The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 12, 1903, Page 50

THE SAN FRANC ISCO CALL 12, 1908 N L ANCITFE -~ " cong g ¥ - erta gurgle - It ¥ ey igure . ¥ f goid. T were pearls as 2 s e ears, diamonds and pe ” e plump fingers. The hair, sunr brown, wae worn in what I am informed B Whalley in front and asked. vou?” I d, her face dimples by he dozer 1 bad to put this dress on to keep warm. There you sit in a lawn ws perfectly warm, 1 know—and here m freezing! Feel my vands for a “You're frigh- ried Miss McKinley, Why, 1 week, when pped his brow if he brought water and they were all the b we sat in this the windows down, perfect- wear this drese out of at home, with y No indeed, s fu I'm not frightened. Why should I be? After that nice interview of yours with Miss Bing- sam on Sunday—we are great friends— and that nice notice you gave me yester- day®” “But it is your first Interview?” Yes,” she beamed, “but it's lovely. “We haven't begun,” I threaten dark “Now will you please tell ghe public how many pearls there are on that chain?” for T am sure the little singer would like the public to know. “Ope hundred and seventy-five,” she repljed, fingering the irregular gems with their golden links with a childlike pride. “It'e very handsome,” I testified, with, Lowever, an irreverent flash of reminis- cence of 2 popcorn string. “How long is ""l heve & friend who is almost six feet tall,” said Miss Mabel, “and put plainly PARTIMN - g © 5 W < WO T her rour of 1 & neck it falls just to the hem r gown. I got them just before com- g here.” time for the debut.” In time for the debut—oh, I'm so hap- cried "o be doing now what ways wanted to do, and to have ifully received—really, I get by about it”—and the large, blue led with quick ingenuous tears. ident McKinley's niece could hard- received any other kind of recep- tion here I venture. McKinley was silent for a to say thing about 1 at length, h tating and vet all anxious candor. I can’t help being his 1 I am intensely pi € long before he was this career, have al- worked for it. * * ¢ nd of music and And he was the ece— ud of it, ed me ssiona m T t road led of men. * * * But he's g I don't like to say what I be- lic 1 have thought of this step. ght b . >ken of my trading upon never thought of it when I ne People my proached the managers—didn't realize value for a moment. Now I do. I ¥ my name means friendliness w r I go. * * * But I want t ecd on my own merits Y w I interpoiate. v have said.” and Miss Mec- K k cheeks grew a iittle pinker, I this work just for the sake adful!” she went on, in cager refuta- adn’t the least idea how much be made in this way—though elling the managers sd now it's the greatest thing in the ! people with singing. And grateful for my success.” Orpneum audiences e concert crowds?’ I 's eyes the people. They're e a thousand times more 8! ncert crowd. What g concert tickets the time, no w audiences are cold. The Orpheum re there to enjoy themselves, and they ¢ was g e to tell the nd Mrs. our relations elling me the gallery might ren you're done for,’ they y did did they?” said, remembering the tu- ad greeted the “And now, what the think what I've k of hard work & in the world ate. It means study, study. thing I'm little bit proud udied people’s manner opera, grand opera, manner, what made them udi And I think my deportment is not very r a beginner emember 1 said so,” I gently nr to find the rosy iass 1ore mature than I had imag- hat you said was lovely—please as I obediently do. “I've of your notice ast. Funny. newspapers much be- hardly anything else a pupil of Victor Capou sk f Margaret Elliott—to whom mmended me, and of Isidore whom 1 think splendid,” she “I believe you can get all America—tone placing and f ot perhaps better than ntinent. We are more practi- Of course we haven't the musi- re yet, and that's a great :t T think you can get as good ag anywhere.” me the same 1ere a told thing,” I vely!” her said Miss Me- white teeth How ng Did Kir st ighted w ow < me ju take people you made 1 step to like it?” I how the didn’t drooped a little at yung vaudevillain 1 don’t know I just did 1 had hard tim all resigned now.” and I thought fgnation was probably the par where Miss Mabel's whims srned. She resumed thoughtful- I think it is the fear that one will urt by = ding that makes friends so averse to seeing one go the stage. Don't you? lFailure seems harder on one’s friends than It would have been on mine, just have gone on until I had thought red m rather a of wisdom were is be even t ceeded. But 1 other people A succeeded, so why shouldn’t 17 * ¢ cre was Amelia Bingham, actress and manager both. She was always a big inspiration to me. I don’t think Amelia has had an opening night that I haven't seen “And so thay are all resigned now “Even Aunt Helen—one of my chief fa- vorites,” said Miss Mabel, “and Uncle David and Aunt Anna—whom I look like, and Aunt Sarah and Uncle James and my father and Dr. Baer—you're not putting all those down?” “I am,” 1 own. “Well, say, too, that T had no notion that one would be so beautifully treated on the stage,” this experienced person or- dered. * 1'd heard that you were cuffed around and so on, but it's all perfectly Jovely, the management, the people, the performers—but that 1 always thought. If things are always as nice as they are at the Orpheum I shall have no com- plaints to make. * * * And I want to hear,” striking off at a tangent, “just where I'm wrong in my work—not in print, though.” “You weren’t at all nervous on“Sunday night, were you?” “Not a bit,” she said cheerfully, “but I aid go all to pleces last night. I don't know why I should have been €0 nervous the second night. One of the performers asked me to put my name in her auto- graph album afterward and I couldn't think of a thing to say. And when 1 did 1 had to sepd out wildly for rubber to rub it out!” “And am I also to have an autograph?” I smiled. “I'd like one on one of those photographs—I've never asked for one be- fore but once.” No? That is lovely of you,” and Miss McKinley took up the photograph, asked one of us to hand her a pen and auto- graphed her plump and smiling self for me. “It's bad writing, regular McKinley hand, but I don’t mind because it's Mc- Kinleyism.” “1 suppose you are an arrant Republi- © 61‘9 ~N - ’ Niece of the Martyr President Now a Vaudeville Star Who Wants to Shine by Her Own Light, Not by Reflection. can,” I said as we rose to take our leave. “No, I know nothing of politics,” said President McKinley's niece, “I just loved uncle.” BLANCHE PARTINGTON. Free Musmgilfll_l brary. " greatest interest to the music lover is the new musical depart- ment that in a few days from now will be thrown open in our ¥ree Public Library. As some will remember, the question of such a collection for the Free Library was pretty widely discussed some months ago. To Mme. Emella Tojetti, whose presidency of the music section of the California Club has been variously and pleasantly memorable, belongs the honor of having set this ball rolling. The importance of such collection in the form- ation of musical taste In the community has, of course, long been recognized; lo- cally, however, the question had been ig- nored until a few months ago, when Mme. Tojetti made her plea to the authorities. Bristllng with statistics from libraries all over the country, of the demonstrated usefulness of the music library, of its popularity, of the character and extent of the various collections, the lady then elo- quently volced the local need. That was at Christmas time, and now, a day or two hence will see the modest opening of our free public library of music. 1t will, in truth, be quite a modest af- fair. Our city fathers have as yet been able to devote only $200 to the purpose, but that the fund has been most wisely expended the following list will witness. Here again many thanks shouid go Mme. Tojetti’s way. Not only to her is owing the suggestion for the choice of the music thus far, but the admirable repre- sentative list of operas that the collec- tion contains has been enriched by eight- een works from her own library. Let you and I do so much, good music lover, and the San Francisco library will very short- ly be a thing of pride. Inevitably, and quite properly in San Francisco, the operatic element was given precedence in Mme. Tojetti's list, but 1} ‘Wwill be noted that there is also a useful oratorio and cantata selection and a goodly set of four-hand symphony ar- rangements for pianoforte—those next best things to the scores. But here end- eth the fair beginnings of our library. Some talk there is already, however, of adding the pianoforte and vielin and pianoforte sonatas at an early date, but the appended list is complete up to to- day. It is designed to add to the collec- tion from time to time at the suggestion of prominent musicians, and certainly no more useful outlet for private beneficence will suggest itself. And now. What is done by the trystees in the future will depend almost Wholly upon the public interest taken in the mat- ter, and if I knew my San Francisco, it will not be lacking here. A matter of large moment is the circulation question, that will immediately present itself to the trustees on the opening of the music shelves—that is, as to whether the musie shall be put into circulation or kept for réference only. If the latter, its useful- ness will be seriously impaired until a music-room with a pianoforte is part of the library equipment. Again, if it is put into circulation its referential value will be nil. Here a double set of scores, one for reference, one for circulation, is the only completely satisfactory solution of the difficulty. But in default of the double series, and of the music-room, it would certainly seem wiser to put the present collection into circulation. In the Eastern libraries, where there are refer- ence and circulation departments both, it is usual to resetve for circulation operatic scores, oratorios, cantatas, plano, piano and violin and song literature. And now, with best wishes to the new library, I give with pleasure the following list of its modest riches: Operatic vocal scores: Wagner—Dag Rhein- gold, Die Walkure, Slegtried, Gottordammos: ung, Parsifal, Lohengrin, Tannhauser, Tristan und Isolde, Flylng Dutchman, Rienzi, Die Meistersinger. G, Verdi—Aida, Othello, Man- zoni Requiem, 'La, Traviata, Il _Trovatore. G. Puccini—La'Boherne, La Tosca, Manon Les- caut. Mascagni—Cavalleria Rusticana, Iris, L'Amico Fritz. Leoncavallo—I Pagliacel, W. Giordano—Andre Chenier. Massenet—Manon Lescaut, Sapho. _Saint-Saens—Samson and Delllah.” Gounod—Faust, Romeo and Jullet. A. Thomas—Mignon. Delibes—Laxme. ~Bizet ~—Carmen. Berlioz—Les Troyens. Spontini— La Vestale. Donizetti—Lucia, Don Pasquale, La Favorita, Lucresia Borgla. Mozart—Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro. Magic Flute. Bellint—Norma, La Sonnambula. A. Boito— Mefistofele. Meyerbeer — Les Huguenots. Weber—Der Freischutz. Rossini—I1 Barbiere, William Tell. Beethoven—Fidelia. Flotow-— Martha. Cimarosa—Il Matrimonio Segreto. A. nda. C. Glucl chumann—Genoveva. Ponchielli—La Gioc Orpheus, Armida. ratorios, cantatas: Berlioz—Damnation of Faust. Pergolesi—Stabat _Mater. R Stabat Mater. Dyorak—Stabat Mater, Max Bruch—Odysseu: Legend. C. Franck. ter's Bride. van—Golden tudes. Dubois—Paradise Lost, Seven Words. H. Parker—Hora Novissima. Dream of Gerontius. Liszt—Legend of St zabeth. J. Brahms—German Requiem, Gounod—Redemption, Mors et Vita. Schu- mann—Paradise and the Peri, Faust. Haydn eation. Hande essiah. Men- delssohn—Elijah, St. Paul, Hymn of Praise. Symphonies: _Beethoven—Nine symphonies. Dvorak—New World Symphony. Goldmark— Hochzeit. Haydn—No. 6 (Surprise), minor), No. 11 (Military). Mendels- sohn—No. & (Scotch), No. 4 (Italian). Mozart —No, 543 (E flat), No. 550 (G minur), No. 551 er). Rafi—No, 8 (Im Walde). Rubin- Sy (Ocean). Schubert—No. 8 (B mi- nor, unfinished), No. 9 (C_major). Schumann No 1 (B flat), No, 2 (C major), No. 4 (D minor). Tschaikowski—No, No. 6. Symphonic poems: Mendelssohn—Midsummer Night's Dream. Moskowski—Joan of Arc. Saint-Saens—Rouet d'Omphale, Phaeton, Danse Macabre. Sy . “Sangs for Scotsmen Far Frae Hame” is the self-explanatory title of a quaint pub- lication that comes to me this week. The songs, four in number, are a product of Jocal genius, the words by James Smith, the music by George St. John Bremner? Both are wholesome and pleasing and will doubtless prove of interest to the Scot “far frae hame.” “The Thistles” pos- sesses more than ordinary merit. It is very singable and has an unmistakable Scotch lilt, which, indeed, is common to the series. '‘The St. Andrews” has a fine patriotic swing and words that will warm the cockles of every guid Scotch heart. The get-up of the little sheet Is very attractive. with its brave tartan and thistles. (Publishers, Smith & Bremnmer; 50 cents.) PPN Y Plays and the Players. ‘WO thirds of the Grand Opera-house I stage will be torn out and a sub- stage erected for the big produc- tion of “Ben Hur." A large force of car. penters will come here for that purpose two weeks ahead of the opening date. & e 3 Writing in the Theater Magazine for July, Albert E. Lancaster, the playwright, say What is the reason that England and the Continent continue to exercise over us a fascination, as far as the stage is concerned, which we are very seldom able to exercise over them? Irving, for in- stance, has been visiting this country continually for the last twenty years. Does any one suppose he would do so un- less he made a good deal more money here than in his native land? But, do we ever hear of Mansfield acting in London, and then making a successful tour of the British provinces? Yet, Mansfleld is, in many respects, as good an actor as Ir- ving, and there are those who think him better. Miss Terry has been received here with delight on innumerable occa- sions; yet the late Augustin Daly sank very many thousands of dollars in trying to establish Miss Rehan in London—and she is, in various roles, as charming as the English actress. Upon very rare oc- casions an American star, through a for- tunate combination of circumstances, makes a successful London appearance, and may count upon a cordial rewelcome. Charlotte Cushman contrived to get a hearing less by luck than by an explosive expression of her persomality. Edwin Booth falled to elicit any attention there in his youth, and If he was partially suc- cessful on the English stage in his ma- turity it was because he and Irving acted in company. Mary Anderson was one of the few who became London favorites. Recently Mr. Gillette played a very suc- cessful season there, and so did Mrs. Car- ter, But Mr. Sothern has never appeared there at all, and John Drew has not done so since he became a star. Maude Adams’ debut in London has frequently been mentioned, but has never taken place. How long is it to be postponed, and why? We do not mean to say that in all the records of the American stage there are no Instances of European sucéesses be- ing achieved by American actors, But the number is very smail. There is too great a disposition to overrate what comes to us from abroad, and vastly too great a disposition in Europe to under- rate what we might send them. “They say that it is never too late to learn,” said Lillian Burkhart the other day, “but I must confess that I had néver thought that it would be necessary for me to take up stage dancing. No, I have no ambition to become a premier dan- seuse, but I have just purchased a new sketch entitled ‘The Man and the Bur- glaress,’ which I will use in the vaude- ville houses this fall, and In it [ am re- quired to dance. A dancing burglaress ought to be something of a novelty. It is terrible, though, to think of having to practice several hours a day in the hot summer under an unfeeling dancing mas- ter. My new sketch was played at a benefit performance at the Waldorf-As- toria by Blanche Bates and Robert T. Haines, where it scored a great hit. I expect it to be one of the most successful sketches that I have ever used.” ive w Henry W. Savage has announced that Raymond Hitcheock will create the lead- ing role in “The Yankee Consul,” the new comic opera by Henry M. Blossom Jr. and Alfred G. Robyn. Mr. Hitcheock is at present in Italy and will visit Paris, Berlin and London before he returns ta this country in August. “The Yankee Consul” will be produced upon an elabor- ate scale by Mr. SBavage early n tne com. ing season. PRRE, v J. H. Stoddart, who is starring in “The Bonnie Brier Bush,” wants to gét back to Broadway. He says there is only one place in the country that Scotch haggis can be prepared to his fastidious taste, and that is in a Nttle ¥rench aurant in Forty-second street, where the cook is German, her assistant a Chinaman, the waiters Italian, and most of the guests drish. W o It is promised that Miss Henrietta Cros- man's production of “As You Like It" next autmun will present the richest and most beautiful Shakespearean pictures ever revealed on the stage. Nat M. Wills, previous to beginning re- hearsals with his musical comedy, “A Son of Rest,” will spend a week at St. James, L. I, where he will act a8 captain uf the local baseball club,