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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1895)
THE C0UR1EK. i V -. " v. 'i. P . Pt j S3k. pen of Marie Corelli is stiU'fecund and the fiction of Marion Crawford is still published there is no danger of our American actors becoming too intel ligent. It is strange that our actors fall into such drivelling and careless habits. It is a sort of custom and tradition in America that an actor must lose whatever scholarly tastes and habits he may have been born with. It is not necessary. Those foreign fellows manage to keep them all their lives, and yet they can act a bit. The crying need among American actors is not so much talent as intelligence; not so much intelligence as culture, knowledge of the things that are. I was talking "the drama" last season with one of the most popular and successful corned, iennes of one of the best metropolitan companies, and she insisted on talking about "Isbens" Ghosts and chirped blissfully on as thocgh the worla and all its treasures were hers. 1 was rather floored by that. I supposed that she would at least know the few things immediately pertaining to her profession. Again I spoke of George Meredith to one of our leading "stars'' and certainly one of our best comedians and ho replied with charming confi dence that he did not like his "Esther Waters," but he thought "Lucille' a beautiful production. Jf in a moment of madness you should mention Fiske to one of them he would think you meant Clyde Fitch and pity you for your ignorance. Wo have brighter men than Henry Irving and men more talented, but they let themselves go. That is a habit with Americans. To be cheap successfully, to do the trivial well, that's all that matters. We produce clever farceurs and we writo the best rot iu the world, and our cocktails are excel lent. Speaking of American literature O, its a great act! American literature reminds me of what a really excellent 6tory Marion Crawford has just spoiled in the Century. Why he did it no man knows, for his mistake was one of the most palpable sort and one most easily rectified. If he had simply stopped short six months ago he would have left one perfect work of art to make his children proud of his name. The last six months he has devoted exclusively to mutilating it. Well, Mr. Crawford is a true American; ho has made a "good thing' out of literature, he is what wo cill "a success." He publishes a new novel every few months and writes countless "articles" beside. He is a very rich man. In each of his bulky volumes there is evidence of his talent, talent that it it had been treated with reverence might have been inval uable to the world. Somehow Craw ford's career seems one of the saddest things in this present chapter of Amer ican history. We deserve it so richly. I have always thought he suggested Henry James' melancholy "Lesson of the Master." It hits him much harder than the expurgated part of "Trilby" ever hit Whistler. I thought though, when "Casa Braccio" began, that perhaps now that Crawford was rich and famous enough, perhaps he was writing that one story for his own per sonal pleasure and satisfaction, to satisfy. tho yearning in him that cannot yet be dead. But 1 suppose the curse of having sold one's Eelf is that one is always branded with a trade mark and can never escape from the habits of his vice." Truth once betrayed tracks the betrayer to his grave, He had better go out at once like Judas and hang himself. Like Midas, the Phrygian, when he seeks for beauty he will find only gold, gold that cannot buy per fection. So Lassello's scientific talk is no mere midsummer madness, no mere artist's freak, but a fixed and unfortunate fact. He has actually invested his fortune i i a big chemical factory over in Franco and will devote the rest of his hfo to science. And yet ho has not lost his voice nor acquired permanent tonsilitis. He simply declares that scienco was his first love and that ho has returned to it. That may be true, but even M. Lissello must acknowledge that art has made a pretty good substitute, all these years, from a remunerative standpoint at any rate. Of course it Monsieur really finds bisulphate of copper more exciting than grand opera he has a righ to choose it. And now tho news comes that Jean and Edouard de Reszke have bought a lot of landed property in Poland near Czentochow and Plawne. I suppose next season we shall hear that they have retired to their Polish estates and gone to practicing agriculture, and that Calvo has returned to her chickens for good, anJ perhaps Melba will discover a latent passion for drawn work or china painting. Then we may as well close the Metropolitan and tho Audi torium. When France and Poland desert us wo have little left, heaven knows. Poor Bernhardt is in trouble again A young woman named Klein has been protesting for several years that she is Bernhardt's daughter, and recently she has become so violent in her per secutions that she makes life almost unbearable, and Bernhardt has sent her to an asylum. A certain Parisian newspaper insinuated that she had used the peculiarly powerful influence she held in certain quarters to get the girl out of the way. Tho actress was en raged and Maurice, her son, challenged the editor to fight. In spito of the fact that Mile. Klein has red hair I am in clined to think that herclaims are unjust. Bernhardt would not have any scruples about acknowledging her. But it must be awkward though, to be by a large, raw-boned, red haired madamoiselle who wants to call her mamma. In her last interview with a reporter Bernhardt said that she was shocked and grieved that tho women of Paris shoi.Id wear bloomers. It is too bad about the women of Paris! She said furthermore that she considered them highly immodest and degrading and the sight of them was painful to her. Speak gently! It is a sad and cruel thing that Mine. Bernhardt should be shocked. Masculine costume is well known to have unspeakablo terrors for her, and I suppose even bloomers are enough to frighten her. To tell tho truth she should never travel without a chaperone and every precaution should be taken to preserve her tender illusions. $5 TO CAUFOENIA Is our Sleeping Car Rate on thePhilllps-Boek If land Tourist Excursions from Conned Bluff Omaha or Lincoln to Los Angeles or Kan Fran ci'co Tia thp.Tcenic Routs and Ocden. Car leaves Dei Moines every Friday, and sleeping car rate from thero is $3.50. Yon h.iro through sleoper, and the Phillip' mangement has a special agent accompaB? tna excursion each week, and yon will sara moaey and hare excellent accomodation, mm the sara bare upholstered spring, seats, an Fnllmaa build, and appointments perfect. Address for foil particulars, JHO. SEBASTIAN, G. P. A. Chfeag. CHAS. KENNEDY, Gen. W. Pub. A. O. A. RUTHERFORD. 0. P. A T. A, 1045 O St Cor. 11th, Lincoln, Nek hum PREMIUM PALE BEER Delivered AT $1.00 PER DOZEN !JI yNY PART OF THE GITy, H. WLTE18AB PHONE 137. I 1 7 N. 9TH STREET. SCHOOL -3 IS THEi RtfiflX PiJE For a boy or girl. In every way it is to be avoided Our JVoebcl Qrammar lias specialists in every study and is run on the departmental principles which govern our High schools. Unique features Industrial instruction Limited classes S.nd for circulars, or call on Wm. e. chancellor, a. m. President of faculty A GUIDE TO HEALTH with every purchase of Munyon( Remedies at RIGGS' pharmacy, KtA.OEJVOZVr'S MM 1W Will accept engagements forhigh grade music for entertainments and dances. Any number and variety of instruments furnished. Terms reasonable. 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When wanting a clean, easj shT or an artistic hair-cut, try u. THE POPULAR TONSORIAL ARTIST, who has an elegant barber shop with oak chairs, etc, called "The Annex" at 117 North Thirteenth treat, south of Lansing theatre. Vf HAS ALSO VERY MEAT BATH ROOMS. ORCHESTRA tarn AUGUST HAGCNOW University Conservatory of Music 11th and R Streets SI 1 il