Henry Clapp, Jr., Mortimer Thompson and other Gotham journalists, was a hail-fellow, well-met with all, and thought nothing of running off on a jaunt for a week or a month with any of them. Her intensely eager, nervous, clean-cut face and heavy blonde hair, always attracted the attention of Broadway to her, and there quaffing champagne at the Maison Doree, or beer at Praff's, she was wholly indifferent to criticism.' She made her debut as an actress at the Academy of Music in New York, November 27th, 1855, as Ophelia, in "Hamlet," played by amateurs, but was never a great success. At length she married Frank P. Noyes, and it is said, lived very happily with him. She played under the name of Stanfield in several companies, and was here but a few weeks. She is remembered as being perfectly lady-like in her deportment, but shrinking from her past history. In January, 1874, she was bitten by a favorite lap-dog, but as the wound, which was severe, was cauterised, no serious trouble was apprehended, and she went to Rochester to join Lucille Western's company performing there. Just one month after she was bitten, hydrophobia manifested itself, and death ensued on the 4th of March following. A writer in the Tribune says: "She was really known to but few persons, but by them, in the solemn, grief-stricken words of an old poet, she will be mourned till Pity's self is dead."" The opening bill was "The Three Guardsmen," with Frank Mayo as the star. Nothing new to the Academy stage was produced during his engagement; receipts, $1,656. Miss Fannie B. Price was the next star, opening in Leah. She was followed by Mrs. Bowers, who played Mary Stuart, Camille, Juliet and Jane Shore; one night Governor Fenton and General Sickles and staff attending. Mrs. October 21st, "Lost in London" was produced, with McKee Rankin and Mrs. C. Henri as stars. Henri (died September 20th, 1879), joined the company in place of Louise Sylvester. Zoe came next, and was followed November 4th, by Julia Dean, who appeared in "The Woman in White," and "Married, not Mated," (by Thomas de Walden, the author taking the part of Taupin.) This was after this once favorite actress's return from California. Her attractions were all gone, and her voice could be heard only with difficulty. She died the following March. Edwin Adams, Chanfrau, Kate Reignolds, Edward Eddy, Eliza Newton and Lucille Western played engagements, and December 23d, "Under the Gaslight" was brought out, and proved the great success of the season. It ran till January 11th; one day (including a matinee) to $911. January 27th, 1868, Charles Barron began an engagement as Henri de Lorraine, in "Hilda." The bill was repeated Tuesday night, and was up for Wednesday (the 29th). About half-past six that morning, fire was discovered in the rear of J. Burke's saloon, adjoining the theatre on the north. The firemen, as they supposed, had extinguished the flames, and were about to retire, when it was found that the Academy was in a blaze. In a short time nothing was left standing but the front wall. The loss was estimated at $45,000. There was an insurance on the building of $20,000. Nothing but the books in the office were saved. The actors lost their wardrobes, and John Brougham, to whom Albany seems a doubly fatal place, lost the models of the play in which he was to appear the next week. The company played February 1st and 2d, in Tweddle hall, and then disbanded. CHAPTER XXVI. 1869-1876. The Division Street Theatre Under Various Managments. THE burning of the Academy of Music left the city once more without a theatre, and for a while, although there was much talk of rebuilding, nothing was done. Never since 1812 had Albany been more destitute of a place for dramatic performances than for a year or two after the very successful Trimble regime. Martin hall had not been built, and Tweddle hall was destitute of both curtain and scenery. Meanwhile, a building on Division street, between Pearl and Green, was being quietly transformed into a theatre, to be managed by Frank Lawlor. It was erected about the year 1813, for a Methodist church, and was used as such, till the old North Pearl street circus was turned into a church, when the Methodists sold their Division street property to the Unitarians. There, Rev. A. D. Mayo preached, and various societies occupied it till it was bought by Gerson Oppenheim, who went about fitting it over into a hall. Lawlor secured a lease of the building for five years, at an annual rental of $5,500, and was to expend $5,000 in improvements. It was said that the next day after the lease was signed, he was offered $5,000 for his bargain. For a season or two the theatre did a prosperous business, but its location was always against it, as was the fact that its one gallery was the best part of the house. The company included Frank Lawlor, George C. Boniface and Augusta L. Dargon for leading business; George Ryer, as old man and stage manager; Charles Hilliard, William C. Crosbie, A. L. Cooke, A. J. Sawtelle, C. E. Edwin, J. W. Walsh, Mrs. M. A. Farren, Maggie Newton, Alice Brooks, Caroline E. Carman, Florence Vincent, Lena Hall, and Louisa Howard. William Veeder was treasurer; George Williams, scenic artist: John Meehan, stage carpenter, and C. L. Underner, leader of the orchestra. Admission, 75 and 50 cents. The opening night of the Academy of Music, as it was called, was October 4th, 1869, when "Love's Sacrifice" was produced, cast as follows: St. Lo... Friar Dominic. Jean Ruse.. Morlac. Du Viray. Servant.. Margaret Elmore. Herminie. Manou.. Jenny. George C. Boniface Frank Lawlor George Ryer Charles Hilliard .A. L. Cook W. C. Crosbie .J. A. Sawtelle .C. E. Edwin Mr. Jones Augusta L. Dargon Maggie Newton Mrs. M. A. Farren Florence Vincent This was an excellent company. Mr. Lawlor, of whom mention has previously been made, was a thoroughly good actor and a successful star. George C. Boniface, an Englishman (born in 1833), had been on the stage since 1851. He was the original Rodolph, in "The Black Crook," and is accounted among the "stars" of the present day. George Ryer has been mentioned before as one of the best "old men " ever seen in Albany. Alice Brooks has since become a favorite in travelling organizations, and Miss Dargon, the Irish tragedienne, has acquired a much more than local reputation. Her father was a doctor, the son of General Dargon, a well-known Irish patriot. Her mother was Scotch. Miss Dargon came to America when quite young, and at the suggestion of Horace Greeley, who discovered her dramatic talent, gave a She then went upon series of readings, with success. the stage and played in New Orleans, Galveston and San Francisco. At the time of the great fire in Chicago, she was acting at the Globe, and was so severely injured during the calamity, that she was obliged to go to Paris to seek medical advice, and there sustained an operation, which restored her to the stage. She returned to America, and Stephen Fiske having dramatised Tennyson's "Queen Mary" for her, she appeared in it, for the first time, at the Leland opera house. She has since been in Australia, where she is winning golden opinions. Although Miss Dargon usually plays heavier characters, she is said to be an excellent comedienne as well. She has many admirers in Albany, especially among her countrymen. During her sojourn here, she was a devout attendant upon St. Mary's church, and in private life, was said to be both brilliant and agreeable. Among the novelties speedily produced by the company, were "Dora," "Jocrisse, the Juggler," "Henry Dunbar," "Blow for Blow," Lancashire Lass," "Formosa," "Long Strike," Under the Gaslight," "Streets of New York," etc. December 11th, Mr. Boniface retired, and December 20th, Joseph K. Emmet, the first star, appeared. He had just made the hit of his life at Buffalo, where, November 22d, he first appeared as Fritz. His great success there and here as a German comedian, has been repeated wherever he has shown his handsome face. He was born in St. Louis, March 13th, 1841, and made his debut in that city, in 1866. Two years later he joined Bryant's minstrels, and now came out as a star. The Trimble opera house, opening December 31st, did not at first appear to affect business in Division street as much as might have been expected. On the 28th, Walter Keeble appeared in "The Lottery of Life, having been engaged in place of Boniface. Mr. Keeble had been on the stage since November 25th, 1854, part of the time in this country and part of the time in England. In September, 1870, he became leading |