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to recuperate that he was the landlord, who allowed them to go on the condition that his office clerk would accompany the party and get the cash from the first night's receipts. But the new town was worse than the last and there were no receipts for the hotel clerk, who, nothing loth, enjoyed the holiday and agreed to go on to the next place. But here Robert was compelled to enter into the same sort of arrangement with his landlord and the opera company was augmented in its caravan by two hotel clerks. By dint of perseverance and a stiff upper lip this thing was repeated at eight difierent towns and at the ninth the chorus, refusing to go on without a much desired payment, Robert Grau actually induced the eight hotel clerks to appear as the Pinafore sailors, which they were well able to do after a constant sitting in front! What a delightful suggestion this is for the plot of a comic opera, a chorus of creditors.

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UNDERSTAND that Robert Grau has been able to interest a man of means who will become a limited "backer" for an operatic project which promises exceedingly well for everybody. Perhaps there are some of my readers who will remember the wonderful child actress who came over from England and travelled through this country about fifteen years ago under the name of “ Sappho." She was a most remarkable child and created quite a furore by her performances in comediettas and little operatic pieces like "Lischen and Frischen." She also played the part of Topsey better than I have seen it played. She left the stage and was sent to school by her parents and subsequently made her appearance, now a young woman grown, under the name of Florence Ellis, at Booth's Theatre in "The Little Duke," in which

she made a splendid success. Then marriage took her away from the stage. She married a young man by the name of Brockaway who is in the management of the Gilsey House, and she has since lived very quietly in a suburban town. She has now determined to go upon the stage again, and her managers, one of whom is Grau, will introduce her early in the summer in "The Little Duke" and I will miss my guess if both play and p,ayer do not become very popu

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THE frontispiece of THE THEATRE this week

Its

is a photograph of the celebrated Kesselstadt Death-Mask" of Shakespeare, which I believe is now in the British Museum. Its history is somewhat obscure, but it is thought to be the best actual likeness extant. One of the oldest paintings of Shakespeare's head, and which has always been regarded as the most reliable, is believed to have been painted with this death-mask as the model, for it is identical in expression, and the measurements across the eyes, the nose and mouth are the same. discovery was most accidental. It was found among the effects of an old family wherein it had been handed down through the different generations, and was really never appreciated to be what it is now declared. An artist found it and deciphered the letters W. S. and the date of Shakespeare's death, and through archælogical science its genuiness has been determined. It certainly is the face of a man worthy the idealism we have bestowed upon the subject. THE THEATRE engraving was especially made from the English photograph direct.

COLONEL T. ALSTON BROWN, who is

the best authority in this country concerning local stage history, gives this account of the origin of the phrase "The Ghost Walks" as explaining that salaries will be paid: "Harry Watkins, an old player, relates an anecdote that is worth recording. It appears plausible enough

down the hall, and wsa the back and tall, stooped form of Dr. McCosh disappearing. The President of Princeton never spoke of the incident! nor did Porter until he had his sheepskin. The general is worthy of such a son.

to be the true origin, because it seems so natural. OLD THOMAS MEAD, who died last week

In one of the itinerant companies of England, the manager, himself an actor, was very fond of playing The Ghost in "Hamlet," which was one of the stock pieces of these unpaid nomads. Salary day came and went, but, as the manager had no bank account, and the box office receipts were too meagre to warrant the alleged treasurer in posting over the box office door those letters so cheering to the actors' heart, 'S. P. Q. R.,' the stomachs and wardrobes of the players began to suffer. At last patience ceased to be a virtue. The company grew clamorous for their arrears. A strike was organized, and at one of the Hamlet' rehearsals, when Hamlet, speaking of The Ghost, exclaimed, 'Perchance 'twill walk again.' the leader of the revolt, who happened then to be The Ghost, ignored Shakespeare, and shouted emphatically, ‘No! I'm d—d if The Ghost walks any more until our salaries are paid.' All actors-especially those who've been there before many a time-will easily concede that an incident like this would quickly become common sport, and soon furnish the material for a new bit of stage slang."

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INSIST upon an occasional digression, and I

must record here an anecdote told me by an Ohio newspaper about a son of General Horace Porter, who, outside of his war record, is a famous after-dinner speaker, that I have enjoyed immensely. When young Horace wss in Princeton College (he graduated in the class of '87) he was ill for some days. While he was stretched out on a couch in his room there came a rap at the door. "Who's there?" He shouted, "It's me, Dr. McCosh," was the answer in a hard Scotch brogue. "You're a liar," retorted Porter, who really thought it was a classmate. "If it was Dr. McCosh, he would say, 'It is I." There was no answer to this but the sound of feet scuffling down the corridor. Young Porter ran to the door, cautiously opened it, looked

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in London, will be remembered in New York, when he appeared with Henry Irvfng. Among the characters he played successfully with the Lyceum Co. were Ghost in 'Hamlet," old Lesurques in "The Lyons Mail," the Friar in "Much Ado About Nothing," Farmer Flamborough in "Olivia," the principal witch in "Faust," and other characters during Mr. Irving's American tours. Mr. Mead was sixtyeight years of age, and had been an actor nearly half a century. He was famous when E. T. Smith was manager of Drury Lane Theatre, London, in '51. Mead acted at that house such parts as Hamlet, Claude Melnotte, Aranza and Wellborn. After a long and arduous career in London and the provinces, he was engaged at the London Lyceum Theatre shortly after Mr. H. L. Bateman's death and before Mr. Irving, assumed full control of the house, and there he remained up to the time of his death.

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left France after the wars under the Prince de Conde and Henri of Navarre against Louis XIV. abour 1685. The father of our subject departed for America in 1849, settling on a farm in Wisconsin. Young Peltzer left the farm in the spring of 1850, coming to Chicago in April of that year. Showing some ability as a draughtsman, it opened the way for him into the Recorder's Office of Chicago in 1853.

Here young Peltzer remained until the spring of 1857, when after serving a few months in the Custom House, he entered a law office for the study of the law. Finding this avenue to greatness and success dry and slow he abandoned Blackstone and Greenleaf. In the position of Chief Draughtsman of the Board of Public Works, which he accepted in 1860, he commenced the compilation of the city atlases and the super

vision of the river and docks surveys of the Chicago River.

In 1869 Mr. Peltzer was elected Collector of Taxes of North Chicago. Then came the great calamity of the fire of 1871, with its destruction of all the city and county records. Having restored the maps and records of the city in the form of atlases, he published in 1872, from copies of his own, his now well known" Atlas of Chicago." The importance and usefulness of this work may be judged from the fact that he sold one hundred copies at $400 each. It is the standard work in use in the city and county offices. This work alone is mentioned as an enduring monument to a man's usefulness and energy. In 1872 Mr. Peltzer was elected from the Chicago districts to the XXVIIIth State Assembly of Illinois. He it was who first introduced a bill for compulsory education, another for a State Board of Health, and a bill for the general licensing of physicians and druggists and another for surveyors. In December, 1876, he left the Board of Public Works, having been appointed Deputy Recorder of the county-a position which he held until April, 1878, when he resigned and opened his present Abstract and Title office. Mr. Peltzer is a gentleman of many fine social qualities, with a fondness for literary work, with a strong leaning toward the theatre, the stage and its literature. This is evidenced by several dramatic productions. One of these, "Uriel Acosta." a tragedy in five acts, was played at Crosby's Opera House, in 1868, for several weeks. A second, a local burlesque, was brought out about the same time at Aiken's Dearborn Street Theatre. A third, a dramatic ballad from the Swedish, was produced under the direction of Prof. Ziegfeld, and a fourth, a drama of domestic life, was brought out at McVicker's Theatre only a few years ago.

His knowledge of the subject and his rare and unique collection of all matters pertaining to the stage is frequently used by those who know Mr. Peltzer personally as the best authority for any data required. In the city of his adoption he is well known as a close student, ever in earnest thorough, untiring and conscientious in all things. His portrait in this number of THE THEATRE will be observed with interest.

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Trophonins.

WILLIAM M. CHASE.

II.

WHEN Mr. Chase arrived in Munich in 1872

WHEN

he entered the Academy of that city. It is interesting to art students to know that he spent two terms drawing from the antique, a year drawing from the human head, and a year drawing from life, before beginning to study painting; he then entered the preparatory painting class, which was under the charge of Alexander Wagner, whose " Chariot Race in the Circus Maximus" is so well known. Here he painted from still life for some time and then graduated into one of the "composition painting classes;' that under the charge of the famous Karl Piloty, then at the zenith of his fame, the painter of "The Wise and Foolish Virgins" and the "Thusnelda in the Triumphal Procession of Germanicus," small replicas of which are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in this city. When the student has graduated into one of these "composition" studios he has pretty much his own way as to what he shall do; he has a portion of a large studio entirely to himself, and if he cannot afford to hire his own model the Academy does so for him, the Bavarian government considering itself honored in bearing the expense.

Here Mr. Chase painted "The Page," "The Court Jester" and "Ready for the Ride," under the guidance of Piloty, though he was not always content to follow the master's advice, and often painted elsewhere for three or four months with a view to developing his own individuality. Piloty knew that the young student was not a slavish follower of his and would often remonstrate with him for his protracted absences, yet at the same time he acknowledged the young man's ability and often spoke of him, to others, as his most promising pupil. In criticising his work, however, the master was yery severe. But toward the end of the six years which Mr. Chase spent studying at Munich, Piloty paid him a high compliment which well made up for the early severity; he commissioned young Chase to paint the portraits of his five children, three lads and two girls; the order was given also in the kindest manner possible, Piloty giving the painter carte blanche to paint in his own way with his own method. "You may pose the children as you please, paint them as you like, I shall not see the portraits until they are finished and not criticise them at all nor ask you to change them;" and Mr. Chase said in speaking of the episode "The pictures were received with the greatest of praise and I never had less criticism in painting a portrait since than I had from those portraits painted at the order of the famous artist, Piloty."

FROM time to time in these composition ateli

ers, prizes are awarded for successful compositions. At one time the subject was "Columbus, or the Discovery of America." Piloty was a member of the council selecting the subject and he explained afterward that he chose it because there were so many Americans studying in the Academy there. Chase did not contemplate entering the competition, but one day as the time for receiving studies was drawing to a close his fellow students asked him if he did not intend to send something in. "Oh, I will do something," he replied; "What can you do in so short a time? You can prepare nothing. You will send in nothing." More in order to prove that assertion wrong than for any other reason the artist sat down and sketched off his idea. Straight across the canvas he represented Isa

bella and Ferdinand and some of the counsellors of the court of Spain, in the foreground with his back turned toward the spectators was Columbus pleading his cause! Anything," said Mr. Chase, "to be unconventional."

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How could

"Well, the sketch was sent in and the jury failed to decide as to who the prize winner should be, the choice lying between a young man by the name of Keller and myself, so we were to contest the honor between us by carrying out our ideas in a finished composition. Piloty came to me after this in a perfect rage. you conceive such a composition?' he cried, the man who discovered that great Western continent, the greatest discoverer the world ever produced, the man who gave you a country, a home!!! * * * * How could you conceive such a representation? This noble figure with his back turned toward us!' But he insisted upon it that I should attempt the work, he sat down and conventionalized my sketch, changing it as he would have it painted, it was to be done on a large canvas thirty feet wide. I pleaded I could not afford to give time and money to the work. Never mind, the government should pay for materials, models, etc., and I should have a large studio, one of the choice ones in the school then occupied by four different students, entirely for my own use. There was some further talk about the matter, but I did not begin, Would it not be better,' I suggested, that I put it off and go to Spain and paint it there?' Well, that would be a good idea.' So the matter hung fire for a little while, but I never went farther than my sketch of Columbus."

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We are glad to tell this little anecdote in order to give some idea of the way art schools are conducted abroad.

CONSIDERING the list of principal portraits

Mr. Chase has made would be of interest to the public, we called on Mr. Chase the other day and got the following data: After painting the portraits of Piloty's children the following portraits were the first important works he did:

In '77 he painted the portrait of Duveneck, which brought him such reputation here and for which he received an Honorable Mention in the

Salon. He then painted the portrait of the painter Lenback.

In '78 he returned to America and his first important commission was for the portraits of Leonard Scott, the publisher, and wife; then followed the portrait of James Watson Webb, this was painted not long before the journalist's death and the sitter got out of a sick bed in order to come to the artist's studio and be painted. The canvas is a three-quarters length, the face in full view. Mr. Chase made a second portrait, of the head merely, which he kept for

himself.

In '79 Peter Cooper was painted; the canvas was a little more than three quarters view, subject seated, face a full face; the picture was unluckily burned in '84 at the Lotos Club; it had previously been exhibited in the Salon where it met with the highest approbation from well known artists; both Henner and Bonat were particularly complimentary in speaking of this picture to the artist some time after; they both told him that when it came before the jury of selection it was received with applause and it was understood that in the hanging the painting was to have a place of honor.

[But it is a characteristic point to mention that the painters admitted that afterward the jury in looking after their "friends" overlooked the work of the young American.]

An important commission was for the portrait of Rutherford B. Hayes, a full length figure seated, which was painted for Harvard College; then a portrait of Joseph H. Choate, now in the possession of the family; then followed an order for a portrait of Wm. M. Evarts for the State Department at Washington.

Mr. Evarts was an entertaining sitter; at his first visit to the studio he said, "Before we begin, Mr. Chase, I should like to know what color I am to be painted this time, I have been painted red and pink and yellow and brown, white and black; yes, black, Mr. Page painted me."

Following the Evarts portrait came an order from the Chicago and Milwaukee R. R. Co., for a portrait of their Superintendent, Mr. Merrill, now deceased. A portrait of Mr. Jules Wadsworth, a member of the same corporation was also painted. J. E. Easton, of La Cross, Wis.,

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