The San Francisco call. [volume], October 20, 1907, Page 26, Image 26

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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26
ELFIE FAY ADORES THE NAVY.
James Crawford
rf"^ XCUSE my kimono," said
H Miss Fay, "and you must
I j cut it short."
'^"^ "Your kimono?" I faltered.
"Xo; your visit — pardon my back,
won't you?" she replied, turning to a
wall mirror and resuming the task
which my entrance to her dressing
room had interrupted.
•But why this hurry?" I inquired.
"The navy has detained me— why
don't you and Mr. Picture Drawer
sit on the trunk?" she answered, has
tily penciling an eyebrow.
"The navy?" I fumbled, squatting as
vhe had suggested.
"Those were my very words. Don't
you know that in New York the news
papers call me the pride of the
navy?' "
"Pretty title."
*Do you think so? To me it sounds
too much like plug tobacco. But the
papers mean well."
-How came they to bestow the so
hriquet?" •-'_ J-- .
"They found out that I just dote
on everything and everybody con
nected with naval life. It's my only
incurable weakness. Say 'navy* to
me and I'm instantly insane. Since my
arrival here I have spent more time
aboard ship than in the Orpheum —
and don't forget that I'm booked for
two shows a day." m \u25a0\u25a0 ~
"How can you manage to do it?"
Strenuous, but Pleasant
"Rapid transit — gas buggies — steam
launches. After the matinee yester
day I was whisked down to the bay
and aboard the Maryland, where I
dined with some officers and then
rushed back here just in time to get on
my face paint for the night per
formance. I'm engaged to drink tea
this afternoon with the same jolly
crowd on the same gall-yant craft/"*lt
means strenuosity, but I can't resist"
"Are you infatuated by the navy
as an institution or by any individual
attached to it?"
"I adore the whole shooting match
— officers, jackies, engineers, firemen.
Talking about shooting matches re
minds me that I know more about
machine guns than curling tongs and
care less for grease paint than for
tar."
"Then you are not wedded to your
art?"
"I love me art, but, alas, I can not
be its and its alone while the navy
exists. My affection is divided, with
the navy first choice. Don't you think
it was real courteous of Secretary
Whatsisname to order the Maryland
to remain here and entertain Elfie in
stead of going out for gun practice
with the other cruisers?"
"Sailors are proverbially gallant to
women."
A Suggestion in Flowers
"You've said it. It would take weeks
of rapid fire talking by yours truly to
tell of all the compliments the navy
has extended to her. Not only invi
tations to eat, but souvenirs and keep
sakes — I have enough gold lettered cap
ribbons to stock a millinery store —
and fiow-cr-al tokens. Last time I
was in Norfolk, Va., the boys of the
navy yard sent me a beautiful design
ia flowers. What do you think it
was?"
"An anchor of roses?"
"No; a cross of immortelles, with
'Peace,' in violets, on the crossbar. I
have often wondered what the boys
meant by that. But bless them one
and all, say I. Heigho!"
She commanded her colored maid,
Lena, to open the dressing room door
so that she could hear the stage per
formance progress and thus regulate
her own speed in "making up."
"'The Vassar Girls' are on," Lena
reported. -}\u25a0/, :'~' f
"That means skidoo for you in a
few minutes," said her mistress to
ir.e, "for I go on soon after the vase
line — I mean the Vassar — girls come
off. So you'd better rush your ques
tions and expect short answers."
"Why did you sigh, 'Heigho,' just
now?" I asked.
Appreciates Her Buxomness
"Expression of regret that women
arc not allowed to go to sea in war
ships. I yearn for a life on the ocean
deep aboard one of our Uncle Samuel's
floating fortresses. Jf there is truth
in the theory that after death we re
turn to this world in the form of in
ferior animals, I hope that I'll come
back as a pig. Then I'd stand some
chance of being adopted for a mano'
war mascot. But let's talk about
something less pathetic. How do I
look?"
"Considerably stouter than when
you were here a few years ago."
."I said 'something less pathetic' If
you think I enjoy being reminded of
my ong-bong-pong you're awfully in
error. But so long as you've started
the unpleasant subject, let it go on to
the bitter finish. No longer am J an
airy,, fairy Lillian. If my weight
keeps on increasing as it has done
during the last year I'll soon be a
crowd. I'm the lady who rose and
gave her seat to three old men in an
overloaded streetcar. Won't you al
low that artless confession to dispose
of my figure as our topic of prattle?,
Or have you* some more cheerful ques-J
tions to ask me concerning it? Go
on. I'm strong. I'll be brave."
"What have you been doing since
we last conversed?"
Learned to Star and Starve
"Adoring the navy, of course. In
cidentally I spent six months in Lon
don, where the critics said I was the
only legitimate successor of Nellie
Farren, deceased, whom I had never |
seen. Then my song, 'The Belle of .
Avenue A,' was built into a musical
comedy and I starved — I mean starred
— in it a whole season and learned all '
about how an actress can earn noth- j
ing but nice press notices while imag- 1
ining she's making money. After dis
covering how one can i play to full
houses every night and live economic
ally and get into debt I returned to
vowdeville and like it better than ever,
though the starring bee does occasion
ally enter my bonnet and buzz me into
foolish yearnings."
"Musical comedy," I sententiously
observed, "seems to be losing popu
larity."
"My ambition," she said with seem
ing seriousness, "goes higher than
musical comedy. I want to play —
you'd better hold him, Lena, or he'll
fall off the trunk — I want to play
Camille."
When replaced upon the trunk and
released by Lena I informed Miss
Fay that the shock was over and she
could proceed with impunity.
"And for Armand," she glowed, "I
would engage a leading man with a
Tennessee dialect. Wouldn't it be
just lovely to hear him, when he is
real mad at me, drawl, "Ca-me-ill,
ah'll ha-ave to gi-ive yo' u-up?'"
, She didn't smile, and appeared to be
surprised by my chuckle.
"But," I ventured, "to look the part
of Dumas' tubercular heroine an
actress must be "
More Than One Fat Camille
"Well, I'm not the only buxom
lass in the- business," she put in,
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, ; 1907.
and then murmured, "Olga Nether
sole, please write; regards to Florence
Roberts." rp>,
"It's mos' time t' git intah yo' stage
dress, Mis' Elfie," Lena hinted, ar
ranging the garment she mentioned.
"Sorry you're going," said Miss
Elfie, as I rose from the trunk, "be
cause I've enjoyed our conversation
very much, especially your allusions
to my figure— by the by, did I catch
your name .right? What did you say
it is — Mr. Killjoy?"
I coldly set her right
"Well, drop in again some after
noon when the navy hasn't first call
on my spare time. I'll have lots to
tell you, and I'll love to tell it, be
cause you're such a good listener and
don't want to know how often, if ever,
I have been married, arid whether
grease paint doesn't hurt my com
plexion, and*if I wouldn't advise young
girls to stay away from the stage, and
if " \u25a0 ... .:\u25a0\u25a0 . : .
"Miss Elfie, yo' haven't mo'n a
minute t* git intah dis yah gown,"
Lena almost groaned.
"And if you shouldn't find it con
venient to play second fiddle to the
navy," Miss Elfie said, .when the half
closed door was between us, "console
yourself with the) thought that I'm
coming back here from Los Angeles
to await the arrival of the battleship
fleet and that— -"
Her shoulders were clutched by
dusky, muscularhands. She vanished.
Somebody kicked the door shut. .
Western Drama at Van Ness
- William Faversham, . known , for
years as one of the best actors? ln the
famous Empire theater r stock ;..-. com
pany. Is playing -the title) role in: "The
Squaw Man," a; drama depicting a
phase of Western \u25a0 life :In t the' early
eighties, and will; be seen at the' Van
Ness theater tomorrow -evening. <
The play was ; written '\u25a0 by:: Edwin ; Mil
ton Royle and \ the production . is . made
by Liebler & Co. .Its, inherent strength;
the novelty, of its story and situations,'
the wide range of character drawing
embodied in its action, the forceful
and finished acting: of Mrs. Faversham
and .the complete manner of its pro-
Auction united to give it an entire sea
son's run in New York city.
The story of the play, briefly told,
is that of a young Englishman, who,
to save the head of a noble family
from .punishment for embezzlement
and a woman he loves from 'disgrace,
takes the crime upon his own shoul
ders and comes to America, where he
becomes a cattle ranchman in a west
ern state. There he marries an In
dian girl who saved his life. Hence
the title of the play, for in the west
when a white man marries an Indian
woman he ' \u25a0 becomes a "squaw man."
The Indian wife eventually commits
suicide when her husband attempts to
take her son away from her and send
him back to England to be educated
for the title which he has himself in
herited, but which he renounces in
the child's favor." Freed by the death
of his wife, the Englishman determines
to return and claim the inheritance
for himself.
Liebler & Co. are accustomed to sur
round their stars with strong, com
panies and Mr. Faversham is no excep
tion to the rule. The cast of "The
Squaw Man" is an unusually capable
one, including more than 30 prominent
actors and actresses, among whom are
Wedgwood No well, Bertram A. Mar
burgh, Thomas Thome, Frank A. Lyon,
George Deyo, Emmett Shakelford,
Frank S. Bixby, Berton Churchill,
Charles Hill Mailes, Albert Cowels,
William Frederick, Margaret Bourne,
Maud Hosford. Kate Burlington, Kath
erlne Robertson, Virginia Kline and
little. Leonie Flugrath.
"In Old Kentucky" Returns
Probably the most successful Ameri
can play on the boards today is "In Old
Kentucky," which- will be seen again
at the Novelty theater this afternoon.
It has been presented for 15 years, sea
son; after: season," and' from Maine to
California it is known and appreciated
by all classes of play goers. Some there
may be who Lwonder - how - an - attrac
tion \as old as ; "In 1 0ld : Kentucky" can
still ' draw crowds to • see - t it wherever
it Is presented. This is simply due ! to
the 'fact; that, '-'-like- the "circus, It has
come ; to 'be: looked upon as an •estab
lished institution.
Who /that has seen "In; Old Ken
tucky*', will ieyer forget the colonel and
his valorous "love- \u25a0 affair with - Aunt
Lethe ; or ; faithful \u25a0: old Neb, the " colored
servant ;; of \u25a0-\u25a0\u25a0. young ; : Frank - Layson, the
hero; ; or% winsome ' Madge Brlerly, t the
breezy young s mountain ,'< lass V and the
bravest : little girl in^old .Kentucky?
The ,' company \u25a0 for. the season of ; 1907-8
includes , some ,of the favorite : players
who have been identified with the play
for years. Bery G. Clark ! and \u25a0 Charles
K. French play : their ' original roles of
the colonel and Uncle Neb. Miss Mary ;
Stockton will be seen for the first time
in the role of Madge, and others in
the cast are J. J. Sullivan, A. H. Wilson.
Calvin Tibbets, Miss Katherine Raye
and Miss Margaret Lee. A new. scenic
production has been got up for this
season's tour.
* • •
Week of Comedy at Alcazar
Leo Ditrichstein's latest New York
comedy success, "Before and After,"
will be the attraction this week at the
Alcazar theater. The play has never
been produced in this city.
"Before and After" deals with the
adventures of a physician with an in
ventive turn of mind. He is Dr. Latham
and he manufactures a magic powder
which possesses the power of changing
completely the character of a person
to whom it is administered. Its chief
merits are the making of the patient
to see all the world in a rosy light and
develop an ardent desire to make love
to all persons of the opposite sex. Dr.
Latham carries his invention to Dr.
Page, .a surly old practitioner, whose
patients, as well as his family, always
remark about his abruptness. Dr.
Latham slips a dose of his magic pow
der into Dr. Page's drink, and the
transformation is complete. Then fol
lows a series of complications well
nigh unexplainable, for Dr. Latham
administers the powder to many of Dr.
Page's patients, as well as the doctor's
own wife. The denouement comes at
Saratoga, where Dr. Latham confesses
to having been the cause of all the
trouble which makes the farce the most
laughable of comedies.
Stage Director Butler has drafted an
exceptionally strong cast from the Al
cazar forces.
• \u25a0:^-« :; "'-:*
Musical Play at American
Ben M. Jerome, who has had consid
erable success with his musical com
edies, will personally conduct the or
chestra at the American theater this
week, when "The Yankee Regent," his
most profitable production, is given Its
initial presentation to a San Francisco
audience.
"The Yankee Regent" was originally
produced in Chicago, where it had a
run of 22 weeks. It is said to be mor©
on the order of a light opera than. a
musical comedy. The locale is in Ger
many, but the comedians are not called
upon to butcher the English language
to dialect distortions in order to create
mirth. The comedy Is said to be clean
and spontaneous and the plot consist
ent, revealing a Yankee politician and
embryo poet in Germany, where he is
subsequently made regent of the prin
cipality, owing to the discovery that
he is the thirty-second cousin of the
late ruler. «
The chief laugh producer Is Toby
Lyons, who is assisted by John Collins
and Walter Smith, and the balance of
the cast includes Clara Berger, Thomas
Burton. Elsie Baird, J. Paul Call an.
Elsie Herbert and O. L. Jeancon. There
is a chorus of 50 beauties and a pony
ballet.
• "• .' ' •
Nice Topliner at Orpheum
The Orpheum's headllner this week la
the musical spectacle, "Ye Colonial
Septette" in "An Old Tyme Hallow
een." This little company is now. in
its third year of success and repetition
appears to increase its charm and pop
ularity. For the engagement In this
city new scenery and costumes have
been: provided and a number of musi
cal selections added "to the repertoire.
Cliff Berzac and his trained horses
will be one of the interesting Incidents
of the performance. An element of
comedy 4s Imparted by the introduction
of a mule named Mademoiselle Maud.
The Four Dainty Dancers, who re
cently were a sensation at the Hippo
drome, Paris, will appear for the first
time in this city. They excel In dance
and have the advantagC of being young
and attractive. Lillian Tyce. "the real
Irish girl," will be heard in the mel
odies and folk songs of her native land.
She Is credited with doing the fullest
justice to the delightful old Irish mel
odies.
This week is the last of Ladell and
Crouch, the Teddy Trio, Dixoa" and
Fields and of Elfle Fay.
Magnetic Bill at Princess
For the week beginning tomorrow,
which will be the last of vaudeville at
the Princess theater, a most attractive '
bill will be presented. It will Include
Mr. and Mrs. Esmond, who appear in "A
Soldier of Propville." Harrington and
Giles, who excel 4n song, dance and
repartee, and Gilllhan and Brocee, the
comedian and the dancing girl, will
make their first appearance. Other new
people will be the Burtinos, in their
wire act: Ola Hayden, the female bary
tone; the Sam Sidman company in the
musical travesty, "A Judge for a Day/"
which it is declared will prove a total
eclipse of all their previous efforts.
New Princess motion pictures will be a
feature of the entertainment.
Fiery Spectacle at Chutes
"Fighting the Flames, or The Fire
man's Christmas Eve." the first silent
fire story on record, whose sole purpose
Is to lead up to the actual incidents of
a real fire, will receive its first produc
tion at the Chutes theater this after
noon. It was built and Invented by
Claude L. Hagen, who also contrived
the effects for the chariot scene of "Ben
Hur," and was produced by him origin
ally at Euston Palace, London, in 1903
and subsequently at Proctor's Twenty
third street theater, New York city,
and at Coney Island, where it enjoyed
'extraordinarily long runs.
The curtain rises on a snow seen*
with the pedestrians hurrying to and
fro. Next Is beheld the interior of a
: two story house and a fireman singing
a Christmas hymn, accompanied on the
organ by his wife. As it is time for him
to report for duty the scene changes
and discovers the Interior of the en
gine house, with the firemen polishing:
the harness and singing as they work.
"When they retire to their bunks the
scene again shifts to the home of the
fireman, and his wife Is seen lighting
the candles on a Christmas tree. It
catches fire and she gives the alarm.
Again the engine house. The men fly
down the pole 3, the horses run to their
places and are being hitched when they
are hidden from view. Then comes the
grand climax.
When the drop is raised the engine Is
running at full speed through the
street drawn by two fine horses gat
loping on a treadle like the one used in
"Ben Hur." The fire laddies arrive at
the fireman's house and begin work
with axes and the foreman dashes in
through the flames and rescues his
child. His wife jumps from the second
story window and is caught in a net
held by the firemen. The curtain falls
on a very effective group showing the
puffing engine, the panting horses, the
little family, a big St. Bernard dog and
a large crowd of sight seers.
A pleasing feature of the perform
ance will be the Columbia quartet, who
have been brought from the east espe
cially for this production. Performances
of "Fighting the Flames" will be given
every afternoon and evening.
Fine Melodrama at Central
The most elaborate melodrama 3lr.
Howell ha 3 staged yet will be present
ed at the Central theater tomorrow
evening. "Tracked Around the 'World."
the story of the theft of half a million
dollars' worth of diamonds, carries the
audience to every quarter of the globe
until the thief is finally located In New
York.
There are 50 people In the cast. Mag
nificent stage settings are entirely
new and there is gorgeous costuming
of every variety, from the Chinese
garb in the San Francisco gambling
den to the beautiful spangled silk net
gown, imported from Paris, worn by
Miss Selbie In the "Palace of Folly"
scene. The play la brimful of special
ties, and some of the old favorites and
several new leading people sing and
dance, together with a specially en
gaged beauty chorus. Kernan Cripps
will play the lead and T. N. Heffrtn is
the villain. True Boardman, who will
sing a tenor solo, and Gus Mortimer
have comedy parts..
• « •
Promised by Press Agents
The opening of the comic opera sea
son ,at the Princess theater will take
place Monday night, October 23, and
the initial bill wUI be "The Mocking
Bird." with Cecelia Rhoda, Zoe Barnatt,
Lucille Saunders. Grace Marvin. Edna
Malsonave. Estelle York, Fernanda St.
Continued on Pa«e 2Z