AN ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE

OF DRAMA, MUSIC, ART AND LITERATURE-Published -every week from October to May, and as a monthly during the summer, at No. 42 West Twenty-third Street, New York. DESHLER WELCH. EDITOR.

The price of yearly subscription to THE THEATRE is four dollars in advance. The editor solicits contributions from the readers of THE THEATRE, and suggests that old play-bills, and scraps relating to the stage, notes, news and items appertaining to the different arts, would be acceptable. It is the desire of the editor to establish a widely-circulated magazine, and to further that end every good idea will be acted upon so far as possible. Care is always taken not to needlessly destroy valuable manuscript. All articles that appear in THE THEATRE are written especially for it unless credited otherwise.

Generally speaking THE THEATRE is an original magazine, but the appearance of any article bearing credit to some other publication is because such an article is thought to be interesting and especially_valuable for preservation. There are two volumes of THE THEATRE every year, and these are not only handsomely bound, but are excellent reference books for the library sheli.

ENTRE NOUS.

IN the audience at the performance of "Mac

beth" last Monday night sat a woman, now one of the most loved and respected residents of Buffalo, who once as a distinguished actress created more of a sensation than any on the American stage at the time. This was Agnes Ethel. Her influence exerted a material change in the theatrical atmosphere. She did more good toward fashioning a high regard for the stage among prejudiced people than any one I know, and to-day some of the most delightful manners and customs of the play-house are the direct results of the lessons she taught. No doubt much of her successful work was unconscious; she was a lovely type of female tenderness, grace, and delicacy, and what she did naturally conveyed all that.

In fact she introduced the lady on the stage as she is known to be in the parlor of the uttermost refinement.

Her appearance in "Divorce "created a lasting impression. Here was a woman who did not fret and strut and pull down the scenery in her agonized moments, neither did she suppress her emotion by a series of telegraphic taps with her feet, patting her forehead, or hammering her

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hands. She was not a great actress but she won us all by the sweetness of herself and her grace, and her soft voice. She wore beautiful gowns but they were free from absurdity and monstrosity. When she displayed emotion you could almost feel the hot tears of pure womanhood. Everybody went to see sweet Agnes Ethel. She won the hearts of our mothers and our ministers; she played to our best instincts.

Her example was quickly followed, and in less than two years there were a dozen poor imitations of Agnes Ethel on the stage. But none of them have ever reached her particular success; none of them have breathed the same atmosphere. There is only one woman to-day who can possibly suggest her and that is Madame Jane Hading.

It is twelve years since the name of Agnes Ethel was shown on a bill-board. The manager who guided her then has gone on and reaped his deserved success. He is responsible for Clara Morris, the greatest of all emotional actresses; that queen of comedy, Ada Rehan, and that superb actress, Fanny Davenport.

Agnes Ethel left the stage and married into one of the oldest and most prominent families of Buffalo. Directly she became Mrs. Franklin Tracy, she dropped the limelight's glare and took up her home; she popularized herself in the best society and on the death of her husband, three years ago, proved herself to be the splendid woman that she is.

She is interested in the good works of charity and only last week the Buffalo papers were full about the opening of St. John's Church Chapter house. Mrs. Tracy presented this to the parish.

When there are good things at the Buffalo theatres, you can always count upon one box for Mrs. Tracy and there you will find her surrounded by young rosebuds of society, loved and admired.

This is the story of the life of an actress.
Pleasant isn't it?

way of contrast? I could tell you the story of another woman who twelve years ago left her home in a village near Buffalo and came to New York (you see the journey is reversed) and went upon the stage. She was a virtuous country girl, and she had talent and magnetism. I met her by accident-some little service in the train hither. She told me she was going to join a theatrical company and learn the business. She learned it. She astonished many by her force and emotional powers. Her mad scenes of pas

sion became startlingly realistic.

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He was

He had great promise. He was a young man of the noblest instincts. He idolized his mother; she idolized her son. Four years ago he entered upon his profession, at the Lyceum Theatre, in his father's play of In Spite of All." For the last two years he has been a member of Kate Claxton's company, and in the part of the cripple, Pierre Frochard, made a great success. also in the cast of Miss Claxton's later production, "The World Against Her." During the recent Southern tour of Miss Claxton's company he contracted malarial fever in Texas. His funeral took place at All Soul's Church, West Forty-eighth street, on Wednesday. only twenty years old.

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MR. WYNDHAM seems to have left romping

comedy and made a hit in serious parts. His David Garrick was very popular, and now he has gone even deeper into drama by the production of "Still Waters Run Deep" and assum

character. It is strange that this charming play does not have more frequent representation. Mildmay was one of Mr. Wallack's most successful parts but we now have a number of men who could play it very well. I would like to see it done at Daly's.

MAX O'RELL'S book about America has

caused a good deal of discussion. A number of critics are disposed to deride it, but after all it is very fair, very intelligent, and very interesting. He thinks Chauncy Depew and General Horace Porter our best and wittiest after-dinner speech makers. He thinks Colonel Ingersoll is our greatest orator, and Mark Twain our greatest humorist. He does not believe it possible for an European to realize the activity that reigns. in Chicago without seeing it-that it is the most flourishing city in the world, and moreover he believes its society genial, polished and wellread. About New York he says: The thing which puzzled my wits was to remember the addresses of my acquaintances: 103 East 15th street, 44 East 26th street, 16 East 48th street, 14 West 50th street, 154 West 72d street, 400 5th Avenue, &c. You can readily imagine the perplexity of the unfortunate foreigner who finds himself, at the end of a few days, confronted with this difficulty and with a score of calls to pay. As I looked at the New Yorkers walking along the streets with that serious, preoccupied look of theirs, I said to myself: "Those good people must be trying to keep their address in mind and are repeating it over to themselves all the time."

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HE says he had only just embarked on board the Germanic, at Liverpool, when the purser handed him a letter from New York. It read: DEAR SIR-Could you, during your voyage, write me an article on the United States? I should be happy to have your preconceived notions of America and the Americans, so as to publish them in my journal as soon as you arrive.

I do not think I am committing any indiscretion, says Mr. O'Rell, in saying that the letter was signed by the amiable and talented editor of the Critic, the first literary paper in the United States.'