Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 34, Number 119, 7 March 1909 — Page 3

THE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TE LEG BAM, SUNDAY, MARCH 7, 1CC3.

PAGC TI1IIC3.

LIS A PERFECT LADY ' MAIIA6ER STATES Theatrical Magnate in the City Recently States That The Show Girl Must Now Be Intelligent. SHE HAS OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR ADVANCEMENT Girls Now Days Come From ' Good Families and Are Better Both Socially and Morally, He Says. ' : "How about the chorus girls," a re- . porter asked the manager of a big mu steal comedy production seen In this k city the past week." Are they still considered as mere machines or are they now actually required to have some intelligence? , "So much has been written regard fng the elevation of the stage that there Is little left to be said upon this subject. , But strangely enough, com paratively nothing has been said re garding one of its most Interesting fea tares the chorus girl," be replied. "If the history of chorus girls is ev- , r written it will doubtless be divided into two periods before Edward E Rice and after Edward E. Rice. The pre-Rice girl belongs to the dark ages of the chorus a .time ; when chorus girls, : pirates and train robbers were all assigned to the same unhealthy dis trict in the lower regions by well meaning, notoriety-seeking reformers. A time when chorus girls were engaged for quantity rather than quality; when the producing manager engaged his. corps de ballet much as 'contemporaneous sailing masters then engaged a crew by the Shanghai method. In those days the chorus girls came from dark and obscure places from the poorer sections of the big cities, with an occasional ox-eyed ' Innocent from the farm, draughted for variety's sake.' '; : .V" ,v , "Little was expected of her and little was given. She stood around the stage In a costume which exposed the reason for her employment, carried a wooden spear which she broke only occasionally, and followed the leader. Every time the; manager clapped his hclds she realized it was up to her to to something and rshe looked at the gtrl ahead to see what It was to be done, i It didn't require any superhuman -mental effort to do this. A Qerm of Ambition. "But, strange to say. somewhere 0own deep In the recesses of her soul tvms hidden a germ of ambition, and under certain circumstances this germ flourished forth into real life, and a star was born. There is no denying this, Theaverage chorus girl of yesterday wa? ambitious. . Chorus life in the old fays was tough enough to make any one ambitious, . and these - girls were only human after all. t From out of the fold there would occasionally emerge one of these human being with real talent. . But please notice she emerged those who had talent never

CHORUS

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disclosed the horrible secret while they wailloM-. ili , , . . valuable acquisition to any company. were in the chorus. The chorus iniul . x .. .

those days' was no place for talent. If a gjrl burned with genius she kept it to herself until she saw a chance to get out of tho herd. If she had shown talent in the chorus in these days, the comedian who happened to be holding the 'center of the stage at the precise moment when her . talent became evident, might possibly have hit her over the head with stage brace later in the evening, merely as a hint that he was the star of the show, not she. Come diss in those days did not take their complaints 1 of chorus .. girls who "queered their business' to the management. They fought it out right on the spot, and be it said in the spirit of Justice, that the comedian did not always win. Vv Advanced .as a Class. "All of which is by way of contrast k-a little dissertation to show why the tnodern chorus girl has advanced as a Blase if not as an Individual. "As I have said, the history of chorus girls has as its turning point the Bomlng of Edward E. Rice. Edward P. Rice was the first man to seek intelligence In a chorus girl. He was Hot moved to do this by any moral or sociological Impulse it was a plain Batter of business. In "Evangeline" r. Rice , had some rather expensive costumes some of - the ' kind that wouldn't stand being thrown into a flirty corner of a dressing room floor. Mr. Rice had learned that the average Chorus girl would do this, not through any desire to cause the management Erief, but simply because she didn't now any better. For this reason he Sought girls who knew enough to keep their costumes clean and according to all reports, it was a very difficult matter and undertaking. Indeed this one feeble -effort :. to discover intelligent thorns gtrls met with such awful obstacles that Mr. Rice never dared go any further on the quest. "But from the trail he biased great things were to come. Other managers noting that Mr. Rice had expensive costumes, went and did likewise, "and they .had to find girls with enough sense to keep their costumes clean. ' -Went After Dancers. "Next came a manager who had been looking so long' at Amason. marches and the old Jail-bird like swing step, which went under the name of dancing that he concluded every one would welcome an innovation. He went aftcr eirls.rt? could really dance and his raceese SttJr tremendous when the first sight dancing girls appeared.' "Cross ffsnctnx to sinsiBal wna too

THE THEATER:

i THEATRICAL CALENDAR. GENNETT. Thursday, Mar. 11 "Graustartc" Wednesday. March 17 A Mid Sun. mer Night's Omm. Mar. Vegel's Minstrels. I NEW PHILLIPS. J All Week High Class Vaudeville. "...V- '. aNSaMaasai - V ;"j A Midsummer Night's Dream.' ' The performance of the Mendelssohn score to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" which the famous Russian Orchestra does - here with the Ben Greet Players, at the Gennett on Wednesday. March 17, requires a mas ter' hand. The performance is operat ic in extent, but while the conductor of opera dictates the tempo and the exits and entrances are made to musical signals, in this performance the conductor must follow the words of the play, which are sometimes spoken and sometimes sung. Five great orchestral numbers are allotted, howev er, to the orchestra, and in these the actors follow the score. While both the play and the music were written many; many years ago. It is an interesting fact that the mod era opera Is moving rapidly to what is practically the spoken word or dec laration,. based upon a great orchesi tral score which follows the situations In the play. Thus is DeBussey's Pel leas and Mellsande. the words are in reality not sung but are declaimed or chanted and often spoken, just as the fairy speeches in the Dream are sung or intoned. The same is true of Richard Strauss, as "Salome." The passing . of the older Italian opera form for the modem declaratory or spoken word, the orchestra maintain ing the music intent, is one of the interesting musical transitions of the times. That Mendelssohn should have nearly one hundred years ago been Inspired to write such a score, In spired as he must have been by Shakespeare's wonderful fairy play, a score that for pure beauty and charm has never been excelled, is, in the- light of , modern ' tendencies, of striking interest. MGrsustark." The success of a good play is as much in the hands of the artists as of the author. This is more than true of Geo. Barr McCutcheon's play "Graustark." The book wns the big gest seller this country has known, in the past twenty years. The dramati zation of the same is the best ever given to any novel. Plenty of time and thought was given to it before being placed upon, the stage. The same care has been displayed in gathering a company for its presentation. Jas. W. Castle, for years general stage director of the Fred Whitney companies and last year with the Mme. Schu mann Heink - company Is responsible for- the , selection of ' thev different f artists. He has given more study to each individual part than is generally displayed In the selection of an entire organization Intact. His placing of the character of Princess Yetlve In the hands of Miss Stephanie Longfellow, has proven a happy selection. Miss Longfellow has been -most highly complimented for her work 'in this part. Necessitating the combined at tributes, young, pretty, a fund of humor for the lighter vein In the role also the power of pathos to sway in the heavier work are all embodied in Miss Longfellow's person. Burt King, one of the best of the younger gener ation of leading men is most happily cast In the leading role of Grenfall Lorry. Much of Mr. King's work has oeen in stocK, wmcn makes him a Miss Adele Lane, who is creating the part of the Countess Dagmar has had several years of most valuable experience as has also Harry Myers, who is portraying Harry Anguish. Other parts are capably rendered by Miss Elisabeth Brinton, Miss Marguerite Miller, J. H. Lewis, one of the grand old actors of the stage,' Jos. Gonyea, Harry Parent, Arthur Finn, John Giles and others equally as well known.' A cast such as this can surely be depended upon to render a good performance, helped as they are by a magnificent production and an unexcelled play. , The New Phillips. H. V. Fitgersld. That's all. That's enough. H stands for happy and V stands for veteran. Fits, is happy because he's been making good and the way he acts shows that he' is an old head at the game. The one act drama that he stages all. by himself is partly serious, partly amusing. Wholly, it is good. The first three days this week at The New Phillips. Leach and Vance know a whole lot about a wire. They have a wire-factory hand beaten to a frazzle in that. But they put their knowledge into use and that is no dream. Handy best expresses what they really are. Lester and Mildred have all the birds In the aviary put on the, superanuated list. They don't pretend to put on any flamingo looks but they have the nightengale backed off Into the woods. They can also something which cannot be said about every one who try It next step. The old-time chorus was usually vocally on a par with a threenote factory whistle. One day a manager awoke to the fact that there might besome money in presenting the public with a chorus that .could sing. The only place that he could find girls who were willing to sing and go upon the stage was at the conservatories. Now every conservatory girl holds a secret belief that some day she is destined to succeed. Lillian Russell, and as a lure to the stage it is only necessary to promise that if they show promise they might be advanced to stardom. '"These girls came from better districts and better families, and the personnel of the chorus was" decidedly improved socially, mentally and morally. During tho past few years tho advance In the status of the Chorus girl' has been so rapid that today there ia practically not one first class musical show in the country that has what might be

T. A: Coleman Gives Advice : . On the Cultivation of Clover

(B yT. A. Coleman.) """TV I There is no crop grown in the corn belt that bears so important a relation to soil fertility and live stock husbandry as does the clover and about which there is such a diversity of opinions as to the proper time of seeding. One man always sows bis clover seed In January, on a snow; another prefers February; while another takes advantage of the honey-combed condition of the soil in March; still another always sows his seed in the dark of the moon so that the seed will sink Into the ground and get enough moisture to germinate; while his neighbor prefers the light of the moon so that-he may see to get an early start in the morning when the wind is stilled. ; In addition to the above, we always find the man who sows timothy with his clover, seeding the same at any time from January to April as the fancy may strike him. and giving as his reason that he prefers a "mixed hay or pasture and that should the clover fail to gain a foothold, as is usually the case, he will have a growth of timothy to occupy the land. Such a method as this tends to foster a failure of the greatest money crop that has been given a prominent place in agricultural curriculum of the great mass of farmers of the Middle West. The champion of early sowing gives as his only reason that the freezing and thawing will permit the seed to sink down into the ground thereby gaining a foothold and sufficient moisture for generation. The danger, as all who practice this method know, lies in the fact that a few warm days may cause the seed to swell in which condition a freeze will injure Or kill it. In our farm practice, the clover crop is far too valuable a part of the general rotation, both as a soil builder and a roughage for f rm animals, to permit a failure to get a good -catch. As a soil builder it furnishes all the high priced nitrogen needed for the corn and wheat and also a supply of hunyis, without which the soil is lifeless, cold and compact. As an element in pork production, it stands without a peer. We are prone to say that the hog is the mortgage lifter, but I desire to go on record as, saying that without his protein food, he would stand no higher in the esti AMERICANS AND MEXICANS FIGHT Yankees in a Fierce Gun Battle Kill One and Wound Three Others. WERE GUARDING PROPERTY AFTER THE BATTLE MEXICAN POLICE ARRIVE ON THE SCENE AND ARREST AMERICANS, CAUSING INDIGNATION.' Guanajuato, Mex., March 6. In a battle between American mine officers on one side and Mexican ore thieves on the other. Domingo Mootezuma, one of the .thieves, was killed and three of his companions were badly wounded and captured. The officers of the Guanajuato Re duction Sc. Mines Co. knew that an organized band of thieves was stealing ore and they lay in hiding for the thieves at night. The thieves fired as soon as called upon to halt, when caught in the act of stealing the, ore, and the Americans H. F. Smith, assistant general manager of the mines; F. W. Updegraf f and J. ! Wood, replied, with the result that the exposed Mexicans suffered heavily from the fire while the Americans escaped. Mexican police were attracted by the shots and carried, off all the Americans to jail at Granaditas. This ac tion has greatly incensed the foreigners in this city: .Near Death In Big Pond. It was a thrilling experience to Mrs. Ida Soper to face death. "For years a severe lung trouble gave me : in tense suffering," she writes, "and sev eral times nearly caused my death. AH remedies failed and doctors said was incurable. Then Dr. ' King's New . Discovery brought quick relief and a cure so permanent that I have not been troubled in twelve years." Mrs. Soper lives in Big Pond, Pa. It works wonders in Coughs and Colds, Sore Lungs, Hemorrhages, LaGrippe, Asthma, Croup, Whooping Cough and all Bronchial affections. 50c and $1.00. Trial bottle free. Guaranteed by A. G. Luken tc Co. Maxy lCmur: Gold Medal Floor Is tha Mat far tnk. ina everyinina. EataMlaacel 1SS1 Ue. vfflx to Bepdr Oat Wattb Others have failed to repair. If you have such & watch let ns give you an estimate f cost of repair. , ... O. E. B!s!xfccn - -. .-i Diamonds Mounted, ' -

mation of the observing farmer than does the steer or anyother member of the stock-farm family. ' But given the right feeds in the proper proportions, no animal makes so rapid or economical gains as does his mjesty the hog. In what way can we as cheaply or easily supply this supplement to corn as in the clover pasture? Or what is better for the cow or colt than well cured clover hay? As the clover crop stands so high in our estimation. It has been our earnest endeavor to get a catch just as regularly as we get a stand of corn and in so doing we have tried to eliminate the conditions that largely contribute to a failure. In the first place, we try to have good seed, seed that is free from weed seed, and that will give a high per cent of germination .when tested. If ninety-five per cent of the seed germinates we sow at the rate of a bushel to aix acres, but if a lower germination is shown, we sow proportionally more seed." ' As the late freezes may kill the swelling seed, we wait until the danger from freezing is past, say about April the first. This is about; as soon as the plant will grow any way so what is to be gained by earlier seeding? If the season is wet, the rains will wash the seed Into the cracks and crevices where it will be sufficiently covered to germinate. . If, bowever, the season is dry and the land is a fallow, we run a light spike-tooth harrow after the seed Is sown. . This covers the seed and breaks the crust retarding the

evaporation ; of the moisture which is needed so badly by the wheat and clover. Should the land be covered with corn 6talks, we use the disc harrow, with the discs set not too angling so as to not hurt the wheat, but break up the surface sufficiently to cover the clover seed. . ' By following the above suggestions, we have not failed to secure a good catch in the past ten years. Then by cutting the wheat as high as is convenient and clipping the stubble immediately after . threshing forming a mulch, the young plant .may be safely carried through the summer and will go into winter in a good condition and if the land is properly drained will make a. satisfactory crop the following season. - - REHWKH WEST Household Goods shipped at Reduced Rates to and from Western States. Through cars avoiding transfer. Colored maps free. Write for particulars. Mention this paper. TC34ffCECTU FCHCtf CO. MfeMt ,UI HUMS). aunt m mm FANCY GROCER niOb Grade Coffees and Teas Cor. Sill St. and Ft. Wayne ave Established 1874 Far the Farmers A We sre now ready to contract for corn and tomatoes for pack 1909, and we would like for everybdy that la , thinking about growing the two above crops to call at our office or phone us so we csn have all of our acreage in by the first of April. D. C CullerCck & Sea. Canncrs Special Notice. All accounts due J. Will Mount & Son are payable now .and are due not later than Jan. 9, '1909, after which they will be placed in the hands of an attorney to coilect with costs. Mr. Mount, Sr., having sold out jto Paul A. Mount, we desire to close all accounts by the above date. . ' x . J. l7iD Esnnt.fi Sen

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