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THE MORffl-ffg TIMES, SUNDAY, APKIIi 11, 1897. lb Lafayette Olga Nethersolc in repertoire. 'Tonight, Sousa and his baud. Columbia "The Prisoner of Zenda." National "Chimmie Fadden." Academy "A Texas Steer." Grand "Jim the Penman." Bijou "A Soldier's Sweetheart." "Ketuan's Kentz-Santlcy Company. The eadofthe season Is upon us. Sev eral companies have closed here in Wash ington, and our own theaters are announc-J ing the last weeks of the regular -winter beacon. "Sans Gene" closed last night, never more to flaunt her laundry bill un der the Napoleonic beak. Here she was born, here &he died. Her career was pros perous and honorable. Peace to her ashes. The Academy is at piescnt playing a "spring engagement" of comedy at popu lar prices, after which darkness -will prob ably claim it until the last of August. This is the last week of the -winter sea ton at the Lafayette Square- Next week prices will be cut in two for the reign of comic opera by the Castle Square Com pany. It will remain here as long as it is profitable for it to do so. The Co lumbia will end Us winter season the first week in May, and the National -will linish at about the tame time- What these two houses" will do in the way of bummer diversion is still a mys tery. Certain it is that Fred Bond will not be here He is going to turn the tide in Louisville, if the tide doesn't turn him. There will be plentiful occasion for open tbenteia this spring. It is the long-session year, and the hotels expect to be full of offrceseckers and statesmen until the half year is completed, and July suns drive them to shades that are cool. By next Sunday such plans as are going to be made will have been perfected, and the public will be informed. Novelty Is this week concentrated in a eingle spot, but variety flavors all the pudding on the local table Olga Nether sole will tomorrow night give us a deferred view of her much-discussed, praised and blamed cigarette girl of Saville, "Carmen '' It is a little over a year since this charm ins artist was last here At that time she gave us Juliet, Camille, Froa-Frou, and Denlse They were all markedly superior performances, albeit her support was in barmoniotisly inferior. The dreadful Mr. Leicester is not of the company this season. His place is taken by Mr. Nathaniel Hart ;vig, for seveial seasons -with Marie Wain wright He haB his limitations as an actor, but he has a good tailor, a defi ciency in the Leicester repertoire. Miss Nethersolc has a strong following in Wash ington, who overlook her inartistic weak ness for continuous notoriety of the "me and Henry Irving,' Henry-Howe-death-bed-scene, andtbeater-in-London nonsense. If she "out knew it, she is regarded as a gieat artistca peg or two above the cheap devices of this sort She probably po'iits to tier present position for justification of her tactics, but the fact is not that she succeeded by them, but in spite of them. Tonight the last Sousa concert or the year will he given by John Phillip and his men. This popular band master is nearly always sure of a crowded house, because the patrons are nearly always sure of an enjoyable time He has been to the Pacific coast since he was last here and he is now on his way to the Atlantic. At Manhattan, as usual, hc.will play through the summer. At the National a return engagement is to be played by "Chimmlc Fadden." Chim mie Is a great lad. He has been in vogue for a couple of seasons and lie has suffered from his own greatness. The Bowery loy style has been aped and imitated ad nauseam. Charles Hopper, Mrs. Bates, George Nash, aid all the original people are with the company. "The Prisoner of Zcmla" is in the Columbia for the week. Howard Gould is the Rudolph and Isabel Irving, next year to be John Drew's leading lady, will play Flavia. In the company is an actor dear to Washington theatergoers. He is John Fiudley, of the former summer stock com panies In Zenda he plays a small part, the mayor of StrcOau, but those who have laughed with him summer after summer are willing to -wager heavily that he plays it well. The spring season at the Academy looks well. The attiaclions arc certainly good at any price, and the way tickets were gobbled up last week, it seems as If the reduction is appreciated. This week "A Texas Steer," with a Hoyt com pany, is the bill. Next week Ned Har- rlgan comes in one of his old-time plays or life among the lowly in the Eastsldc of New York. The fourth and last week will be played by Hurt Haverly and Laura Bigger, in the perrenial "A Trip to China town." This trip has been made so often that the way is worn and well known to the seeker for a good thing. The Gi and has a former Madison Square success, "Jim. the Fcnnian. " This story of a forger who held position in society held the stage for several years, retired, and is again brought forward, and finds renewed favor with the class of patrons to whom it is now offered. The story is thrilling, and with a good com pany ought to enthrall its auditors as of old. Manager Whitcsell this week presents to Bijou patrons a comedy-drama new to Wnshlngtotiians. "The Soldiei.'s Sweet heart," The Lyceum, on the contrary, has an old-time favorite in the Rentz Sautley Company. If a prediction might be ventured as to what New York, the erratic and unaccount able, would do with "The MysteriousJIr. Bugle," It would be that the piece will not be accepted. One reason is that it Is go Jag toto a theater the only theater ' y"?h --J - 1 If M u r which its lightness and delicacy fits it at the wrong time of the year. The .very contingent who flock U the Ljccum in winter go to the mountains, the sea-shore and Euiope in summer, and there is noth ing higher and dryer for the blistering rays of the summer sun than the pretty home of "wholesome plays for wholesome people," to quote from the Lyceum pro gram. Another reason it is likely to fall over there is its distinguishing charms, refine ment and purity. If instead of a burglar the man locked under Key o hud been an adventurer, or if her Cousin Allan's pur poses of visiting her, via the waterspout and balcony, had been less proper. New York would fiud it quite to Its palate. Again, Annie Russell takes away from the piece the "possibility of realizing the far cical promise of the plot. The causes of a good farce are nonsense, something ex travagant, the unusually ridiculous; its ef fect is spontaneous and uproarious laugh ter. Miss Russell is anything but nonsen sical or extravagant in her subdued, deli cate manner. She is natural, and when she is not natural she is idyllic. But she has no sense of the hilariously ridiculous, or if she has she is too gentle and sweet of maimer to assume the romp. Henrietta Crossman, or Mrs. Bouci cault, would have made a lomping, 10I licking success as Betty. Perhaps Mrs Rylev docs not wish her pait to be played as they would. Then, she is out of key with her farcical mood. Farce requires broad, free action. It may be lelined, it mav be subtle, but it must have the free dom and breadth that the caricaturist puts into the sweeps of his pencil. The complicatlonsof"Mr.Bi!gIc" are not always diversified. Some times they entangle the audience, and the author seems cither to have been burdened with a poverty or a wealth of incident at the end, ior the curtain seemed inevitable sewral times, and nothing seemed gained in fun cr con sistency by not lounding off several points before the present ending. Joe Holland is a peifect example of the broad and free, but refined and subtle far ceur. He takes in the whole stage in his action, his transition from calm to sur prise, or back again, are effected with un mistakable denotement, and he has an irresistible sense of the ridiculous per meating it all that captivates his l.earers. Aud how much more remarkable is all this when we realize that this line, hand some fellow is so deaf that he cannot hear his companion players, and lias to take cues by watching their lips or ount ing intervals. He never makes i mistake, never looses a point. It is too bad that his ears cannot be tickled by the soft ripple of laughter that follows his every speech as well as the bursts of applause which punctuate his big points. Beerbohm Tree, from all accounts, in tends to open his new London Theater with Gilbert Barker's "Seats of the Mighty" in spite of the unfavorable criticisms it received in New York. Perhaps he is justified in this from his knowledge of improvements made in the play by Mr. Parker and himself, and it may be that he would repeat the history of a certain distinguished precedent, which is Wilson Barrett's experience with "The Sign of Cross." He produced it in America first and it failed. He tried it on London, and it was the hit or the year. But a subse quent trial in America did not reverse the first opinion of the public or the press. Full of the serenity of Thanksgiving time, the "Washington critical contingent were very kind to Tree and his play Allow ances were made for the imperfections of a first performance, which had been ic hcarsed on shipboard and for days and nights while another play was being pre sented. The effort was dignified and am bitious and in every way -worthy of the tolerant consideration given it. But the best play ever written would fall beneath the weight of Tree's incompetencies. He is retrograding in his art every day. His mannerisms are so apparent and insistunt, his distribution of force so weakening and his superficiality so apparent that lie will force himself out of the class into which others will have to tell you how he ever arrived. A witty paragrapher remarked, on noting that Tree was presently to pro duce "Tile Merchant of Venice," that if he progressed In femininity as he has in the past lie would doubtless cast himself for Portia. A member or a well-known club in New York, to which tlie actor has entre. noted that an Englishman and a very particular friend of Tree remained away from one ot his first nights, and remonstrated with him. Replied the Britisher: "The endurance of friendship has its limita tions. You ask too much." It is unlikely that Tree will soon comu back to Amcnca. He had loo stinging a slap In the repudiation of his play by the critics, and the persistent absence of the public from the theaters where he appeared. John Hare, too. is likely to warm his heels at London's fireside next year, and for some years to come. At least until he can bring us new plays and good plays, and can overcome his un diplomatic inclination to toady to the anglomania of some few American plutocrats. His free use of his appear ance before Mrs. Guelph, at Windsor, for advertising purposes is in distinctly bad taste. And it hasn't drawn any money for him, cither; no more did Arthur Bou chicr feather his nest with the dollars of nnglonraniacs eager to see "the favorite godchild of the Baroness Burdctt Coutt-s," nor Beerbohm Tree with a company from a theater existant only in the architect's plans and named after the Queen. Hare is a good actor; an accomplished artist; but he is not so good as Mr. Stod dard, as Goldfinch, or so satisfying as Felix Morris, in "The Quiet Hubbcr." He does not weigh down in the balance with others seen in the same characters. And above all he should bring new plays. He should unlearn the mistaken idea that J$sp f, N he is more attractive than the parts he plays. He is not. The people want new plays from him. It Is, very dclfghtful to see so good an actor as lie In a good play, but scarcely is he potent without good fresh material. The wheel of fortune has drawn Felix Morris into vaudeville. He is the latest of the actors who are artists to earn (he furtive dollar by doiugft "turn." He will do a one-act play. Probably "The Old Musician." Mr. Morris is an English man by birth and perhaps temperament, but he made his beginnings as an actor in America, ami ids latter days have been spent on our stage. John W. Albaugh, of this city, gave him his first speaking part. It was while Mr. Albaugh was con ducting the slock company at Albany, N. Y., in the early seventies. Mr. Mori Is had been carrying spears for a short period, when he came to .Mr. Albaugh. In those days the stars traveled with their plays and the companies remained stationary. One of the stars to come to Albany was Lotta, and her play was "Musette." Mor ris was given a character part, and the genius thatwasinhim shonooutindiailUy. He made a hitnt once. The way was easy for a while. Soon Rosina Yokes picked him up and he snnied her lending roles Willi Courtenay Thorpe When she died he starred on Ids own account for a brief and sadly unsatisfactory period. Then he went back to England. LastsurnmprDanlel Frohman, in the course of that wonderful bicycle trip of his, arranged with Morris that he should join the Lyceum stock. He has played with them all winter, but the opportunity did not arrive for him to dis tinguish himself?" The vaudeville is the present resource. Mr. Mgrris will show the patrons of the houses w-ljcre they do "acts' what "acting"' is. He is an artist in every fiber, and it is too bad that legiti mate vehicle is wanting to retain him for the standard drama. Going into vaudeville has ceased to carry with it the social strain upon an actor's reputation that it did formerly. Vaude ville is, in its pre-ent hey-day, a Jittle morethan knockabout comedians, horizontal bar performers, musical mokes and sou brettes. In that strata of thesplc life we may now encounter, notonly Felix Morrisgiving one of his delicate character curtain raisers, once the pride of Daly's, but Mau rice Barrymoie is the same "Man of the World" who drew all New York to the Madison Square Theater for an entire season; Auguste Von Blene, a. naisician and air actor too artistic for a melodramatic house; John Mason and Marion Manola, once well up in comic opera and comedy; Johnstone Bennet, whose name is side by side with the immortal "Jane" in theatrical history; Seth Miller Kent the 4Foundling" of two years; Charles Dickson and his wife, Lillian Burkhardt, who were stars in-"Incog" and "A Jolly Good Fellow;" Bert Cooto, a brother of our Charley Coote,and once a star in "The New Boy;" Frederick Paulding, one of the promising young tragedians of the loster ten years ago; Sibyl Johnstone, who played Iza in "The Clemenceau Case" and "Trilby." Frederick Brytou, for years a star in "Forgiven".'" Grace Filkens, an ac complished leading woman, best remem bered tor her performance of Helen, in "Shore Acres;" be'sides Sigrror Perugini, Mine. Cottrelly, Pearl Eitignc, Joseph Wheclock, Oscar Eagle, Esther Lyons and, lastly, Clara Morris, who, shades cf Dumas and Daly! is going to do "thirty minutes of Camille!" The vaudeville patrons are to be con gratulated. If the mountain will not come to Mahomet let Mahomet go to the moun tain", just so, if the public will not come to the legitimate, the legitimate nurst go to the public. The public is to be found in the vaudeville house. Equally to be congratulated is the legitimate drama, not because of the defection of any unde sirable actors, but because good actors and real artists have gone into the bali wlcks of the wrorrg idea of sane diversion and entertainment, and has wrought 'b'5(D-N. 1 1 llri lAl N C"" PriiL-ron mobles r V ri 7 Z"v 1 V I i J sivVt--ti2SSIMWK2!a2- VMVmLLLri there the truth of the drama. It is a crusade of education on the uncducated's own ground. When they realize wlrat they are missing they will come to the theater where' art is maintained in its Integrity That in the cheerful way to look at the present stampede into vaudeville. It is nOt only cheerful, hut It Is .submitted as 'rational aud sound. Managers and dramatistsare now travel ing around with satchels full of novels for adaptation for the stage. The dramatic rights of a story were never considered of much account until lately, but now, since "The Prisoner of Zendu," "Trilby," and some others have been so remunerative, the old abhored dramatization of a novel has become the adored of the managers. Whether it will be so long or not, it is so now, and thabis enough, "it opens a held tor speculation as to what makes tUe-yairne of books and playa. There is a sp&leslof craze arrives every now and agniit tlfnt is more or less un uccountnble. 4fi .l nofc development of artistic taste veiv$if; it may involve that element: it is SioC fin intellectual advance, even if there 1$ soiiluthlng Intellectual In It. Hall Cable's nbvejfc had a very large sale ami created, insoiiftS fnstances as much ex cltennatas Anfuuu Hope's. Yetwhi-ii Wil son Barrett mndetlTein into plays, and very cleverly, too, 'they failed to attract any attention. There have been other" novels dramatized which have nob found favor. The present rage Tor fiction on the stage owes something tocurioslty to see inaction the story which has interested In book form. The dramatizations so far, with hut few exceptions; have not entirely removed the idea that a novel does not make a good play. Irv fact, even "Trilby" Is proor that it doss not. The play hy-Paul Potter is riot a success oa the same interest which was most pote.it in thestory. A drama, as a rule, must necessarily leave gaps in the tale, and unless a new iuterest be infused into it by some differ ence of phrase' the play taken from the novel will be unsatisfactory. Mr. Hope and Mr. Rose realized that and made "The Prisoner of Zenda" more a play upon the same incidents as were found in the novel than a mere dramatization. Every body who lead it believed "The Prisoner Of Zenda" would-make a good drama, and they were right: but they also find that it is because it derives something rrew from the dramatization. So far as romantic stories go, they have gieat possibilities nowadays, since most of them give chance for spectacular dis play, and there is no picture that is im possible of presentation on the stage. There is no limit to effective costuming, to lighting, to scenic erfects. The pro fession has plenty of handsome men and strikingly pictorial women. The actors are the pick of fashion or the most gor geous of Tumnntlc figures: the actresses set the fashion in modern dress and are as beautiful as dreams in romance. The stage scenes can be made visions, and there is nothing that can he in the world ol fancy that cannot be realized on the stage. This should throw open the whole range of romantic literature to the drama, and it probably will. But it all wilt have, to be altered to suit the times. The hook stories must be recast. The romantic hero must behave not as the brains which created him'saw him, but as we sec him. We will not listen to the old long speeches, the glow ing language, etc The romantic hero must come down to our level. We will stand a little exaggeration, a little poetry, a little affectation; but not the orations, even it they have been 'written by a master hand. And that is the difference of stage adaptation of romantic novels. E-ca in thoselate picturesque stories which are finding their way to the stage the speeches in the book would sound dreary in the play. In "The Prisoner of Zenda," the credit due to the book can not be forgotten, but in all those lomantic stories the dramatic is the taking element, even when it is only word painted. It is doubtful if Hope's story would have been dramatized if Dan iel Frohman hatl not been' in need of a play for Sothcrn and induced the author, Edward Rose, to putitin shape. Itopencd the way and gave the greatest impetus to the romantic craze. A number of the actors in the present cast of "Jim, the renman" were in the origiual New York production, but they are not playingWc -parts now that they did then. HarryTSI. Pitt is, however, again In the role of Louis Tercival, which he played with so much distinction the night that this play made' such a hit at the Madison Squaie Theater. Mr. Pitt is the husband of Fanny Addison Pitt and the father of Addison Pitt, Charles Dibdin 1 Pitt and MargareeDlbdinPItt, who have all appeared here from time to time in juvenile roles. Mr. Pitt has many friends in Wash ington who welcome him cordially on each return. A press agent without an imagination is of no more value to a star than a stove without fire in it.. One of George Bowies' largest accompllsbmentsls his imagination. Mr. B. was one week delving to trie depths of his trunk for some personal hIstory(real and imaginative) of his star, Chailca Hopper, wnen his eye ran over some papers that threw him Into a state of -refreshing glee. They were some "stories' of Bob Downing and Eugenia Blair, whom ho managed last year. One of them is worth reproducing even rrow, as a specimen of imaginative writing not often met with outside of the designing fairy stories ot Hans Anderson and Mrs. Goose. "A wolf Isn't the bort of an animal that a lady would ordinarily select for a pet,' wrote the idle dreamer, "but when'Llght-as-tlie-Wind,' a young chief of the Brule Sioux, brought a couple of ti ny, fat, gray wolfpupBlntuFargoacoupleofwinteryogo. Eugenia Blair, Robert Dowulng's handsome and cievcrleadinglody.pald thepictirresque young redskin enough to keep him in fire water forn'couple or months, and carried . the two little vulpine away triumphantly. "They were christejied Damon and Pythias; blue ribbons were tied around their cunning little neck-., and .Miss lllalr's maid toted them aud a nursing- bottle around wherever she went. P.'ttttie wolves grew up and beyond the caring for of the maid. They were turned over to Tieasurer Farnum, who was thenceforward called Hageubeck, aird his days were full of woe and wolf. "The end came quickly. The company had long been away from the W-t, and was now touring the peaceful precincts of New England. On account of the wolves, Mr. Farrrum was obliged to travel in the smoking car. On a sedate Connecticut road, however, the conductor objected to the menagerie, and ordered that it be taken in the baggage car, at live stock rates. Mr. Farnum argued that the wolves were safer in the smoker, but the con ductor firmly held his ground, summoned a burly brakuman, and the two animals, snarling and biting, weredrnggodin among the baggage and drained to i Saratoga nATHILD&.COTTRELd trunk The train rumbled on, the baggage man dozed, and the brakeman played solitaire at the other end of the car. It was the first liberty of any sort that the wolves had had since they were cap tured on the prairies of Dakota. "Damon reached out to the extent ot his chain and ate the check straps off all the trunks within reach, while Pythias se lected three nice, crated bicycles, and chewed their pneumatic tires off. He was Just making away with a cork handle when the brakeman spied him, and, throwing, off his coat, rushed at him. Damon came to the assistance of hts brother, and the brakeman was routed in one round. He rushed Tor Mr. Farnum, who came to the rescue, but too late to save the brakeman's co.it. which had followed the check straps, the pneumatic tires and the cork bicycle handles into the cavernous depths of the voracious beasts. The conductor came, mutual recriminations followed: blame for the affair was tossed back and forth, but the brakeman, being muscular, Mr. Far num agreed to pay him for the loss or his coat, the conductor reimbursed the bicycle company for the damage to the wheels, the baggage man was discharged for not know ing the destinations of the checklcss trunks, and, while Miss Blair wept for the Joss of her pets, a celebrated taxidermist was mounting them for the Boston Zoological Society as interesting specimens of vulpes prairiensis or words to tlmt effect.'' Mr. Louis F. Nethersolc, brother of the actress, Olga, of the name, accompanies his sister during her present tour of this country, as, indeed, he hns during all of her American tours. A very wide acquaint ance in this country has Nethur,sole, and in the various big newspaper offices of the different cities lie is credited with being a good dealota humorist; at any rate, he ap preciates an American Joke, j-nrt this is more than can be saidotmanyof hiscountry men. Nethersolc is over six feet tall, and massively built; consequently he forms a striking contrast to his sister, who is rather petite. The perversity of human nature, is per haps In no way better exemplified than In the misdirected ambitions of actors. It Is seldom that a man is found who is con tented with lu3 lot in life or satisfied with the particular calling that he Is compelled to follow! Perhaps it is well that this is so, for contentment Is always the enemy of progress. Ask your barber how lie likes his trade, and he will tell you that he ought to have been a physician The peaceful dry goods clerk feels that he should have been a soldier bold, and the daring sea captain fancies he would have been happy as a tiller of the soil. The ordinary man, however, jogs along- In the rut In which circumstances have thrown him, and la s.itibned -with boring his friends and fam ily with occasional recitals of what he ought to have been. In the dramatic profession instances are numerousof men and women who feel that they are called to accomplish a different class of work from that in which they made their reputation, and with great per sistency and often at great financial loss they seek to force themselves Into parts for which they are totally unfitted and in which they are seldom accepted. It is a matter of history that In hi3 early clays Edwin Booth wished to be come a comedian, and it is said that his highest ambition at one time v.as to be . the "bones"' in a minstrel organization. But that Dooth's inclination to assume comedyparts was pronr.)Sidbylhe capacity for so doing must be admitted by all who have seea his Petruchio or his Benedict. The long struggle of poor Ge,-rrge H. Knight to rise above the rubbish of -Over the Garden Wall" and obtain recognition for his "Baron Kudurph" will be rectU.-cted, aud his final poverty, insanity ami death arc sadly remembered by his nany friends. Beaumont Smith, a steriiug actor, who was long associated with Booth, Darrett, Mine. Modjeska and other prominent legiti mate stars, always had a hankering after a position in comic opsra. He obtained one after awhile, and it cannot be sard he was a success in It. During- his engage ment with Lawrence Barrett In New York Mr. Smith played a small ,Mrt in which he did not appear until the I wt act. His idle time in the early part of lw evening wasusuallysperrtatanother theater, where Francis Wilson was winning f.irae and for tune with his comic opera, ' The Merry Monarch." One evening Smith r old Wil son that he would like to get ut of the legitimate and go into comic opera or bur lesque. Wilson answered: "My boy, if I could change places with you, I would gladly do it. I would give "The Merry Monarch" and all I have made out of it for a part in a Shakes pearean play and a salary of $50 per week." Louise Montague, the $10,000 beauty, renounced burlesque forever two yearsago, and is now studying preparatory to ap pearing in such characters as Julia, Par thenia and the like. Charles nopper spent the first j-ears of his stage life playing Shakespearean parts; then he drifted into minstrelsy, and subsequently starred in a lurid melodrama called, "The Wolves of New York." Then he became a come dian in comic opera, and played the Duke of Milan in the Marie Tempest production of "The Fencing Master." Again he was seen as a ballad singer in the Rich & Harris production or "Africa.'- In all of these he was fairly good, but his ambi tion all the time was to be an Irish come dian of the Scanlan type. He bought a play last year called "The Vale of Avoca," and went out in it on a starring tour. He lost a lot of money, and came home dis gusted. It was then that Augustus Thom as suggested that he was cut out for such a part as "Chimirue Fadden." Hop per didu't see It at first, but after study ing the character he concluded that he could give a good performance of t. The result has been that he has made the hit of his life, and is steadily accumulating a very healthy bank account. S. Goodfriend is spending a goodly por tion of the spring in Washington. Itisnot often that a press representative is vouch safed the distinguished pleasure of remain ing three weeks or four in the Capital. Mr. Goodfriend came first to look alter "Spiritisme;' he remained to present Iljenry Miller in "Heart3ea-e'properly be fore the public, and he returned last week to advise the theatergoer that Olga Nether solc is about to arrive. How valuable a man Mr. Goodfriend is in heralding an at traction may be seen In his conscientious and creditable work for these attractions. The Actors' Society is going to wage war against Sunday performances In Cincin nati. It seems that a very inequitable state of afralrs exists in the Queen ( ity It is against the law to give Sunday per formances, but no arrests are made until after the performance, and then theactors, and not the managers, are arrested, jailed and fined. The Actors' Society has re ceived evidence sufficient to warrant a vigorous campaign against thlslnexcusable form of persecution, the victims of which In many cases are threatened with dis charge if they refuse to playon Sunday and subjected to arrest and Indignity wten they' comply. Those whosaw JohnDrew,MaudcAdams and Ethel Barrymore In "Rosemary'' will appreciate the just and pretty tribute in these lines, written by Harry Mills: No wonder dear Dorothy kindled a fire Inthclonelyoldheartofthebachelorsquire; But how In the world could he live and die Bingle With a girl like delicious Priscilia atlcgle? NEW PLAYS THIS WEEK. Sousa's Band will bo heard for the last time this season at the Lafayette tonight. Those who remember John Philip Sousa as the leader of the Marine Band are not surprised at his great popularity In the larger field of operation, which the en tire country has opened for him. Sousa's Band is more widely known than any similar organization in the world, while the musical compositions which bear Sousa's name are heard in every portion of the country. One would almost wish that "King Cotton," "El Capitan," "Manhat tan Beach," "High School Cadets," and "Liberty Bell" marches had never been written, so constantly are they dinned into tho ears from even variety of instru ments by every species of players. Bnt rendered well, there is such an irresistible charm about them that it is not difficult to understand how they have been so greedily seized npon. He always plays some of his own compositions at his con certs. "Chimmle Fadden," the popular bcok creation of Edward Townsend, play crea tion ot Gus Thomas and acting creation of Charles Hopper, will play a return week at the National, beginning tomorrow night. Since it was seen here early in the season, too early, in fact, for the summer sojourn ers to enjoy it, the entire production has been to California, where, in spite of the Eastern humor of the piece, it made a successful financial, as well as popular, hit. Mr. Hopper will be seen in his origi nal character of the Bowery boy this week, singing his songs and giving forth the wonders of Bowery slang. Marie Bates remains one of the prime Joys of the play in her wonderful characterization of Mrs. Murphy, the bibulous old hag. Beth Frank lyn, George N'nsh and all the other origi nals of the New YoTk east will be here to gether with the special scenery requi.-ed. The second advent of "The Prisoner of Zenda" rn Washington will occur tomor row night at the Columbia Theater, and then the admirers ot Hope's charming romance will have an opportunity to Judge for themselves as to whether the produc tion as now given contains as much sub ' tlety as that of last year or not. The claim is made that it possesses more, and that the performance is more satisfying. An adequate presentationjot this remarka ble play, which is promised by Daniel Froh man, should furnish enjoyment to large and enthusiastic audiences during the week at the Columbia. The cast Includes Isabel Irving, Howard Gould, Maude Odell, Walter S Hale, Arthur Elliot, Eobert P. McCIannin, Vaughan Glaser, John Find lay, Mervyn Dallas, R. J. Dustan, Benja min Monteith, Grace Eeals and others of the original Lyceum: Company. So great is the demand for Olga Neth ersole's "Carmen" that she will present it at every performance of this week at the Larayette. except Friday and Satur day nights. On Friday night her excep tional production of "Camille" will ba given for the only time, and on Saturday evening a special rareweU bill will begiven ot exceeding interest. For the first tima since she has been in this country she ii surrounded by a company of actors, whor with two or three exceptions, are Ameri cans, and it is declared to he the best com pany she has yet had, The leading man is Nathaniel Hartwig, who was lastseason with Marie Wainwright. Hartwig be longs to the younger school of leading men, and was educated in the schools and col leges of New York. city. While it is true that his future is still before trim, lie Jias given sufficient promise to warrant the Messrs. Frohman in placing him in his present responsible position. Others in the company who are well known are Annie . Clarke, so lung identified with the famous Boston Museum Stock Company; Miss Hen rietta Watson, FrankLander, Bruce McRae, John Blair, Robert Pateman, for years Identified with Edwin Booth's productions; Miss Alexes Leighton and. Miss Yiolec Black. Everybody's favorite comedy, "A Texas Steer," romes to the Academy this week. "A Texas Steer" is a satire on the politi cal method by which statesmen are made and patronage distributed in this country. Maverick Brnnder, a hard-headed, keen witted, Texas cattle-raiser, is, against his will, at the instance of his wife and daugh ter, made a candidate for Congress. These ambitious aud enterprising ladies se cure the "pull" in" the district of thrco Texaa politicians, and they, by the liberal use of thecontentsot theotd mans"bar'l" (unknown to ldm) among the colored voters, and by the promise of an office to tho leading colored politician, in spite of his protest, secure his election to Congress. The scene changes to Washington, where the adventures or this Texan family in be coming initiated into the ways of society at the capital, and Brander's introduction into the mysteries of thelifeof a Congress man in Washington, furnishes three acts of one of the most laughable comedlea of the present generation. The company is headed by William C. MandeviUe, Barry Maxwell, and the original cast. Flora Staniford is a young star who has not yet been seen on Washington stages. She makes her local debut tomorrow night at the Bijou Family Theater in a playv"A Soldier's Sweetheart," in which she has tliroughout tm: South appeared for some time. The play is quite as much a novelty to Washington as the star, and the pleas ant entertanrment promised by the piece, the star and the supporting company will have the flavor of novelty to those who see her this week. In addition to tire evening performances. Miss Staniford will present "A Soldier's Sweetheart" at four matinees during the week. In addition to the dramatic action of the piece and the comedj element occasion is taken to In troduce some specialties- Sir Charles Young's funny English so ciety drama, "Jim, the Penman." will be seen at tire Grarrd Opera House this wek. It is essentially an EngBsh production tn every particular In the first place, every scene Is laid In England, every character in English, consisting or representations of both branches of the House of Parlia ment, financiers, professional and busi ness men ; and lastly, because i t was thought out and rounded into a tangible form by one of the brightest of England's drama tists and political leaders, Sir Charles Young, Bart. The play was first pre sented, in London at the Hayrnarket Square Theater, where it ran for 80O nights, aud latterly brought to America and pro duced by Mr A. M. Palmer, at the Madi son Square Theater, where another phe nomenal run was. had ot nearly two sea sons. The play hns been sent upon the road this season with a remarkably strong cast, stamped with Mr Palmer's approval, and has been received everywhere Ilka an old friend. The Rentz-Santley Burlesque Company will appear at the Lyceum this week, with everything new and up to date. "Paris and Its Pleasure" will open the program, till the members ot the company partici pating. Some of thelatcst songs and dances will be introduced we are told, aud the fun making of the comedians is declared to be most enjoyable. The finale require the services of a brass band. The concluding burletta will beGay Life in New York," giving an amusing depiction of the famous PJaICo or- the metropolis, the typtrs intr duccd being not dissimilar to tho'se mude diverting tit the last New York Casino re view. Another sketch will take off the Seeley dinner, introducing a team of frn-dt-siecle dancers In the persons of Tyrene and Evaline, who are described as thor oughly conversant with the tastes of tho public The olio will have Dawley and Waldron, in some entertaining- character work; the Sisters JEngstrom, in popular songs and dances; Fisher and Crowell, knockabout comedians; Joseph J. Sullivan, the Irish -wit; the Elinore Sisters, in symo taking work alorrg eccentric lines, and Curtis and Gordon, in an athletic exhibi tion, during which Mrss Curtis will intro duce a great display of bag-punching. The Biograph at Wiilard Hall continues to rncrease In popularity, as the audiences of the last i eek testify. Many new view3 have been added to the collection, until now over forty of the finest ever shown are on exhibition.. The management has re ceived numerous letters from peoplo who state that they flud it impossible to attend the daily performance, and, in couseuuence of this, it has been decided to give a special exhibition on Sunday evenings at 8-15. Among the new views added is the full-dress parade of the Thirteenth Infantry, in which the entire regiment and band are shown marchingon the drill grounds. The Niagara Falls series of views have attracted general attention, not only because of their beauty, hut on account of the educational feature. Another scene of equal merit is that' de picting the Yale foothail team at pincllec. Several humorous views have also been added, and these are found equally inter esting by both old and young. Of course, the more popular pictures ot the former series have been retained, Including tho famorrs Empire State express. Perform ances daily at 2 no, 4:30 and S:15 p. m- The Thursday matinee by the Castle Square Opera Company was the best possi ble advertisement it could have had. Tor now every one is talking of it and antici pating the opening of the regular summer season on the 19th, one week from to morrowon Easter Monday.- It wilt open with a holiday matinee, at wlich Strauss' "Gypsy Baron" will be given, and this opera will be repeated all or tho lirst week. The company will be identical with tho one which appeared at the Lafayette lat Thursday. The sale for the first week of the season begins at the box office of the Lafayette this week. The night prices are 75, 50 and 25 cents, and at the mati nees 50 cents will buy the best reserved seat. Box seats are no higher. Home Training. 'To whntdo you ascribe your remarkable walking ability? asked the reporter. ; "Twins," laconically replied the profes sional pedestrian. -Cleveland Plain Dealer. ,