Last week was a great week in the theatrical world, as nearly every actor and actress in London rolled up todo honour to Nellie Farren. Some months ago, when it was known that the people's Nellie was in pecuniary difficulties, the idea was started of giving hero benefit at the Gaiety Theatre, the scene of her former triumphs. So warmly was the project taken up that it was soon found that the house would be far too small to accommodate a tenth part of the people who wished to assist or he present on the occasion, so Drury Lane was substituted. Never before in the annals of the theatrical world has such a benefit been recorded. As carly as October, when the matter was first spoken of, seats were applied for and applications for them continued to pour in until the very day of the performance, though even a month before it took' place none were to be had. Stalls sold for £5.5.0 each, though far more was paid for some of them, Boxes fetched from £50 to 100 suineas, For the gallery 2/6 was charged, and people stood outside the doors from eleven o'clock the night. previously waiting for admission, Mr. Horace Lennard, chairman of the organising committee, told mo he had been obliged to return £1,000 worth of cheques because he could not find seats for the applicants, As for the performance, it was unique. It lasted five hours and a-half, yet our interest had no time to ting. Space will not allow me to give a detailed account of the programme Which has appenrod in nearly all. the papers. What I enjoyed most was seeing 80 many theatrical celebrities together. The Baneroits, Ellen Tercy, Ieving, the Trees, John Hare, Hawtrey, Arthur Roberts, Wyndham, Edward Terry, and hosts more, Some only had walking parts but all did something." The greatest feature was pet haps the harlequinade at the end, it w: excellent and room was found in it for hundred performers. Letty Lind was ti most ch f Columbines and dance with Willie Warde, the harlequin was worth going miles to see, After it was over a certain atthe back was raised and revealed Nellie Farren seated ata table on a raised platform, supported by Edward Terry and Charles' Wyndham. © She received an ovation which can never by fo gotten by anyone who heard it. Who quiet, was restored Mr. Terry spoke an address written for the occasion by Mr. Henry Hamilton. Miss Farren was far too overcome to reply so begged Mr. Wyndham to do 80 for her, which hechd in a most happy and amusing speech. After it she spoke just a few words of thanks ending with "Thank ye, Sir" from a Street Arab song which she, in her halcyon days, had male popular. This of course was a signal for Fetewed cbooring wi all was By he performance and several donations sent in the sum of £6,000 hus been realised, With this it was intended to purchase an annuity but Messrs. Rothschild cane for~ wand and offered to pay Miss Furren a yearly sum equal to what would be realised by an and also to hold the pri ict for her to dispose of by will, offer was, of course, necepteil. At her de £1,000 will by her wish go to endow Nellie Farren Oot for the children of actors £1,000 to the theatrical charities fund, and the remainder she will dispose of by will.
STRANGE CYCLING ADVENTURE, Forsome time pastDunstable has been the headquarters of a party of foreigners with some performing bears. They have been in the habit of taking their pets for dail constitutionals, usually with no startling results, but last Saturday morning as they were walking along, a purty of four cyclists, two men and two Indies, suddenly came round a corner and charged full at them. Fora few minutes great excitement pre vailed and the opinion of the cyclists is that they had a very narrow escape, first from broken limbs and secondly' from being mauled by Master Bruin. One of the men was thrown on to the back of one of the bears and two bears were rolled over, but luckily, owing to the prompt action of the men in charge ofthe animals, no damage was done and the cyclists suffered nothing worse than a severe shaking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.