TIIE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 1003.
13
ABOUT PLAYS PLAYERS
Lt week presented a varied assort
rent at the Omaba theaters. Folio tog
ihs unprecedented business done by "Ben
Hur" the manager hardly eipected ipucb
la the way of patronage, but were agree
ably surprised. Melasro's time-worn pot
pourri of melo-dramstlc Incidents. ''The
Heart of Maryland," did two nlghta at the
Boyd to excellent houses, and "Prince of
FllseD," which followed with three per
formancea, van made a genuine aoclely
event. It was alno a treat In many ways
not that we have been at all neglected In
the way of nonsense and foolery Bet to
music, but because of Ita freshnrss and
the delightful vivacity wl'h whl?h Ita per
formera went In to make the piece all It,
authors could ever expect It to le. For the
last two flights of the week a really good
farce, masquerading under a decidedly un
attractive name, fell against public Indif
ference and was given nothing like the j
patronage Ita actual merits warranted. Mr.
Dletrlchsrn's plecea aeem to encounter this
cort of thing in Omaha right along, the
reaaon for It not yet having been searched
out. At the Creigbton Orpheum the patrons
of vaudeville were given a good MM and In
return the attendance was fjord all through
the week.
Some encouragement exlsta In the fact
that a play entitled "Are You a Mason?"
'was able to draw but a corporal's gunrd to
' the Boyd and among these only a few of
the "regulars." Not that the play In point
did not possess merit, for it did, and was
well acted by a good company, but merely
as Illustrating the change that has come
over the spirit of the people. Not so very
long ago the announcement of a farce of
any sort would bave filled the theater to
the doors. One la not required to Invent
names for the absurdities that have been
paraded cn the stage, for the authors
themselves gave ua titles as ridiculous as
the moat Imaginative could supply, and
such titles aa "What Happened to Jones"
or "Why Smith Left Home," which are not
by any means extreme examples of the
not at all remote nomenclature of the
playwright, drew hundreds and tbousanda
to the theaters. Tbeae are rapidly vanish
ing from bill boards and advertlaementa,
and the few that are left are coldly re
ceived by the public. Every Indication Is
that the swing of the pendalum is to the
other extreme, and while the nadir has
tot. In all probability, been reached yet, the
change la so marked and so agreeable that
one almost hopes for the early appear
ance of what ab many well wishers of the
stage have all but despaired ot feeing In the
flesh! the "Intelligent theater-goer." It U
expecting too much to hope that the non
sense drama will disappear entirely, but
to aee It being pushed Into a place far
back toward the rear Is gratifying In the
extreme. Incidentally, It may not be out
of place here to remark that during the
recent atay of "Ben-Hur" In Omaha Mr.
Towlo, who Is managing the production for
Klaw Erlanger, said that Omaba turned
cut the most Intelligently discriminating
tudlences he had encountered during hia
experience with the play. "Our perform
ance la from seven to nine minutes late
cyh night," said he, "for no other, reason
In the world than that your Omaha people
are alive to the fine points of tho piece and
tpplaud them. My stage manager has
cotcd thla and complains that his work la
Increased by the waits necessary .to allow
the audience to vent Its satisfaction. This
la gratifying to the actora, but the stage
bands don't Ilka It."
During the week Manager Burgess an
counced that be had come to terms with
Ihe management under which Mra. Patrick
Campbell Is touring the country, and that
lhat well known actress will be here for
Itee performances 'during March. Her
plays have not yet been decided upon, but
her ropertory Includes only pieces of that
class which have excited much debate
rherever they have been given. As long
is such pieces are to be presented at all,
it la preferable that they be Interpreted by
people of Mrs. Campbell's known artistic
ability.
Mr. E. H. Sothern has done something.
Ha may net have overturned any traditions
if dead and gone greatness by bis Imper
sonation of Hamlet; be may bave missed
tctual greatness himself, but he has done
lomething Infinitely more serviceable to the
eopls of New York, even if the relief bs
inly temporary. He has set the critics to
:alklng about something besides tho "dirt
Iratua, and the columns of the metropolitan
resa are for the time at least free from
.he competition which had for Ita sole ap
arent end only to determine to how many
vays and under what diaphanous verbal
Irapery the critlo might allude to and yet
tonceal certain unspeakable hablta of peo
lie. It la reasonably certain lhat the quid
tunca will later return to the Interminable
irgument, which haa been carried on alnce
ho beginning with the end aa far off now
it it waa then. But Just now "Hamlet" baa '
he center of the atage, and la target for de-
tales, learned, lucid, pedantic or turbid,
tut none agreeing. In bla very instructive
lunday column Mr. John Corbln of the New
fork Times sums up aa follows:
Nowhere in his iHrmkcspeare's) worka la
Jie poetryof the lines so vn and atately.
to bilmnilng with Images of fervid beauty,
low h or does the wit tiaah more keenly,
lowhcre are the characters drawn Willi no
Irm a hand and with such rich and varied
lumor, nowher is the Ideal of the princely
ranlleman to forcibly and delicately por
jayed, nowhere does the mind reach out
nto such vlatH Of soul-compelling thought,
this is what hitherto has wrought contu
aon In the mind of the critical, this mint
ing of the action of a crude m.lodrama
tf. revenge with the highest' Might of the
luman Imagination. In bringing out the
Iramallc eUmenta of the play. Insofar as
hey do not detract from what Is peculiarly
Ihakestx-uran, Mr. Sothern Is splendidly
1ht. He will be Ktill more right when he
tomblnea with thla a fuller measure of the
endemeas. the reverence, the wit tlutt la
H-cuitarly tShakewpearean. The reatarohes
if the past decade have done the world this
ervlrt, tiial they have brushed away most
lerhapa all. of the old cobwebs of mystery
mil unctrtalnty spun In the mlnda of the
ubjecilve. critics of the nineteenth century.
The Hamlet of the twentieth century need
te Indefinable only as any work of the
meglnalton is undt'flii.nble. Th-re will be
ajit, room for the "nw readings ' that
lave plagued us all so In the past. Now
hat are aware uf the facta In the evolu
on of this drama. Hamlet has become as
ustl'ict and Intelligible a character aa Mac
telh, Othtllu or Lear.
But Mr. James Huoneker of ths Bun,
tho haa apparently been indulging In
ome form of pabulum that affects the
cental much as a badly dons Welsh
abblt does the physical nature of man,
esolutely declines to take this cheerful
lew of the situation. On the contrary,
is holdi out every hope and eixcourage
oent to the peculiarly-minded people who
slight in searching out hidden meanings
ltd who from time to time aatound the
rorld with productions which no one can
mderatand. and which the authors them
Ives decline to explain (and which the
'sordid" people who bathe regularly tnalst
ton looking at aa only evl
voce " cf some atage of paresis
r other form of cerebral decay).
Ir. Huoneker turna his back on ths Ham
et of the dead and gone nineteenth cen
try and hopefully looks forward to the
era of the twentieth, or some other, cen-
ury. Just exactly what b means is not
ouchaafed to the sitter without tbs
soterie circle of literature, ths light of
rhirh barely serves to dimly Illy me the
y of these privileged to enter and leaves
I avea a slraijhcj ray for tbs darkness
AND PLAYHOUSES
beyond. This la what Mr. Hunneker writes:
It la not with Hamlet's paet that we
are concerned today; the future of Ham
let I, quite aa fruitful, and the subject,
being big with potentialities, intrigues us
vastiy. tieorg Urandee. the Danish Bhake
spearean critic, who does not attempt to
pluck out the heart of the poet'a mystery,
rather preferring more sensible to exotic
eTegetl.-el methods; Brandxe, we repeat,
has written a chapter called "Hamlet's In
fluence on I-ater Times," and In It rfvlews
the enormous Impression made by the play
upon subsequent wrltera of genius. Uoethe
among the great of the last century, him
self the I'r-Uelst of the moderns, wrote
"Kai.st," with Its Hamlet atmosphere of
doubt and despair, before the floetlng
spectacle of existence. "Stay, thou art so
fair!'' Is surely a Hamlet-like cry wrung
from tho heart of thla thinker. Byron a
Manfred Is Hamletlan. Heine la the Jewljh
Hamlet, perhaps more Hamlet than Shake
speare's. And there Is Alfred de Museet,
and, a, Hrnndes notes, Mlcklewlcx that
Adam Mlcklewlcl whose "Ls Lac de Willis '
arl "Conrad Wallenrod" eaerted such an
Influence over Chopin. The second piano
Ballade Is a reflection In tone of "I.e Iao de
Willis" And who dares to deny that the
Bminor scherzo, breathing deilarw-e and
Irresolution, was not Inspired by a Hamlet
mood. Poland is the Hamlet among na
tions. Hrandes might .have Included the name
pf N. JrColal Ierlau, the mad Hungarian
poet who died In an asylim, like 'lotucbe.
A tragic Hamlet, he could no longer endure
the harsbneea of his life. Turgeney, too,
created some Hamlets, truly Kusslarr,
withal; dreamers with a trsny to
awaken at Intervals and work havoc about
them, then sink back Into their numbing
visions. One of h!a short tales Is called
"The Hamlet of th Bhtchlgrl lllstrlct."
Both Qogol and Lontlr"wky understood the
Hamlet nature, particularly the latter
writer, perhaps the moat original, rrrtnlnly
the most forceful of Russia's Action artists.
Nor can we omit the name of Tschalkow
eky, nlwie symphonic poem "Hamlet"
contains less of the philosophic and more
of the dramatic Hamlet. Storm and stress
and e-hostly awe, with a lovely tender
realization of the gentle Ophelia, charac
terize this tone-poem. Indeed, It would be
hard to discover a literature without Its
counterpart of the noble Prince, who car
ries within his bosom something of Orestes
and on mean moiety of Arthur Schopon
hajer. Ibsen's Hamlet may be his Brand,
Just aa his mocking ragamuffin. Peer Oynt,
la a perversion of Faua and his ceaseless
search for knowledge. Deopaxdl, Senancour,
Amlel, Poe, James Clarence Mangan an
Irish Hamlet James Thomson author of
"The City of Dreadful Night;" Baudelaire,
Maeterlinck, Hauptmann are also of the
same Trtste crew of haif-Hamleta.
However, all these are Hamlets who have
been, who are, but who are not to be. for
ths twentieth century la bound to evolve
Its own peculiar Interpretation of the Ham
let nature. AVe never had the Byronlo
Hamlet of the 'nineteenth century; the
melancholy pose, (he pessimistic Hamlet,
the Hamlet satirical In the cane of Hetnrlch
Heine; and It would not be going far afield
In believing that Frederic Moreau ' of
"LRduration Sentlmentale" la the giant
Flaubert's presentment of bourgeois Ham
let riddled with the decay of Inaction and
Infirmity of purpose. Religion has alao
yielded up its crop of Hamlets, but
But we would rather dwell upon the
worldly types. There Is still an unexplored
Hamlet, a study and recasting of hie tem
perament one la tempted to say a recrea
tion so profound, so original, ao .miracu
lously novel that each time we read It we
are aghast at the poet's temerity In shed
ding his own skin to enter Shakespeare's.
This Hamlet Is the one that will be dearest
and nearest to the children of this age. It is
the Hamlet Ironical, a Hamlet who knows
Nietzsche and hia joyless joyousness. yet
has never read him. It is the Hamlet of
Jules Laforgue. -
Fortunately, even ths requirement of
erudition do not demandlthla easy famili
arity with the type of literature with which
Mr. Hunneker is so much at home, and
Hamlet," as written by Shakespeare and
handed down to us by the various editors
who have labored to preserve its beauties
and strength, may still bs studied and en-
Joyed by people who know nothing of Ibsen
or Laforgue or any of the hosts who write
for ths understanding of ages to corns. It
ls, perhaps, also fortunate for these writ
ers that when the ages they aim at arrive
they will not be there to enjoy ths Inter
pretation of their own works. And we
can easily believe, that Shakespeare will
still be popular In that far-ahead time,
and that the debate over the hidden mean
ings of "Hamlet" will be aa lively then
as it has been at any time since "students"
began to see things.
Mr. Sothern himself has found time to
add a little to ths literature of the de
bate, being moved thereto by the persual
of some unkind things the critic of the
Washington Peat, Mr. Fred Scbrader, had
to say about. hia presentation of the char
acter c" the melancholy prince of Denmark.
After Justifying himself in his concep.
tlon of ths part, Mr. Sothern finally pays
his respects to the critlo thus:
The great number of what the unassum
ing critlo of the Post calls "misguided peo
ple," who not only tolerate but praise the
work which he ao brilliantly condemns,
places Mr. Sothern In the pitiful dilemma
of concluding either that the large and
cultured audiences which have honored him
with their applause in this role, are quite
unable to form a Judgment of their own,
and that the number of acholarly men who
have Justified him with their Indorsement
and their pralae are. Indeed, "misguided
persons" or that the critic of the Poet Is
mistaken in nis estimation 01 nis own im
portance. Here is a position horrible In the extreme
That an actor should be forced to conclude
that a newspaper writer la capable of either
error or Ignorance would tear from him hi,
most cherished delusion force him to rely
on hia own Judgment and the verdict of
what intelligent persona ne may be for
tunate enough to know In this "misguided"
world, and probably cause him to sink into
a dishonored grave babbling his beltef thit
he had come within hailing distance of the
object to which he had devoted his life and
his work; I. e.. the understanding of what
he had been talking about.
The mere contemplation of such a atate
of affa'rs Is terrifying In the extreme, and
plungts Mr. Sothern Into a meJAncholy to
which hia offensive attitude In "Hamlet" Is
the very hysteria of mirth, and forces him
to contemplate self-destruction with the
same intensity and for reasons similar to
those which wrecked the life, and. as some
more or less properly guided persons he
Ueve, dethroned the reason of that unfor
tunate price the shattering of his most
chvriahed convictions and the awakening
to the fact that those words of wisdum
which he had gathered ao eagerly from
what lie had fondly believed to tie the tree
of knowledge proved to be. after all. noth
Ins hut the bitter apples of the Dead aea.
Assuring me critic or ine roai or nis ais
tingulsheJ oonMderatlon, Mr. Sothern begs
to remain his obliged and obedient hunih'e
servant. K. H. SOTUKKN
Garden Theater, New rora i-lty.
t'omlasl Evsatts.
Stsrtlng this afternoon, Williams and
Walker, the leading colored comedians,
open an engagement at the Boyd that con
tinues until Wednesdsy night. Last season
the two made such an emphatic bit here
that Manager Burgees deemed it advisable
to book, them for a longer atay this season
The advance sale Justifies his Judgment
The comedians will appear In a new mual
cal comedy, written for them by Paul
Laurence Dunbar, the colored poet, en
titled "In Dahomey." The comedy is i
satire on the colonization of American
negroes in Liberia, Africa. The piece opens
In Boston and changes to Gstorvllle, Fla
and then Jumrs across the sea to the Jungles
of Africa. Williams and Walker Imperson
ate Shylock Homestead and Rareback Pink
erton, two detectives, who are In search
of a rare jewel lost by the king sf Da
homsy. They find the Jewel and are mads
governors of two provinces, with ths priv
ilege ot beheading tnelr subjects. Wil
liams and Walker' are surrounded by the
strongest company they ever had. It num
bers fifty people and Includes Lottie Wil
liams. Ada Overton Walker, George Catltn
and Jesse Fhlpp. A ehorus of thirty-five
pretty, attractive and well dressed young
women la a feature ot ths offering. '
On Friday evening ths lstest DeKoven
and 8mtth creation, "Ths Little Duchess."
which has for its main object the exploita
tion of Anna Held, will bs sn at ths
Boyd- Ths engagement Is for two nights
and a matins. Tha first act 1 laid at
Ostend. the scenery for which was modeled
after snapshots taken at tbs famous Bel
gian seaside resort. The act develops very
much after the manner of "Nlnlche," which
Is laid at Trouvllle. In fact, (He act is an
Ostend "Nlnlche." The second act I In a
Parisian boudoir, and the third la In a fenc
ing academy in Paris. All the fencers are
girls, and they wear the black velvet cos
tume, with the white shirts, with red
hearts, short black skirts, lined with red,
and black stockings and slippers with red
heels which Jean Beraud's painting haa
made so familiar. There are twenty-seven
musical numbers la the piece and the
chorus is said toave a great deal of work
cut out for It In the matter of drills and
dancea. Mlsa Held will be supported by a
company which Includes Joseph W. Herbert,
Qeorge Marlon, Frank Ruahworth, Edouard
Durand, Knox Wilson, the lllllputlan actor;
Frant Ebert, Louise Royce, Annie St. Tel,
Katherlne Bell, Luella Drew, Blllie Nor
ton, Adelaide Orton and others.
N x t week the Boyd will offer a diversi
fied line of attractions. Ben Hendricks
opens the week in "Ole Olson," and remains
until Monday. Tuesday night "Happy Hooli
gan" and hia many comic . followers will
be seen. Wednesday matinee and night
Sullivan and Mack will present their "Irish
Pawnbrokers." and on Thursday night Kate
Claxton will give her famous play "The
Two Orphans." "The Fatal Wedding,"
with Gertrude Havers and her choir celes
tial, will be the Friday and Saturday even
ing offering.
Among the features of the bill opening a
week at the Orpheum with a matinee to
day are Frederick Hul'en and Mollle Ful
W"T, whose popularity is as great in vaude
ville as it was on the "legitimate" stage.
Mr. Hallen will be remembered -In "Later
On" and other farces, when he starred
with Joe Hart. Miss Fuller was Just aa
much in demand at that time with her
talents to make, rolllckaome fun. "Election
Bets," a little comedy, will serve as their
vehicle. The De Lucca brothers, five sturdy,
agile French athletes, recently imported by
the Orpheum circuit company, will present
the strong acrobatic act of the program.
Another foreign act to be presented here
for the first time will be the Danish Ven
triloquist, Lieutenant Carl Nobel. Beatrice
Moreland, who last appeared here In a
sketch, returns to do a monologue. In which
she la said to do clever mimicry of various
types of people ehe has met fn different
places of her travels. Warren and Blanch
ard. the Jolly black-fnce comedian, and the
excellent baritone singer, promise some
thing with new garnishments. The well
known sketch team, Orth and Fern, and
entirely new moving pictures from the
klnodrome will complete the list.
Gossip of Stsgjeland.
Mr. Sothern will play "Hamlet" one week
longer at the Garden theater In New York.
Amelia Bingham has arranged to present
Henry E. Dlxey in Boston thla spring In
ine Last or tne jjanaiee.
Mrs. Flake has entered on her third
month at the Manhattan In "Mary of Mng
dala ' with no sign ot waning popularity
yet.
So popular has become Julia Marlowe's
performance in "The Cavaliers" that all
the seats for four weeks ahead were placed
on sale and sold during the last week.
Frank Rushworth has replaced Hubert
Wllkle as tenor of the Anna Held company.
Mr. Wllkle ls reported to have had a mls
underatandlng with "The Little pucheas,"
henco the resignation.
Minnie Schwartz of Chadron. who was
Ringing with 'The Prince of Pllsen," did
not get to Omaha, as she was drafted fur
the ' Peggy from Paris" company which ls
now rehearsing in Chicago.
Elizabeth Tyree presented "Gretna Green"
In New York for the first time last Mon
day and met with a splendid reception. A
review of tho New York press shows a gen
eral approval of ths star and play.
Maxlne Elliott will probably droD awav
from the support of Nat Goodwin In the
early spring ao as to prepare herself for
her starring venture next season. Deeaie
Tilbury will take Mis union's place.
At tha benefit tendered Marie Dressier In
New . York last Sunday night over ,("
waa realized. On the same night Miss
Dressier sat up in bed for the nrst time
Bines her severe attack of typhoid fever.
Henrv Miller has bousht a new one-act
play entitled "The Iron Duke," by Walter
jTrtin. Autnor or The Man of Forty." The
act haa been a success In London, and Mr.
Miller completed negotiations by cable.
Mr. Mansfield closed his New York en
gagement laat night, and will begin his
presentation or "Julius Caesar
In Boston I
tomorrow evening. From Boston he will !
start on tne tour that brings him to
Omaha.
On Thursday night the Gothamltes were
treated to their first chance at "The Wizard
or OS. The scarecrow and the tin wood
man made ae big a hit at the new Majestic
theater on Upper Broadway aa they have
anywhere.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Milton Royle save a
special performance of "Friends" at Asbury
Park, N. J, on January 16. This perform
ance was "given so that a London manager
mignt see tne piay peiore ne produced It
In London.
Maurice Barrymore. the noted actor, who
Is a patient in the Long Island Home for
the Insane, while not materially worse or
better than he has been for several months.
frequently suffers from violent attacks and
gives hia attendants much trouble.
The success of Richard HardlngDavls'
"The Taming of Helen" haa decided him to
quit writing fiction and go to playwrltlng.
He haa completed another piece, built on
the story of "Ranaon's Folly," and It will
be presented In the spring or next fall. .
David Warfleld tells this: "Isaacsteln
was sent to a New York hospital, where
he was found to be suffering with appen
dicitis. After the doctors had made their
diagnosis they operated aa usual in such
cases. A friend of Isaacateln'a met another
acquaintance of hia In Heater street and
asked: 'Haf you heard aboudt Isaac
stein:' 'No. Vatt Iss It?' 'He vas tie.
They take him by der hospital, und vat
you tlhk they do to him?' 'Veil, veil. Vat
las It?" 'They put him In a room all by
himself und take his appendix away from
him.' 'Na! Na! Na! Vat a pity, ain't It,
he didn't have it In his wife's name.' "
"A Queer Little Ostrich" ls the title of
a new song ror Gertrude Qulnlan that has
been Introduced In "The Sultan of Sulu,"
George Ade'a witty musical satire, that has
scored one of the biggest kind of hits at
Wallack's In New York. The aon5 la. a
comedy number, something on the order of
the famous "Bumble Bee" Bong that Miss
Qulnlan sang In "King Dodo." M)laa Maude
IJIUhii Herri, the prima donna, will a Is.,
have a new song this week, entitled
"Dangle Him Lightly." This was one of
Mr. Ade's original numbers for the opera,
but was crowded out because of the length
of the performance. "Dangle Him Lightly'
will supplant Mlsa Bern's Palm
Branches Waving." a straight descrlotlva
song that haa not the characteristic satire
or the otner number.
Manager Somes of "The Prince of Pllsen'
says the sudden squat of Hans Wagoner
when he makes hia second entrance In the
second act la not a fake, but ls a neres
aary proceeding on the part of the genial
Ranaone. it la the ambition of the six
little girls who rush him on with a life
line to hurl him over the footlights If possi
ble, and on several occasions they have
nearly succeeded In doing it. Now he takes
ine aerensive action of dronnlna- very
promptly when the center of the stage I,
reacneo. ana ends ine rutin with a amlden
nes that usually gets the girls around him
quii-aer man tne notion of the play orig
lnally Intended. "What do you little devils
intend aoing to me tonight r
Ransone salutes them with aa they line up
pan oi me scene waiiinar lor tne cue.
I "What w'll H.i f.. i..,ti will I,. M .. l
....... ..w.. j wu " ' u gtruu 1 1 II
pwniy. is ine concertea reply, "you at
tend to your business, and well do the
rest, ana men ine run starts.
Wagenhala A Kemper hav combined
forcea with Oscar Hammersteln for the
production In New York of Count Leo
Tolstoi's "Resurrection." the play that ls
without doubt the greatest theatrical suc
cess or me age in Kurope. Hlanche W alsh.
who ls at present starring In "The Daughter
of Hamllcir'' on the road, will close her
very succesaful season temporarily In order
10 taae aavantage or what will undoubtedly
give mia exceptionally gifted artist Ih
rrestest opportunity for her career Henrv
BatalUe'a drama t za'kn of the Tol'tnl novel
nil been translated Into almost every con
tinental language and th- piece is In re
hearts! In Berin. Vienna. Hrusee's Amster
dam and London The dramatic rights have
already been acquired !n Hungary. Bcundi
liavta. Portugal and Spain. "Resurrection,
with Mlsa Walsh as Maalnva. will open at
the Victoria theater i February 14. The
version to b used by Miss Walsh I the
same that Is now runnlna at the Odeon
theater In Paris and which Becrbohm Tres
is rehearsing la Loudon and Surma la Hr-
MUSIC ANO MUSICIANS
In the editorial columns of a Chicago
paper appeared some few weeks ago this
srtlele:
Profiting by the teachings of experience,
the directors of the St. Ioiils world s fair
have flatly refused the demands of the
Wagnerltes for a campaign of so-called
classical music at the Louisiana Purchase
exposition.
'ihere Is going to he no Bjch row at St.
I.ouls as we had In Chicago lA 1S9J. Popu
lar muftlo Is to be given. Expert who
yearn for the severely classical will have
to patronize private musical enterprises,
of which, no doubt, there will be plnnty.
The directors are to be felicitated upon
the wisdom of their decision. So are pros
pective visitors to the exposition. It was
r.ne of the few mistakes of the Chicago
World's fair that a knot of very well-meaning
people were allowed to attempt the
task of cramming down the throats of the
people muste which Is Incomprehensible
save to educated musicians and which Is
none too clearly understood by them
either.
The effort failed, of course. It had to be
abandoned. But before It was given up a
irtist deal of bad feeling had been created
and, what was more to the purpose, a very
Important feature of the exposition had
been muds a failure for the time being.
People were Indignant, ar.d Justly so. when
they found high-priced bands and orches
tras tooting, banging and sawing at noisy
productions unintelligible except to the
elect. It wan as If the guide-books had
been 'printed In Greek and the attendants
had been Instructed to speak Arabic In
stead of English. The whole affair was ex
asperating and Inexcusable.
The St. Louis management evidently has
heard of the Chicago mistake and has
determined not to repeat It. ThaV shows
that the St. Louis directors are men of
wisdom and prudence. There Is no more
excuse for classical music at a great popu
lar show than for ragtime at a funeral.
While one can see at once that the per
son who wrote this article Is intemperste,
illogical and Impolite In his language, and
that self-respect would have compelled
him to change his diction had he "slept
over" the article, It must yet be-conceded
that lie voices the sentiments ot an un
thinking, many, who are of the opinion that
between Weber and Fields' and Koster and
Blal's, the music the popular music of
the world Is to be found, snd that "classic"
music consists ot "some kind of scales"
and difficult technical monstrosities like
algebraic propositions or geometric prob
lems treatises for the college class room.
Let us calmly you who are honest loveri
of ragtime and so forth look over the
proposition, and I think that you will taka
a different view of the entire matter.
Let us take the last sentence of the
quot atlon:
"There ls no more excuse for classical
music at a great pogular show than for rag
time at a funeral."
Now, what la "classical music?" Here
are a few of the answers to this ques
tion: "Conforming to the best authority in lit
erature and art: chaste: pure: refined: as a
'classical' style." Webster International
Dictionary.
A classic means "a work of acknowledged
excellence." Webater.
"Of or relating to the first class or rank,
especially In literature or art." Webster.
"A term applied to a work of art against
which the destroying hand of time has
proved powerless." Dr. Rlemann Diction
ary of Music.
"A term which In music has much the
same significance aa It has In' literature.
It ls used ot works which bave held their
place in general estimation for a considera
ble time, and of new works which are gen
erally considered to be of the same type
and style." Ch. Hubert H. Parry, Mua.
Doc. Oxon, In Groves' "Dictionary ot Music
and Musicians." .
The Chicago editorial writer then states,
according to these definitions, that there Is
ro more excuse for "musical works of
acknowledged excellence," "works of the
first rank," works that are "chaste,"
"pure," "refined," or works "which have
held their place in general estimation for a
considerable tlmo," (mark you, "general"
estimation), at a great popular show, than
for ragtime at a funeral.
The Chicago writer must be consistent,
tinwever snd remAmhep In m A wrtf m t m tha
. . ..
Promo" P " suggesis in an
departments.
In the Fine Arts building it must be re
membered that "there Is no more excuse for
masterpiecea of painting or sculpture at a
great popular show than for comic valen
tines as a funeral card."
In the horticultural exhibit. It must be
remembered that "there ls no mors excuse
for rare and beautiful palms, flowers,
plants, perfected specimens of cultivation,
at a great popular show, than there Is for
cabbages as funeral floral emblems.'
To return to the definitions of ths classi
cal. Are you, (like the writer of the
editorial under discussion), under the con
viction that classical music means Wag
nerlan music, and if so, sou sra wrong.
Do you believe that classical music means
Bach and Beethoven? If so, you are wrong.
Are you of the opinion that classic music
is music that cannot be enjoyed by the
people? If so, you are wrong,
I admit that you do not enjoy all classical
music; that, perhaps, you do not enjoy
much of It, but that you do not enjoy
anything classical 1 do not can not be
lieve.
Which would you rather hear at your
sister's wedding or your own, "I Don't Like
No Cheap Man" or the "Bridal Chorus'
from "Lohengrin." or Mendelssohn's "Wed-
ding March." Which do you want at your
friend's funeral, Chopin's Immortal melody
in bis "Funeral March," or "Smoky
Mokes?"
Do you ever go to church at Easter and
hear the "Hallelujah Chorus?"
Did you ever hear "The Heavens Are
Telling" of Haydn, or the dreamy "Traue
mere!" of Schumann, or Schubert's "Sere
nade?' Handel's "Largo" or Mendelssohn's
"Spring Song." Verdi's "popular" heart
songs, "Home to Our Mountains" or ths
Miserere," Faust's "Soldiers' Chorus" or
Garden Music." a "nocturne" of Chopin, a
famous folk-song, or "The Last Rose of
6ummer?" These are not "popular" com
positions In the general acceptation of the
term, they are classics, and shall they bs
excluded frsm a "popular" show?
The sentence "People wera Indignant
and Justly so, when they found high-priced
bands and orchestras tooting, bsogtng and
aawtng at noisy productlona unintelligible
except to the elect."
Is It possible that thla ls meant as
slam against Theodore Thomas, who has
brought so much glory to ths nsme "Chi
cago," and without whose work ths fal
city on the big aeawater would not be ao
favorably known In the world's great rata
logue of metropolitan cities?
It ths mistake was made of presenting
too elaborate programs all tbs time, why
did not ths committee on music arrange to
have ona branch of ths musical attractions
as an educative exhibit (lltke ths Art and
other departments, congress of religions,
etc.), and ons branch for ths amusements
If I remember rightly, ths Chicago
World's fair bad some bands that wars un
worthy of ths place they held, and that
other banda were and are "popular" all
over trls country, while their programs are
far mors "classic" than "popular."
Except in cnicago, possibly, tbsrs) ars
hundreds ot thousands of psopls paying
cheerful dollars every year ts hear Sonsa
and his programs are certainly not what
psopls call "popular. Inaaa Bellstsdt,
etc., and now Italian bands under Creatore,
Sorretalno and Rlvela, are touring this
rountry and raking In many shekels, play
ing overtures and grand selections of the
classic operas, etc., but in Chicago that
would be "exasperating and Inexcusable."
How about the choral concert at the
World's fair? Were they "popular" In the
general sense of being trivial? Were thry
not eagerly listened to?
And reviewing our own exposition. It Is
pleasant to hear even today reminiscent
ords of praise In connection with (he
music of the Tranemissl;sippl, when Mr.
Zachary T. Ltndsey dictated tho musical
policy and stood tor a high standard, when
there was enough music to "go all around"
hen choral works were given by societies
from Minneapolis, Dubuque and Omaha
nd by the Apollo club of Chicago, when
the Chicago orchestra furnifhej, under Mr.
Arthur Mere, an exhibit of art, and the
band on the plaza did the "entertainment"
part.
The St. Louis directors are "men of
prudence snd wisdom" snd therefore they
will recognize that while the exposition Is
not altogether a university of general ed-
tloa (though the government supports
It cn account of Its benefit In that direc
tion), yet neither is it one long; sweet
'midway." v
The program for the Cusraden recital
at tha First Congregational church on
January 10 will be the Brahm'a sonata,
op. 100; the Brtich concerts In G min.; a
polonaise" of Welnlawskl. a canxonetta of
Tchatkowsky and a serenade by d'Ambrosto.
Mme. Muenteferlng will be the pianist of
the oocasion. Miss Anna Bishop, contralto.
Will assist.
Miss Daisy Hlgglna has been engaged aa
contralto soloist at St'. Cecelia's church.
Mr. "Will Manchester has resigned his
position at All Saints' and has gone to
Unity church.
Miss Tobltt has advised me that the
musical books mentioned In last Sunday'a
music column of The Bee will be put on
the public library shelves this week. Miss
Tobltt has developed the musical section
wonderfully and she deserves the thanks
of the musical people.
THOMAS J. KELLY.
GOSSIP OF NEW FRENCH PLAYS
Roitrssd Writing; One and "The
Other Danger" Is Said to Surpass
All Predeoesaora In Darlnsr.
(Copyright, 1903, by Tress Publishing Co.)
PARIS, Jan. 17. (New York World Ca
blegramSpecial Telegram.) Edmond Ro-
tand ls writing a new play, a comedy. Al
though the exact subject is not known. It
ls Bald that it will Involve the theater of
modern times. Thus actors will be rep
resented by actors.
Paris has a new sensation In "L' Autre
Danger" (The Other Danger), the new play
by Maurice Donnay, recently produced at
the Comedle Francalse. The plot surpasses
In daring anything in contemporary play
wrltlng.
It tellB the story of a young girl's love
for her mother's lover. Her affection Is
ardently returned and the denoument Is
worked out with much Ingenuity. To save
ber daughter's happiness and spare her the
knowledge of her mother's dishonor, the
parent consents to their marriage, crucify
ing ber own love on the altar of maternal
affection. The situation has produced no
nd of discussion.
Paul Hervieu's "Therolque da Merlcart,"
Bernhardt's new play. Is also much dis
cussed. Ita heroine, Therolque, Is his
torical, though scarcely the romantic figure
that M. Mervleu presents, and her part In
the scenes of the revolution serves to in
troduce many famous characters. The lsst
act In the Salpetrlere, the famous Paris
hospital for nervous diseases. Is tragic in
the extreme.
SEASONABLE FASHIONS
4263 Fancy Waist, 32 to 40 bust.
4247 Seven Gored Skirt, 22 to 30 waist.
Fancy Waist 4263 and Seven-Gored Skirt
4247 Gowns of soft gray cashmere are
much worn for all indoor occasions and are
exceedingly charming and graceful. This
stylish model Is ehown In a tender shade
of dove color with trimming of cream lace
and ot dark or gray panne velvet stlched
with white, but the design suits all colors
and all soft and pliable fabrics.
The lining of the waist ia carefully cut
and fitted and closes with the waist at
the center back. The waist itself con
sists of front and backs, which are laid
in narrow tucks, and the yoke that falls
over the' edges. The tucks at the back ei-
tend for Its full length snd so give the de
sired tapering effect, but those at the front
extend a few Inches only and are left free
to form graceful fullness over the bust. The
sleeves. In Hungarian style, are tucked to
fit the arms closely at their upper por-
tlons, while they form soft, full puffs over
the elbows, the lower edges being gathered
Into the pointed culls. At the neck Is a
stock and at ths waist is a narrow belt, to
which Is attached the postillion plaited in
Jabot style.
Ths skirt Is cut In seven (pres. the front
ons being full length. At sides and back
It la cut off to form a succession of squares.
to which ths flounce Is fitted. Ths bands
are arranged to make a most effectlvs
trimming and form ths spaces In which tbs
lacs medallions ars placed. The fullness at
ths back la arranged in the flat Invertsd
plaits that are preferred to every other
sort.
Ths qusnttty ot material required for ths
medium slss Is, for wslst IV yards tl or 2T
Inches wide or t yards 44 inches wide,
for skirt, HH yards 21 Inches wide, H
yards 27 Inches wide or l yards 44 inch.
Ids.
Ths waist pattern 42(2 Is eut in sixes for
a 12, 14. tl. tl and 40-Inch bust measure.
Tha skirt pattern 4247 is eut In sixes fo
a 22, 24, It, U and 10-laca waist measure.
AMUEMKTS.
BOYD'S Wotedsst m8
For 6 Performances, Starting
This Afternoon. Matinee Wednesday.
Ilurtig & Seamon Present the Peer of All Colored
Orfranliatlorts NYlth the Comedians
WILLIAMS AND WALKER
Favorites of tho "lot)' and Tlielr
Latest
ab
The Most Costly and Colossal
by a Colored
A carload of beautiful scenery and
mechr.nli'Rl devices, new musicpretty
girls, funny specialties, gorirroiis cos
tumes, grand electrical effects and a
largo chorus of well trained voices.
ONE CONTINCOI S LACGH.
PRICOS-natlnees, 25c, 50c. Nlglit, 25c, 50c, 75c, $1.00.
FRIOAY ANO SATURDAY NIGHTS MATINEE SATURDAY.
F.ZIEGFELD Jr. PRESENTS.
In the Magnificent, Stupendous Production,
THE LITTLE DUCHESS."
A Superlatively Besutlful and Handsomely Clowned Chorus.
FRICES-Matlnee, 23c to 11.60. Night, c to 12.00. Seats on sale Tuesday.
BERNHARDT WRITING MEMOIRS
Ha
Been at Work on Them for Some
Years and Has Mark Yet to
Accomplish.
(Copyright, W3. by Press Publishing Co.)
PARIS, Jan. 17. (New York World Ca
blegram Special Telegram.) Sarah Bern
hardt denlea the report that she Is to pub
lish her memoirs In an English magazine.
She says she has been ecgaged on a work
ot this kind for years, at Intervals, and
does not expect to finish It until the middle
ot next year. It will finally appear In three
volumes. She does not regard It as a lit
erary achievement, but aa a collection of
souvenirs. As she has never taken any
notes, she relies entirely on her memory
and newspaper cuttings.
Jndgre Quashes Indictment.
CHICAOO. Jan. 17. Judge Brentano to
day quashed the Indictment acalnst Robert
K. Burke, former oil Inspector of the mu
nicipality, who Is charged with defrauding
the city of revenue due from hia office. The
Indictment against Burke waa made by the
grand Jjry last' November. He will now
enter a claim for the restoration to him
of tho $:M.000 which he paid over to t.'.e city
at the time hia books were being investi
gated. Always ihe Same
Good Old
Tha Prida of Milwaukee
Band Postal Card for Now Brochure
which tells why
BLATX BEER IS RIGHT
BLATZ HALT-VI VINE
(NON-INTOXICANT)
TONIC FOR THE WEAK
All Druggists or Direct
VAL BLATZ BREWING CO.. Milwaukee
i OMAHA BRAKCH,
1413 Doasjlaa t. Tel, XOHl.
AMI SEMEM 9.
SECOND RECITAL
-of-
Robert Cuscaden
VioliniMt,
smIiU4 by
Hiss Anna Bishop, Contralto,
rime, nuenteferlng, Pianist,
at
First ronajrraratlonal fhnrch.
Tor. 1st h and Parenport St. .
Tneariny. January Zftl,
TICKUTS, (VI KKTS.
at Haydeu'a and Hoipe'i,
This rerltal la K'ven UDder the ausplrea of tha
Omaba Women'a nub.
Piano Tuner and ficpairer,
ED. EVANS, Ttl. F256S.
MAGAZINE
OF
160 Pag'es
11
I I II I nii UL u i a ,
-A . V! r-f , -w-m' tmtm'w." rtm-w' J
.....M..... ., mart. ,. inn i..-,-.,,. iMraw'a.aai.awwa. .i .. ,. ,lrr,n .n ,... ,
COMPLETE IN T II I 5 NUMBER
Money and Matrimony
A Novel of Wa.hlntoa oclarfrr
BY JOSEPHINE DIXON
Other Cat a
DOROTHY DIX
CAROLINE DUER
GERALD STANLEY LEE
BRAND WH1TLOCK
AND
FEBRUARY NUMBER
AMI SEME ST.
rs.
Cmipany cf 60 People In Their
Success,
AHIE3EY."
Production
Attraction.
Ever Given
Hear Wllllame'
SOPP"
and Walker's latest
"Its All Oolng
Out and Nothing
coming in.
"Kvery Darky Is a King."
"The Cxar of Iilxle."
"Uriwidway In Dahomey By and By
"KmanclpHtlon Day."
"Jonah Man."
Telepnoae 1581.
Week Commencing
Sunday Mat, Jan, 18
TODAY 2:15 -TONIGHT 8:15
Hallen and Fuller,
Presenting 'Election Bets."
Freres DeLucca,
World Famed French Acrobats.
Lieut, Carl Nobel,
The Danish Ventriloquist.
Beatrice Moreland,
Society Monologulst.
Warren andBlanchard
The Singer and the Coon.
Orth and Fern,
Sketch Artists.
Kinodrome
Timely New Scenes.
Prices, 10c, 25c, 50c.
Mr. Kelly ....
TEACHER OP
Singing,
Tone Production
Interpretation
Davidfic lilock,
18th and Farnam
TaTH A V OB"aMTO'
(iiw ill .kanii "omana s Leading Hotel
a ,
MPKriAI. r F.ATl UK. , '
LUNCHEON, FIKTY CENTS.
1L';30 to 2 p. m. I
SUNDAY. 6:30 p. tn. DINNER. 7Bs ' '
1 r 1
dteadlly Increasing business has neoeaal
taied an enlargement of thla cafe, doubllug '
Ita former capacity.
HOT SPRINOS, ARKANSAS.
HI PARK HOTEL Ss
Finest Cafes West of New York.
JjO.WjO in Kecent Improvement,
Open Jan. 3rd to May 15th.
Ludcr New Management
J. K. Hayes, c. A. lirant, Lsassss.
CLEVER FICTION
A. Complete Novel . .
TKlrtje-tHroe Stories
Essay sand Poems . .
tribaa tor a are a
MOROAN ROBERTSON
EDGAR S ALIUS
GELETT BURGESS
JOSEPH C. LINCOLN
OTHERS
ON SALE NOW, 15c.
I