The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 24, 1903, Page 46

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY LAY 24, 1903 ‘WITH THF PLAYFRS ~=~o THF. MUSE we ture some a fortune by ntor of monox- inves the he said at some two- he aid of a opened loor Redw s depth, wit ken panels form green walls an the th witk spacious perha the pret- house. There are n chairs, good staines a simply carved glass, a carved aped with rich, s i cush- ions rait in of the 2 Ho- 8 “picked up,” a fine Persian ™ g00d books exquisitely bound re the evidence Simplicity of fine and and sober rich- » in the handsome little with its one Caden: tlly prized; its Roman- exquisite cloissone. A su- is the attraction of and a frieze of pot- ure the dining- the actor has a particu- g for and all his spare pence are o their purchase. as built it,” the house's owner ingly volunteered, as we made our through the long ball to the room, after a glance by the way at he madam’s” boudoir—"sun ail . G a bathroom in which the act much pride as an old Roma “Raisins?" 1 aqueried. “We have a small ranch down in Fres. " he explained. “We grow figs, and so on. Acting bought that hut bought this. There are worse tra iy mother has the lower flat,” and ther, recep- the actor-ranchman went on to tell how many closets and windows and the like there were, with the love of the artist for his work. And you planned it all?” “The madam and 1" the architect re. ed. “Ah, here is the tea,” and with 4 comical reminder of his “Gandy™ man- per in “Lady Huntworth’s Experiment Mr. Osbourne went to serving it - ?7 PLANCIHLE PAIZDTINC]TON CIOLK 1 | LIFE BY | GEORGE OSBOURNE, ACTOR, WELL KNOWN AND POPULAR, A PATRON OF ART AND A (SKETCHED FROM METHFESSEL.) s WRITER OF VERSE. fhac by ti went Bet actor Mrs. Geor Dar He's have omit- way it whe sta mouthfuls we of macaroons if ‘the wonderin n you the ed: “Oh t was the first ! mot of my ou saw him, I know, in s Defense,” with Margaret An with W d’s new comp fine parts. Good? was Helen Mason. I when proprietor of at the Baldw ment with me. m scorned it. Still, [ married her. weeks later—I didn’t let much grass grow under my feet then,” Mrs. Osbourne has played since?” Or, n't and wife tyral of ¢ on the with believe ly me,” Osbourne ely. loest good. something to b yurse, there other side. said in this fashion of husband It isn’t na The manager e ve said fre- quently has a hard time with a man and wife frictior he na one. W, Mr. Osbourne? Gotha “In able dv it. T interv how— in the same company. each tak: as two tempers to pacify So it goes. aat did you take am’'s ear. “Chisp: ‘Chispa.” We played it fir: win here and 1 did pretty hen when 1 went to rfewed Dan Frohman, I'm quick we but tempered—we got If there’'s any s the other’s part, and instead of ew York with, for the actor has had his he replied, “the memor- at the 1l with New York I some- to crossed swords and I left him and my hopes didn’t down of a New York engagement. I care any way, for I was already homesick for California, but I met a man street who asked me to go v in ‘Chispa’ at the Fourteenth and before I knew it I was act- and street New York were there—Palmer, Daly, Belasco, and after the performance Nat Goodwin took me and introduced me all round to them. They wore pretty stift those days, too, round about 'S5 that I was in Palmer's company ‘character’ work with Osmunde t Born’ came next?” fterward. That was a fine pro- duction, one of Belasco's. The lighting was marvelous, and the dragon curtain, Chinese orchestra, the punks—every il. In London we had an orchestra f sixty-two, with the composer of ‘The ieisha’ to lead.” “You didn’t do very well in London?” “We ran a week in that musty old Globe Theater,” sald Osbow¥ne. “And some of the critics praised the thing very Most of them praised the acting. ‘at and the Cherub’ beat us In town one day, unluckily. They opened on tyrday—we on Monday—of course, you know the similarity of the two plays? But the people liked ‘The First Born.’ They threw corsage bouquets and shouted ‘Bravo, America!’ the night we opened. Of course, that kind of China- man—Powers' kind—was new to them there, as new as an embassy Chinaman would be in Petaluma.” “Powers did a pretty fine thing in ‘The First Born,’ " I added. “Have you done anything yourself play “Just a little sketch or two, and—and— a little more tea?’ “Poetry! I see it in your.eye!” I chal- lenged, reading instant guilt in the actor's very handsome brown orbs—naive dis- tress in his lifted, black eyebrows. “A little—occasionally—yes, after the theater. Don’'t call me Wegg, please,” he stammered and blushed delightfully. “When I come home and don’t feel like sleep I try my hand a little. It does me good and doesn’t do any one any. harm.” 'hat depends!” I sald. “May I see some of it?”" and humbly, but with a tint of the author’'s pride, from a convenient pocket he pulled out one short stanza, in epic of the making of the Golden Gate. “Mr. — says this Is not so bad, you know the author bashfully offered. “It is a legend of the forming of the Golden Gate—1 go on the idea that this was a valley before ‘the Gate was broken through. The other,” and the poet stood up to paint his idea in the more familiar language of gesture, “came to me one gray day like this. You've seen the gulls from the ferry sweep low by the water?"” and with graceful hands he pictured the beautiful things until one could see their still wings polsed over the wave. “One day at sunset 1 saw a gull lift over a wave and cast a long, jagged shadow cross on the water. I tried to put it down—forgive it.” And here it is: The sun sinks heavy o'er a dull, dun sea, A gray gull glints his pinion on a crested wave, ‘Where, shadowed on its bosom from a fading ray, Lies a holy cross upon a sailor's grave. Then “the madam” came in—a piquant, and what Lawrence d'Orsay used to call “alluring” person, with her fine coppery hair, brilliant black eyes, and laces and sables. She regarded Mr. Osbourne's triumphs of hospitality with indulgent criticism and then fell to dis- cussion of the perennial Mrs. Campbell— whom there’s no slight flavor of about “thc madam,” be it said. Splendid in “The Joy of Living,' she thought her, and always beautiful, whereat Mr. Os- bourne, no doubt truthfully, but certain- ly politically, disagreed. And then, bear- ing off the “Epic of the Golden Gate” in triumph, I left the house “built of raisins” and its gentle owners. PLAYS AND PLAYERS The coming season, the season of 1903-04, will witness the advent of Miss Eleanor Robson as a star. A contract has already beer entered into with Edwin Arden, who has been engaged as her leading male That first night all the managers in then raided his desk for the following “support, and the two plays intended for One of written her use have been decided upon. them is “La Valliere,” a play v Henri Battaile, the famous Parisia adapter of ‘“Resurrection,” especi for Miss Robson, and from whom have lately come reports of progress which are not only satisfactory but enthusias tically encouraging. The other play ac- cepted for Miss Robson is now being written especially for her by Mrs. Hum- phrey Ward and Louis Parker, and this has already advanced sufficiently to en- ceurage the hope that it will prove a play of marvelous strength. It is entitled “‘Agatha,” and will be an original English society drama, not a book adaptation, in which the characters will be drawn with the gifted English authoress’ supreme skill, and to which Mr. Parker, the fam- ous author of “Rosemary,” will lend his best efforts as a playwright. . . Mrs. Fiske closed her tour in “Mary of Magdala” on May 12. Her season in this drama did not begin until late in Octo- ber and covered thirty weeks. ‘“Mary of Magdala” everywhere has met with re- markable approval, and aside fromy its marked favor with the regular thedter- going public it has attracted considerable attention from clergymen and church-go- ing people of all denominations, who have been enthusiastic in its praise. By com- mon consent, too, “Mary of Magdala” as a production never has been equaled on the American stage for sumptuous and artistic beauty and fine detail. Mrs. Fiske has entered upon a holiday that will last until August, when she will begin re- hearsals of her company for next season, which, aside from a limited engagement at the Manhattan Theater, New York, be- ginning in September, she will spend in an extended tour of the leading cities of the eountry, including a visit to San Francisco and the principal cities of the coast territory. On this long tour Mrs. Fiske will confine herself to “Mary of Magdala.” R Sarah Bernhardt is to appear for the first time in what she calls the “Iris of Pinero” during her coming London season, e which begins on June 13. Hitherto Mme. Bernhardt's only excursion into English drama has been in Shakespeare. The in- terest of the production is increased by the fact that Dion Boucicault, who, by per- mission - of Charles Frohman, is going to Paris next week to help Mme. Bern- hardt in the production, may very po bly play the part of Croker Harrington, which he created in the London produc- tion, of course speaking in French. “Iris" is being translated for Mme. Bernhardt by the Vicomte d’'Humieres, who has al- ready translated several English novels with great skill and distinction. In addi- tion to “Iris” two French versions of “The Second Mrs. Tanqueray” have re- cently been prepared, one of which will be played by Mme. Jane Hading at the Coronet Theater, London, during the pres- ent season. ! o 2o Beerbohm Tree, in his speech at Strat- ford-on-Avon on Shakespeare’s birthday, announced that he proposes at the end of the year to start a school for the training of young actors at His Majesty’s Theater. From the school his provincial companies will be mainly recruited, and these com- panies in their turn will act as a feeding ground for His Majesty’s Theater. This idea, if carried out, will'give the talented dramatic aspirant a chance he has never had before. ¥oes e Samuel S. Shubert and Nixon & Zim- mierman, who will next yvear star Fay Templeton in Clyde Fitch's new musical comedy, “The Infant Prodigy,” for which Reginald de Koven has written the musie, are engaging a very strong company for her support. Miss Templeton has long been a Weber-Fieldian and one of the most popular members of that organiza- tion. g e The Shakespearean play which Miss Viola Allen has selected for presentation next seasonr as previously announced, is “Twelfth Night!' in which, of course, Miss Allen will appear as Viola, a char- acter with which she has long been evamored, and which she is anxious to comport give such a presentation as wil with her ideals. Truly Shattuck will be the leading sing- car Hammerstein's Paradise s, on tae combined roofs of the Vic- toria and Belasco theaters, which will open on Monday, June 1, with a great va riety of light entertainment, including an extravaganza and ballet called “Punch, Judy & Co.,” written by Hammerstein. GraceGeorge and her husband-manager, William A. Brady, sai} for England on May 27. Later they will visit France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland and the Netherlands. Mr. Brady will returr to make his product ‘he Pit ea and Miss Ceorge later i e season for the resumption of her >retty Peggy.” Robert McDowell announces a sensa- tion setting-forth of Channing Pollock's play, “A Game of Hearts,” which will open on June 8 at the Star Theater, New York. The principal mechanical eff, n the piece is a in a stamp mill in Utah. There is no differ: the " m: of even the most cap w York crities over the beauty endor of the new big Casino show awa They are agreed that it is the most gorgeous thing ever dressed for the American stage. 2 David Warfield, New York in the latter part o has found that Solomon Levi in “The_Auctioneer” is as popular a stage personage as ev These are crowded nhights at the Victoria, where he is playing. Blanche Bates will continue to play “The Darling of the Gods™” at the Belasco Theater until Decoration day. Then she will take a good summer holi nd re- turn to the same house with the same play ir stember Cecella (“Cissie™) Loft to star sea- son after next 2 play written for her by E. H. Sothern, it is & —— e GENIUS AND ITS STRUGGLE WITH LIFE Some of the Best Men Go Down Un- der Adverse Circum- stances. Great men are of two general types, that may be led, T ol genius and men high ta We may take Shakesveare, Mozart, Shelley, New- ton, Spinoza as types rtus 11t would not be difficult group of the second sort—all of mbers have attained hor mous receptivity ar rough acuteness Nor Is it difft tion of each group t istence. Great men in prop approach the second type ly useful in the immediate and are ¢ natural selectic natural sefeetion is a a toward the future has misconceived it. Men of high genius too often find it difficult even to live conquer only when tk are suitable to be quickly mediate practical uses. T ideas mow in printed for recognitiop. More work of genfus has, f little bearing € Mu: and p: modern to rather means of ple relati amusement to those P from the struggle for existence. sition of the men of talen hand, ured. THE stability of a and its place among the nations depe upon the number and ability of men of this stamp. They obtain t wards of to-day because they do the work of to- day. They found families by reason of their strength and virility; and their steadfastness cheerfulness are as character instability and originality of the man of high genius. His daring sugge and deep insights are often not unconnected with bodily discom- fort and distress and with profound dis- satisfaction with the conditions of life about him, The foregoing Is an abstract of a sum- ming up by Arthur Ebbels of stions discussed by Dr. Wallace and Sir Oliver Lodge In recent numbers of Nature. It is too brief to be exhaustive, but not to have suggestiveness.—New York STl d S skt CASE OF DIGNITY WELL REBUKED Master Found Way to Get Work Done and Teach a Lessen. A wealthy New York broker who has a country home on Long Island is so fond of flowers that he fequently spends some time in and about his plants, sometimes doing a little gardening himself. A days ago he thought he would water plant who was standing near a watering ca and told him to fill it and bring it to him. Beg pardon, sir, I'm the coachman said the English importation, touching his ome 80 he called to his new coachman hat. g “YWell, that's all right; bring that can here.” ¢ Beg pardon, sir, I'm the coachman Well, well, I know that. Bring e I want it.”” hman touched his hat and still made the same reply. Then something dawned on the broker. “Oh,” he sald, “so you're the coachman and can’t bring the can. Well, coachman go and have the black team hitched the family carriage and bring it h Have one of the hostlers ride on the box with you.” The coachman touched his again respectfully and went. Presently he drove up in style. “Now,” said the broker, “drive to where that can Is and you, hostler, pick it up get back on the box, drive around to the stable with the coachman, fill it with wa- ter and have him drive you back again It was done, and the can brought, filled “Now, hostler,” said the broker. “you may go. Coachman, you remain where you are. I may need you again. Don't drive away until I give you leave. The coachman saved his dignity, but he sat on the seat of that coach for two hours. after the broker had finished wa- tering the flowers.— change. —_——— Not All Have the Same Tastes. Some people cannot understand poetry They should not be abused for it, because they cannot help it. One of the import~ ant things to remember in this life is the difference in people. One man Is maturally religious; he cannot get along without it Another man, equally worthy_ cannot un- derstand religion at all, and honestly de- nies its importance. Two worthy men will atténd a play. One will be delighted, the other disgusted. Some of the best men we have ever known cared nothing about music. And so it goes all through life. Don’t abuse a man because his ideas and yours do not agree—Topeka State Journal / -