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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 19, 1901)
THE OMAHA DALLY BE 32: Sl'yiUY, MAY in, 11)01 LIFE PUT INTO MINOR ROLES , OIiT Morrii' RtcolUotlom of Hr Stage Tria18 and Triumph". DEMONSTRATES THAT CRITICS DO ERR IntereM Inc Story of llinr She Finn lulieil nil A Melon t Ilmtlr nml I'IuiIimI Mnnnncr Dili) Sou venir of tin; l'lny. (Copyright. 1301, by 8. 8. McCluro Co.) My first thought on awaking next morn ing was one of dismay on recalling tho de struction of the llttlo "1. it. C," that be ing the actors' contraction ot Mr. Daly's given to ruining playt. The part, does not amount to much (good heavens!) and I ad-1 mlt It does not suit you, but think of my 1 position, give me the benefit of your namo a Allxe for one single week and on the t second Monday night Miss Jewett shall take the part off your hands." "Ilut," I whimpered, "the critics will i mako me the butt of their ridicule, for 1 j can't make myself look like an Allxe!" "Oh, no, they won't," ho answered sharply; "of coure you won't expect a sue- j cess, but you need fear no Jibes for trying j to help me out of n dramatic hole. v. Ill you help mo?" and of courso there was nothing to do but swallow hard and bold out my hand for the unwelcome part. A DoJl tlnliy Cnrf. Imagine my surprise when on ray wayi to rehearsal I saw posters up announcing the production of the play of "Allxe." 1 I met Mr. Daly at the door and said; "Why loudly. He dashed Into rair "pen room, caught the big bustle up and, dragging It like a great cage behind htm, came plung ing down the entrance to me, crying, "Wait! Walt!" nnd waving the other band commandlngly abovo his head. I heard my music. 1 sprang to the plat form I had to enter from. "That's me!" t cried "Watt!" he ordered, and reached out to catch me. I evaded his grasp and skipped through the door, leaving but a fold of my skirt In his hand. 1 was on th stage, and, Joy, oh, Joy! I was without a bustle! Mr. Daly did not like being laughed at, but when he glanced down and saw the thing ho was dragging behind him, after ih. tnnnni.r nf n hnbv's tin wagon, ho had to laugh at himself. And verily there wcro others who laughed with him, while the scandallted dresser carried the rejected article back to a decent seclusion. There Is no manager, star nor agent SARA JEWETT. JOHN BROUGHAN. omewhat grandiloquent "Parlor Homo of this play was alwuys called "The Countess Comedy." My grief over the burning of de Somerive?" tho pretty toy theater was very real, and I would havo been an astonished young woman had anyone prophesied that for me personally tho disaster was to provo a piece of unqualified good luck. Now, at that time, to my own great anx iety, I was by way of standing on very dangerous ground. Tho public had favored we almost extravagantly from the very first performance of "Anne Sylvester," but the critics, at least the two most Important ones, seemed to pratso me with a certain unwilling drag of the pen. Nearly nil their kind words had tho Bweetncss squeezed out of them between "huts" and "Ifs," and, most wounding of nil, my actual work was "Yes," ho said: "I know, but Allxe looks well It's odd and pretty and, well, It will lend n little Importance to the part." Which shows how heavy were tho scales upon our eyes, while we wero rehearsing the new play. Everyone sympathized with me, but said n week would soon pass, and I groaned and ordered hcellcss slippers and flaxen hair, parted simply and waved back from the temples to fall loosely on the shoulders. To avokl the height that heels and the fash ionable chignon would glvo me while u thin white nun's veiling gown, high necked and long sleoved over a low cut white silk lining, buttoned at the back, and finished less often criticised than were my personal t?0! "J"! TJlt Thcro lk nothing more fatal to the artistic nluo to the future welfare of a young player, than to bo knowu as a "one-part actress" yet tlut was the very danger that was threatening me at tho time of tho burn ing of tho homo theater. Following other parts known as "strong," Jezebel, the half- breed East Indian, a velvet-footed treachery and twice would-be murderess; and Cora the Quadroon mad-woman, were in a fair way to injure mo greatly. Already one pa per had said: "Miss Morris has a strange lntultlvo comprehension of these creatures of mixed blood.' Ilut worso than that, the most powerful of the two critics I dreaded had said ono morning: "MIbb Morris played with care nd much feeling, the audience wept copl ously (to any ono who has long read the great critic, that word 'copious' Is tanta mount to his full slgnnturc, so persistently does he use it), but her performanco was flecked with those tigerish gleams that seem to bo a part of her method. Sho will probably find difficulty In equaling in any other line her success in Cora." A Cruolnl Tout. Then one bitter cold day Mr. Daly, send Ing for me, said: "He must aak a favor of me," a form of speech that literally made me sit up straight yes, and gasp, too, with astonishment. With a regardful sigh he went on: "I tupposo you know you aro a strong attraction?" "Ah!" ho cried; "you don't guess well, Miss Morris but you'vuthe heart of a good comrade, and now I'm auro you will do as I ask you and play Allxo for me?" I sprang to my feet with a bound "Allxe!" I cried; "I to play that chlld eh, impossible! No, no! I should bo ab urd. I I know too much oh, you under stand what I mean! She Is a little convent bred bit ot Innocence, n verltablo baby of sixteen! Dear Mr. Daly, don't you Bee, I should ruin tho play? Ho answered rathercoldly, "You are not Fixed for Your Guidance when ordering Beer for family and table purposes It's tho star that leads to beer perfection. 3 Watch for the trade-mnrk on all packages. Having once tried these beers the Importance of taking this precaution will be appreciated. BLITZ MALT-VIVINE (Non-Intoxicant) SPRING TONIC. Druggists or Direct. VALBLATZ BREWING CO.. MILWAUKEE OMAHA UHAKCil, 1413 Doailu St, Tel. 1081. mpleted the slmpl for tho character I was beginning to un derstand, as I studied her and shame facedly to love! Oh, yes; one often feels dislike or liking for tho creature one Is trying to represent. I recalled the best Ophelia I had ever seen, n German actress, would sho do for a model? Perhaps, no! She was mystic, strange aloof! Oh, dear; and then by merest accident my mind wandered away to the past. I had said to myself It should not bo so hard. Every woman has been Innocent I was Innocent enough when my first sweetheart paused nt my side to say to me tho foolish old words, that never loso sweetness and novelty. I recalled with what open plcasuro I had listened, with what honest satisfaction I accepted Uls at tentions. With a laugh I exclaimed: "I didn't even have sense enough to hide my gratification and pride or to pretend the least bit." I stopped suddenly; light scorned to come into my mind, innocence is uwko tho world over, I thought; it only differs in degree! I sprang to my feet; I cried Joy ously: "I have caught tho cue. I won't act at all! I'll Just speak tho lines sin cerely and simply and leavo the effect to Providence!" The IIuhMo Rplsoilr. The great night came. Another small auditorium awaited the coming of our natrons. There was a smell of scarce dried paint In front of tho curtain and, of scrubbing soap behind it, but all wni bright nnd fresh and tho house was soon packed with a brilliant audience. i Every Important occasion seems to navo Its touch of the rldlculods, and so had this ono. Tho "bustle," the big wire affair, ex tending to tho bottom of tho skirt, had reached Its hideous apogee of fashion at that time; yet what possible relation could there bo between that teetering monstrosity and grace or sentiment or tragedy? Surely I thought this girl pupil, brougnt straignt fiom convent school to country home, might reasonably be bustleleBs; and I should iook so much smaller so much more gracoful. Dut, Mr. Daly? Never-never! Would he consent to such a breach of propriety? Fashion his soul lovcd! He poured over her plates ho bowed to 'her mandates! My courage having, failed me, when 1 hurried to my room, I put on the obnoxious structure. Ilut on? glimpse of that camel like hump on the back of "Allxe," and tho thought of the fall in the chair mado mo desperate. 1 tore the mass of wlro otf and decided to keep out of sight till the last moment and then mako a rush for tho stage. "Ready, Miss Morris?" "Ready!" I answered as tho question was asked from door to door. In a fow moments the call-boy caino back again. "Aro you ready? Every one Is out there but you." "Ob, yes," I said, showing myself to hlrc, but still not leaving the rLeltcr of my room, and I heard him sav'Ag: "Yes, sir, rIio's all ready. I saw her " The curtain rose. Only a few lines w;rc spoken Wfore my entrance. I dared wilt no longer. Heavens, no, tor there was Mr. Daly coming for me. 1 gathered up my sklcts as bunehlly as I could and ran out. nut 1 oould not decolvo Mr. Daly. In an Instant he missed thu orcessary camel's bump. "Good riavens and urlh!" he shouted. "You've left your bus'le!" X Moh'. UW 1 "iVjlU" it r.-lJ I whose oxperlencc will enable them to fore see tho fate awaiting an untried play. A very curious thing is that what Is called 'an actor's play" ono, that Is, that actors praise, and enjoy In the rehearsing Is al most always a failure, while tho mana gerial Judgment has been reversed so often by the public that even tho most enthusi astic producer ot new plays Is apt "to hedge" a bit with: "Unless I deceive my self, this will prove to bo the greatest play," while the mistakes made by actors and managers both, ancnt the value ot cer tain parts, are illustrated sufficiently by E. H. Sothern, C. W. Couldock, Joseph Jeffer son, all three of whom made immenso hits In parts they had absolutely refused to ac cept, yielding only from necessity or oblig ingness, and to their own astonishment finding fame in presenting the unwelcome characters. And to the misjudged "Lord Dundreary," "Asa Trenchard," etc., that night was added tho name ot "Allxe." And tho audience accepted the Joyous lit tle maid almost from the first girlish, love- betraying words sho spoko. And yet so sensitive Is an audience at times, while still laughing over her sweet ignorance, they thrilled with a nameless dread of coming ovll. As the play went on and tho Impetuous grief' ot tho child changed Into proud self restraint, while her" agonizing Jealousy ot her adored mother developed, Mr. Daly, with wide, bright eyes, exclaimed: "I must havo been blind stone blind. Why, 'Allxe' is the bone nnd marrow, tho heart and soul ot this p!ay." Poor, loving, little base-born! pathetic llttlo marplot! Seeing herself as only a stumbling block to others, she sought self- effacement beneath tho gentle waters of tho lily pond. And early in that last net. as her drowned body, carried In tho arms of tho two men who had loved her, was laid before tho startling eyes of a guilty mother, and the loving, forgiving, pleading letter of tho suicldo was read above her, actual sobs roso from the front ot the house. It was a heart-breaking scene, but when the curtain fell oh, what a very whirlwind broko looso In that llttlo theater! The cur tain went up and down up and down. And then, to ray amazement, Mr. Daly signaled for mo to go beforo the curtain, and I could not .move. Ho stamped his foot and chouted: "Come over here and take this call!" and 1 called back: "I can't. I'm all pinned up, so I can't walk." For, that my skirts might not fall away from my ankles when I was bolng carried across the stage, I had stood upon a chair and had my garments tightly wound about mo and securely fastened, and, un fortunately, the pins wero behind nnd I was all trussed up, nice and tight and help less, Mr. Daly cameitenrlng over to me, and down he went upon his knee to try to freo me, but n muttered "d n!" told me ho could not find the pins, and the applause oh, tho precious applause! that was being wasted out there. Suddenly he roso. tossed that extraordinary hat of his off, picked me up In his nrras and carried mo like n big property doll to the curtain's side, signaled it up, nnd, with his arm about me, sup ported me on to tho stage. A Moment of Triumph. Ob, but I was proud to stond there with him, for In those days he would not mako tho simplest speech would not show him self even. Why, nt the banquet of his owu giving he hid behind a big floral piece and made Mr. Qakey Hall speak for him. And yet he had been pleased enough with my work to bring me there himself. I taw his hand upon my shoulder and -suddenly stooped my bead and kissed It in purest gratitude. Afterward, when I had been un pinned, as wo walked through tho entrance together, ho'enld. with a gleeful laugh: "This Is the third and tho greatest, but we sharo It." "The third what?" 1 asked. "Tho third surprise," ho answered. "First, you surprised the town In 'Man and Wife;' second, you surprise mo In L'Artl cle 47,' now Allxe, the greatest ot all Bur prises, you, as well as me." He stepped In front of me and asked: "What do you most wish for?" 1 (laid up &t klu. Jic added; "About it i rMTiTSMSrrTTsT MtaiTiiii iV ' --''i that b GMsriisg wanton. i m zip Mrs. Watson tells all suffering wo men how she was cured and advises them to follow her example. Here is her first letter to Mrs. Pinkham s (PUBLISHED BY PERMISSION.) " March 15, 1800. "To MRS. PINKHAM, Lynn, Mass.: "Dear Madam: I am suffering from inflammation of tho ovaries and womb, and havo been for eighteen months. I have a continual pain and soreness in my hack and side. I am only free from pain when lying down or sitting in an easy chair. When I stand I suffer with severe pain in my sido and back. I believo my troubles were caused by over-work and lifting some years ago. "Life is a drag to mo, and I sometimes feel like giving up ever being a well woman ; havo become careless nnd unconcerned about everything. I am in bed now. I have had several doctors, but they did me but little good. "Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound has been recommended to mo by a friend, and I have made up my mind to give it fair trial. " I write this letter with tho hope of hearing from you in regard to my case "Mrs. S. J. Watson, Hampton, Va. Mrs. Pinkham's advice was promptly received by Mrs. Watson and a few months later she writes as follows s (PDDLIBI1ED BY PERMISSION.) "November 27, 1890. "Dear Mrs. Pinkham: I feel it my duty to acknowledge to you tho benefit that Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Com pound has done for me. "I had. been suffering with female troubles for some time, could walk but a short distance, had terrible bearing down pains in lower part of my bowels, backache, and pain in ovary. I used your medicine for four months and was so much, better that I could walk three "Ties the distance that I could before. "I am to-day in better health than I have been for more than two years, and I know it is all due to Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound. "I recommend your advice and medicine to all women who suffer." Mrs. S. J. Watson, Hampton, Va. Mrs. Watson's letters prove that Mrs. Pink ham' frmm advloa la always forthcoming on request and that It Is a sura gulda to haalth. Thosa lattars ara but a drop In tha ocean of avldenoa proving that Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege table Compound OURES tha Ills of woman. No other medicine in the world has received such widespread and unqualified endorsement. No othor medicine has such a record of cures of female troubles or such hosts of grateful friends. Do not ba parauadad that any othor medicine la Just as good. Any dealer who suggests something else has no Interest In youroaso. He Is seeking a larger profit. Follow tho record of this medicine and remember that these thousands of cures of women whoso letters aro constantly printed in this paper were not brought about by "something else," but by Vegetable Compound $5000 REWARD Owinctothefictt t that some skeptical people litre from time to time questioned the genuineness of the testimonial letters we are constantly puoinn ng, hare deposited with the National City Dank, Lynn, Man., fj.ooo. which will will how that the above testimonial! ir : not genuine. were published before tiWnnluAiXini: LYDIA K. PINKHAM MRDICINK CO., Lynn. Mass. your home, say" And swiftly I mado answer: "A writing desk. Why?" He laughed a little nnd said: "Oood night, now. Oh, by tho way, there's a forfeit against you for not wearing your bustle tonight!" But I was not greatly alarmed or ex cited, not half so much ns I was next day about 1 o'clock, when some men drovo up and Insisted upon leaving in my room n handsome inlaid desk that was taller than I was. At first I protested, but a card saying that It was "A souvenir of Allxe, from my manager and frlond, A. Daly," changed my bearing to one of most un seemly pride, n the text '.en dajra I vro'.e I think, to every soul I knew, nnd kept up my diary with vicious exactitude for the pleasure of sitting before tho lovely dfsk that today stands in my "den" In tho nttlc, Its mirror door is dim and cloudy; its sky blue velvet writing leaf Is faded to a sil very gray, but, even bo, It still remains "a souvenir of Allxe," from A, Daly. C I.Alt A MORRIS. again that Chamborlaln's Cough Remedy cures colds and grip; that it counteracts any tendency ot these diseases to result in pnemonta, and that It is pleasant and safo to take. Tor salo by nil druggists. He Learned u Grout Truth. It Is said of John Wesley that be once said to MistresB Wesley. "Why do you tell that child the same thing over and ovor again? John Wesley, because once telling Is not enough." It Is for this eauio rcnton that ou are told again aud Ireei'it nml I'rnutlce, Chicago Post- "Wo nre slavec of custom," answered Mr. Dllgglns. "Wo tie ourselves down to tho tyranny nf tradition and mock tho very men who seek to free u from our shackles. Wo are too ready to fear what pcoplo think; too ready to speed a thoughtless gibe" Mr. Wiggins suddenly stopped and began laughing. "What's the mntter?" asked his wife. "Givo mo my hat, quick. There goes Tlmmlns with a straw hat on, Klrst straw hat of tho season! If I don't mako llfo a burden to him I'll know tho reason why." South DiiUolu liicoriioratliiiiN, PIERRE, 8. I).. May 18. (Special,) Those articles of incorporation havo been filed: Jensen-Lee Lumber company, at Brandon, Minnehaha county, with n capital of $6,000; incorporators, John W, Jensen, John T. Leo nnd Edward M, Lee. Methodist Episcopal church of Geddes; trusteeH, K. A. Cooper, N. O. Hartzger, O. Wakefield, Joseph Newton, E. 11. Parker r.pil othurM