Life — October 23, 1884 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> LIFE : MR. DALY'S RETURN. R. Daly’s Company, after a summer of brilliant ui- umphs on foreign shores, has returned and is now playing to such houses as are rarely seen save at this theatre. The success of this Company abroad should be a matter of pride to all Americans, for it may be said of it, as it can be said of no other stock company, it is distinctively American. And it is a matter for congratulation that as a return for Mr. Irving's Company such a conscientious manager as Mr. Daly crossed the ocean to show our English cousins of what we barbarous Americans are capable when we try. The British heart is rarely warmed by anything so vulgar as to come from this side of the water, and when the mercury of their feelings rises to such a degree that the pedigree of each actor is eagerly sought so as to establish some British claim either upon them or their ancestry, then may we feel that our countrymen have indeed scored a brilliant victory. Not the least gratifying experience to Mr. Daly must have been his reception on the opening night, when at the first performance of “A Wooden Spoon,” an adaptation from the German of F. Von Schonthan based upon the methods of the present political campaign, and conveying a moral which the managers of both parties would do well to note, a perfect ovation was given him and his popular company. As a play little can be said of “A Wooden Spoon.” It is handled with all of Mr. Daly's characteristic delicacy, but based asit is upon campaign methods and much of the hu- mor being of that sort which at this stage of the contest is threkdbare in the extreme, it cannot at best but excite a pass- ing smile or hiss as the auditor's own political belief leads him to indulge. Were it not for the artistic treatment of the play by the | actors themselves, “A Wooden Spoon” would not achieve | that success which all wish Mr. Daly. Mr. Drew's performance of Paul Impulse, an Editor-in- | chief, is a capital bit of acting, while the character sketch of Mr. Birdy, the publisher of the Daily Ze/ephone, whose chief duty seems to be to go to jail for various libels, causing him to assume the title of “Jail Editor,” enacted by Mr. Gilbert, is intensely humorous and as fine a piece of acting in that par- ticular line as it has been our good fortune to see. Miss Rehan is somewhat of a disappointment, a fact which is no fault of the actress, but due entirely to the lack of inter- est in her part. Concerning Mrs. Gilbert and Messrs. Lewis and Fisher it is hardly necessary to speak. They are always nearly per- fect. The others carried their respective parts well, and as a whole the play may be regarded as an artistic success. | | ter nuffin’ yo’ gits de pot. Mr. Daly promises an early revival of his popular comedy, “ Needles and Pins,” and has in preparation numerous at- tractions which the reputation of his theatre assures us will be all that can be desired by the theatre-goers of the coming season, DURANGO. A VICTORY. “cc HERE is a peach,” the boy said, « Dangling on the tree. It shall no longer dangle— I'll put it into me.” “ Here is a boy,” the peach said, Shaking itself with spleen. “ How he will feel when he finds out How hard I am, and green!" And the boy, he plucked the green peach And went off on his way As merry and happy a youngster As you ‘ll find, of a summer day. Davip A. CURTIS. THE THOMPSON STREET POKER CLUB. T the meeting of the Thompson Street Poker Club, Satur- day evening, the usual business hung fire. Mr. Gus. JOHNSON had been elected chairman of the committee on Tin Helmets at the meeting of the Blaine and Logan Guards the previous evening, and in return for the honor had felt com- pelled to blow in his week's wages for beer ; Prof. BRICK had had a dismal misunderstanding with the cashier at the store at which he was employed, over a garnishee process served the day before; Mr. CYANIDE WHIFFLES had been suffering from pecuniary congestion ever since the last meeting; Mr. TOOTER WILLIAMS had not yet turned up; and the Rev. Mr. THANKFUL SMITH had expressed himself as feeling somé delicacy about accepting I. O. U.'s from brother mem- bers of the club over which he presided. The members there- fore sat around and fingered the chips and dealt hands of more or less factitious value, and listened to a homily from the Rev. Mr. THANKFUL SMITH, on the political problems now agitating, not the club but the country at large. “ Now Brer JOHNSON,” said the Reverend gentleman, be- stowing an impressive glance on the member named, “ Brer JOUNSON, he goes in fer Cleveland. Dat’s right. Hit’s like drawin’ ter a club flisk in a jacker. Ef you ketchum, hit 's ten But I 'vises Brer. JOHNSON not ter spend mo'n fo’ cents in de draw. Not dat I doan spec Cleve hez some show, 'n er smart chance ter git dar, but wen | he does, a moke hez no mo’ chance 'n er cat in Gehenna wiv- out claws ob gittin’ mo ‘n er kentry pose office at $12 a y'ar. | De moke am wallyble jess befo’ ‘lection 'n on de Foth er No- vember he am de pride ob de ward, 'n sometimes ‘Il fotch $2, but de day after he’s jess as wuffless 'n ornary ez cold waffles on Chrismus mawnin’.” comicbooks.com