The New York Clipper (November 1904)

898 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER. NOVBMBEB 19. Mi55 (lipper'5 Anecdotes, Personalities and Comments, CONCSBJI1NO ST1GE FOLK and Sometimes OTHERS BY JOSEPHINE GEO. "The WIlttDf of Willie" might easily be the title of a lesson accorded an Inquisitive young actor not Ions ago In the grill room of a dob not far from Broadway. The giver of the ieston waa Ferdinand Taeger, son of Fran Taeger, the directress of the Metropoli- tan School of Opera. The afore mentioned "Willie'' had made himself much disliked by hla baft of in- qulBltlveness, which led htm frequently to aak questions that verged on Impudence. In conversation with Taeger, who bad replied courteously to many nnneceseary queries, the young inquisitor Anally drifted Into person- alities that began to exasperate hla hereto- fore patient listener. "I notice two or three scars on your face," aald be to Taeger, "how did yon come by them?" "Duels," laconically replied Taeger, not earing to waste time In enlightening the young man on the subject of hla acari of student days In Germany. "And what were they over—do tell me," Insisted the troublesome questioner; then, Indicating a scar on Yaeger's cheek, con- tinued: "That one there—did yon do np the man who gave yon that one?" "Certainly,* waa the cut reply. "What was the fight over?" continued the questioner. "The man aihed too many, eursiions," pointedly replied Taeger, at which answer a laugh arose among the listeners that so wilted the young man that he faded away from the group a moment later. Three or four young actors were standing at the head of a flight of stain In the Knick- erbocker Theatre Building, one day last week, when their attention waa attracted at the sight of another of their acquaintance who, in ascending, bad made a misstep that caused a painful and undignified fall. "What's that?" exclaimed one of them, startled at the noise. "It's Brown, falling do\cn to Ms part," facettonsly exclaimed Arthur Bow, In stage vernacular, a phrase that Indicates failure. "Nothing of the sort," said Brown, who had recovered bis foot'ng, at tbe same time picking up from beneath bis feet some type- written copy which he bad a moment before received from his stage manager, "I only fell down on it, not to it." 9 "1 tell you what," said a drummer In the wool business to Row one day, as tbe latter had atood near and witnessed the taking of a large order by the former, "I tell you what, I believe firmly In 'taffy.' Ton see what a good order It got met If I hadn't spread It on thick I'd never have got It," and the drummer proceeded to enlarge upon his views on the philosophy of flattering people. "I believe, when a man haa good points, In tell- ing him to hla face that yon appreciate them. He likes It—taffy la a mighty good thing in its way." "Tea," answered Bow slowly and thought- fully "if$ far better than epi-tophy." 9 J. W. Conoly, agent for the Western com- pany playing "The Sign of the Cross," was standing In the lobby of the Baldwin The- atre, Sprlugfleld, Mo., one evening recently, when a "truly rural" looking Individual entered. After surveying the pictures and lithographs and Incidentally looking Conoly over, he approached htm and said: "Say, Mister, what time dui them there gates open?" "You'll have to ask the gentleman In the box office," was Conoly's reply as he, with hla usual grace, Indicated that place by a wave of bis band, and In which direction tbe rural Individual blankly gared. "I don't see no box," began the man, ap- parently myattfled, then, as his director ex- plained, "there, at the ticket window," he repeated bis question to tbe treasurer. "What time dus them there gatea open?" George Oltudorf, who 's noted for his dry humor, was at the window, and, looking up at the man who put the question, he noted algns that proclaimed h's familiarity with the farmyard and Its occupants. "We usually let the ban down about seven- thirty P. ail," said Ollndorf with a twinkle !n his eye as he glanced meaningly at Conoly, who stood near. • "I want to go Into the show," aald a countryman to tbe treasurer at a theatre where "The Bonnie Brier Bush" was playing recently, "an* I don't want to be crowded, nuther—I'm wlllln' to pay for what room I take up. How much does a seat cost?" "One dollar and fifty cento," waa the reply. "Mow many does a seat hold?" was the next query. "Only one," sa'd the treasurer, wondering at the question. "Well, that's all right," said the man, whose mind appeared to be relieved by the reply, "I bought n coat In the train comln' Into toown an' there wns five In It." Two or three weeks ago the manager of an Ottawa theatre stood In front of bis place, talking to tbe mnnnger of the company which rlayed the week there. The conversat'on waa Interrupted by an exclamation from the local manager as be stared with aston'eh- ment toward the second story of the build- ing. "Look at that!" he aald, pointing upward at tbe fire escape that adorned the front elevation. The sight that met the manager's gase waa an elderly couple laboriously mount- ing the slender ladder leading to the roof. Tbe old man was encouraging his aged help- meet to mount a few steps farther with the encouraging words, "We'll soon be there, mother, an' you'll ferglt all about the climb when you're lookin' at the show." "HelloI" shouted the manager, attracting their attention, "what do yon want np there f "We got gallery seats," shouted back the old man, "an' we're glttln' ther, though It seems to me it's a pretty hard climb fer the old lady—wlsb't I'd paid a quarter more an' got low down seats." The manager then shouted tbe explanation that tbe entrance waa below and the way they had chosen was the fire escape; the old people began a troublous descent, assisted by one of the stage hands, who bad been aent to their aid. "An' tbst's what comes of your measly stinginess," snspplly exclaimed the old lady to her spouse as she wearily backed down the last step of tbe Iron ladder. 9 Tbe leading man of a New Tork company playing Philadelphia not long ago, accom- panied by his wife, took a long drive through Kalrmonnt Tark. The horse, pull- ing the cab, could not by means fair or otherwise, be forced Into a gait faster than a slow amble. As It was matinee day, a speedy return was necessary, and, opropot of the animal's lack of speed, the actor ex- claimed : "Well, there's only one good thing about this—we'll never be 'pinched' by the police for fast driving." "Don't be so snre about not being 'pinched,'" aald hla wife, "there's still the danger of being arrested for loitering." A Barryinorelan bit of sarcasm was once directed toward a clubman whose greatest pleasure was to recount to tbose who would listen to him tbe history of bis early strug- gles. After long recapitulations, this purse proud person would say: "And I accomplished all this myself," snd, with a band wave In the direction of his own Inflated chest, be continued, "I'm a self made man, I am." "Who stopped you?" dryly asked Barry- more, who bad been a listener to the man's eulogistic praise of h's own powers. 9 On one occasion when "Faust" was being presented by Lewis Morrison, the stage lights In the "Brocken scene" were not high enough. "Turn up tbe lights!" whispered tbe star, In an "aside," which the light man failed to hear. After glv'ng a line or two of the scene the actor whispered yet louder, though unheard, "Turn up tbe lights." A young super, who had not been long In tbe profession, observing tbe star's unheeded command, broke up tbe awesomeness of tbe scene by blnrlng angrily at tbe light man: "Why In hexx don't yon turn up the lights there 1 Didn't you hear Mr. Morrison ask for 'em?" glKclurs, Solution of Position 20, Vol. 52. BT "STUDENT," MIW XOBK. Black 8 10 11 16 20 K 7 20 21 White 13 17 22 -27 28 80 Kl 5 14 Position No. 27, Tol. S3. BT GROSVTKOB, NBW YOBS. END GAME. Black 18 20 K 11 I®! .<•>, i@i White 28 K 14 27 Black to play and draw Game No. 27, Tol. 52. SINGLE CORNER, £»e$$* VIlet, 9 9. The best continuation Is now sup- posed to be: (Play the nine establishing moves.) OUR LONDON LETTER. To Correspondents. It to not quite en real*, perhaps, hot to aave time and space we nave made all neces- sary replies by poet A Gratifying Announcement. The America* Chett Bulletin'! success for VoL I is so satisfactory that Vol. II for '05 Is assured. "The A. O. B. will not be per- mitted to stand still. Upward and onward will be Its poller." We know enough of Its proprietors to believe that The October number haa six large and twenty-two small chess portrait*. It will present all the games of all Important chess congresses. We can do chess players no greater service than to recommend The A. C. B. Address H. Casasl, with 12, P. O. Box 1,207, New Tork City. British Chess Haaraalne. "It bath been said by them of old time" that no chess magazine ever exceeded Oeutohe Bohach&eituna In excellence, except as some- times a number surpassed all Its own prede- cessors). Tbe October B. 0. U. bss accom- plished that triumph. It la a marvel of chess delight, as It deals with the kaleidoscopic festivities of the recent chess congress of the British Chess Federation. We can not give one In a hundred. How many of our readers know that B. 0. M. can be bad for an Ameri- can $2 note, sent to 88 Park Cross Street, Leeds, England? St. Lonls Problem Tourney. As there I* much less from 8t Louis this week than we had anticipated to lay before our readers, we present the first prize two- move problem In that branch of the Beventh American Chess Congress, on diagram, and tbe first Honorable mention In less preten- tious guise. The key to H. L. Henry's second prize two-er Is I.. It to Q 3 I ENIGMA NO. 2,477. First honorable mention In St Louts tourney. BT ASTHCB CHABMCK. ftttl I AG 5 8 S KR2,QKt7,KB8,KRJ,KRsq,QB7, 8, QB,KRI. * I I * * i t KB. Q3,QKtsq,QR6, QS, QKtS, Ql. White to play and mate In two moves. 10..PtoB» 11..P-Q4 12. B-Kt 6 U..BXEI Names. ■1 ■5 a o 1 KttoB4 KM} 2 MS BXB [14..KRXB QXEP l(..BXEt QXR 16..BXP BJT.I and we have this: . iq BLACK. Marshall Jadd , (Jed e man.... Kemeny Elsenb'g..... Bhrader Jarre , Schweitzer.. Mlotkowskl. Dr. Bhrader.. Lost. Kens of the P.me. In checkers, as In love, very often the bold play wins. We remember while recently at a Summer resort, after playing a number of games with one who played rather poorly, we carelessly offered a Jump two ways. One way our opponent could take only one man, the otber way he couud take three (the 1st- .ter we had overlooked). Mr. Tyro said, "Oh, no you don't Jou want me to take the most men; I'll Joit fool you this time." He took the one man and walked into a trap. lust Imagine the reversal of feeling, with twenty persons looking on snd thinking ui a wonder. One thing that we have noticed with experts who stray off and play scrubs. They usually have a V In their rests to allow for that rhesty feeling, WHITE. Now If White 17. .Q to her 2. P to Kt 6; If 17. .B to K 5 ; P to K B 8: If 17. .Kt to R 3, B to K S; and If 17..Kt to Q 2, Q tka P. At this point, however. Dr. H. Keldana ad- vocates 17. .P to B 4, B to K B; 18. .B to Kt 3, B to B 4 (B to K 6 here only loses a move on account of K to B 2) 19.. B to B 2 1 (Black threatens. If 10. .Kt to B 8, R to K (I; 20. .B to B 2, R to Q 8, with a dangerous attack) to be followed by Kt to B 3, etc The position arrived at appears to be fairly satisfactory and White has compensation for his Inferiority of material in the development of hla pieces. The reader should study the play In No. 1, Am. Oh. Bulletin, p. 39, Var. 28. Professor Rice desires tbst all Interested In hla gambit give the present new variations close study. He Is confident that a method of meeting Black'a latest manoeuvre will be found— Eaale, Oct 30. We select the following Interesting speci- men of tbe tourney mentioned, from a large number of the last Field. (Play nine moves as before.) White. Napier. lC.PtoBJ 11..P0 4 12..Q-R4 + 13..Q-Kt4(I) NETTIE) FIELDS, Formerly of Frey and Fields, who has a wetl established reputation tor her dancing. Is working singly this season. Sbe Is well booked up at the leading vaudeville houses. Miss Fields always presenta a neat appear- ance and the act la classed as a feature. Seventh Aznerlcnn Oheaa Congress. The result In detail Is before us and It la only necessary to Individualize tbe win- ners, as we present a complete tabular state- ment of the relative standing of all the en- trants. F. J. Marshall, first prize, $500 snd a gold medal. Inscribed "Chaxtiok;" Max Judo, second, $300; Louis Dedemann, Western champion, third, $150; Emll Kemeny, fourth, $100; fifth, $50, tied for and divided by L. Elsenberg and Ed. Scbrader. Following Is the full record of the tourney: Black, Qunsberg. PtoEte B-Kt 6(a) B-Q2 P.QB4 14..PXPenj>QXQ ~ .RxB+(D) B-K8 White, Kapler. 17..BXPI 18..BX Kt 19..Bx Kt 20..Kt-B3 21..B-K6 Z2..BXP Black, Onnsberg. KtxR Cast>ea| K R-Ksq P-B4 K-B2 IS. 18..BPXQ QKtxPW Drawn gamo(d) (a) Suggested by Mr. Koehler, of N. T., but Gunsberg had never Been It (I) Barry a move, and a very subtle one Indeed. If Black Us P ca; 14. .P tks B, and Q defends R. (6) Inferior to 16..P tks Q. followed by P tke B. Had Black answered 15. .with the tempting Q to K 2; 18. .P tks P. B to his 3; 17. .B to Kt 5, winning right off. (c) Black has got cleverly out of diffi- culties, with fair prospects of saving tbe game. (d) White has still the best of It, with Kt and two Ps for B. He might have tried a little further, as be could not lose the game. Problem No. 2,477. First prize In St Louis tourney. BT P. VAN DTK. BLACK. WHITE. White to play and mate in two moves. Not having given the key to Mr. Char- lick's first prize two-er In Sydney Morning HeraU'i ninth problem tourney, we note Its fine key here. I. .Q to K B 41 Game No. 2,477. "A capital specimen of Mr. Kemeny's skill In the second round."— Eagle. GIDOCO SICILIANO. White, Kemeny. n..KtxPi 18..QRXP U .KR-Qsq 20..QR* B " P-K B 4 We own to a lively curiosity to see what would come of the offer of that much dis- puted gold medal. If, as now reported, the medal Is simply Inscribed "Champion," which simply means, we suppose, "a cham- pion chess player," without undertaking to say champion of any particular country. If so. It can not be said that Mr. PUIsbury's righto are In any way Invaded, or that Mr. Marshall should have any delicacy about ac- cepting tbe pretty trinket The Incident and Its controversy seem to be harmlessly cloeed —and rather neatly, too. TO Mr. Marshall has come, or rather he haa won, a distinguished honor. In three successive tournaments during this year be has emerged first prize winner, and all with- out the loss of a single game I One of them was unquestionably the leading International tournev of the year, the otuer two, important and distinctive American gatherings. No- other player ever achieved such a record. If receiving such a snubbing as Mr. Max- shall d'd, and winning three such victories as those In succession do not make him "Champion of the World." what would give him that title? As to "Champion of Ameri- ca," Mr. Plllsbury openly announces that he stands ready at all times to defend bis title ci. any bono /We challenger. Tke Rice Gnmblt. Another tarn of this chess kaleidoscope has been given at the Metropolitan C. c„ London, and Black's star Is sga'n somewhat In the ascendant—36 to 88, with 11 draws, In a tourney comprising several of London's best masters.' The prises were won thus: Urst B. Telchmann, 18% to iV, ; for sec- ond and third, W. E. Nanler and P. & Leon- hardt tied with • score of 11H-6W; fourth, Isldor A Qunsberg, 10-8, end fifth, L Van White, Black, Kemeny. Jaffe. l..PtoK4 PtoQB4 2..P-04 BPXP 8.KKt-BS QKt-B3 4..KtXP P-K 8 5..QKt-B3 B-Kt 6 21. 8..B-K3 Kt-B8 22..RxKtP 7..B-OS F-Q4 23..P-B4 8..P-B8 QPXP 21..P-B 6 9..KtXKt PXKt 2J..R-Ksq 10..KBXP QXy+ 28..B-QM + 11..QRXQ KtQ4 27..B-hls8 12..K-B3 P-KB4 28..K.RXB U..KBXM KPXB 88.. B-B 6 14..Kt-K3 BO! 80..R-Kt8-f 16..Kt-B4 KBQ8 31..BXR 16..KR-K sq K-Bl I A stubborn battle In the fifth round which Black, Jaffe. BPxKt K-als3 ll XP B-K4 B-Kt 80 B-0.3 P-«R4 B-K 2 K R-K sq K-Q2 K-Qaq KRx R q R-hla 2 K-Q3 Resigns. shows the vantage. veteran Max Judd to great ad- DOUBLE BUT LOPEZ. Judd. l..PtoK4 S..KKI-B3 3..Kt-B3 14..B-Kt 6 it..Csa ties !«..Kt-Q6(n) L7..P-Q4 l8..KKtXP 0..Kt-BS 10..K.PX B lL.QxKt 12..B (XKt Elaenberg. PtoK4 KKt-8 3 Kt-BB B-Kt 6 PQ3 KB-B4 KPXP B-qa qBxKt KtxKt Cm ties KtPXB 18..QXB2dP Q-B8 U.P-KKU ' 15..Q-B8 n..pr Judd. S4..PtoKt4 55..Q-B4 2i..K-hl5 2 tf..P-QRS 28. P-0 R 4 S3..P-R5 80..K-Qsq ~XBP B4 R4 K-home B-home BS 17..B-Q2 18..KK-KSQ H..QRXR 20..BXB 21..B-01 23..KIPXP 38..K-Baq QR-Ksq P-KRI R-K 2 K R-K Sq RaR + RXR + P-KtS KtPxP K-K2 P-B 8 (b) Elaenberg. BtoKtS P-Q4 P-B 4 P-B 6 P-Q* QXBSdP U-K8 S-Kt8 + Q-Kt8 + BXKRP 3..QXRP+ K-Ktsq P-B 8 P-0 7 + B-Xt4 QKtS- B-R8 Q-B3! B-home B-R3 Resigns. 4S..U-B4 -f I43..KXQ (a) Th's opening, usually doll and heavy even to the verge of stupidity, Is kept by White at a high standard of Interest and, In passages, of excitement (b) Would we had space for a diagram! (e) Again the same wish. The battle Is fought fit determined style by both com- batants, but White's P superiority can not be shaken off. Doubtless one of both players' beat games. — Sylvia Btarr has retired from "A Son of Rest" Co. (PB01C OtTB OWK COIBISFOKDIKT.) Clipper Bureau. 48 Crnnbanrne Street, Leicester Banna*, London, W. C. Nov. 5. The theatrical patronage In the province of London this season Is causing the nv -• serious apprehension among tbe managers who aend out companies on the road. From all sides notblng but poor accounts are being re- ceived of tbe receipts. The exceptions are so few aa not to affect the value of tbe bronri statement that a worse season has seldom been experienced In the country. Attractions that In ordinary seasons would probably plat to thirty-five hundred dollars are this seasci In many Instances not drawing more than a thousand or fifteen hundred dollars. If tbe companies that earn these ruinous receipts were Indifferent the results might not be so surprising, but fifty, seventy-Are and hundred dollar bouses Lave been played to by good companies In plays that were London suc- cesses last season, or the previous one. The musical plays, safest attractions of all in tbe firovlnces, are this season, with some ezcep Ions, working without profit The provincial managers all declare there Is no monev about Others say tbe music halls get the public that the theatres used to attract, while others de- clare that the scarcity of attractive plays staged In London last vear has left the tour- ing manager without the "right goods." A first class theatre In a first class city cannot run at a lower weekly expense than a thous- and dollars. The expenses of a first class company on tour may amount to anything from fifteen hundred dollars a week to nearly double the latter sum. In London proper the suburban theatres are also suffering, while those In the city are experiencing a season of prosperity almost unprecedented. The latter prosperity also applies to tbe music halls In tbe city proper, where nearly all the Ameri- cans are playing. Acknowledging tbe presentation of an ad- dress, enclosed In a silver cssket from the mayor and corporation at a civic banquet at Sunderland last week, Henry Irving gave a very amusing account of his first appearance on the stage, an event which took place near'r fifty years ago In that town. ,f It waa the night of Sept 18, 1858," said Mr. Irving, "when the play of 'Richelieu' was produced at the Lyceum Theatre, and not only that evening is vivid In my memory, but the whole preced- ing fortnight, for such waa my eagerness to lose no opportunity, to lesve notblng to chance, that I arrived In Sunderland before tbe theatre was built I took a lodging a mile or two out of town, and walked In every morning to superintend the bulldlDg opera- tions. The play was prepared with most con- certing haste, and full of trembling hope I had to speak the opening words of the play— 'Here's to onr enterprise.' Gaston, Duke of Orleans, Is represented by the dramatist as a bit of a craven, but he could never have been so frightened of the Cardinal aa he was of Sunderland when he tried to utter these words. I cannot truthfully say that he did utter them. One critic urged me to take the first steamer back to my comfortable home, and abandon all Idea of pursuing a vocation for which I was manifestly unfitted. But I did not go. The Sunderland playgoers re- ceived me with utmost good humor in the singing part of Henry Bertram, for which my confiding manager had cast me, as ade- quate support to Charlotte Cushman, In ber great character of Meg Merllles." Mr. Irving also spoke of the necessity of making the the- atre an organized department of the State or municipality. A new feature of "The White Cat" panto- mime that will make a sensation Is the debut of a celebrated troupe of sixteen pretty Ameri- can girls, lent to Mr. Collins for tbe season by Klnw & Erlanger. The pantomime la to be put on at the Drury Lane. E. H. Wlllard's tour finishes Dec 10, and soon after that he will sail for New Tork to open at the Knickerbocker Theatre In January. For this American engagement Mr. Wlllard will abandon his present repertory and try several new plays. The plans of one of England's greatest act- ors, Forbes Robertson, Include a visit to Amer- ica after Christmas, and the production there of a new comedy by H. V. Esmond. On bis return from the United States, Mr. Robertson will stage another new play In England. Mr. Esmonds piece has not yet been christened, but It Is said to unfold a strong modern love story. The other new play Is the work of a lady. "Hamlet" will be Mr. Robertson's prin- cipal production In America. The officers nnd men of the D. S. 8. Olympla were entertained by Ada Reeve and the man- agement of the Crown Theatre, Peckham, last week, at a performance of the musical play, "Winnie Brooke, Widow." At tbe Avenue Theatre about the end of No- ember there will be produced a new musical play, entitled "Ladyland." The book Is bv Eustace Pensonby and tbe music by Frank Lambert "For Church and Stage," tbe play by Rev. Forbes Phillips, which Is to be done by Mrs Brown Potter this afternoon at the Savoy, Is a play about an actress with a past and a country clergyman who falls In love with her to his undoing. Stella, the actress, comes to Fordham Bridge with her lover. Gerald, whose wife she Is supposed to be. There she meets the rector, the Bev. Geoffrey Faber. a married man with whom Stella promptly falls In love. Stella wants to reform under the kindly Influence of Geoffrey. She drops cigarette amoklng and other vices; tries to live a nobler life, and gets rid of her lover Gerald. The rector, on Ms way to nurse a parishioner suf- fering from smallpox, calls upon her, and In a passionate scene they confess their mutual love. Then for the sake of their love they agree to part. Later the rector mokes Stella another call and he tells her that he baa re- solved to throw up the Church and to renounce everything for the woman be loves. Then comes a messenger with the news that his child Is dying. Even then he Is not certain what to do, but Stella, transformed by her great love, tells him to go back to his dying child and wife. Faber dies later and Stella pays for the erection of a church to bis memory. Following upon the production of the above play at the 8a»oy, Mrs. Potter proposes to present an English version of "I Pagllaccl, In which she will appear as Nedda, Gilbert Hare playing the part of Canlo. This will be given In connection with "Cavallerla Bueti- canl," and to a similar accompaniment of mu- sic. Gilbert Hare has srranged with Mrs. Totter to stage all the productions the latter Intends to produce at the Savoy. Lily Hanbury is engaged to be married to Herbert Guedalla, of this city. Miss Han- bury states that the wedding has been flxert for January next, and that her marriage win not Interfere with ber stage career. "The Chinese Honeymoon" has evlaentn not yet lost Its attraction for Londoners, as It played last week to big business at the Ken- nlngton Theatre. „ The production of a new play by J. M. «nr- rle Is always an event calculated to send a thrill of excitement through the playgolng world. Any announcement regarding it is certain, moreover, to awaken a spirit of curi- osity as to particular direction In which tne many sided writer may In the latest Instance have traveled. Some time ago It was men- tioned that Mr. Barrle was at work on a piece the leading part In which waa designed for Ellen Terry. That has since been com- pleted snd read to Miss Terry, who. In tbe stereotyped phrase, sees In It ''the chance or a lifetime." Its first performsnee may be looked for at a West End theatre In January. But even before then Mr. Barrle's name win be found on another London programme, ano this In connection with what may be described