[She picks up stick of black grease-paint, and, removing looking-glass from dressing-table, turns it over and rests it on her lap as she sits in chair L. C. at dressing-table. She takes up a piece of the paper poster, places it on glass and starts to write on it with paint-stick, slowly, with pauses after every other word or so, repeating what she writes aloud:] "DEAR HAROLD:" No! No-dear! I'll cross that out. [Stops and thinks.] I'll not even call him "Harold." [She doubles up paper and throws it away behind her. Takes another piece of poster from dressing-table and starts writing again.] "DEAR MR. ROWE: " [Spitefully.] No--dear! How stupid I am to forget! [Crushes up second piece of paper and throws it away also. Takes another piece and starts writing as before.] "MR. ROWE: I advise you to return to your society sweetheart. [Sighs.] I shall have other escort home. [Sighs.] I shall return your engagement ring [sobs] and presents to-morrow. [Sobs.] Yours [sob] yours [sob] re [sob] spect [sob] VIRGINIA CLAIRE." fully, [She finishes note with an effort, folds and addresses it and hesitatingly walks to door and slips it under, speaking slow and with an effort suppressing tears:] McKenna! Mr. McKenna! Kindly hand the note I slipped. under the door to the gentleman. [She turns and rushes to sofa, falls on it and weeps violently, speaking after a few seconds between occasional sobs:] There! It is all over now. I hope he'll be happy. [Looking up pathetically.] I'm nearly broken-hearted. [Buries face in arms, again weeping; after a few seconds looking up and continue speaking.] How disappointed I have been in him. He seemed so kind, so thoughtful, such a thorough gentleman. No trifler, so unlike other men! Well, men are mortal, and life is a great show, and as deceptive as the stage. All glitter and goodness before the curtainall sham behind! [Knocks again heard at door. She jumps up and goes to door, speaking as before:] [Anxiously.] Well? Another note? Slip it under. [Note is slipped under door. She picks it up, moves to C. with it, reading it eagerly aloud:] What do you mean? What have I done? "MY PRECIOUS: What is it all about? I haven't any society sweetheart,' only a stage sweetheart and only one at that, and that one you! I wanted to surprise you and so I saw the play to-night from the front, and did not wish to make you nervous by telling you so in my note. And that was the 'engagement of great metropolitan importance' I wrote you about. You were simply divine, my darling, and I love you more than ever, were such a thing possible. When Atullus clasped you in his arms, the sight struck me to the heart like a poniard, staggering my senses! I'm fearfully jealous of Atullus! Good-good! He's jealous! Ah! the heart is the thermometer of the emotions, and when one loves it's blood heat! [Starts reading again.] "I'm just dying with impatience to reenact the Atullus love scene, to take you in my arms, my beautiful Boadicea, my happy heroine, and kiss congratulations on your ruby lips 'till I suffocate you with sweetness.' [Aside roguishly.] "Ruby lips!"-beautifully ruby now, with make-up! "Hasten, dear, to see me. you forgive my naughty trick. Come to the window and tell me "Ever and ever yours alone, HAROLD." Oh! the blessed boy-the dear darling! [She rushes to the window, jerks up curtain with a snap and raises the window with a bang.] Ah! Harold, my darling! [She speaks off, through the window, as if to someone to the right below. She sits on ledge of window.] How cruel of you to play me such a trick to-night-but I'll forgive you. [With loving impulsiveness.] Forgive me, too, my impulsive jealousy, dear! Now we'll be sweethearts once again, sure and true! Oh! but we must hurry away, dearest. My, my-how I have dawdled away the time. Wait a moment, love! [She crosses to door and picks up bouquets and other flowers scattered about. Having filled her arms with them, she hurries over to lower side of dressing-table L. and picks up a pair of shoes and rushes back to window C.] Ha, ha, ha! And there-there Here, catch my feet, dear, I mean my shoes! [Throws shoes out window to right.] there-[throwing bouquets out, one after the other] had so many bouquets thrown at you before, I know. you like the footlight fun? Oh! yes, yes, I'll hurry! What's that, dear? You've so much to tell me? you never How do What? You've a copy of the midnight Telegram? Yes, and it has a notice? Yes, a big special with headlines? Well, well -and it says? [She repeats as if after someone:] if after someone:] "Rise of a new star! Miss Virginia Claire beams forth in the theatrical firmament! Her great hit as Boadicea Britainy's warrior queen!" Oh! how glorious! I could almost weep for joy! Oh, yes, dear, I know I haven't time to do it now! What's that? You've arranged a little dinner in my honor at Sherry's? To-night? I mean-this morning?--A few friends. invited? Who are they-who-who? You won't tell? A secret? Oh! you tease! But dear-my costume. I can't go in that, and I sent my street-dress home with my maid. I can? "For I'm to be your Boadicea to-night? queen-in all my regal raiment?" Your [Aside-short exclamation of pleasure.] Humph! "The empress of your emotions ?". How sweet! 66 The director of your doings?" How good, how generous of you! Oh-oh-o-o! and "the heroine of your heart?" How exceedingly poetical! Bless you, dearest! Give me a kiss for that! [Impulsively pushes her head out below window, smacks lips and jumps back as before.] Oh! I'll never be jealous of you again, Harold-nevernever! Oh! yes-yes-yes. I'll stop chattering and hurry. Excuse me [half shuts down window, then raises it again], must close window [repeats as above], will be with you in a moment, love! [She shuts down window, peeks out through window and throws out kisses with both hands. Then pulls down curtain with a jerk; then peeks out around curtain and finally hurries from window over to dressing-table, picks up powder puff and powders her face hurriedly, talking to herself meanwhile:] Dear, darling, good, generous fellow! To think I ever doubted him! [She pauses, then speaks slowly and seriously to herself:] It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock It never will gain admittance to my breast again. This is the climax to the tragedy of my temptation. Exeunt omnes-Curtain ! [She walks over to sofa, takes up cloak and hangs it half over her right shoulder.] The play of the passions is over! I have been tried-and found wanting! [She walks majestically to door R., her right hand on bolt, as if about to draw it.] And the moral I shall ever remember-trust, and be true! [She holds her head half averted from door, gazing down somewhat sadly, as she mechanically unbolts door and half opens it, and pauses there in "picture" as if about to exit. She pauses, and slowly and tenderly takes his last note-which she placed in her bosom-from her corsage and kisses it fervently, her face illumined with a loving smile. At this moment the orchestra plays the last strain of the familiar love song, Come, my love, the stars are shining," slowly and softly at first and increasing to a swell at the end, as slowly falls, on "picture," the CURTAIN. 64 The Battle between the Anglo-Saxon and Latin Races A Critique on the New York Convention of the National Association of Elocutionists By MARY S. THOMPSON HE sixth annual convention of the tionists opened in New York, June 28, with a conference between it and the Music Teachers' National Association, which was held at the Grand Central Palace. This conference was a more notable event than it apparently seemed to those who had the practical details of it in charge, for they failed to make proper provision for its perfect success. The room allotted to the conference was practically a hallway between the auditorium (where a rehearsal of "Elijah," with orchestra and organ, was in progress), and the cable cars upon Lexington Ave. Variations upon this theme were furnished by the elevator boy, who performed his part with vigor upon the elevator door, which opened directly into the room, accompanying his performance by resonant calls of "Up!" "Down!" This unusual combination of noises made the reading of the very able and instructive papers presented an annoying and difficult task. As a rule, masters of singing sin-. cerely believe that all vocal training whatsoever, as done by an elocutionist, is injurious to the singing-voice, and therefore to be avoided. In the light of this fact, their consideration of the paper entitled "Enunciation in Singing," by Prof. Alexander Melville Bell, Washington, D. C., president of the Phonetic Section of the Modern 764 lecturer upon phonetics at Oxford University, England, marked an era in both professions. Prof. Bell is beyond all question a most learned and experienced exponent of language considered phonetically or orally. If every elocutionist and vocalist could have the advantage of his practical instruction, many of the problems affecting the pronunciation · and enunciation of language would be solved for them. Those holding the delusion that personal idiosyncracies and provincialisms have any place in the refined and educated pronunciation and enunciation of language, would find themselves enlightened and set right upon that vital matter by a careful perusal of his books. Those interested in the study of dialect would learn that it is a science, and that its proper use is a matter of art. The reader of this paper, Miss Mary S. Thompson, was chosen by the committee because of her conversance with Prof. Bell's method and because she is an elocutionist who owes her vocal effects to constant study with eminent masters in singing. They hoped thereby to establish a meeting ground between the professions of speech and song. The June number of WERNER'S MAGAZINE contained an article by Lamperti, which states that the failure of the modern voice in German opera is due to a lack of the training given by the old-time masters; that it was a drill of four or five years which produced and preserved such voices as Patti's, Sembrich's, etc. I was very much struck by a similar idea at the elocutionary convention, when I observed the masterly ease and skill with which Mr. Mackay and Prof. Churchill used their voices throughout a repertoire which exacted a thorough and definite knowledge of vocal technique, and noted also the resonance and beauty of Mr. Russell's voice in comparison with the voices of those younger in the profession. Surely, what we need is a recognized technique in song and speech as a vocal preparation for interpretation. It would elucidate many problems and put things on a proper basis. The least conspicuous German playing the violin in an orchestra has passed through years of study before he was able to obtain his position. Although he may play as well as the great soloists so far as all that goes to make up technique is concerned, it would never occur to anyone to place him in the same category any more than it might occur to anyone to compare the excellent teachers of elocution and singing with such masters as I have mentioned. When the committee secured for speakers and essayists such men as Prof. Wm. Hallock, Ph.D., of Columbia University; Dr. Floyd S. Muckey; the Rev. Chas. R. Treat, rector of St. Stephen's Church, N. Y.; Prof. Franklin W. Hooper, director of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences; the Hon. Chas. Bulkley Hubbell, president of the New York Board of Education; Mr. Chas. B. Gilbert, superintendent of Schools, Newark, N. J.; the Rev. J. M. Buckley, D. D., editor of the Christian Advocate; Prof. George Lansing Raymond, of Princeton College; Prof. J. W. Churchill, of Andover; Mr. George W. Cable; Mr. Willis Fletcher Johnson, of the N. Y. Tribune; the Rev. Francis T. Kussell, and Mr. Ham ilton W. Mabie, N. Y., they did a farsighted and able thing, and thereby laid the superannuated ghost of the profession. The cordial response of these eminent men to the invitation of the committee establishes the fact that those occupying responsible positions in the leading universities and educational institutions of the country recognize that the profession of elocution is entitled to consideration, and is an important factor in education. We have an able ally in President Hubbell. His scholarly paper ought to prove convincing to those who hold the reins in matters of public education, both because he represents them and because he is of them, a man of the world engaged with the world's affairs. as a prominent member of the New York Bar. Prof. Hooper's enthusiastic and evidently most sincere assertion that it is his belief that great literature can be fully and finally assimilated only through the medium of great reading, and that what we need is more readers, ought to be reassuring to some masters in the profession who have feared that the demand for that art is on the wane. He speaks ex-cathedra, as he arranges for the courses of reading given at the institution of which he is director. The conservative touch of Mr. Gilbert was both natural and encouraging, coming as it did from a man who is evidently devoted to the art of elocution as taught by the older masters of that profession. That these men may not yet be able to accomplish the results which they declare to be their earnest desire in the way of making elocution a prominent feature of education, must not discourage us altogether. There are many elements to be considered and dealt with before a measure can be ratified. Universities and educational institutions are little worlds, and really under political government and subject to the subtleties. and intricacies of such organization. Any innovation is far easier at the West where there exists a certain cordiality |