Evenings Abroad.

Evenings Abroad .

SWEET CINDERELLA" AT THE GRAND THEATRE . If tho run of the pantomime last year had not been , unfortunately for lessee , author , actresses and actors alike , brought to a disastrous end almost immediately after it started , I believe it would have proved the most remunerative production ever seen at this house . This year Mr . Wilmot ' s sixth pantomime is even better than his

illfated fifth , and it promises to bring good fortune to the new house which , to use a term very seldom seen in print , " has arisenFhcenixlike fr . om the ashes" of the former building . Mr . Geoffrey Thorn is the author of the pantomimo ; and in his work he has permitted himself to revel in all the fan of tho story of Cinderella , with a result that he has provided excellent means for the exponents of

lus work to aistinguish themselves . Foremost amongst these I must placo Miss Dot Mario , whoso performance of " sweet" Cinderell ; -, is the best thing I have ever seen this charming little lady do . She looka so bright and pretty , she speaks , and sings , and dances and romps about with such a winning grace as'to captivate all beholders . Miss Julia Warden is capital as the Prince of the story : though not

allotted such a good part as she was seen in last year , she makes tho best of the situation , and succeeds in gaining distinction in every way . Mr . Fred . Williams and Mr . Mark Kinghorne are tho two elderly sisters . Of Mr . Williams' performance I can say little . A treat was to be anticipated when it was known that he waa allotted a part in which ho was certain to score heavily ; but . on

the night of my visit , this gentleman wns really ill ; loss of voice , power , and general indisposition through a severe cold prevented him . from doing more than merely to walk through his part . And this ho did with evident real distress . Mr . Kinghorne . however , worked hard as the other sister , and indulged in plenty of boisterous fun , which was uproariously received . Mr . Will Crackles

played tho part of a pago very admirably . Ilia dancing is phenomenally good , and he sings excellently . " ilr . Crackles is a very valuable member of tho company . Mr . Joe Burgess , as tho Baron , was genuinely funny , and Mr . E . C . Dunbar , as the Court Chamberlain , was a showy and useful member , a 3 he not only locks well , but sings his music even better than ho looka . Talking of singing ,

the Paragon quartette must bo favourably mentioned ; what they do is done well , though I question the suitability of singing Balfe ' s setting of "' Excelsior" in a pantomime . It is quite on a par with the introduction of " Eily Mavourneen " by the Fairy Queen . In both cases som thing moro appropriate mi ght have been substituted , though , in saying this , I do not wish in any way to detract from

the quality of the execution , which in each case was far abovo the average merit . Of the mounting of the pantomimo I cannot speak too highly , for Mr . Wilmot has laid himself out , and ho has also laid out plenty of his capital , to provide ono of the most gorgeous productions seen at this house . Details cannot bo enumerated bore , but it would he difficult to beat the pains and elaborateness

evinced in all departments . In such scenes as tho Forest of Eppingchingfurdstein ( a clever and funny name I ) , and in the Grand Hall and the Throne Room of tho Prince ' s Palace , the costumes , armour , processions , and so forth , were provided with an abundance of display , and a wealth of elaboration which truly approached

magn-. ncenec . It is needless to say that crowded houses are the rule hero , and that those who cannot bo accommodated go away with expressions of disappointment ; while , those who can squeeze in , go away with expressions of tho liveliest satisfaction .

Mr . Irving being unable to play Macbeth for fho past few nights , Mr . Hermann Vezin ' s assistance has been enlisted , so that the ' run of this fine production has not been interfered with . Happily , Mr . Irving is now on tho road to recovery , and was announced to reappear on Monday evening .

Mr . Chartes Hawtrey will produce an adaptation of a German comedy , which has been prepared for him by Mr . Sylvain Meyer , son of the manager of the French plays at the Royalty Theatre , and a member of the English bar . Rumour hath it , however , that Mr . Grundy ' s piece will see the light as soon as Uncles and Aunts is done with , about which piece , last named , there have lately been ¦• ructions" between the joint authors and tho manager . Mr . Penley ' s popularity seems to make , this piece draw .

She Stoops to Cunquer h ' ds been put up at the Globe in consequence of Mr . Mansfield ' s indisposition , which has taken the form of congestion of the larynx . Mr . Lionel Brough is awfull y funny as ¦ Tony Lumpkin , and Miss Kate Vatighan as Miss Hardcastle is gracefully personified , and acts deliciously . The Cons tan tia Neville of Miss May Whitty is a bright performance by a very clever

pretty , and i ising little actress . Mr . W llliam Herbert is good as Young Merlow , and Miss 0 . Le Clercq is laughter moving as Mrs . Hard " castle . The remaining parts were well rendered by the members of Mr . Mansfield ' s company , amongst whom Messrs . Hawkins and J . T . Sullivan merit special mention . Mr . Mansfield ' s next essay will be Richard the ' Third .

Paul Jones at the Prince of Wales' Theatre has been successfully produced . Miss Agnes Huntingdon , Miss Wadman , Miss Phyllis iiroughton , . Mr . Ashley , Mr . Wyatt , Mr . Monkhouse , Mr . Templer Saxe , Mr . James , and Miss Cutler have all " scored . " Mons . Planquetto ' s music is pretty and melodious ; but Sir Arthur Sullivan , Mr . Alfred Collier , and our home-bred musicians generally have no cause to fear this latest importation from the French capital . I shall return to this production in a future issue . LAUNCELOT GOBBO .

Our City Article.

Our City Article .

CAPEL COURT , JANUARY 23 RD , 1889 . The reduction made in the Bank rate the week before last has failed to keep pace with the outside rates , so that there will probably be a further reduction of J or even 1 per cent ., more especially as the reserve is now up to what may bo called a fair average . More money will be wanted for South America before long , said in fact a

small parcel was sent there on Tuesday , but it is net anticipated that the drain will reach anything like the dimensions of the latter end of last year . Dnlness characterises the Foreign Market especially , bt . th Paris and Berlin having ceased to buy , while there appears to be seme uneasiness on account of the possibility of disturbances during the

elections next Sunday in Paris . This at least is tho ostensible reason , but I am of opinion that the real cause is the high prices to which stocks have been carried without sufficient warrent . Quotations are hardly low enough yet to make it worth while to buy , but I do not anticipate any severo fall . Home rails are waiting to see what distribution is to be made on

the heavy lines . The Southern lines have declared theirs , ; : nd they do not exceed , even if they quire come up to , tho expectations formed , and tho market is rather doubtful if the dividends to come will he equal to what has been , anticipated . The dulnesspre vailing is as much in the railway market as elsewhere ; prices were put up so quickly that the public had no chance of coming in . anel they do

not care to do so on the top of tho sharp rise . People who deal in Stock Exchange securities speculatively are now much more educated than they used to be , and know almost as well when to buy and when to sell , and when to leave things alone , as the jobbers themselves . Time was when a gooel rise in any stock at once brought in buyers and a sustained movement was the consequence ;

now , thanks to the much wider diffusion of information through the press , purchases have alreatly been made in anticipation , and the move is taken advantage of to sell . Just now , we do not counsel purchases indiscriminately , but South Eastern " A " and Chatham Second Preference might be bought . Brighlous have had such a good ri 3 e during the past week that they must wait awhile

before any fresh spurt is made . Tho American market is not satisfactory , ami what little is doing is confined almost entirely to the dealers themselves . The announcement of a reduced dividend in Illinois Ctntral is a great help to the bearishly inclined Wall Street people . If this is the result of the last half-year ' s working , what has become of the

enormously increased business tho American lines were said to be doing ? I have looked for better things , and can only own that I am disappointed . Were there any dealings going on , I should think that opinion is about equally divided as to whether the next move is to be up or down , but , so far . it would seem that the New York leaders will have tho best of it for the present .

Grand Trunks aro left alone , the recent rise being fairly well maintained . Traffics , so far in the New Year , have not shown any remarkable recovery , and although the decreases do not make large figures , still they are decreases coming upon decreases , ncr do I see , in the present condit on of affairs , where any great improvement is to come from . The price of Grand Trunk , however , is not dependent altogether

on traffic receipts , but rather upon something that may possibly happen at some future period , moro or less remote . Canadian Pacifies also are suffering from neglect ; those people who have tho stock know that their interest is secure for another three years , and that in the meantime something or other may happen to better their position . As long as the company can earn enough to pay

expenses and cover its debenture interest so as to avoid foreclosure , the future can take care of itself ; at the same time 53 . 1 seems tome a high price for a three per cent , annuity terminable in three years . Like the rest , Mexicans are not active . The fall in tho price of silver passes unnoticed , although it is one of the important factors affecting dividends . Other South Americtn rails are distinctly

in favour , but these pay regular and good dividends , and are bought for income rather than to re-sell at a profit . Amongst this class of property I should think that the Nitrates Railway may be included . It is dull just now because nitrate shares are lower , but one has only a remote connection with the other . If fiity new companies were brought out , and nitrate fell to half the present commercial

value owing to the increased supply , the railway returns would not suffer ; « u the contrary , it would reap a greater benefit , and I calculate Iflfcat while the gallant Colonel North ' s interest in the nitrate mines may be large at present , by-and-bye , when the furore is over , it will be found that he still has his railway shares , while the mine shares have been scattered abroad . The mining interest is still to a great extent confined to South

Africa , the new mines brought out which hail from that district being readily absorbed by a still unsatisfied public . Everything points a move in diamonds , and had it net been for a relapse in De Beers , owing to Paris selling the shares I mentioned last week , would have been much higher than now . De Beers are again recovering , and others will go with them . ¦ CRAITSAIAN .

W . F . —The shares were never properly issued , nor is there any market . MASONIC . —Take advantage of tho present demand and sell . You can get 3 : } premium . BREWERY . —Not worth touching . The risk is greater than the chance is worth .

F . D . W . —You have a right to know the name of the principal on the other side ; if the broker does not give it you can refuse to complete the bargain and leave him to his remedy . No . 1042 . —The Company was only formed in July last and no returns have yet been received . The price nominally +, discount to i premium ,

ANSWERS .