AROUND THE WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 51

AROUND THE WORLD.

(FftOM Otago Witness Specials.) Stubbms's European Hotel, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.A., November 22, 1899.

Dear Bis,— l do not know that I can send you a very interesting theatrical letter this mail. I have not touched the profession since last writing you, since when 1 have been on the Southern Circuit,— to Minneapolis, Minn.; iiuttalo and .Niagara in New I'ork State ; Cleveland and Cincinnatti, O. This week I returned to Indianopolis (Indiana), a fine city of about 100,000 inhabitants, a very clean up-to-date place, and stated to be the second largest railroad centre in the States, St. Louis being first and Chicago third. The amount of traffic over the lines is really enormous and scarcely seems credible.

I am really pleased to be away from " the Sunny South " — Mississippi, Louisiana, etc., and trust it will never be niy misfortune to visit the South again, for a dirtier, filthier place to live in cannot possibly be. Chinatown in San Francisco, the Bowery in New York, or South Clarke street in Chicago are miles ahead of the nigger country. It is impossible to conceive anything coining nearer a fe\ er-mvitmg country than the Southern States. lam speaking with experience, having lost a little stepdaughter there, aged 13 years, and a telegram three days ago tells me that another of my little stepdaughters, aged 15, took the fever a few hours after my departure, and is not expected to live. I ani awaiting more news, winch may be the cause of my returning to Jackson City immediately. I wired my wife in Minneapolis not to go back, but I fear she has done so already. She, being scared of the yellow fever, is more likely to getit.

I met Piofessor Kellar (a la Carl Hertz) yesteiday. You will remember Kellar (in Moaland about 20 years ago). Last night I saw his show, which is veiy good. Am mailing 'gram, also of Empire— a " red hot " show. The Loftus Troupe aie out of sight compared with the Empire crowd, who don't even wear fleshings. Not a woman in the whole audience — and there never is at t\his house.

Am m communication with Carl Hertz re a novelty for his show, and as soon as I have " fixed,'' will let you know parties. Barnum's Circus, after a brilliant time in England, is now m winter quarters in London.

The playwright, whose name I cannot call to rniiid at this moment, who wrote " The Cannon's Mouth,' which was performed in Auckland, M.L., about 10 years ago, has filed his schedule in the Louisiana Bankruptcy Court for 16,000dol; assets lOdol! The press severely commented on the matter, and urged the Legislature to provide some means for protecting tiadesmen from that sort of thing. [The playwright (!) you speak of was known here by the name of Travers Vale. " The Cannon's Mouth " wa&, I think, staged at Auckland Opera House in 1889. I saw the piece at the Sydney Royal in the New Year of '94, when the cast included Hany Lester, Geo. Walton, Kate Towets, Geo. Chalmers, Mr and Mrs J. Hayman, and Weitmacott. How any audience could swallow such utterly impossible military incidents as (in these days, too) one officer in the British army sentencing a brother officer to be blown from the mouth of a cannon, for a supposed robbery, the order for the execution having been foiged too ; a young lady, beloved by the hero, creeping into the villainous officer's tent and drugging his drink, then assuming his coat and hat ; and the same gentle maid, with a soprano voice (reminiscent of one in the Wellington Telephone Exchange), posing wholesale as the wicked captain, giving what commands she likes — including, of couise, the lover's release — without her identity being even questioned, and sending her lover away in a war balloon (these are a few of the episodes the author gives), Bis can't fathom, Take one incident from " The Relief of Lucknow," one from " Round the World, ' one from " Queen's Colours," a big slice from " Current Cash," a borrowed costume episode used (only used plausibly) in " The Lights of London," and you have '" The Cannon's Mouth." — BIS.]

Billy Emerson has again started out from Chicago with a big minstrel show. Most likely I will fix my headquarters in Canada, but I am very much afraid it is too cold for this chicken ; its summers are beautiful. As lam posting you this, four O.Ws. ("Good Old Reliable!") have reached me, for which accept a shower of managerial blessings. You will, I know, accept this shoit letter, for I am so troubled over family matters that I can scaicely compose a single sentence. "With kind regards to all the boys and best wishes to the only Bis,"' — Yours truly, GEO. V. BECK, [Permanent address: G-.P.0., Milwaukee,

Wis., U.S.A.]

. Penney' s Hotel, Blenheim, M.L., January 28,

Dear Bis,— l am still alive, and shall be with you in about 10 days. We have only three more towns to play. We are doing splendid business everywhere. We played Picton Wednesday and Thursday, 24th, 25th.

Mrs Allen, honorary secretary^of the Patriotic Fund here, requested me to i-ecite .Kipling's " Absent-minded Beggar." I must tell you I have only recited once in my life, and I am forced to truthfully say that recital was a dead failure. So, remembeimg my xjrevious effort, I set the poem to music and sang it. The rebult was £1 12s 2d thrown on the stage, and 9s swept tip the following morning made the grand total (for Picton) oT £2 Is 2d. Not bad for the City of Bloaters. I am going to sing it nightly on tour.

Wo had the pleasure of witnessing the opening performance at Greymouth of Pollard's Opera Company. The house was packed to the doors ,and I hear it has been the same nightly.

It is I'ery funny to hear the remarks of the Ivumara, Stafford, and Holritika public. They want to know why the Pollards don't go to their towns. Just picture the Pollard Opera Company on a stage 6ft by 12ft !■ — Yours truly,

HARRY BAXTER, ISTorthcote's Kinemuta^raph Company.

Moaland, January 27.

Dear Bis, — How many of your readei.s can "place" the following aitist? (Kow, don't give it away). The extiact is from the Worthng Gazette and Sussex Advertiser of November 29, 1899 • —

"What a wonderful little ghi! " "How clever! " Such expressions, with many others of a similar nature, were ficely exchanged amongst those who listened on Friday to Zeala, a young violinist from New Zealand, who then made her first bow to a Worthing audience at Bammgham, West Worthing, the residence of Dr Ay ton Gosthng and Mrs Gosthng. And the remarks were amply warranted, foi one did not need to be an expert to see that Zeala is possessed of great talent.

She is only 10 years of age, afid, if anything, small for her age; but her execution is most delicate, and would put many adult — so-called violinists — to shame. Just upon a hundred people -were present, and the tooni wa3 not

large enough to accornmoua + e them all. Thfc programme consisted of ->ight items, of which, half were put dowu to Zeala. She opened the proceedings with .Handel's Sonata in A Major j the other pieces playei 1 by her being " Sara, bande and Tambourin " (L°clair), '" Tarantella'*(Papini), and the first movement of De Bpriot's Seventh Concerto, which was undoubtedly _b.9 triumph of the afternoon. At all times a iliffU cult piece for adults, it must have been especw ally so for so young a pe.°ormer. Three times was she recalled by an enrap'ured audieice, and she •at last responded v ith Gounod's " Meditation," her lovely, dreamy renderi"-? of vhich elicited more applause. An enco.- was also demanded for " Tarantella," it being repeated on her re-appearance. Zeala is supporting and educating herself by her own efforts.— Tours truly, GOODY.

Oamaru, January 21. Dear Bis, — You've been here. At anyrattf everyone heie knows you, including Manager Meldrum of the Dresden Piano Company, vho, like hundreds of "others, says " the only Bis " is a mystery. lam now ahead of Montgomery's (Edmond's) Kinematograph Company; card enclosed. Since we have been south we have been playing to packed houses [good old "packed houses"]. Two nights Ashburton; ditto Timaru, both big. Show business this way is good. The Happy St. Georges (I don't know how happy), are battling along ahead oi us. We work to Dunedm; goldfields to follow. We hope to have a good time down there 5 where I suppose we will run across the SteelePayne quintet. We play Kurow 2?th, Ma« heno- 30th, Hainpden 31st, Shag Point February 1, Palmerston South 2nd, Dunback 3rd, Waikouaiti 4th. With best wishes to yourse*' and " the Old Reliable," — Yours truly, WILL JAMESON.