TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 9601, 23 January 1895, Page 1

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

[From Our Special Correspondent.]

Lqjin.QN, December I, MASK OK TRUTH. On Saturday evening, having nothing better to do, I journeyed into tlie wilds or Camberwell, where, so sundry flaming posters told me, “Mr Charles Warner and a powerful company ” were playing ‘ Under the Mask of Truth’ at the new theatre Metropole. It is a long time since I had my blood stirred so violently by a stage production. As a marrow-curdler Mr Haddon Chamber’s ‘ Fatal Card ’ is but as milk-and-water to six of Scotch when compared to the Vane and Shirley mixture of love, hatred, murder, and wasted affection. The posters arc not a bit over-colored, which is saying a good deal. ‘ The Mask ” of Truth ’ is g wax one, constructed to the principal villain’s orderly Carlo Pasc’ali. The hero’s face is Pascali’s model, and the wax production is so faithful that the hero’s mother would have been deceived at forty feet. In his own country Carlo’s love for art was subordinate to his love for a certain Catalina, but she ran away with some anonymous miscreant, and Carlo took to drink, or, -as the authors euphoniously put it: “ Sauk into the thraldom of the green-eyed goddess Absinthe.” The hero a very “model” young man with a tendency to preach to the gallery boys—married his employer’s daughter, but the principal villain (her cousin) disapproved of the match, and persuaded his uncle that his son-in-law was “fluttering” a little on the turf with the petty cash of the firm,. whereupon the hero gets the sack. Being a stage hero he is naturally about as “ feckless” as men are made, and he and the

heroine are in danger of starvation. But the low comedian (faithful as ever we have known him) and his sweetheart Smudge find them free lodgings and pro Vender. Presently, of course, the employer sees through the principal villain’s flimsy veiling and sends for the hero. Naturally the principal villain puts on the mask and murders the old man, timing the deed for the moment when the heroine drops in to see how matters are progressing. Recognising what she supposes to be her husband putting the fiuishing touches to his evil work, she promptly shrieks and flops down senseless. But of necessity she was not the onlv witness. Carlo Pascali was there, but, being an Italian, he doesn’t go for the police. From that moment the poor heroine has an awful time. They shut her up in a villa at Finchley, kill her baby, and try to make her sign papers. She refuses, so they drug her and cart her away to a Thames-side death trap at Deptford kept by a comic Jew, the secondary villain, just, however, as the heroine is about to be consigned to the river the. übiquitous Pascali drops through the reof, and after a hullaballoo the comic Jew’s attendant Hag is drowned instead. It is a principle of melodrama to get rid of your objectionable characters one by one. You must not reward virtue till the last act, and then all in a lump; but villainy can bo punished in sections. After various adventures and a great deal of talking, of which Carlo Pascali does more than a fair share, the Villain writes asking the Heroine to meet him at midnight in the leadworks. He signs the note “ Pascali.” The Heroine recognises that the time and place named are hardly consonant with her character as a respectable married wife, but she goes. Meanwhile Carlo, who has been consorting with the green-eyed goddess again and whose reason is therefore a bit off balance, is locked up in a dungeon underneath the leadworks. He dreams that Catalina appears to him, and in reality she does appear. She has become (de facto) Mrs Principal Villain; but the_ Principal Villain having become faithless, Catalina desires to set Carlo at him. The Heroine arrives to keep her appointment, and amid blazing furnaces and whirring dynamos the Villain speedily commences business. Music agitato. Struggle; screams, curses. Pascali to the rescue. More struggles. The Villain’s hands are full of Pascali, so the Comic Jew tries to settle the Heroine. He grabs her round the waist, runs up a flight of steps, and is just going to drop her into a cauldron of seething lead, when—bang—crash— bang —the Hero arrives in the very nick of time to save his wife. Pascali, after the usual ups and downs, manages to force the principal Villain against something which electrocutes him in a second. Everything, of course, ends happily. CHRISTMAS LITERATURE. There is an extraordinary lack of originality in the Christmas numbers and annuals this year, which would account for their hanging fire somewhat, even it the notion were not hopelessly overdone. Amongst newspapers the ‘ Graphic ’ scores an easy first, its reproduction of Fildes’s portrait of the Princess of Wales (which hung in the place of honor in the big room of the Royal -Academy this year) being alone well worth a shilling. But the letterpress also is much superior to that of the ‘ Illustrated,’ which relies mainly on a comedietta by Anthony Hope. This has the same plot as ‘ Checkmate’ and ‘My Lord in Livery,’and will not enhance the reputation of the author of the ‘Dolly Dialogues.’ In other respects, too, the ‘ Illustrated ’ is a poor number. ‘ Black and White ’ provides a colored picture of the school dear to every patriotic Briton." It represents “the last stand” of Tommy Atkins and a wounded pal in the Soudan. Tommy stands before his comrade with revolver levelled, and a look of what is supposed to bo desperation on his fecci In the distance a troop of Arabs can bo seen hearing down on the doomed pair. The artist s execution does not equal his imagination, but the picture lias caught on with the philistincs, and is being very generally framed.

The ‘ Ladies’ Pictorial ’ Christmas number contains an unusually good selection of short stories, Marie Corelli leading off with ‘The Silence of the Maharajah,’ and Mrs W. K. Clillford and other popular feminine writers following. The colored picture, too, accompanying it is harmless. The feature of the Christmas ‘Gentlewoman’ consists of a very French chrome printed on satin. Otherwise the number seems feeble.

The ‘ World ’ and ‘ Truth ’ Christmas numbers are the same as they’ve been for years past, Major Arthur Griffiths and Messrs Bryan and Carruthc-rs Gould pumping up topical variations of a singularly venerable tune.

‘ To-day,’ on the contrary, provides an excellent sixpenn’orth. Its special feature is a collaboration between Thomas Hardy and the Hon. Mrs Henuiker (the clever sister of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland), entitled ‘The Spectre of the Real.’ It details the experiences of a young couple who marry in haste to repent at leisure, and is obviously more Mrs Henniker’s work than the novelist’s. Mr Jerome contributes a sample of the new humor, and most of the ‘ Idler ’ staff are also represented. Another excellent sixpenn’orth I can commend to you is the Christmas double number of the ‘ Young Man’ and ‘ Young Woman ’ combined. Dr Conan Doyle opens the ball with a story ; Lady Aberdeen describes the delights of, a winter in Canada ; Gilbert Parker parrates A thrilling incident of tfio Wild Northwest ; and there are a dozen other contributions all by eminent hands. Some reminiscences of Dickens, by his eldest daughters, are specially interesting, seasonable, and apropos.

The Christinas number of All the Year Round’ is, as usual, by Mary Angela Dickens, assisted this year by Margaret Moule. ‘ Time’s Cunning ’ tells of the accidental meeting of four people in the country house of a hard-up couple who are trying to make £2O by taking in lodgers for “a good old English Christmas.” The festive season being wot, the party tell stories round the fire, and these arc the means of clearing up a, family mystery which has estranged two elderly lovers for over twenty years., The idea, of this story is excellent, but one can’t help feeling Miss Dickens alone would have been more successful with it. In the ‘ Woman At Home ’ J. M. Barrie is amusing in the ‘ Lady Nicotine ’ vein concerning ‘ Helen’s Hat,’ ‘Helen’s Secret,’ and ‘ Helen’s Temper,’ and there are stories by Annie Swan, Mrs Meade, lan Maclaren, and Baring-Gould. I think, however, unless I could buy both J should prefer the ‘ English Hlnstrated ’ double number, though lan Maclaren’s ‘ The Mourning of the Glen ’ in the former is a little gem. The • English Illustrated ’ must, however, be pronounced the strongest of all the Christmas numbers. Mrs Burnett, Stanley Weyman, George Gissing, Mrs Steel, Helen Mathers, Grant Allen, Mrs Woods, Mrs Clifford, Clement Scott, Phil Robinson, and the inevitable Anthony Hope contributing readable stories.

Harper’s winter number is weak in letter-, press, barring the commencement of Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Simpletons,’ which, when republished in three volumes, will be called ‘Hearts Insurgent.’ The hero, a Wessex farmer’s child, lias aspirations, and goes to the University of Oxbridge, where he, in a measure, attains success. The heroine, Arabella, belongs to Mr Hardy’s sensual group. The story opens rather drily. The ‘ Gentleman’s Annua) ’ is, as for many years post, by D. W. Speight, and consists of a sensational novelette entitled ‘ Quittance in Full.’

The extra numbers of ‘ Good Words’ and the ‘ S,un ’ magazjnp arc neither of them

worth purchasing, in my humble opinion. ‘ Good Cheer,’ instead of containing a novelette by a well-known writer, gives a number of scrappy tales ; ami Miss Evelyn Everett Green’s ‘ Paths of Peace ’ is not up to the magazine’s usual mark.. 1 The recollection that Dr Conan Doyle and Sherlock _ Holmes made their first bow to the public through 1 Beeton’s Annual ’ im duces me to buy that publication regularly. Tiiis Christmas it - is a.sensational tale entitled ‘A Monk of Cruta,’ by E. Phillips Oppenheim, who, I fancy, must be young. Readers able to stomach glorified ‘ Loudon Journal’ may safely waste a shilling thereon.

The • extremely interesting course of lectures which the late Dr llort, Hulseau professor of divinity at Cambridge, delivered shortly before his death on Mudaistic Christianity ’ have been published by Messrs Macmillan, and are being very widely read. To those who, like myself, find the Acts of the Apostles one of the'most thrilling books in the Bible J cordially commend the work. Dr Hort was probably the best informed of recent authorities on the early days of the Christian Church, and his explanations enlighten one materially and clear up inauy puzzling incidents.' The price of the book is 3s Gd.

Another volume many church folk may be glad nob to miss is called ‘Christus Imperator,’ and contains a series of notable sermons on the ‘ Universal Empire of Christianity,’ which were delivered by leading church preachers at St. Bridget’s, Liverpool, last Advent. The Dean of Ely, the Rev. Chas. Stubbs (then incumbent of St. Bridget’s) opened the series with a discourse on the ‘General Supremacy of Christ.’ This was followed by sermons on the ‘ Supremacy of Christ’—(l) in the realm of History, (2) in the realm of Philosophy, (3) in the Law, (4) Art, (5) Ethics, (6) Politics, (7) Science, (8) Sociology, and (9) Poetry ; the most interesting perhaps being Canon Barnett’s (of Toynbee Hall) lecture on the ‘ Supremacy of Christ in the Realm of Sociology.’

MAfJA/.IKE rKOOUAMMKS. / The sisters Gerard are well to the fore in the magazines just now. Miss Dorothea Gerard started a new serial entitled ‘An Arranged Marriage ’ in ‘ Longmans ’ last mouth, and in ‘ Blackwood’ for December Miss E. Gerard (MadamS Von Laszonski) commenced a novel entitled ‘ A Foreigner.’ Mr George Gissing’s new novel ‘Eve’s Ransom ’ begins in the ‘ Illustrated News ’ m January, aud will, as usual, run through thirteen numbers. Mr Marion Crawford follows him, also with a three-volume novel. The ‘ Cornhill,’ which did so well with Henry Seton Meniman’s clever novel ‘With Edged Tools,’ has engaged him to supply its principal serial for 1895. The story will be called ‘The Sowers,’ and commences in January. ‘Cassell’s Family Magazine,’ the price of which has been reduced to sixpence, begins a fresh scries with the December number. Its principal serial, ‘ The Voice of the Charmer, is by Mrs Meade, and there are complete storyettes by Anthony Hope, Cutel iff c Hyue, and J. M. Bairie. The latter, however, cannot be called a novelty, being a sketch entitled ‘The Little Nursery Governess,’ that appeared some time ago in the ‘ Speaker.’ Sir Wemyss Reed also contributes an interesting gossip on ‘The Cabinet and Its Secrets.’

-MANCHESTER NUVr.MUF.R HANDICAI 1 . Flat racing came to an end at Manchester last Saturday afternoon, when the Noveiiiher Handicap, of 1,5011 so vs, attracted nineteen runners, and was made the medium of some heavy betting. Sir U. Jardine’s Llantliony (o yrs, 7.11) and Mr Ifoublswortlvs Bushey Park (5 yrs, 5.9) were the great public fancies, and finished up at G and 7 to 1 respectively. Then came Mr Gosling's Gleamaway (4 yrs, 7.5) at 1(10 (o Id, and a whole host of long-priced fancies. Captain Machcll started two, llaveiihbury (1 vrs 9.4) and Kilsallughan ( I yrs, S.O). Tlie lalter earned the first colors and Master Tommy Loates, whereas the steeplechase jockey Parker bestrode the top-weight. There -was no great difference in the betting between the. pair, 100 to (i being ottered Kilsallagban, whilst 100 to 0 was Ravensbury’s price. The stable commission did not back either with spirit, and*it was very evident the “ Capting ■’ bad no big roup in hand. After a long delay at the post, during whieh the winter afternoon closed in rapidly, the field got fairly off, aiuL Gleamaway settled down with a nice lead. Thin he hold till nearing home, when tho favorite rushed to the front and for a moment or two looked formidable. Almost at once, however, Cannon had to take up his whip, anti then Gleamaway once more sailed along first. At the half-distance Ravensbury came up with a wet sail, and a pretty finish ensued. T. Loates rode his best, but tho son of Isonomy and Penitent carried too. many guns for him and won by a neck, with Cypria (4 yrs, S.l) close up third.

WINNING JOCKEVS. Morniugton Cannon, after yielding the supremacy last year to Tom Loates, once again heads tbelistj of winning jockeys, with 107 triumphs out of 687 rides. Loates finishes a good second with 163 wins, but he had 812 mounts. After this pair comes a big gap, the third on the list, Master Sam Loates, or as he is generally called olpates,' boasting only 91 victories out of 64Q mounts. Finlay scores 89 wins for 012 rides, Allsopp 85 out of 654, and little Bradford 84 out of 596. Cannon's principal classic win was on ' Throstle i hc k e S er > Loates rode Isinglass in all his splendid victories. Little Bradford W&S on Amiable in the One Thousand and Oaks, and also rode tho winners of the Goodwood Stewards’ Cup, Cesarewitch, and Derby Cup. For the second year in succession Mr Millionaire M'Calmout heads the list of winning owners, liis total being £37,674. Lord Rosebery comes next with £17,156, and tho. Duke of Portland third with £11,301. TheDuke of Westminster (£10,939) is the onlv Other over £IO,OOO. The winning sires’ list runs—lsonomy Simon £41,859, Hampton n^ e^ rc hj £11,137, Barcaldine £ll,llß, Royal Hampton £10,470.