3
THE COURIER.
J the passing show:
l W I LLA GATHER f
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Since tho (loath of Edwin Booth tho
American stage has suffered no such
lose ua in tho death of Augustin Daly,
critic, dramatist and managor, who died
several weeks ago in Paris. Now that
Mr. Daly haB loft us, it is possible to
Bay the thingB that could not bo said
whon he was with ub, Now it is time
to coaso jesting about the Daly hat and
the "Temple of the drama" and tho
limitations of Miss Rohan and to
Eoriously consider what 'this man did
for dramatic art in America; all his life
he was idontitied with the stage in one
way or another. In his youth ho was
dramatic writer on various Now York
journals, and at one time was critic for
five separate papers and that without
revealing his identity. As early as 18GG
bo began writing plays, and in 1869 he
- began bis career as a manager. Ho was
then barely thirty-one. Among the
plays of his authorship there were none
that will live far into tho next century,
or that w'll add much to the command
ing authority of his name, but there are
eovoral, such as "Under tho Gaslight"
and ''Pique," that were useful pieces in
their time and kept inferior plays oil
the boards. He concerned himself
largely with adaptations from the
French and German theatre, and for
years gave us the best plays of those
countries, where the drama is regarded
and practised more seriously than here.
His proper sphere, however, was a
strictly managerial one, the production
of plays and the training and instruct
ing of actors. He introduced to the
New York public such players as Olara
Morris, Agnes Ethel, Fanny Davenport,
John Drew, Sarah Jewett, Emily Rigl
and Ada Reban. AlmoBt all of the most
competent actors on our stage today
received their best training at Daly's
- hands. He wbb no pedant; he knew
where to polish and where to let nature
alone. He had his own standards and
believed in them thoroughly, but he
could admit others and even reject
them. When Clara Morris came to
town, a frail slip of a girl with a big
talent and no oieanB of controlling it,
ho let her alone. He disapproved of her
method, or rather of her lack of it, but
he realized that there was something in
the raw, tierce genius of the woman that
would win its own way, and that if she
had any message worth the speaking it
must be spoken in her own way,
through the violent, eratic, unattiBtic
medium that God had given her. In
her Bppearmce in "Alixe" in his new
theatre on Eighth street, be scored his
first great managerial success. And be
knew when to drop her. He knew that
the public would find only the transient
chaim of novelty in this undisciplined
violonce, that no genius can perfect
itself without art, and that it is only the
thing of beauty that is a joy forever.
. The artist proper cultivates method to
Bave himself and yet produce his effect.
He draws from within; be makes his
brain work,and learns to cherish and
save his emotional force. But Mies
Morris either could not or would not
learn this; she burned the wick, and she
burned it out quickly.
It was in another woman that Mr.
Daly found the steel worthy of his tem
pering, In no profession huve women
dominated so easily as in the theatre,
Yet in none have they been so dependent
upon men. You remember how in
Thackeray's novel, old Mr. Robert Bows
of the orchestra sat out on the bridge
one night and talked to Pendonnis about
Miss Fotberingay and told hnw he bad
trainod and taught and drilled her, made
her "Juliet" and "Ophelia" with his own
hands, creatod all her parts for her, and,
biuco churlish naturo had denied a foiiI
to that beautiful body, ho had givon hor
hiB own? Look over tho history of tho
stage and you will And that for almost
evory ono of its great women, boiiio man
has mado just that sacrifice If sho
happoaod to have a soul, thon somo man
has Buppliod tho material, practical
elements of groatneBs, has saved hor
from wearing horsolt out ovor manugor
ial duties and matters of petty detail.
Sometimes I have thought that it is be
cause sho lacks tho aid of thin almoat
indiBponsablo masculine intolligonco and
devotion and loyalty that Mrs. Flake,
tho greateBt of our actrosaos, has drifted
so long without a definito course For
tho trainod manager is a sort of trained
nurso for discouragod genius. Ho is a
sort of ill-starred dog croated by heaven
to help other people succeed. Like
Browning's "Luria,'' ho is fashioned to
do the work ot all hiB sovoral friends,
and answer every purpoBO savo his own.
Mis'? Ada Rohan was tho instrument
through which Auguslin Daly was to
gi"o the world what was host in him.
ThiB is Baid with no wish to depieciate
Mies Rehan's genius. Sho is one of tho
most intelligent artists of hor timo, but
it was hor manager who mado it poB
eiblo for hor intolligonco to employ itself
worthily, for her talents to perfect
themselves, for her genius to find its
fittest and fullest expression. It wbb in
her success that Auguetin Daly found
bis own. He would not have had it
otherwise. The last years of his life
were devoted to adapting and producing
playB adapted 1o her peculiar quality of
talent. Since John Ruskin devoted ten
laborious years to forcing from the pub
lie a recognition of Turnpr's work, no
one mind has so completely immolated
and devoted and dedicated itbelf to the
growth and achievement of arotber.
Together they served the drama well.
For a few years, in the heart or the most
trivial of citizens, they reinstated classic
comedy to something of its original dig
nity. There whb always one, and I fear
but one, theatre in America where one
could always feel euro of finding a
thoroughly intellectual and worthy per
formance, where there was an atmoe
phere of seriousness and dignity and
earnest endeavor. Quo went to other
houses to see a novelty, or a piece of
risque business, or a faca, or a foreign
celebrity, but at Daly's one saw a clay
One sunny March day a year ago 1 waB
lunching at the Gilsey home in New
York when these two strange people
came in, Mies Rehan and her manager.
I was with a party of player folks and
they bowed distantly to us and took a
table near our own. It seemed to be the
player's corner. They were two of the
tiredest, sloppiest looking people I ever
saw, and they worked even while they
ate. Mr. Daly's overcoat was buttoned
tigbt up to his chin and he did not take
tho trouble to unbutton it, but pro.
ceeded to dribble Boup down the front of
it until Miss Rehan absently handed him
a napkin. Miss Rohan hareelf was at
tired in a black tailor-made suit that
fitted her none to wall. Her white col
lar was not immaculate, her neck tie was
awry, the long plumes in her black hat
wore limp and uncurled. Her hair was
iron gray, straight and carelessly ar
ranged, there were black circles under
hor eyes aud she looked deadly tired.
She sat listlessly until their lunch was
brought and then they began ,to talk,
Even had we not heard snatches of
their conversation every thon and now,
there could be no doubt as to what its
subject was, Only one topic under
heaven could have made Mr. Daly spill
his soup so recklessly, or could have
brought the light into that woman's
tired eyea. Presently the manager be
gan to draw diagrams on the table cloth
with his fork, and she pointed hera tnd
ho pointed thoro, and thon thoy had tho
stago boforo thorn again, right thoro on
tho lunch table at the Gilsey bouse, unci
they no longer looked tired or sloppy.
Thore woro two peoplo who lived up all
their roal life in tho thoatro. Tho world
outsido was only a sort of big hotol to
thorn, a placo whoro thoy slept and
roBtud and ate and spillod their soup,
and they woro not concorncd as to what
kind of a figure thoy cut, or whether
their clothes tittnd thorn, or what pooplo
thought of them. Tho days woro juBt
stretcbuB of timo botwoon stations,
morely preparations for tho nightp, and
it Bcomod a wasto of timo to begin to
think about clothos until halt paBt
eovon. At lust Mr. Daly bad to uubut
ton hiB coat to got his pockot book, and
tho two Btrolled out, tirod, untidy, gray
and old both ot them, ridden to death
by a rolontloBB task master that novor
sleops, and thoy loft behind thorn a
room full of onvious pooplo who would
have given money, or leisure, or youth,
or ploasuro, or whatever thoy bapponod
to hold dear for a touch of that divine
madneas which had mado these two poo
plo old and gray and tired.
,
Augustin Daly loved tho thoatro for
its own Bake. Tho enthusiasm of his
youth novor died. He wap tho only
American manager who demanded from
a play any other merit than success, or
from an actor any higher attribute than
popularity. He sacrificed moro money
for art's sake than he over kept for bis
own. Ho might have been a rich man,
but ho preferred merely to make a
living and to live bis life. Ho mado
money because he was a shrewd and
capable man, but that was not his only
or even his chief end. His death leaves
our stage widowed and championless,
without one man who cares for hor
honor abovo his own. Ho wad a man of
taste and scholarship and courage. He
believed in the drama as a fine art, as
such ho loved i, and ho spent his lifo
in its service.
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THERE IS A CALM.
There is a calm that cometh with the dark
Like some bright butterfly alighting on a
rose
It heals the world-chafed spirit with its balm
And bids the smarting eye of day in
slumber close
It puts a pillow underneath the head
That throbbed the livelong day with
piercing pain.
It smooths the wrinkles from the beating
brow
And brings a respite to o'er burdened
brain.
This calm is full of star-eyed, steadfast faith
That puts to rout the doubts that mar the
garish day.
While, like an angel through the gloom.
fond Hope
Descends heaven's battlements, on earth
ward way.
There is a calm that cometh with the dark
That soothes the soul like softly falling
summer rain,
Aad merges all discordant elements
And clashing sounds, in one harmonious
refrain. William Reed Dunroy.
LESS-
r.OUIHA I, ItlOKKTTM.
Tho following aro tho olllcora of tho
General Federation ot Womon's clubs:
President Mth. Robocca D. Lowo
Atlanta, Ga.
Vico President Mrs. Sarah 8. Piatt,
Donvor, Colo.
Recording Secretary Mrs. Emma A.
Fox, Dotroit, Mich.
Corresponding Socrotary Mra.George
W. Kondrick, Philadelphia, Pa.
Treasurer, Mrs. Phillip N. Mooro, St.
Louid, Mo.
Auditor Mrs. C. P. Barnes, Louis
villo, Ky.
Stato Chairman Mrs. Louisa L. Rick
ettB, Lincoln, Nobr,
Officers of tho Stato Fedoratlon of
Womon's clubs;
President Mrs. S. 0. Langwortby,
Seward.
Vico PresidontMrs. Anna L. Apppr
Bon, Tecumsoh.
Recording Secrotary Mrs.F. H. Sack,
ott, Weoping Wator.
Corresponding Socrotary Mrs D. G.
McKillip.Soward.
Treasurer Mrs. II. F. Doano, Crote,
Librarian Mrs. G. M. Lambortson,
Lincoln.
Mrs. A. B. Fuller, Auditor, Ashland.
Recent council meeting of tho G. F.
W. C. which was hold in Philadelphia
was one of the most important in the
hiBtory of the club movement. The
prominent subjects were tho per capita
tax.tho communication from the Worces
ter club, the affiliation of National socie
ties and the order of precedence govern
ing eUte chairman and president. Of
course these are questions which must
bo finally determined by tho next gen
eral federation. But such is their im
portance that they woro carefully con
sidered by the council, and provision
was made for each. The sentiment of
the Worcoeter club was embodied in a
concise resolution, presented by Mrs.
MuCullough from that club, asking for
an amendment to the constitution,
whbreby the biennial should be compos
ed of representatives from the State fed
erations only. This resolution was most
ably and conscientiously discussed by
its supporters and by those who were
opposed, and resulted in the following
resolution:
Resolved, That the president appoint
a committee of fifteen to draw up plans
for reorganization; that a circular be
sent to each federated club asking, that
the question of reorganization of the G.
F. W. C. which should do away with
club representatives together with the
dependent questions of proper taxation
and representation, be discussed in each
club before the meetings of tho state
federations, and acted upon at that time.
That presidents of state federations
report said action to the chairman ot the
committee on reorganization and also
HAD NO CHANCE.
Quilp He took his wife's death very
hard. She died suddenly you know,
and the poor fellow had no chance to
tell her ebe had made him a good wife.
Phllp How long had he been mar
ried to her?
Quilp Twenty years.
IN BOSTON.
First Child Why bo lachrymose, my
valued playmate?
Second Ditto My maternal ancestor
has submitted me to great indignity by
chastising the antipodes of my pinafore.
mimiiiiiiihii
I Restaurant
Ifjnique i
The Most Popular Dining
Hall in the City J For
Ladies and Gentlemen J
Wu tnnko a apoclnlty of bamwotH.
f Special Family Tables !
L Wltjn n 1 1 1 4 rjw . . a u Sr
w uwvu uuuu , iow, wo navo auoptoa
iiiu rum iiuuiu cooKliig plan, wlltcu
is kiviuk uuiYnraai aaiiaiacuou.
GlVR US A TBIAL.
W. B. HOWARD, Mar. J
I 1221 OStr., Lincoin, Nebr. f
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