The story of the play is not on a new subject. It tells of a husband-Henry Borgfeldt-a great, good-hearted German, who speaks English with a delightfully agreeable effort-whose wife allows the serious attentions of young Derwentwater, a member of her husband's firm. She is not untrue to him, but a scheming woman and her lover's financial troubles bring about a complication that excites the husband to an accusation-then separation. A child brings them together again, and everything ends happily.

THE THEATRE has been an enthusiastic admirer of young Salvini. It long ago prophesied his future success, and urged it upon Mr. Palmer that no time be lost in engaging him. The astute manager of the Madison Sqare acted upon the suggestion, and Salvini became a member of his company. Up to this time the young man has not had much of an opportunity to display his very best ability. In a piece called

"Margery's Lovers," produced as one of a series of "author's matinees" at the Madison Square Theatre last season, he had an excellent part for one performance. Since then nothing has brought him forward so emphatically as in the present instance. The depth and force which has made his distinguished father so successful is shown in the son; the intellectuality which controls the passion of art, and the magnetism that dominates its manifestation, here has an exponent that must impress every one with the fact that in young Salvini is born an actor from whom we may expect great things. His Henry Borgfeldt could be appreciated if a comparison were to be made by its performance by any other actor on the American stage. While it is essentially strongly dramatic, it would be very apt to be commonplace. Salvini puts into it deft touches; his brush is guided by originality and genius. In a word, he makes a triumph that sets him down in a line with the greatest masters in his profession. While it may be honestly said that other members in the cast of this play do not have much of a chance, it must also be said that "Partners" is made a one-part play. There is but slight interest developed in any other character outside that of Borgfeldt. Mr. Stoddart, of course, is most admirable and effective as old Mr. Parr, and Mr. Holland, as Bellair, a retired actor, is thoroughly artistic. Mr. Ramsay, as the lover, is forcible and discreet, and Miss Burroughs, as the wife, is a picture of very lovely womanhood. Mathilde Madison, Miss Robson, Mrs. Phillips, and Messrs. Ayling, Findlay, Flockton and Davidge, complete the cast in what will prove a most notable production this season.

CLARA MORRIS.

AT the Fifth Avenue Theatre a dramatization of D'Ennery's play, "La Martyre," by Clinton Stuart, is being played by Clara Morris. The same piece has been recently seen at the Madison Square Theatre, where it was presented in a most effective way by

a company of superior intelligence and force.

A dozen years ago Clara Morris was pronounced the American Rachel. Her performances under Mr. Daly's management created a great excitement. She was a young girl, with practically little experience, but she had within her a wonderful spirit that shone with superb lustre. A more magnetic being had never been seen on the stage. Those who remember her as well as I do as Alixe and in "New Year's Eve," will never forget the impression. Her acting was not acting! Heavens! it was real! If I should live a thousand years, the memory of that face of Alixe, with quivering mouth and great glorious eyes from which hot tears sobbed, will never, never be forgotten. Her subsequent work at the Union Square Theatre was the sensation of New York. Will you ever forget her in the "Sphinx," "Article 47," or "Miss Multon?"

You could hardly turn, in those days, without seeing her photograph exposed in every conceivable selling-place. Why, I had a dozen of them myself which I treasured as so much gold.

New york was turned to tears. To enjoy an evening the people went to cry over Clara Morris, and she always cried, too, as if her heart was breaking!

Since then this woman has suffered. She became a terrible invalid through her affliction, and she has gone through little hells on earth. Irons heated to white heat have been placed on her back! Her youth and beauty have been shrunken by her miseries.

This week, after a lapse of years, I went to see her, as Renee de Moray. I had with me a young companion who had never seen the actress whom I had idolized. I was in feverish anticipation before her appearance, and said, "Wait!"

Renee came upon the stage.

My Clara Morris became dead to me.

I saw in her place another woman. The same eyes seemed to look into mine, but that little quiver about the mouth, the sensitive flower of her lips had withered away.

Don't think me unkind! I would not

But

THE unexpected always happens. when it does we are surprised, for all that.

Those of us who have had the pleasure of hearing Herr Ernest Possart during the past month in his infinitely varied repertoire would have thought the appearance of such a formidable rival as Herr Barnay would have caused a diversion of public interest, and that Herr Amburg's justly-earned monopoly of the German theatre in New York might suffer from the opposition of another enterprise. Far from it, for Herr Amburg's attractions have been increasing in interest ever since the opening of the season, and when his Muster Vorstellungen" were announced, in which such artists as Felns, Gertrud Giers and Hermine Reichenbach appeared with Herr Possart, and the exultant stock company of the Thalia Theatre, the climax was thought to have been reached. Owing to a misunderstanding with his managers, Herr Barnay having terminated his engagement, Herr Amberg has succeeded in bringing him into his combination for a short season, and that which it seems has never occurred in Germany, has by chance come to pass in this country, and we now have an opportunity of seeing all these great artists together. Singularly enough, the daring manager has not raised his prices, notwithstanding the enormous outlay. That the Thalia is nightly filled to overflowing is a matter of course, even the place formerly occupied by the orchestra being filled with additional seats.

Acosta (Herr Barnay), while Herr Possart, as the Rabbi Ben Akiba, appeared in but one scene; nevertheless the power of his art was felt even in the few lines he had, and showed what may be done in comparatively smaller parts by a master. Again to those accustomed to hear "star actors," accompanied by indifferent support, this combination will be a revelation, and cannot fail to have its artistic and moral lesson, for it shows how the truly great are willing to share the honors with their colleagues-now taking a leading part, then one of less prominence, but all rendered with artistic taste and perfection. "Uriel Acosta," would doubtless be of less interest to purely American or English audiences, than to the German, for like "Nathan the Wise," it deals with the freedom of thought in religious mattersand appeals more especially to speculative and philosophical minds.

The Judith of Frln. Giers was a beautiful personation of a noble character, and as she was the picture of a lovely type of Hebrew beauty, the sympathies of the audience were deeply enlisted in her, and the touching devotion of the Jewish maiden to her excommunicated lover with his view of religious liberty, touched the hearts of all.

The other parts were played with the usual care and taste displayed by the company at all times.

tween professionals and amateurs has disappeared, and with it, it is to be hoped, the last remnant of prejudice against the mimic

art.

**

Miss Ellen Terry's daughter makes her bow before a New York audience in amateur theatricals.

Miss Edith Wardell, Ellen Terry's daughter made her first appearance on the amateur stage last Monday evening in the one-act comedy, entitled Barbara," which, with other selections, was given for the benefit of the Neighborhood Guild, on a small stage erected in the hall above the Workingmen's Lecture Rooms at number 109 West Fiftyfourth Street. The audience was composed of a large number of society people, anxious and curious in seeing what the daughter of a real live actress would look like, and how she might be compared with the other amateurs who are treading the boards so constantly. Mrs. Wardell acquitted herself in a highly successful manner, and showed that the experience gained from her mother had not been ripened in vain. The cast of the play read as follows:

Cecil. Finnicum Barbara. Lillie..

Mr. Evert J. Wendell Mr. W. A. Buckland Miss Ailsa Craig (Edith Wardell Miss Mildred Conway

The play was acted last spring at a benefit tendered to Miss Ward, at the Madison Square, but I was more favorably struck by the performance of last Monday, although the cast had no advantages whatever, but they seemed so well suited to their different characters, and the acting in every detail, was that of a very high order. Between the plays Mr. William A. Buckland gave an imitation of Mr. Irving in "The Bells," and Mr. Wendell, as usual, sent the audience into shouts of laughter with his comical and entertaining songs. After a short intermission "Our Bitterest Foe," with the following cast: Mr. Evert J. Wendell, as General Von Rosenberg; Mr. W. A. Buckland, as Henry de la Fire, and Miss Conway, as Blanche d'Evrau, concluded a most charming and amusing evening.

"THE BELLE, THE BEAU AND THE BANDIT" is the taking title selected for the theatricals of the Harvard Hasty-Pudding Club, to be given at the new Berkeley Lyceum, on the evenings of the 9th and 10th. The performance will probably be of that delicately satirical order so universally pleasing to college students and so instructive to other mortals. The receipts will go, as usual, to the University Boat Club, which is anxious, this year, to provide itself with a club-house.

**

"AS YOU LIKE IT," with leading amateurs of New York in the cast, will be given next week at the Berkeley Lyceum, in aid of Miss Victoria Siddons, the eighteen-yearold great-granddaughter of Sarah Siddons, who, I hear, will be the Rosalind on this great occasion. The Amateur.

PHILADELPHIA NOTES.

APRIL 3." Lights and Shadows," by Chas. S. Gayler, was performed for the first time at the Arch Street Theatre last night. The new play is of a heavy, melodramatic type, abounding in exciting scenes and striking incidents. Some of the climaxes are forced and strained, yet there is an absence of its usual glaring improbabilities peculiar to this class of plays. The new play has the advantage of a strong cast and ample scenic effects. The principal characters were wellrendered by Miss Etelka Wardell, Miss Mary Newman, Miss Marjorie Bonner, Mr. J. H. Gilmour, Mr. Charles D. Herman, and Mr. W. H. Lytell.

44

Dorothy" was given for the first time in this city at the Walnut Street Theatre, before a large and fashionable audience. Although very reminiscent of a number of operas ranging from "Martha" to "Erminie," "Dorothy" is by far the brightest comic opera that has been seen here for some time. It remains at the Walnut dur

ing two weeks, and will be followed by Minnie Palmer."

"The Henrietta" has caught the popular fancy, and is drawing remarkably large audiences.

Pending the rebuilding of the Central Theatre, Manager Gilmore has secured temporary quarters at the Broad Street Theatre, opening there last night, with Tony Pastor's Company.

The local conservatism that has so long confined profitable theatre locations to a section of the city bounded by a few squares, will be attacked by Mr. Thos. F. Kelly, of the National Theatre, who has leased the new Grand Opera House, Broad Street and Montgomery Avenue, opening Monday, April 9, with the American Opera Company. The new theatre is fully two miles removed from what custom has recognized as the theatrical centre. The enterprise is regarded by many as a very hazardous speculation, but, on the other hand, there are as many who do not hesitate to predict success for the new house.

I am of the latter opinion, and as Mr. Kelly has leased the property for ten years at an annual rental of $12,000, he probably coincides with me. Jefferies.

ABOUT GEORGE C. MILN.

From the Omaha Excelsior.]

THERE is something about Mr. Miln that I cannot help but like. He isn't a hypocrite, whatever else may be said of him, and in these degenerate days of realism, that is a good deal to say of a man. What reminiscences Miln could write did he have the inclination! It would make mighty interesting reading I can assure you, for I don't know of an other man who has been knocked about from post to pillar as much as he. Yet he never murmurs at his lot, but with sublime faith bides his time when the world will recognize him as a great actor. And do you know I believe he will catch on some of these days, and then what a hanging of heads there will be to be sure. Critics have had lots of fun with Miln; they have even said that he padded his legs with sawdust, and what greater insult could be put upon a man that that? they have heaped all sorts of calumnies upon him, but with unflinching determination he has remained an actor, and by my soul a right good one he is too, barring "Hamlet," in which character I utterly dislike him.

**

Miln was in town the other day, enroute to Plattsmouth, where he was booked to deliver his lecture, "Candles and the Footlights," having closed his dramatic season but a fortnight before. For the sake of "Auld Lang Syne" I called on him at his hotel, and for an hour he delighted me with many bright bits of description, gathered thither and yon from his checkered career. Besides

a deep thinker he is a close observer, and his life on the boards has not been spent in vain I assure you. I really can't recall ever having met a more delightfully congenial man than Miln, unless it is George A. Sala, and then the two ought not to be mentioned in the same breath, for their temperaments are unlike as the poles are far apart.

Mr. Miln has decided to go England shortly upon a mission I hope will prove pay ore for him. He has accepted a play by Deshler Welch, the very clever young editor of THE THEATRE, and it deals with the stirring times of Napoleon's life. Miln, with a desire to give as complete a production as possible, goes to the old country to make studies of costumes, settings, and obtain the best ideas extant of Napoleon's nature. I asked him what he intended calling this new drama, and he said "Napoleon." I thought it rather trite and a name that was not likely to catch the masses. With a gleam from his deep sunken dark eyes and and a toss of his shaggy hair, he said, “There are three words in the English language that will live for all ages. That echo down the years finding lodgement in all our hearts and appealing to them as no others ever will, and they are Jesus, Shakespeare, and Napoleon. Napoleon stands for the incarnate will, the resistless determination to bring all things down to its level, Shakespeare stands for the poetry of life and its ideality, while Jesus

SOME newspaper-writer tells this story: A lady, who has a girl in her employ, fresh from some region far removed from the theatre, thinking to give the girl a grand treat, purchased a ticket for her a few evenings ago. The girl went, but returned before 9 o'clock. "What is the matter? Did you not like it?" asked the mistress. "Oh, I liked it ever so much; it's a fine painting." "But," inquired her mistress, "why have you returned so soon? Surely you did not see it all?" "Yes, ma'am, I did. I went in and sat down and looked at the large picture hanging up in front. l'eople kept coming in, and pretty soon there was quite a crowd, all looking at the picture. Then they took it away and some men and women went to talking up there where it had been about something that didn't concern me, so I got up and came home. But I enjoyed the picture."