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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1899)
THEATJRIOAL TOPICS. 8AYINOS AND DOINQS OF THE PLAYERFOLK. the Lnto Atigtutln Daly Wns Not n "Commercial" aianacrr Ilml n ltcapect for tho Sue red Character of tho Since. Although tho current era of theat rical speculative management had forced Augtistln Daly from his high position as the loading manager of Am erica, his death, which occurred sud denly In Paris last June, nevertheless deprived tho American theater of Its leading representative. Desplto Mr. Daly's many shortcomings, he was a man who held tho stage In too great respect even to make It a matter of mere business speculation. His reck less expenditures of money In matters of art showed that he had n mind far nbovo tho box offlco and doorkeeper standard. His accumulation of a li brary worth several .hundred thousand dollars is sufficient cvldenco of his aesthetic and artistic Interest In tho theater. For several ycarB past, how ever, tho trend of tho times had been directly away from the classic walls of his playhouse, and to savo himself from bankruptcy ho was obliged to accopt the Inevitable and become almost ex clusively a producer of melodrama and musical comedy, two forms of theatri cal endeavor which he had always dab bled In over since his embarkation on the sea of management over 30 years ago. In the season just ended, de splto his elaborate production of "The Merchant of Venlco" and "Madame Sans Gene," his only financial suc cesses wero "Tho Runaway Girl," per formed by his musical stock company, and "Tho Great Ituby," presented by his famous dramatic troupe. During tho past ten years Marie Walnwrlght has developed, oddly enough, from an actress of classic rolej to an exponent of sensational and com monplace melodrama. Last season she starred In "Shall Wo Forgive Her," and for tho coming year she Is plan ning a tour In that or somo similar play. Time was when wo looked to Mies Wnlnwrlght as a coming actress, but it now seems Impossible that she can ever arrive at any desirable goal, despite the twenty years of her experi ence on the American stage. She mode her debut In 1887 at Booth's theater, New York, as ono of the six Juliets In Georgo Rlgnold's famous benefit per formance. After a tour of six months in Rlgnold's company, sho went to IDoston, and mado her debut in that city ai the Princess Katherlue in "King Henry V." In 1878 she became a mem ber of the stock company at tho Bos 'ton Museum." "When I was negotiat ing with Mr. Field," said Miss Wnln wrlght once, "I asked him what I should play, and ho said, 'a varied line of parts.' In my Ignorance I did not know what this phrase might bo mado to cover, but I was happy because I was engaged as 'Juvenile lady.'" Hilda Clarke Is another beautiful girl who has recently made her mark In tho comic opera world. Sho comes from Kansas City, and after completing her musical studies abroad was selected Isomo four years ago to play a small part In "Tho Princess Bonnie," a short lived comic opera in which Frank Dan iels made merry in the leading role. A short time as prima donna with tho Bostonlans was followed by her en gagement two seasons ago as leading soprano singer In "Tho Highwayman," a musical pleco with which De Koven and Smith hopelessly hoped to dupli cate the extraordinary success they had made with their "Robin Hood." This season sho appeared as La Pastorella In "Tho Bride Elect," tho part created last year by Nella Bergen." Although It Is now almost twenty five years since Modjcska first present- I HELENA MODJESKA cd herself as a candldato for public favor before an American audience, neither her prestige nor her ability shows any diminishing effect of time's dread power. On tho contrary she seems to grow In personal charm and in dramatic ability. She has never been a groat actress, but she has al ways stood in the front rank of thoso players who, aided by temperament and personality, know how to mako the most of their gifts. Tho poetic effect of Modjeska's acting Is still more than potent; It Is all-convincing and absorb ing, and no ono interested in the lit erary drama can regret ono hour he has spent under tho spell of her art. The public Identification of "C. E. Raimond," tho successful novelist, with MUs Elizabeth Robins, tho well-known actress, has excited renewed Interest In Miss PoblnB' theatrical record. Sho "7 II' Is ono of tho many Americans who pre fer to live In London, but before going to tho British metropolis was well known to tho stago people of Boston and other cities. Sho was a membor of tho Boston Museum stock company for a time, nnd it was while there, wo bellcvo, that she married Georgo R. Parks, tho unfortunato actor who met with a violent death aomo fifteen years ago. Miss Robins' first professional appearance In England appears to havo been made In 1889, when she was seen at tho Opera Comlquo In London ns Mrs. Errol In "Tho Real Llttlo Lord Fauntloroy." Her next part, apparent ly, was Alice Varney In "Forget-Mo-Not," at tho same theater. Her first original role In London was Grace Har grove, In a play by Frankfort Mooro, appropriately called "Forgotten." Shortly nftor sho nttracted attention by her acting of Martha Bornlck in Ibsen's "Tho Pillars of Society," and slnco then her dramatic reputation has been chiefly based upon her acting of the Norwegian dramatist's heroines. In addition to Martha Bcrnlck sho has appeared as Mrs. Linden in "A Doll's House," Hilda In tho "Master Builder," Rebecca West In "Rosmersholm," Ag nes In "Brand," Asta In "Little Eyolf," and Ella Rcnthelm In "John Gabriel Borkman." It Anna Held continues to visit us every year there is hopo that sho may In tlmo develop Into a full-fledged Am erican. At present, however, sho Is French of tho French and Is llkod im mensely by our American play-goers ANNA HELD, solely for that reason. TJiero is pros pect of an American tour for her next season. Clement Scott has taken tho stand in the Bernhardt-Hamlet controversy that Bcrnhardt's conception of the melan choly Dane Is ono of tho most exquis ite ho ever saw. Ho points out that this is largely due to tho magnificent ldeus sho has, such as crossing herself beforo sho follows the ghost, the speaking of tho speech to tho players on tho miniature stago making Ham let for a moment an actor addressing his audience; tho feeling of his fathor's plcturo on tho walls when tho ghost has gone and tho materialism comes again; tho effect of the poison In Ham let's veins when his hand is scratched in tho duel with Laertes; tho kissing of the dead mother's hair; nil said to be new points never shown beforo. It stamps tho wholo thing Imaginative, electrical and poetical. Ellen Terry is said to have "achieved her first stage distinction by scream ing." In n play having the outlandish title of "Altar Eel" sho had to take a snako around her neck and scream, and so realistic was her simulated horror at tho situation that her scream brought down the house, Clement Scott, the English critic, writes thus extravagantly of Henry Irvlng'B "Robespierre": "I havo been a play-goer, man and boy, for over fifty years, and I say nover have I seen cn any stage in this world anything to equal this vivid, pulsating, astonish ing nnd wonderful last act never, nover!" Tho family of Emllo Auglor haB re cently complained to tho directors of the Comedle Francalse that that dra matist's plays are too Infrequently acted, Florence Warden, tho novelist, has written a play called "Tho Guinea Pigs." It la In four acts and its most exciting scenes are laid In a gambling hell. The German Llllputlans, who havo done well as comedians in this coun try for a number of yenrs, are to mako tholr first appearance. In London soon. May Irwin will enact a western vll lago schoolmistress next scoson in "A Busy Woman," by Harry B. Smith. Tho theme should yield the Irwin kind of humor abundantly, Georgo Broadhurst, who won favor In London with two of his farces, will courageously produce thoro "Tho Last Chapte," acted here last spring at tho Garden theator, Now York. It is not "Tho Children of tho Ghetto," but "The Ghetto," a play by Herman Heyermons, that Mrs. Potter is to creato in London. Blancho Bates Is to appear in ZangwlU's play In New York. An English actor who died an tho road was shipped In his coflln to Lon don recently by his manager as "theat rical properties." This cost $4, where as If ho had gone as a corpso tho cost would havo been $60. A Terrible Full. In St. Paul recently n boy fell from a wall CO feet to a railroad track below, and escaped without serious Injury, NOTES OE THE WHEEL MATTERS OF INTEREST TO DEV OTEES OF THE BICYCLE. Hansen's Nensatlonal nnd Iterord DrenH lug Match Acnlntt Knclnntl Chicago nnl New York Wheelmen Not Inter ested In (lootl ltoads. Hansen Ilrenk 1,000-Mlln Record. The United States has wrested a new laurel from Englnnd. This tlmo It is the 1,000-milo record. A. A. Hansen, of Minneapolis, is responsible for this, having completed his self-imposed task after covering 1,000 miles in 02:44:00. This reduces T. A. Edge's timo by 12:35:00. Tho C. R. C. may find tho fact that Hansen's rldo was mado over n twcnty-mllo strip of cyclo paths and boulevard an obstacle to allowing the record, however. Edge's rldo was the moro meritorious for being mado over tho ordlnnry turnpike roads from the south of England to tho north of Scot land, yet the English roads arc moro like boulevards than like the American country highway. Hansen Is no longer called "Rainmaker" nor "Old Man." Theso havo been superseded by the ap pellation of "Rhubarb Plo" Hansen. Tho former nlcknnmes no longer fitly apply, as by some astonishing over sight of tho weather man ho failed to havo It rain whon Hanson went for the record this time, and Instead of re tiring permanently with the honors ho has already won, tho "Old Man" Is growing younger nnd moro ambitious with every year that passes. But on this last rldo he developed an abnormal appetite and, like "Oysters" Waller and "Ice Cream" Egloff, dined principally on ono article of food throughout. His craving took n turn that made tho doc tors shake their heads dubiously, but as he finished his 1,000 miles in excel lent condition, after disposing of cov eral rhubarb pics per day, he deserves the applause of thousands of loyal Am ericans for having vindicated tho Am erican pic. Gropim Defcata Tominmelll. Grogna, the Belgian, defeated Tom masclll, the Italian winner of the Grand Prix de Paris this year, very fairly and decisively In a match race run at Liege on July 23 to determlno the supremacy between the best two riders of Europo for 1899. It has been many years since two rldero havo rid den such close finishes as theso two. The match was run in heats of 1,20C meters, in tne nrst Grogna took the jlead, and on the second lap Tommasel 11 went to tho front and remained there 'until ho started hln sprint on tho last turn. Grogna followed easily nnd In the homo stretch sprinted past his rival and led him to the tape by moro than n foot. Tho Itnllan took tho lead In tho socond heat and hold it until Grog na started for homo on tho last turn. GROGNA. Tomasselll put up a hard flght, with llttlo hopo of winning, but lost by half a wheel length. What Alii Metropolitan Illders? It has been a matter of speculation why It Is so difficult to arouse wheel men of the metropolitan districts to enthusiasm for any reform, improve ment or Innovation. Perhaps It is be cause their aggregato number Is so large that tho body Is unwieldy; but, whatojror tho reason, the fact remains that If one wants to find wheelmen working together enthusiastically for tho common good ho must go to tho smaller cities and tho villages. If Rochester, Detroit, Minneapolis, Den ver, Portland and Seattlo can build miles of cxcluslvo cyclo paths to near by pleasure resorts and along impas sable stretches of road, why cannot tho wheelmen of Chicago and New York, TAYLOR BREAKING THE MILE RECORD. with their greater number ana prntti nbly more wealthy and influential members, tako up similar work and make cyclo paths where they are sorely needed? Why not shake oft tho leth argy, rlso superior to natural condi tions, and Iraprovo certain popular routes to neighboring places so that they may be traversed more than two or three months In tho year? Agitate tho subject of free storago rooms In office buildings nnd tho accommoda tion of patrons' bicycles at the large stores; do more public spirited work, such ns boulevardlng Jackson street, building a cyclo pathway over Brook lyn bridgo, causing tho universal light ing of vehicles at night, paving tho streets with asphalt. It has been re peatedly shown that when tho wheel men mako n universal demand that Is reasonable and for tho bcnelU of n large class Instead of In tho Interests of a few youtha who are possessed of the Idea that they nro coming Eddie McDuffccs and Harry Elkes, their re quests are granted. Ago. Snrpns All l'revlous Attempt. When J. S. Johnson, paced by a run ning horso with wind shield attached to tho sulky, at Independence, In '92, cut Zimmerman's record of 2:00 4-5 tc 1:5G 45 on his second attempt, lit clipped off ten seconds, but theso rec ords' wero not allowed, and It will bt conceded that there la more differ ence between horse pacing and tan dem pacing than botween motor pac lng and human pacing. Not only that, but during tho intervening years, the tlmo has been steadily reduced, and m tho figures get smnller tho tlmo should becomo correspondingly hnrdor to lower. Taking all these points Into consider ation It Is plainly evident that Taylor must bo given credit for tho most re markable speed performance In tho his tory of tho one-mile record. If ho Is content to let it stand, It Is not Im probable that this record will stand longer than the fifteen months thnl Hamilton held hla 1:39 1-5, or, on the other hand, If he breaks it twlco mort before winter, tho yenr of '99 will be remarkablo by reason of tho record huvlng been brokon moro times than In any year since 1894, when It was broken eight times. Another nota ble point Is that this Is the first time tho mile record has been broken In Chicago. Now figures havo been mnda flvo times In London, but they havo never been altered In Now York. Not Interested In Cyclo Paths. With all tho widespread Interest that has developed from Atlantic to Pacific coast in cyclo path construction It Is one of tho lnoxpllcaolo vagaries of metropolitan cxlotcnco that Chicago wheelmen take absolutely no Interest in the matter, notwithstanding that the thousands who love to Journoy beyond tho smoke and dtrst begrimed confines of tho city know that only during July, August and Soptombor can they count on smooth highways to adjacent towns, nnd that during thoso months tho mud of former months has been converted Into Inches of Ipipnlpablo dust. Cyclo dealers could well afTord to lend tholr assistance to the agitation for better streets and for cycle paths, as overy added inllo ofgood riding Increases tho number of b'lcyclo purchasers. ".Imniy" Diicourutfed hjr Defeat. Zimmerman has canceled all engage ments mado by him for races. His defeat by Bald evidently discouraged tho ex-champion, for In a letter to Earl KIscr the "Skeetor" says ho will race no more, but will confine his at tention simply to promoting his series of summor moots at Asbury Park. ZIm. merman and KlRer were to have met at Dayton., 0 for a series of three races, August 26, and sanction had been Issued for the contost. Tho Jer seyman had also scheduled a series of threo contests with Orlando Stevcn3 for a side wager of $500. Ho failed to cover the money put up by Stevens nnd has Informed tho latter that ho will not run tho racea. Among the rnclng men It is the consensus of opinion that Zimmerman mado n mis take In declaring everything oft In this manner. They believe he was unduly nervous In his race with Bald and that tho futuro hold something for him. His ovldent turn of speed shown In train ing Impressed tho rnclng men favor ably. Among them It Is considered that Ztonmormon's Intentions wero not fully made known In his lettor. I.onir and Dreary, Father McSweeney Dennis, If you keep on In this way you will shorten your dayB. Dennis 01 was t'lnkln' that sarao mesolf, father. 01 was so ber two days lasht wako and they war tho longesht days of me lolfc. Chi cago Times-Herald. Every woman thinks that when she Is dead and her husband has married again ho will begin to appreciate her, BASE BALL TOPICS CURRENT NEWS AND NOTES OF THE GAME. rhe Ilnrksct for the Scheme of Lend Inc nml Trading l'layer (lire (Ion eral Satisfaction Manager McUrair Is l'nimlur In llaltlmore. Lending rinyeri. Section 44 of the Constitution of tho Nntlonnl League forbids clubs of that organization to "lend or exchnngo players to or with each other for nny gnmc played during tho chninplonshtp senson." The penalty prescribed for a violation of this section Is a flno of $100. Bonn fldo deals for players arc not forbidden nnd cxperlenco shows that thoy are generally beneficial to tho clubs and ployers Involved. Thu ptotended transfer of players from ono club to another Is clearly Illegal. Tho formalities required by baseball law wero compiled with when Catcher Schrecongost wbb Bent to Cleveland by tho St. Louis club, but that player was loaned to tho Cloveland club nnd when tho St. LouIb club needed him tho string was pulled and back ho came. This and similar evasions of tho con stitution of the National League by the woguatcs can not be defendod. To ac complish their relflsh purposes tho club-owneiB falsify the records with bogus trunsfcrs of players nnd find pleaBtiro in buncoing each other. Ac cording to report, CnBey was loaned by the Washington club to the Brooklyn club until Aug. 1 with tho understand ing that If ho were not returned on or beforo Hint date, his price would be $3,500. He was really tho property of the Washington club until Aug. 1, and tho games In which he took part prior to that tiny ns n member of tho Brook lyn team, wero Illegal under section 44 of the constitution. If such swapping of plnycrs Is Indulged In.by ono or two clubs, others will resort to It and in timo tho championship raco will de genernto Into a juggling contest, play ers being transferred from club to club at will. Public opinion Is tho best protection tho gnmo has from this and other ovlls. This swapping of players Is moro prevalent lnco tho syndlcnto orn begun, but it has been practiced more or less for yenrs. It Ih high time that Its spread bo stopped. Cute of Demon t nnd Nops. Manager McGraw, backed by the Baltlmoro press and public, forced tho memberB of tho syndlcnto which con trols tho Orioles, to live up to their promise not to run that team as a side show to their Brooklyn club. All the cards which Mr. Von Dor Horst may Ibsuo and all tho explanations which Mr. Hnnlon mny give, will not satisfy the public that tho Demont-Nops-Jen nlngs "trndo" was not n departure from tho policy which these gentlo- men nnd their associates solemnly da clared would bo followed in the opera tion of their two clubs. Asldo from tho syndlcnto feature tho "deal" was not so bad for Baltimore. Jennings' days as n ball player nre not over nnd ho lms n large following in tho Monu mental City, where ho mado his repu tation. Dcmont's habits are not what thoy should bo and Nops is equally un reliable. Manager McGraw mado his fight and won becnuso a principle, wns Involved. Ho hud boen promised by tho owners of tho club, which under his management has developed unex pected strength, not only thnt none of his players would bo taken nway from him, but that hla efforts to strengthen his team would meet with their most cordlnl co-oporatlon. He had engi neered a good deal with tho Chicago club for Pcmont nnd declined to part with that player and protested against being deprived of the BorvlceB of Nops, whom ho coiisidorB, when in condition, tho best left-handed pitcher of tho po rlod. W.lth tio press and public of Baltimore siding with tho Orioles' manager, the Byndicnte did not dare to PITCHER DEMONT. carry out their purposes and the "trndo" was declared off. Tho Nation al League must rid Itself of Byndicnte ball to retain tho confidence of the patrons of tho gnmc. It Is unsportB manlike and breeds suspicion. Tho transfer of players betwoen tho St. Louis and Cloveland clubs, has caused comparatively llttlo criticism through out the country, nnd no concern In Cleveland becniiHO there Is neither pride nor Interest In tho game In that city. Conditions aro different in Bal timore. Tho success of tho Orioles him earned them a larger nnd more loyal homo following than tho Hanlon Itcs had in 1897 or 1808. This revival of Interest would have boon followed by n return to tho era of Indifference. which resulted in tho Baltimore Brooklyn deal, had tho syndicate suc ceeded in switching playors botween tho tcnmB. McGrnw'B arguments wore, It Is Bald, acompanlcd by threats of re tirement In enso ho was overruled and ho hart the nssuranco that Capt. Rob inson wo.ild act In concert with him. Hnnlon nnd his associates could not afford to strengthen tho Brooklyn club at any such coat to their Baltimore plnnt and tho schomo was sidetracked. McGraw nnd Robinson wero the only parties to the transaction who crtmo out of it with credit. Violation of Holes. Col. Rogers very innocently inqnfreil nftcr tho gaino It tho coaching rules could bo enforced. 'S'prlsed nt you, colonel, s'prlsed nt you. Don't you know all tho rulos passed by tho league calculated to add to tho decorum nut) decency of tho game nro moro honored In tho breach thnn tho observance? Tho umpires know tho rules, but how ninny of them would hold their posi tions If they were to enforce thorn? In ovory inning yesterday Tucltcr vio lated both tho lettor nnd the spirit of tho rule governing coaching nnd yet neither Gaffncy nor Latham appeared to notlco it. And for thnt matter It must hnvo escaped Capt. Cooley's at tention, for ho did not mnko n single protest. Tho very Men of Col. RogcrH seriously thinking that nny of the league rules were meant to bo enforced Is nmooaln. By and by tho colonol will try to persuade himself to bolleve thnt tho magnates nro on tho level with each other. Philadelphia In quirer. I.otiln Ills' M. J. Keller. M. J. Kolley, tho Loulsvlllo club's new first baseman, was born at Otter River, Mess. Ho acquired such a ropu- M. J. KELLEY. lation au nu amateur that ho was onnbled to secure an engagement as a cntchor with tho Augusta club of tho Now Englnnd League In 1895. Ho played first bnso for that team tho fol lowing season. Ho was with tho New port, R. I., club of tho New England loaguo In 1897 and n part of tho sea son of 1898, which ho finished with tho Ottawa club of tho Eastern League. Tho latter city lost Its franchise nnd Manager Bnrnlo secured Kelley for his Hartford, Conn., team for 1899. His releaso was recently purchased by the Loulsvlllo management, Kelley has becomo a great favorite with tho Falls. City fans. His batting has beon timoly nnd consistent nnd his fielding first class. In tho opinion of experts ho is the best first baseman the Louisville dub has had slnco Harry Taylor played that position for tho Colonols. Ho la 23 yenrs old. An ICxcdtlnir Finish. Tho Bcoro stood 3 to 2 In favor of tho Senators when tho BostonB went In for tholr Inst inning. Long was first at bat and slammed tho ball over tho loft field fence, but It wns unfortunate ly a foul. Ho then filed to O'Brien. Tho bnll thon Just grated ColllnB' uni form, and ho was allowed his base. Duffy got his baso on balls, nnd Stahl was squarely hit by a pitched hall, fill ing the bases. Tho stands wore full of hopo when Lowo came to tho bat, but hopo turned to despair as he tried to drlvo tho ball over McGann, nnd only succeeded in fouling directly into that Individual's hands. Borgen, who had. twice Btruck out, now canio .up, and with two strikes on htm tho chances wore bluo, indocd, Atherton, tho Washington third baBCinan, ran to third to hold Collins thoro for somo reason or other, and In doing bo left his position vacant. Weyhlng pitched and tho ball was driven right through the holo left by Atherton, nnd Collins nnd Duffy enmo running over tho rub ber with tho tying nnd winning runs, whllo many of tho rooters followed Bergen nnd patted him on tho back as ho strove to reach tho dressing-room, Boston Hornld, Hulliert's Tombstone. Tho grave- of William A. Hulbort, In Grncolnnd cemetery, aayB a Chicago paper, Is perhaps tho only ono In tho world which Is marked with n tomb- stono In the shnpe of a baseball. Mr, Hulbert was tho president of tho old National League, and when he died In 1882 Homo of his old associates set nbout to show their love nnd respect for him, nnd tho result wan the monu ment In Grnceland, The baseball la mado of red granite, about twenty Inches In diameter, showing tho seams ns they appear upon ono of tho balls1 used In regulation games. Across' tho top appears In raised letters: "W. A. Hulbert, President National League, P B. B. C, 187C, 1882." On ono side ap pears tho names of four clubs in tho league Boston, Providence, Worces ter, Troy nnd on tho other those of tho other four Chicago, Cleveland,. Buffalo, Detroit. AIbo there Is a hoad- ntono of whlto mnrblo, upon which ap pears tho name, together with tho date of birth, Oct. 23, 1832, and tho date. of death, April 10, 1882. t ) Tim Decree. , Tommy Wugg "Pa, what docs 'M. D.' after n doctor's name mean?" Mr. Wagg "Perhaps It refers to his pa tients, my boy, nnd stands for 'raanj dead.' " Mllwnukeo Sentinel. '