San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW July 16, 1910 THIS ONE WILL GET THE MONEY • • • • THE) • • • • Charles H. Edler Co. PLAYING A SPECIAL SUMMER SEASON STOCK PRODUCTION AT SANTA CRUZ Charles E. Verner, Away on a Holiday, is Delightfully Descriptive June 27, 1910; on board the German Lloyd's Steamer Crownprinzessen Cecile, en route to Bremen and Oberammergau, via Munich, etc., Germany. My Dear Farrell : We were in Plymouth, England, this morning, After English passengers went ashore, we went on to Cherbourg. France. Tomorrow we debark at P>remerhaven, Germany. On the journey I have scribbled a few lines, to which I call your attention, also your readers', if you publish same. June 21st. Left New York for Europe ; hence these few notes. The pleasures of an ocean voyage are many times multiplied when conditions are entirely favorable. Given fine weather, a fine ship, a pleasant lot of passengers and sunshine, and the conditions are just about right to go on sailing away day after day to the beautiful land of anticipation, with Joy at the prow and Happiness at the helm. Such are the conditions here, and now on board this steel and iron floating island — for such she appears, she is enormous, a monster ship with a pirate on the lookout and an unbleached Dutch giant at the wheel — passengers are strictly forbidden, in strong Lituburger German, to speak to the steersman. So the painted sign says: You must not ask him the time, or has he a match, or how is his sister, or offer him a cigarette, on pain of being marooned at the first island we pass. And if he speaks to a passenger, he is condemned in bum Dutch to be sewn in a canvas sack with weights on his feet and dropped overboard at the end of a hawser for two hours, after which he is pulled aboard and asked if he will do it again, and if he gives any back talk he is anathamatized in broken Bavarian and dismissed the service. This sentence sounds worse in home-made Bavarian than the curse of Rome speech in Richelieu. You may notice the shaking of my writing. This is due to the throb of the giant engines on this big boat. This throb is not unpleasant by any means. It is something akin to love at first glance. It makes you feel happy and almost solvent. We have millionaires and magnates and a marquis on board, and other noblemen, including yours truly. Hello ! What's that? A gong. 'Tis the tocsin of my soul — the lunch bell. Tata! * * * I just had luncheon. If I were mixing in any other society but the very best, I would say that I merely had lunch, but no man could sit in the society of titles, millionaires and money-kings and have mere lunch in the middle of the day. No, sir! No man or woman, be they male or female, could possibly for honest conscience-sake call that tremendous gorge a lunch. It was a Sardanapalian Fest — a gargantuan blowout, with trimmings and side whiskers — rat's tails and pudding a la Fifth Avenue at its very best. Everything on the menu was "en regie." as it were, and "en royale,"' d'ye mind? No epicure, no manicure, could find fault with the cooking; and the vinegar being just of the proper vintage, it did justice to the salt and pepper, who silently helped and aided that food orgic. The weather being fine and this floating island with one thousand passengers being steadier than the foundations of San Francisco, and everyone's appetite being on edge at the sound of off, the din commenced, and the conversation was muffled down to muttered mouthfuls, and the opening chorus of that gang of famine-breeders went with a vim and aplomb worthy of Lulu Dockfaker's minstrel show. The winner of the lunch race was the last one finished, and as he in a deft way, known only in polite society, picked his fangs with a silver pickle-fork, he unbuttoned his vest and grunted out in very choice Hanoverain. "1 vonder ven dey haf der dinner next : must I really into get my Tuxedo? No? Yes? Yot, Isaac?" And ten minutes after that he was asleep with the angels on his chair, and snoring through his capacious trumpet. "Has anybody here seen Teddy?" 9:30 P. M., same day. Great Epicurus ! The dinner is over. Thanks, many thanks, Mr. German Lloyds, clear Mr. Lloyds, for the Fest. . It was indescribable. It was too, too numerous; it was overwhelming; it really was a grub-slide ; and I solemnly avow that no ship at sea, no hotel on land, no palace of a king, could keep up that kind of a pace in piquant, preciously peculiar alimentary comestibles. No, sir ! Tomorrow we get corn-beef and cabbage, roast Belgium horse and dog-biscuits and sinkers and coffee, as usual. We won't? Well, I'll bet on it ; so wait and see. I don't want that kind of grub, anyhow. I never had it. The noveaux riche folks never were used to it. These magnates are all dyspeptic, through leaving off their early oatmeal and hash for fine living and pleasant food when they got rich. They don't want it. Who wants it? But, said someone — a rube collegian on his first lap — there are others on board who are used to it. There is the Marquis, his Signora and his signorinas and his valetadinis ; and there are some actors on board, and some newspaper men. They must have it. They are used to it. Look at the banquets you see on the stage and at press grub functions, etc. ! I tell you those fellows don't live on common food. No, sir. That kind of feeding will be kept up very near the whole way over, if it's only for the press fellows alone. You'll Ferris Hartman And His Sviperb Singing Company, Now at Princess Theatre Commencing July 10, 1910 MacDonough Theatre, Oakland Permanent Home GRAND OPERA HOUSE, LOS ANGELES C. V. KAVANAGH, Manager LEW SPALDING, Business Manager see. And the actors — Jehosophat ! — actors and press people — are you listening? Selah ! I've heard enough. I will retire in ten minutes. I will be occupying my stainedwood coffin-shelf-and-feathers. So, "Guten nacht unt slaven zie vohl." Wednesday morning. Still aboard and still smooth sailing. My usual luck. Traveling all over the world for thirty years, and saw it blow hard only twice. Both times we carried a bishop. Bishops are proverbial hard-weather birds. Sailors go crazy if a black-coated soulsteerer looks at the compass. Why, I don't know ; but some sailors have no souls to save, and few have much sense, anyhow ; or, if they had, would they ever go to sea? Sailors, from the master-mariner down to the deck-walloper, have never, or rarely ever, distinguished themselves in literature, or science, or art. I only remember two or three exceptions. Science recognizes Captain Maury, whose "Deep-Sea Soundings I once read. He became an admiral. He was an American. And Captain Marryatt, whose Japhet in Search of a Father and Peter Simple, etc., are remembered. Yes, there is Captain Mayne Reid, also, whose adventures are still recollected, but that about lets out the seamen, gentle and simple, etc., all. However, they're handy to have on board ship, "when the stormy winds do blow." Captain Mahan also has contributed to scientific naval affairs and is looked upon as a referee in man-o'-war matters. Keno ! I remember no more. (Continued next week) Correspondence W ALLA WALLA, Wash., July 11. — A Girl of the Hills is the attraction at the Keylor Grand the first of the week. Miss Winston is seen in a character comedy part that is a* roar of laughter from start to finish, and her love scene in the last act with Densmore is the biggest scream ever put into a play. M. E. Callanan as the sleepy coon is a whole barrel of fun in himself, and when Miss Winston is resting he is keeping the hilarity going. Majestic Theatre, week of July 17: Bulger's trained goats is a feature, in a burlesque on the closing act of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Claus and Radcliffe, in a clever singing and dancing act. Yann and Hoffman have funny singing and talking act that never fails to capture the audience at once. They are billed as The Dutchman and the Other Guy, with a laugh everv minute. Change in Bert Levey's Office During the absence of Bert Levey in the East, there has been a change made in the booking department of his office. Peurl Wilkerson and Phil Freese will look after that important part of the work, and both managers and performers will be glad. Young Mr. Price, who was installed when Bert left on his trip, immediately proceeded to make a sad mess of things, and the change was absolutely necessary for the good of all. Mr. Levey is expected back anv dav now. Actors, Attention! Register with the WESTERN DRAMATIC AGENCY 1112 Market Street, Room 104 GOOD PEOPLE WANTED NOW Chorus Girls also Wanted WALTER MONTAGUE, Manager Andrews Opera Chairs General Seating School — Chu rch — Bank Office and Steel Rod Furnitu re Purchase direct from manufacturer THE A. H.ANDREWS CO. Pacific Bldg., San Francisco Chicago. New York, Tacoma City Transfer GUS TEMPS OFFICE, 1685 ELLIS STREET Near the Princess Theatre Phones: WC729 — F2729 Theatrical Baggage a Specialty F L A G G lcosXc. The largest Exclusive Scene Painting Studttg in the United States, employing more artists continuously than all the othefm*tudios west of Chicago COMBINED. Special attention given scenery for vwlldeville acts, theatres, lodge halls and «nehibi.tions. 16th St. & P. E. Tracks, EOS 3tNGET.ES. A Reliable Agency f^r Managers and Players Sketches, Dramas and Plays Written to Order Northwestern Theatrical Booking Agency Tie Agency of the "SQUARE DEAL" W. M. RASMUS E. G. HARPER Entire Third Floor, Mulkey Block, 2nd and Morrison Streets Phone. Main 9212. Portland, Oregon WM H. LELAND S. RICES' BAR 129 O'FARRELL ST., S. F. Eveiyn-Selbie — Thornton-Virginia Alternating Leads Jose Theatre, San Jose