. Gil
lette, whe modestly bears the honors v-ilch
"Secret Service" and other successes
have brought to him; has had his fail-ires,
but he did not vent impotent rage upon the
public which did not support his mistakes.
He gave up the mistakes and trted some
thing else.
William Gillette is a native of Hart
tortl Soon after he leR college he
played a part in "TheGllded Age," in
John T. Haymond's company. He spent
two seasons at McGauley's theaters in
Cincinnati and Louisville, and received
the usual tiaveling experience of all
actors. He had been for a long time
writing a play, which he called "The Pro
fessor." It was in one uct at first, but
it was extended and elaborated till it
became a full-sized play. It was pro
duccd at the Madison Square Theater In
New York, snd had a long run. While
"The ProrYwor" was on the stage Mr
Gillette aud Mrs. Frances Hodgson Bur
nett wrote "Esmeralda," which hud an
other longnin at the same house.
Whec Mr. 'Gillette prepared an adapta
tion from "Der Blbitothekar" and called it
"The Private Socretary,"there was another
version called "Nunfcy" in course or con
struction for the Madison Square Thenter.
Mr. Gillette's version was to be played at
the unhappy lumse, which has since been
caHed Dockt-tader's. nermann's, the Gai jty
and the SaAoy. There was a raise for the
first production. The two plays were
finally set down for the same night and
Mr. Gillette got his curtain up half an hoar
before the other house and claimed the
victory. In the end the two versions were
blended and made into one, whlcn lab
since been used whenever the play has
been presented In this country. "Nunky"
was played in Boston at the Museuai in
September. 18S4. There was another
success in ''Held by tlie Enemy." "ALe.il
Wreck," which was played at the Madison
Square, and a stage version of H. Rider
Haggard's "She." were plays of a period
txitie later than that. Then ho maJe !
'&&
JS? N
adaptations of German plays, "All the
Comforts of Home' and "Mr. Wilkinson's
Widows," both of which prospered abuiul
antly
Ffarly i. 1S0 Mr. Gillette wab at work
on another dramatic spectacle e-illed
"Ninety Days," which was to be pro
duced at Nibk 's Garden. 'It Avas to dis
play "things unattempteil jet in prose or
rhyme." But in tie midst or the prep
arations Mr. Gillette was taken seriously
sick and the ihole project was given up.
For several days, almost weeks, his de.ith
was expected to occur at anytime. Then
he got a little better anil went to the
South, where he gradually reeoered his
health. But he disappeared Tioin the
atrical circles lor a long time. When he,
was able to voile agnin, he took up the
old scheme of "Ninety Days," lo which
lie hail f.ien a gieat deal of thought and
time and labor, and on the result of which
he placed great dependence. It did noH
pleabe the New York public, however,
and it was loo cumbersome in the 'natter
of scenery to be carried about the countrj
With profit.
Tlieie was just a growing sign of a
tendency to legard M r. Gillette's best work
as a thing of the past, when two years ago,
he adapted "Too Much Johnson" fiom "La
Plantation Thomnvsln," and pioduced 1
at the Standard Thaler, New York, after
.some tilals with it out of town. It gained
an Instant populniity, as everyone in St.
Louis knew. This led the way easily anil
naturally to the success which he has made
with "Seciet Service," in which Washlng
tonians aic to see him this week.
"When first I rad 'Tess some yirs
ago," said Mrs.riske, In a reccnlin (civic v,
"I was de-ply impressed by Us dra'ii im
possibilities, and secured eventually the
American stage rights to a drama ttatiou
made by .Mr. Hardy -himself, through liar
per & Bros., b it hleh, upjn consider itioii.
I felt as nst.uited to command the sym
pathies of the American public. Per iws
slon lo have made a new vei.sion w.is
requested and graciously given, and thus
the present adaptation, by a young Amer
ican playright. Loriiner Stoddard, was
brought fibout.
"In the dranmti7atiuu the attempt has
been to write with the requirements of
the stage a faithful reproduction br the
novel's own characteristic atmohpliore
a combination so often missing in drama
tizations by authors of their own wirk.
It has been tlie endeavor to preserve each
impression that tho story leaves dKt net
upon the render's mind, those charnf:i',
deft touches of Wesex color, such as the
thr2 lovelorn, clumsy peasant milknnlds,
always clinglngon to another, inseparable,
and manymore similar bits that should not
fall to illustiate the true lighting and
shading or Mi. Hardy's magnificent Muni
painting
"Tess is a diameter unique, ina.much
that, while really a mere dairymaid, ohr
must leveal, despite her simplicity the
plain trace or patrician ancestry, l)irrr
ent she Is from all her comrades, ho
I raying the mark of sadly fallen fortunes
tlnough an inninl.; leflnement and gen.Ie
ness quite at vaiiance with the rutie
ciudity of her co-workers in the dairy. Toss
lsa glil, strangely innocent, simple-minded,
without vanity 01 coquetry, absolutely, un
selfish, peiftctly Pure. It seems to me
It has beeu a great mistake to imagine
otherwise. To think aught else of her s
utterly opposed to J.he conception jf Mr.
Haidy. AH Tess' .soul Is bouud up in .oe
for hei little brother and sister her mis
fortunes are ntvei of her own seeking.
'"The tenderness and the infinite pity
or her nature arc superblj revealed Jn the
book when 'Tess,' after that terrible night
in the woods, tintls-herself surround.-d at
the dawn bj to many tiny wounded birds
that hpve sought rermre from the oriel
huntsmen Their pain is more than she can
beai 11 is to l.eras ieal as though it
were a part of her own anguish
and, summoning all her courage,
she Kills the iittio sufferers, one
after the other, to end their misery. And
then, when she lias taken the lire of Alec,
she sobs: 'How could I do it? I, who iecr
liarnicd a fly?
"If the charge of cynicism has been brought
against Hardy for the treatment of Tes-,,her
character his been sadly misunderstood.
I knowof no 11 Oman's characterin the whole
range of the drama, or or literature, more
innocenr.morepurc than that of Tess. Here
is a bfc'ng marked out tor misery, tragic,
hopelrss. Every sorrow that could come
to -voman is crowded into her short life,
even before she has emerged from girl
hood. Her patience and her long-suffering
suggest a fineness aud a sweetness almost
divine. But, pray do not fancy that ;he
play is of necessity all shadow. There is
much In it of sunshine and rustic beautv,
the blighter side being carefully illustnVd'
to avoid the gloom that might otherwise
oveislailow. And Tess companions? All
nrc dr. wn and to be impeisonated with
especial legard to the author's conception
of each individual character, "combining
admirably, T believe, to preserve tbcsplrit
of the story."
For s.,ine time the question or the theaU
rical combine, which calls itself a S3"ndl
cate, and which its enemies call a Titist
has Iron the objectof attack from various'
quarters. The Dramatic Mirror led the anti
trust forces, the New York World-joined
later, and scattered over the country are
a number ol papers which have I'roel.r
given expression to their views on the mat
ter, to all of which the combine lias im
plied nothing, exceptturough the Phll.-,ii-phla
parties, to demand of newsstands sell
ing theater tickets that they keep the Mir
ror off their srends, or elss be cutoff i-rom
tickets. Their silence suggested a speedy
ending to tho battle so far as the ":ol
utnnsof the press were concerned, r-jr (lie
dramatic writers could not go on foiever
haying the same things over again. They
had said just about all they had to, and
the combine was on the eve of restful
quiet, when the battle is begun anew by
an awakening of the combine's own rorces.
They have btokeu the silence and are now
replying. A disputant asks nothing better
than a reply, for without back talk there"
can be no dispute- So instead of foresee
ing an end tc I lie Journalistic pyrotechnics
of one side we may believe now that both
sides are stirred up, and the war will po
merrily on
The gentlemen of the combine seem to
believe that The Times is arrayed against
it, and has requested that retraction be
made of wliat was recently said. These
columns have so far been given to nothing
more than a statement otTvhatthe writer
bad every reason to believe was the truth.
It Is a mis'ak? to believe that willful
prejudice or auv splenetic feeling dic
tated anything which has been written.
Each side is welcome to a hearing, and, at
thcreqt.cRtof Nixon & Zimmerman, mem
bers of the combine, a quotation from an
Interilew from their office is cheerfully
published.:
'All of this tall: of a tnist, in the sense
in which that term has been used, is sheer
nonsense. We have no monopolv of tho
amusement business in this, country, and
g t- I
do not want if. There is n6t a large city
in the land, with possibly one or two
exceptions, where tm'ej or?moro theaters
cannot be lound outside! or those controlled
by us and our absoclates. What we are
trying to do is to bring about Btable con
ditions in a business wnloli at best is very
precarious and where the results, when
iiierisk is taken into consideration, are uie
smallest of any buslnes'fknown. When a
man fails In the theatrical business he falls
for a hundred cents on the dollar, because
thero.are absolutely nfl" assets to mitigate
his losses.
We got together becausa we found that
there were not enough firsfc-ciasi attractions
to fill the time in the number of theaters
through-jut the country, with the constant
Inrreuse that was beingiijade to their num
ber, and our only ambition has been to
make our theaters the leading theaters
by playing the best attractions. Imow this
alliance li.is been in existence nearly two
yenru, and practically for the pa bC ten years,
because Messrs. Klaw and Lrlanger and
s-.it I?..,...... .. cPflnao lfi ,-i. ri liv:i va rill-
,lllirn'P r Usui i hi it " w, ,,, , o ,... , .-. - :--
resented during that time in New iork
every theater in our circuit. In spite or
the rnct that this so-called syndicate was
publicly announced-oyer a year and a hair
ago. actors and actor-managerS continued
to book their time without ay trouble or
Interference, and not it voice was raised
against it, with two exceptions.
ii.j tn.iiUe....ii i.e.crW jdeiitselveb K
thay believe that. not'a.Vuicc has been
raiS2d against them. phe exceptions
are those who have fcpuKbout fond HUe
the t wo noted, Francis Wilson and Mr.
Fiske, but, prevented by pollay from speak
ng otherwise (ban In confidence, a large
number of actors and managers are very
bitter against their pic-ent conditions.
Or Mr. Wilson's" -present position the
interview continues: '
The flistor these' was Mr. Francis--Wilson
, to whom Messrs. Al Dayman and Klaw
and l'rlangcr wrote a letter labt spring,
when thoy discovered that he lmtt been jug
jillngwltli them. So that your readers may
understand, let us explain what we mean:
Mr. Wilson booked time for the same nates
in two theaters In Baltimore and Washing
ton. When theset heaters were placed under
our control and we were made acquainted
with these facts, Mr. Wilson was promptly
nuliricd of what wc considered his i double
dealing, aud wastold that it was not a ques
tion or moneyor termb; that wcdldiiotwant
to play him anywhere.
The other exception oT the two noted
is Mr. fiske, wlm plays here this week
in a house not controlled by the combine,
anil this Is the ronton, as stated in the
Interview:
Mis. Fiske isoue or those talented women
who Is alwavs well received by the pi ess,
but, unroi Minutely, has never drawn any
moiiev. Her husband happens to be the
editor of a dramatic newspaper, and is
also her manager. When lie .'"J.remly to
book a tour for her he went to theofilces
or Mi.AlHavmun and demanded whatMr.
Huvmnn considered unreasonable and ex
oi bUant terms. M r. Haymun told him . t lint
ir his wife could draw tlu money thntother
big stars drew she could have the same
terms. Her husbanddecllued the conditions,
which was pin el v a business deference,
md hey m. ted company. Thlsdld not re
1 . ;.. ...'.. i,.....iui,!.. tn Mrs. i-iskH because
Mill 111 ll lllllUOIii. " , i. .., ....... ru
she had the opport unit y or selecting theater
to play in in other cities in tie L nllcd bt a rs
wnere she waniea 10 pi'i.-w ;
booked her on a circuit of theaters in op-
nsltlon to us. and wehavo nocomplamtto
nice on th t score. It was simply a matter
r bush ess with Mrs. Fiske to play against
is- lust as it was a buslnes. piopositionou
ou'r part to be disinclined to be dictated to
by her husband.
We win i o belter able to judge jr Mrs.
FsV.--s drawing powers after the week
at 'the Grand. Her receipts elsew'iere
have not been announced to our knowled ;;,
except in the case or Cincinnati, wl..-re.
accoidiug to the Mln.if.aie Piny il lie
week or November 'JtTtd-SS.l 10. The
balanco ut the inleiview relates to the
World's misrepresentation or Fanny Daven
port's position. It "persistently leit
erated that she vas going to clore her
season becati'c the trust had practiC'illy
driven her aw.-o, when the fact Is that
we have been helping her lu every way.
as she 1ms repeatedly .stated, and th it she
had no iitentlon ir closing whatever,"
"Cumbciland. 'CI,." -proved to be a
lamentable specimen of play-making. It
had scenes which were meant to be strong
and might have boenjf the motives and
ground wotKffcaUjtfecn prpba'-iiPi "eu
rational. Wc roinied out a lew of tlee
defects last Tuesday, but not all of them
But besides the .impossible proppsitions
winch underlie the detail, there'is the
superstructure, which is drawn withwrong
angles -ind disproiwrtiouate lines. The
language, eu , or the piece, while correct
and unobjectionable, hasn't the alert
ness and smart uess not to mention literary
riaor. Avhlch Mr. Franklyn Fyles olight
to write. KMr. PItou lb willing to weather
the bllli ws ahead or this piece so long as
It bids for high-priced and discrlminar.ig
audiences In the first-class theaters, he
tan bring it back year after year to the
popular-priced houses, where such beau
tiful scenery and riamboyant heroics cover
a inultitudeof artisticsins .
The failure of Mr. Fyles, who is dramatic
editor or the New I'ork Sun, v.W suggest
to certain minds that dramatic critics
cannot write plays. On the contrary,
Mr. Fyles is a witness to the contrary He
wrote ''The Girl I I-cft Behind Me." C.
M. 8. M. Clellan, who used to be dramatic
editor of the New I'ork Press and Town
Topics, is wealthy from the profits on
his ''In Gay New Vork," 'The Whirl or
the Town,""' 'The Lady Slave;" and "The
Belle or New York." Those two successes,
'The Still Alarm" and "Blue Jeans," were
in laige part the work of Nym Crinkle,
who used to be dramatic editor or the
New York World. LI wyn A. Barron, for
merly critic of the Chicago Inter-Ocean,
wrote "A .Mountain Pink" and the play
Ramola" rrom the novel for Julia Mar
lowe. Clement Scott, crlttc of the London
Telegraph, adapted ''Diplomacy " and
Edward lto3( who made plays out of ''The
Prisoner of Zetida" and ''Under the Red
Robe," is dramatic editor of the Loudon
Times. John J. McNally Is dramatic Edi
tor of the Boston Herald as well as author
of 'A Strnlght Tip," "A Country Sport,"
'The Widow Jones," "Courted Into Court"
and lots mote. Benjamin Wolff, the music
critic of the same paper, wrote ''Pounce &
Co.," ''The Almighty Dollar" and "West
wardHo " I.eanderRlchardson has written
a number of plays', so lias Harrison Grey
Fluke, editor of the Mirror; Hillary Hell,
J. Edgar Pemberton, who Is a British
critic, and Lvelyn Greenleaf Southerland.
of Boston. Charles Hoyt left off dramatic
criticism in Boston for pjay-making.
Bernard Shaw, who wrotc"Arms and the
Man" and "The Devil's Disciple." is
the critic of the London Saturday Review.
R. N. Stephens, whos "An,Enemy to (he
King" was staged bjy Sojtbern, is a critic
turned playwright. fjThojcdltor of the
Chap Book has had a play accepted by Julia
Marlowe; so has Fales Cpword, dramatic
editor of the World. Espy Williams, a
New Orleans critic, is .the author of numer
ous plays. Peter Rooertson, of the San
Francisco Chronicle, has written a number
of libretti. Washington Critics are often
represented on the stage, by! their play.
It will be remembered that during the
recent cng&genipnt'ot Shore Acres '
here Mr. Heme madte a gala occasion of
the debut of his daughter, Julio. Men
tioning this pleasant 'event to a player
why was in Pittsburg within the 'no.ith,
he was surprised to learu'bhatMisa Heme
also made her debut In Pittsburg the
Thursday preceding the arrial of the com
pany here. This might be exasperating,
but it is only amusing. In fact, the
originality of thlB procedure, carried out
in logical sequence and there is no rea
son lo believe that a logical gentleman
like Mr. Heme would not carry it out
presents a scheme of astonishing loveli
ness. Hitherto we have been treated to
the spectacle of maturing actors pere
grinating atiout and booming "farewell
appearances."
But the attractiveness of this bait has
worn off. Mr. Heme knows it, so he plans
a"debut" tour, and, with as much trumpet
blasting and theatrical eclat as he can sum
mon, he gives his daughter a brand- new,
hitherto-unused debut every week. Mr.
Heme is fortunate In having a conspirator
In this little game as ingenuously ignorant
of dramatic! art as Miss Julie, Tor she car
ries out the debutante idea to perfection.
No one who saw her 'Tirst performance"
-at least that paiticular "first perrortn
unce" which she gave us -would believe
that It had over been used before, or that
she was anything else but a debutante ot
the most primitive caliber.
Cincinnati hns a new stock company now
a week. old. This Is ot interest here, be
cause Edyllic Chapman, or the 'National
Rirft- nT twit venrs. ami. mid Gr.iee. Scott.
vor last summer's Columbia Stock, -ire lend
ing members.
A Frenchman!! hatred of the German
nation had a recent humorous exposition
In New Orleans. 'Otis Skinner has Just
bpen filling an engagement there, and
the leader of the orchestra at
the theater where he played Is
nn Intensely patriotic French Creole,
who loathes the Teuton. All the music
in "Prince Rudolph," Mr. Sklnnrr'b new
play, is taken from old German songs,
the fmul curtain being run down to the
strains. of "Die Wacht Am Rlicin."
About this incidental music Mr. Skinner
is something of a crank, and during the
week he had had several -passages at -urns
with the leader of the orchestra. There
were nanj n utterings on the part or the
musician: he had been overheard vo.v'ng
vengeance. Saturday night, came, ami as
he picked up his baton for the last act, a
diabolical gleam shot from the lei ler's
snapping black eyes. Something was
evidently in the wind. All went well
however, and he never was late at -i oi.e,
nor did ai.ything but attend strictly to
buslnesj. The last scene or the play wus
on- The rrince and Princess were it
unlted. and the Princess cousin had en
tered to say that the kingdom hud been
saved.
Far away In the distance could be
heard tin: sound ot martial music. Very,
very softly did it steal upon the ears or the
auditors; tl eu suddenly all was oilciit.
The little man in the chair gave a couple
oT quick beits, and then there burst upon
the astonished Skinner and his company
the strains or a triumphant march, but not
the "Wnich o'n the Rhine." The Germ m
army n arched to victory with its band
playing the "Marseillaise." It was the
vengeance ot the leader.
NEW PLAY BILLS.
Mrs. Fisl-.e's appearance at the Grtrd
this week in "Tess ol the D'Urberville'-"
Js sure to piove a dramatic- treat. Thvc
Is no finer realist In art than Tho'ins
Hardy, and "Tess or the D'CrberViU j"
is perhaps the best example or his real
Ism. It is human to the core. liar ly
does not proceed by bringing a gen -nil
truth to the fatu of humanity for Illus
tration or proof, but Impresses the truth
itself upon the mind and heart from the
reality as he discover and pictun s it.
One of the greatest charms of his wirk
is the sympathy that pervades it. rtiere
is in his fiction nothing superficial r
Inslnc-ero. His figures are like transcripts-
rroin lire itself, and his grasp of muMvcs
and emotions is masterly. His renders
or "Tess" rcalue that he is portr ijing
the character or men and women if ihe
earth and no fanciful creatures of imag
ination. Tct-s herself is one of the fmei-t and
truest studies of woman's character miler
certain conditions eer described, and its
appeal to the inten-ttof womankind is i,nl
eral. Tess will long Lc one cf tl en-.st
Interesting of tre women of fiction, :nd
the peculiar pleasure or the leader r the
book will be enhanced, it is quite cert.i'n,
by the stage picture that Mrs. Fiske offers
of the storj and her own incarnatlo-i of
the heroine. Any earnest and measurably
adequate dramatization or sucT: a wrk
Is bound to shed new lights on an author's
meaning, while it i m.to, In its moin,r :e
tails, to assist the imagination of one fa
miliar with the btorv and lend a fie-hin
terest to the characters. Mrs. Fiske will
be supported by a comrany c mrceed en
tirely or sterling and able actors. The cast
Includes Fredenc de Belleville, For.-Ast
Robinson, John Jack, Frmk McCornik.
Wilfred North. George Trader. Mary Slmv.
Mrs. Mary E. Barker, Anna Vfslalre, Dorothy
Chester, Sydney Cowcll and Edith Wiight.
"Secret Service" will be on view at the
Lafayette Square Theater tomorrow night.
William Gillette was very well lik-d In
Wusht'igtoii long before lie placed himself,
by means of "Secret Service." in an en
during and eonifortable position on tlie
pinnacle or rame. Before folks ha 1 b.r-gottf-n
nlwiut "The Private Secretary" and
"Held by the Enemy" and his other suc
cesses he had brought himself vivldl i in
ward again with "Too Much Johion."
And before that became cold everylxidy in
New i'ork v. as talking and everywnere
else everybody was reading aUnit the
latest and greatest of all things Gillett 'an,
"Secret Service."
Mr. Gillette is said to have made use of
the unities in a way which cannot I ut
be effective; the setting of the scene or
three acts In one room in General Varney's
bouse, and of the remaining eve in a loom
or the Wai Department telegraph of-lcc
neaiby, and the concentration or the
entire action or the play between S and
il o'clock or a single evening, must
operate powerfully In heightening all
the dramatic values or the incidents. 1'r.
Gillette's own assumption or the pan cf
the hero-spy has been commended as being
practically peifect. Others in the cast
are Miss Sara Perry, Miss Hope Ross.
Miss Ida Waterman. Campbell Oolinn,
Walter Thomas, and Joseph Brcnnan.
Tills week at the National Theater Fanny
Davenport, supported by Melbourne Alic
Dowell fnd a strong company, -will revive
her Sardou repertoire. Monday and Wed
nesday evenings she will present "La
Tosca:" Tuesday, ''Fedora," and Thurs
day. Filday and Saturday (New Yairs)
matinee and night, ''Cleopatra." Fanny
Davenport has -established herselT in a
place which few American artists ever
achieve. Coupled with a remarkably rdt
less, energetic artistic sense, she has
thorough knowledge of the stage foster :d
in her from childhood up. To these two
qualities may be ascribed, principally,
her immense success. Not alone satisfied
with making her own character as much
In keeping with the highest art standard
as possible, she directs every performer
in liercompany.andby her encouragement,
hints and persistence, manages to infuse
into everyone the same spirit that actuates
herscir.Nothlng seems to go uuoliserved, vtu
supernumeraries have ten times the en jrgy
of action required of them when Inspired li
ttle dominant artistic presence of the gnat
actresc v. ho superintends every rehearsal.
Some yea is ago Miss Davenport created
quite a sensation in "La Tosca," and the
piece met with much comment, both from
press and public. Since then It has been a
favorite with Miss Davenport's admir-jrs.
Like all of Sardou's heroines, La Ijsca
is a woman of conflicting emotions. Her
love for Mario predominates all else, but
mingleii with this is a stiong vein of
jealousy, which causes the undoing of
both the woman and her lover. It Is in
characters like this, which afford -slurp
contrasts, that Miss Davenport excels. It
has been su long since "Fedora" has been
played here that it may be well to briefly
recall the story of this powerful drama.
It is a most elaborate work, with strange
psychical aud theatrical Interest, crowded
with varied, bignificant.andef fectlve move
ment, and 13 a perfect oxample of con
tinuous dramatic suspense. "Cleopatra"
still remains as a pleasant memory to all
who witnessed the performance when last
given m this city by thU popularactress.
"Humanity" IS the comprehensive title
of Sutton Vane's great play, which i.s to
be presented at the Academy this wceic.
There is considerable of humanity In it and
of a character that readily appeals -tuc
cessfully to the ropular heart. Bugl'-sh
country lire, with. it.s quiet, hives and
romances,- always- chnnns in Titera , ire
or on the stage when well interpreted; rnd
tales of adventure, ot war, battle, hair
breadth cscares.and soldierly daring, uni
mnudthcattciitimof oldnnd yonngof to'h
sexes, regardlens ol where the scene hap
pens to be laid.. Manager Brady, it Is
said, has done his full share in droning
this bcautrul story in the garb most p
p roved by modern dramatb art.
It If j- story of a loving, patient .and
trusting woman, a faithful lover and gal
lant soldier under the fire of fulse ac
cusation and the rain of shot and shell.
The English In the Transvaal have been
having senou-i trouble time and again
since the playwright grmipcd the Inci
dents mill situations in this play. The
whole civilized world has had its eyes
turned that way and upon doings mora
strange and consequential than anything
suggested by Mr. Vane. But recent event
give these mimic battles between Eng
lishmen cud Boers on the Stage an inter
est never contemplated by the author. The
plav will be given with the complete scen
ery and mechanical of reels as used dur
ing its long runs at New i'ork, Boston
and I'hi'ddclphiu, Boston being the home
of its original production, and the cast
of the principal members is thesaTne now
as then.
Troja is the headline Otthe BIJou'3 thIK
week's bl!'. The management 'ifas cer
tainly ii ado a ten-strlko. in, securing the
first appearance ot the famous t,e-t uy
For the past fle years she has been "the"
hit" or "the vaudevilles of New i'ork aim
Boston- She will make her bow at to
morrow's matinee and will undoubtedly
be a drawing card in her peculiar bqnH
and saying-,. Along on the bill will .-'so
appear the well-known Handicap Trio,
with their comedy sketch of eccentricities,
songs and dancesj Messrs. Hayes and
Bandy, two comedians of particular note,
the Holbrooke, musical artists; BlllyLacle'ie
and Annie Raymond. depI&jfngf'negroUl e
In the South; Mivs Amy Nelson, singingauu.
dancing foubiette: Miss Nellie Walters.
Irish vocaliut and (omedlenne, and several
other specialties. The management ha
addict to the theater an urchestra or nine
pieces, ui-dt-r John B. MeDtlnald. Th?
announcement is made (hat, during the.
Iroja engagement the box seats will be
placed at $1 a seat.
Manager Kernan's attraction at the
Lyceuir this week will le"tnVKuaii.
Bros. CoincdiaiiH. Everynaiue. on the
program commands a prominent place
in the variety world. Th'e Company r
headed bythosecloverfomsloimpersonatois,
the Russell Biothers, as the Irish serdu.
girls. Other names appearing on the
prograir aie Nestor and Jiennetr, the ele
trie demonstrators; Caron and Herbert
the acrobatic marvels; Montgomery uun
Stone, sli-glng and dancing comedian-
Lizzie I'. Raymond, in a budget of ne.
and catchy ..ings; Stab-v and Biibeck,
the expert musical artists; the Dillo
Brothers, authors and slngcrb ot populai
parodies, and Ine Fremont, comedy sketch
artists.
When William II Crane opened his sea
son In San Francisco he presented a cos
tume comedy called "A Irglnia Com
ship," which treated ot lire in the Sotitt.
at a time when there was much ron.anu.
and poetiy in the young republic, vrh-u
work was considered degrading, when men
though' mere ot honor than all else, anu
when the pleasures of the hour were rnr
nlshed by the minuet, the chase and the
heavily-laden dining-table. The play it
said to havv ocored heavily in all th
cities it which the actor has present,
it. For three weeks tho play was given
In Chicane , when it established a rtfoic
Tor big huslne-o which it will be hard to
beat. He comes to tlie National next
week.
Mr. Richard Mansfield's annual en
gagements in this city .ire alwajf matte'
of great interest, and the aunouiicemeu.
of his early coming to the Lafayette fcquan
Opera House for an engagement of on
week only, commencingoii Monday Jitnuai
3, will be hailed with great pleasure. Th
repertory for the week- will be a, follow
Monday, Tuesday, Fiiday evening?, nun
Saturday matinee, "The Devil's Disciple..
Wednesday matinee, "Prince Karl," et
nesday evening, "A Parisian Romance."
Thursday evening. "Beau Brummell;" Sal
urday evening, "Dr. Jckyll ami Mr. Hyde.'
Tho bale of seats opens at the box offic
on Thursday morning.
Fresh from its year's success in man.
or the other larjie cities, H. j. Bu Souchet
conifilj , "My Friend From India," in wh;c
the Smyth and Rice Comedy Company ha
achieved so much Tame, l, announced m.
return to Washington anil production a.
the Columbia Theater the week of Januar..
3. Even theosnphists must laugh at thi
fun gotten out or the curious application
or their doctrine in the social aspirations
or a Avealthy Kansas City pork-picker'.-lamily
in New i'ork.
The Lyndeay course of high-class enter
tainments at popular prices are meeting
with decided favor with the amusement
loving public, and they orfer a splendid
attraction Tor next Friday evening at
Central Hall. The program on this occas
ion will be the talented Brown University
Glee, Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar Club.
This organization is well and favorably
known through the country, and no doubt
a large audience will greet these merry
troubadors. The course consists ot ten
carefully selected companies, under" tKd
personal direction or Miss F. L. Lyndsay.
Mr. J. A.. Grarfisthe resident manager of
this enterprise, and the list of attractions
to follow include- Alexander Black. Tn Jiis
new picture play entitleoV'Tlie American
Girl," the Mozart Symphony Company, John
Thomas' Concert Company, Xcw i'ork
Philharmonic Club. Boston Temple Male
Quartet, Kellogg Bird Carnival and Concert
Company, Robert Harper's illustrated
lecture, and the Welsh prize singers, with
Sig. A. Liberati, the world's greatestcomet
virtuoso.
Do you know that j-ou can Imre
Tliu Morning. Evening: and Sunday
Times, the only COMPLISTK mw.
paper published In "VTnsliliig;toii
served to you by carrier for fifty
cent. si a month?
LOVELY
WOMAN
WHY
will you tol- (
erato Frcclc-
ta PlmnlpB. '
fCBl&ckbeads, '
YYollow or
,f Muddy Skin.
MothWrink-
les,red nose3
or any other
iorm or tSJun '
, Diseua or Facial Disfigurements,
; WHEN
you can certainly possess a, Beautiful ,
Form, Brilliant Eyes, Sinn or reany ,
Whiteness, Perfect Health, and life vrell i
worth UTing, it you only ua
DR. CAMPBELL'S
'Safe Arsenic Complexion Wafers
amo FOULD'S
ARSENIC COMPLEXION SOAP?
i Perfectly liarmlem, and tho onlyRen- '
nine, nara nrenarations oi Arsenic
flWv A
htrmfF (a$IL
lJtez3$L
A in tne iron a. w
jfc Hie Wafersareformenasicellcuiromm O
50aand$lperbor,orClargoboxesforJ5. 3
5 Soap. 50c., by tnatl to any address. X
Address all mall orders to X
f O. Fonld, 214S!ifo Aye.,MYor3c
H Sold by all Druggists. 2
ECCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
1 f .r . . K
MillAiiSM
CURED MR. ENGEU
Read What He Says uf EisSufferlmssand
His Restoration to Health "
Mr. John Kngel.313 M street soutwwet.
ribiy wan rheumatism. In fact, I was so
-bud that n. as Compelled to crawl upstair
on myhandsand kae.'S. Alltli-ieniedlesand
physicians I tiicuunl roe iiu good. Itwa
happy day for me. Indeed, when X obtained
a sample Vial ot Munyon's Rheumatism
Cure. 1 was so inucn benefited by this
sample vial that I bought another cottle
and was entirely cured. There has been no
return of my- rneumatic pains, thanks to
Munyon."
3Iiuiyoii's IUieiimntisiii Cure
Cures acute ,r muscular rheumatism la
from one to five days. Sharp, shooting
pains in any part or the body stopped in
a few doses, it seldom falls to gie relier
in rrfcm one to two dose, and almost In
variably cures before one bottle has been
used. The Alunyon Kemedy Company pre
pares a separate cure Tor each disease. AD
all druggists 25 cents a vial. Munyon's
Klectrlc .Machines the best In the world.
Trial treatment, free. If you need medical
advice. Munyon's doctorsare at your service
free alt day and evening. Sunday - to 5.
iitiii 13 ill ftt. YV.
CATARRH POSITIVELY CURED
Trial Treatment Free-
SSSQSQS&SSSSSoGSa GSSQSSSO
Gas Heating
Stoves, 89,25
Only CCO of tLeie Gas Heating
Stoves to tell for 1.2, so delay
not in coining for yours. "Will neat
a hall or medii.m sized room com
tortably. Other Oas Heating Stores
and badfators in great vari-tyat
lowest prices.
8
41
:;
63
it
if
55
Washington Gas Light Co.,
413 10th St. X. W.,
Or Gas App. Ex., 1K1K V. Ave
rea ;sss sssra gsjso ss sswssa
l'OSTOFFICK NOTICE.
Should be read daily, as changes may
occur at any time- ,..,
I-ilcIuiN A1A1.LS are forwarded to
the ports of sailing daily, and the schedule
or lysines lo arranged on me pre&uiiiptioii
oriiiei. iiiiiii(erru.ieuurerianUirunit. Iror
the week ending January 1,1898, the last '
connecting closes will De made at thli
office a follows:
Tiaiisuilniitic Mulls.
TUESDAl' tb) At y:2U p. m.. for Eu
rope, per s. s. St. 1'aul,- from -New York
via huuLIiaii.iitJii. .Lett-'rs for Ireland
must be directed "per St- Paul. ' (c) AC
li:lt) p- in., for Belgium direct, per s. s.
.r.fii-'itiiuii iioin .New ioriv, ia Antwerp.
.Letters must be directed "per Kensington."
tc) At 11:10 p. m. for Europe, per s. s.
aiiij-iic- r.oiu .Vsw York via tcueenstown.
WEbNErilAl (c) At 11:10 p. in., for
Genoa, per s. s. Kaiser Wilhelm II, from
'ew York. Letters mut b directed "per
Kaiser Wilhelm II."
FKlDAl'-tb) At 9:20 p. m. for France.
Switzerland, Italy, Spam, Portugal, Tur
key, -bgypi aud British India, per s. .
La Champagne,' irom .New i'or.c, via
liavre. tellers for other parts or Europe
must be uireiteil "per La Champagne."
tci At 11.10 p. m. lor Netherlands, direct,
via s s. OIiujiu, from .New i'ork, via
Bolteniam. L.e.ters in tist be direited "per
Oodam." (t At 11. lO p. m. for Euroiv
per s. s. Etruna," Jrom .New i'ork. vjjv
QuecnsloWn. to At 11" 10 p. m. Ajr
Scotland direct, per rf. s. Auchuria, front
New ionc, via ulasgow. Letters must bu
directed "per Ancuona."
'PKlNTfc.1 MATTEK-German steamers -sailing
rrom New iork on Tuesttay take
limited matter, etc , for Germany, ami
specially audftMit pnuttl matter, ele.,
for other imrtsof Europe.
American and White btar steamers sail
ing Jrom Nev i'ork on eune.iays,(jer
niuii steamers on iinirdayNandtijeCuttanl
French and uenunii steamers on Saturdays
take printed matter, ett., for all coun
tries for whit h they are advertised t
carry mails.
ilail for South and Central Amer.
icu, "Weist Iiuiies., Etc.
,ViOuai-ic)At Id oi p. m.. for Beltee.
Puetto CJrtezand uuatan.ala . persteamer
fioni.N'ow Orleans. tcAt 1110 p. in., ter
Leeward aud milward Islands, per s. a.
Pretoria, from New i'ork. Letters for
Gieiiaiia, Urinidad and 'iobagu must be
directed Per Pretoria." tciAt 11:10
p. m., for La Plata countries direct, per
s. s. Georgian Prince, from Scvr lort.
toiAt 11. lo p. m.. lor Inatia and liaiti.
pert. s. Navanoe, from New i'ork.
' TL'hSLAi.'-(dAt l-I.O-ip.m., Tor New
rouudland, per steamer rrom Nortn Sjdra-y.
(a 'At 3.-0 p. in-, Tor Jamaica, per steamer
rrom todon. (ciAt 10:05 p. m., for
Costa Kica, ()er steamer from New OrI-jn".
(clAt 11 i 0 p. ill, tor Jamaica, per steamer
rrom Philadelphia, Pa. (clAt 11:10 p.
in., Tor berniuda. ier s. s. Trinidad irom
iNew York. (cAt 11.10 p m., for New
foundland, per s. s. Portia rrom Scvr i'ork.
WEDNESlAY-(c)At 11:10 p. m. for
Central America (except Costa Kica) ami
South Pacific ports, p r s. s. Finance, from
New i'ork. via Colon. Letters for uaute
niala must be directed "Per Finance."
(c)At 11:10 p. in. for Santiago de Cuba
and Colombia, per s.s. Panama, from New
York. Letters must be directed "Per
Panama." (c) At 11:1 0 p. m. for Jamaica,
per s. s. Ardanrose. from New York. Let
ters for Belize, Puerto Corte2 and Guate
mala must be directed "Per Ardanrose."
(c)At 11:10 p. in. for Nassau, N. P., psr a. s.
Antili?. front New York. Letters must bo
directed "Per Antilla." (c)At 11:10 p.
ni. f or Nassau. N. P.. and Santiago dj Cuba,
per s.s. Santiago. from New I'ork.
TIlLKs-l-AY tci At 11:10 p. m for
Campeclie, Chiapas, Tabasco, and Yuca
tan, per s. s. Concho, from New York.
Letters for other parts of Mexico must
be directed "per Concho."
FBI BAY td At B Lja. m.. for Fortune
Island, Jamaica, Sa vanilla, and Greytown.
per s. s. Alene. from New York. Letters
for Costa Blca must be directed "per
Alene." (d) At G:25 a. in.. Tor Haiti and
Santa Martha, per s. s. Kitty, from New
York.
bATURDAY (d) At 12-05 p. m., for
Newfoundland, per steamer from North
Sydnej .
Mail- for Newfoundland, by rail to Hali
fax, and thence, via steamer, close here
dally, except Sunday, at 12 05 p. in., and
on Sundays only, at 11:35 a. m. (d
Mails for Mh-uelon, by rail to Bo-Jton
and thence "Wn steamer, close here dally
at 3-20 p. m.(a)
Malls for Cuba (except those for Santiago
de Cuba, which will be forwarded via
New York, up to and including the 11:10
p. in., close Wednesday), close here dniiy
at a p. m., for forwarding via steamer1
sailing Mondays and Thursdays, from
Port Tampa. Fin., to Havana.(e)
Malls for Mexico, overland (except those
for Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, and
Yucatan, which, after the Tuesday over
land closing, win be forwarded via -New-York,
up to and including the 11:10 p.m..
close Thursday), close here dniiy at 7:10
a. m.(d)
Transpacific 3lnlls.
Mail" for China and Japan, specially ad
dressed only, per h. s. Empress of India,
from Vancouver, close here dally up to
G:-10 p. tu., December 27. (d)
Malls for China and Japan, per s. s.Cbina.
from San Francisco, close here dally
up to C:-10 p. m., December 31. (d)
Mails Tor Australia (except those for
West Australia. vrhlch are forwarded via
Europe), New Zealand, Hawaii, FIJI and.
Bamoau Islands, per s. s. Moana, from San
Francisco, close here dally up to G:40
p. m.,Jnnunry2. (d)
Mails lor Cniua and Japan, per s.s. "Vic
toria, from Taeoma. clore leie daily up to
G.40 p m. January 2. Id)
Mails for Australia (except West Austral
ia. New Zealand. Hawaii and FIJI Islands,
per fi. s. Mlowera. from Vancouver, close
here after January 2 up to 0:3O p. in.
January 3. (rt .
Mails forllawah, per s.s. Australia, from,
San Francisco, close rere daily up to 6:40
p. in. January 19 (tl)
Malls lor tlie Society Island, per ship
City of Paueiti. from San Fra nctsco. dose ,
here dally up to 6:40 p.m. January 25. ldlx
(a) Keulstcred mail closes at 10 a. m.
same day.
(b) Registered mail closes at 1 p. m.
same day.
(e) Registered mall closes at 6 p. m.
same day.
(tl) Registered mall closes at 6 p. m.
previous day.
(e) Registered mall closes at 1 p. m.
Tuesdays and Saturdays.
JAMES. P. WTLLETT,
Postmaster.
