A NEWSPAPER NOTICE.
"Yesterday afternoon, through the courtesy of Manager Frank Merriwell,
an invited audience of at least five hundred persons witnessed the first
performance of Mr. Merriwell's revised and rewritten play at the Orpheum
Theater, and the verdict of that audience, which represented the highest
and most cultured element of Denver society, was that the sprightly,
sensational, four-act comedy drama was a success in every way. The play,
which is now named 'True Blue,' was originally christened 'For Old Eli,'
and, after a single performance, Mr. Merriwell withdrew it for the
purpose of rewriting it, correcting certain faults he had discovered,
and strengthening one or two weak points. As he wrote the piece, he was
able to do this work of reconstruction quickly and thoroughly, and the
result is a play of which he, as author, manager and star performer, may
well be proud. The following is the cast:
DICK TRUEHEART FRANK MERRIWELL
Barry Hattleman Douglas Dunton
Spruce Downing Rufus Small
Crack Hyerman Bartley Hodge
Reuben Grass Ephraim Gallup
Manny Sizzwell William Wynne
Prof. Gash Roscoe Havener
Edwin Treadwell William Shakespeare Burns
Carius Dubad Granville Garland
Spike Dubad Lester Vance
Millie Blossom Miss Cassie Lee
Inez Dalton Miss Stella Stanley
Nancy Noodle Miss Agnes Kirk
"College life is the principal theme of 'True Blue,' and Mr. Merriwell,
having studied at Yale, is quite capable of catching the air and spirit
of Old Eli, and reproducing it on the stage. This he has done with a
deftness and fidelity that makes the play remarkable in its class, or,
possibly with greater accuracy, lifts it out of its class, for, up to
the production of this piece, all college plays have been feeble
attempts to catch the spirit of the life they represent, or have
descended into the realm of farce or burlesque.
"While the author of 'True Blue' has written a play to suit the popular
fancy, he has not considered it necessary to write down to the general
public, and, for all of the college slang, which of a necessity is used
by several of the characters, there is nothing offensive in the entire
piece--nothing to shock the sensibilties of the most refined. The comedy
in places is a trifle boisterous, but that was to be expected, and it
does not descend to mere buffoonery. It is the kind of comedy at which
the spectator must laugh, even though he may resolve that he will not,
and, when it is all over, he feels better for his laughter, instead of
feeling foolish, as he does in many cases after witnessing other
'popular plays.'
"The pathos strikes the right chord, and the strongest situations and
climaxes are stirring enough to thrill the most sluggish blood. In some
respects the story of the play is rather conventional, but it is handled
in a manner that makes it seem almost new. Through the four acts _Dick
Trueheart_, the hero, is pursued by his enemies, _Carius Dubad_, and
his, worthy son, _Spike_, and on various occasions they succeed in
making things extremely unpleasant for the popular young athlete.
"Through two acts the villains pursue the hero, keeping the audience on
the _qui vive_.
"The climax of the third act was the great sensational feature of the
play. In this act _Dick_ escapes from his enemies and all sorts of
crafty snares, and is barely in time to take his place in the Yale boat,
which is to race against Harvard and Cornell. _Carius Dubad_ has
appeared on the scene, and, at the last moment, in order to break
_Dick's_ spirit, he reveals that _Dick's_ guardian has squandered his
fortune, so that the hero is penniless and will be forced to leave
college. For all of this revelation, _Trueheart_ enters the boat and
aids in winning the race against Harvard and Cornell, greatly to the
discomfiture of the villainous father and son, who have bet heavily
against Yale. Of course, Mr. Merriwell made Yale win in his play. The
mechanism that showed the boat race on the distant river, the moving
observation train, the swaying crowds with waving flags, hats, and
handkerchiefs, was truly a most wonderful arrangement, and it filled the
spectators with admiration and astonishment. A quick 'dark shift'
followed, and then the boats actually appeared, with Yale the winner,
and _Trueheart_ was brought onto the stage in the arms of his admiring
fellow collegians, while the curtain descended amid a burst of genuine
enthusiastic applause such as is seldom heard in any theater. Mr.
Merriwell was called before the curtain, and he made a brief speech,
which seemed modest and characteristic of this young actor and
playwright, who is certain to follow a brilliant career on the American
stage.
"In the final act the hero was in straitened circumstances, but all ends
well, with the discomfiture of old _Dubad_ and his worthy son, and the
final settlement of all jealousies between the other characters.
"Not only as author of the play, but as the star does Frank Merriwell
merit a full meed of credit and praise. Although he is young and
impulsive, and his acting might not meet the approval of certain
critics, there was a breeziness and freshness about him that captivated
and carried the audience. It is said that he has never attended a school
of acting, and this may readily be believed, for there is nothing
affected, nothing stiff, nothing stilted and mechanical about his work
on the stage. In his case, at least, it has been greatly to his
advantage not to attend a dramatic school. He is a born actor, and he
must work out his own methods without being hampered by convention and
instruction from those who believe in doing everything by rule. He is a
handsome young man, and his stage presence is both striking and
effective. Worthy of note was it that he enunciated every word
distinctly and pronounced it correctly, in great contrast to many other
stars, who sometimes mangle speech in a most distressing manner. He has
a voice that seems in perfect keeping with his splendid figure, being
clear as a mellow bell, full of force, and delightful to hear.
"The work of Douglas Dunton as _Barry Hattleman_ was good. Mr. Small,
who is a very large man, faithfully portrayed _Spruce Downing_, the lazy
student. _Crack Hyerman_, the hot-blooded Southerner, as represented by
Bartley Hodge, who made the Southerner a thorough fire-eater, who would
fight for his 'honor' at the drop of the hat. As _Reuben Grass_, Ephraim
Gallup literally convulsed the audience. Without doubt his delineation
of the Down-East Yankee was the best ever seen in Denver.
"Miss Cassie Lee played the sweet and winsome _Millie Blossom_, and her
singing and dancing met approval. The _Inez Dalton_ of Miss Stanley was
handled with great skill, and she was jealous, passionate, resentful,
and loving in turn, and in a manner that seemed true to life. As _Nancy
Noodle_, an old maid in love with _Prof. Gash_, Miss Agnes Kirk was
acceptable.
"And now comes the duty of mentioning a man who was the surprise of the
evening. His name was given on the program as William Shakespeare Burns,
and, as he represented a burlesque tragedian, it was supposed that the
name was assumed. It has been learned, however, that this is the name by
which he was known in real life. Mr. Burns first appeared in the second
act, and as _Edwin Treadwell_, the frayed, back-number tragedian, he
literally caused many of the audience to choke in the effort to repress
their uncontrollable laughter. At the close of the third act, a local
theatrical man declared that W. S. Burns far excelled as a comedian
anybody he had ever seen essay a similar part. But the sensation came in
the fourth act, when the actor started to parody _Hamlet's_ soliloquy,
but seemed to forget himself and the parody together, and swung into the
original William Shakespeare. The laughter died out, the audience sat
spellbound, scarcely breathing. The eyes of every person were fixed on
the actor, who went through the soliloquy to the end, giving it with all
the power of a Forrest or a Booth. As the actor retired, the audience
awoke, realized it had seen and heard a man who was no clown, but a real
tragedian, and the applause was long and loud.
"William Shakespeare Burns did not appear again on the stage of that
theater; he will not appear again on any stage. He is dead! But few
particulars have been learned about him, but it seems that this was his
first attempt to play comedy--and his last. He regarded himself as the
equal of any interpreter of Shakespeare, living or dead, but misfortune
and his own weakness had never permitted him to rise to the heights to
which he aspired. Grim necessity had compelled him to accept Mr.
Merriwell's offer to play in 'True Blue' the part of the burlesque
tragedian. His heart and soul had rebelled against doing so, and often
at rehearsals he had wept with mortification after going through with
his part. His body was weakened by privation. He declared last night
that his heart was broken. A few minutes after leaving the stage the
last time he expired in one of the dressing rooms of the theater. Thus
ended a life that might have been a grand success but for the failings
of weak human nature.
"Mr. Merriwell will go on the road at once with 'True Blue.' He has
engaged a competent man to fill the place made vacant by the death of
Mr. Burns. His route for some little time is booked, and he leaves
Denver to-day for Puelbo, where he opens to-morrow. The play, the star,
and the company merit success, and we hope Mr. Merriwell will find it
convenient to play a regular engagement in this city before long. It is
certain, if he does, he will be greeted by packed houses."--_Denver
Herald and Advertiser._
* * * * *
All the Denver papers contained notices of the performance, but the one
quoted was the longest and the most elaborate. Not one of the notices
was unfavorable. They were enough to make the heart of any manager glad,
and it was not strange that Frank felt well satisfied.
But he was inexpressibly saddened by the sudden and tragic death of
William Burns, for he had recognized the genius in the old actor, who
had been dragged down from a highroad to prosperity and fame by the
hands of the relentless demon that has destroyed so many men of genius,
drink.
On account of his bookings, Frank could not remain in Denver to attend
the funeral of the veteran tragedian, but he resolved that Burns should
be buried with all honors, and he made arrangements for a suitable
funeral.
Of course, the papers announced the funeral, and, the story of Burns'
remarkable death having become familiar to all, the church was packed to
the doors. The man whose wretched life had promised a wretched death and
a nameless grave was buried without pomp, but with such honors as might
have been given to one well known and highly esteemed.
Above his grave a modest marble was placed, and chiseled on it was a
single line from the "Immortal Bard," whom he loved and understood and
interpreted with the faithfulness and fire of genius:
"After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well."
And every expense Frank Merriwell provided for. Nothing was neglected;
everything was done that good taste and a good heart demanded.