Location: Cincinnati

Sketch, in two full stage scenes, with pictures of the fighter between the scenes. 25 minutes. Written by W.A. Phelen, baseball editor Cincinnati Times Star, who takes the part of the referee, and introducing Willie Purcell, amateur champion boxer of the Cincinnati Gymnasium, and Walter C. Parker, amateur champion of Illinois. It is the story of an American champion going to England to fight the British champion. On arriving there the American hears of a plot to “do him” while in the ring, causing him to lose the fight. He flees, and is place is taken by his trainer, Willie Purcell, the Cincinnati boxer. The second scene is the ring, constructed on the bare stage, 12 ft. square, with posts and ropes. The boys fight three rounds, with 4 oz. gloves. They go at it for fair, and the rounds are exciting, ending with the American knocking out the Englishman, while sustaining several knock-downs himself before the finish. It is a purely local sketch, and each participant received a big advance hand at each performance Sunday. The fight is exciting and was loudly applauded at the end of each round. The sketch is well put on, but the fight, of course, is the leading feature. This fight is a more realistic one than Granville Taylor’s in “The Star Bout”. The act would go good in any house. A tremendous local hit, talked about all over town, with extensive press notices, and will doubtless do us a big business this week in itself. At various performances throughout the week there will appear in the ring the various sporting editors of Cincinnati, and as ring followers the members of local Turnvereins and athletic clubs. Act is not booked longer than this week.

In the sketch by Mrs. Fiske entitled “A Light From St. Agnes”. 24 minutes, full stage, own set. Mme. Kalich takes the character of ‘Toinette, John Harrington that of Michel Karouse, and John Booth that of Father Bertrand. The curtain rises on the interior of a miserable hut, in the center of which is a cot where ‘Toinette lies asleep. She and Michel Karouse are partners in sin. A priest enters. He awakens her, and tells her of the death of Agnes, a worker in the slums. On a nearby hill is a convent, and in its chapel lies the body of the saintly woman. The chapel is called “St. Agnes”. The priest gives ‘Toinette some wholesome advice, and tells her what a good friend she had in the saintly Agnes. ‘Toinette tells the priest that she is awakened every morning at sunrise by a light which shines through her window and over her couch, being a reflection of the sun from the window of St. Agnes’ Chapel. As the priest is about to depart, Michel Karouse enters, intoxicated. He orders the priest out, and a quarrel ensues between him and the woman. Michel tells ‘Toinette that a valuable diamond cross lies on the breast of Agnes, and that he is going up there to steal it. ‘Toinette protests. She warns him that the nuns of the convent will ring the alarm bell. He seizes a knife and declares he well cut the bell rope to prevent the alarm. ‘Toinette then lures him into the belief that she will help him, and induces him to give her the knife. She departs, ostensibly to cut the bell rope—Instead, she rings the bell for the alarm. Michel rushes out, seizes her, drags her back into the hut, throws her upon the cot, and stabs her to death. As she is dying, she embraces a crucifix, and the reflected light from the window of St. Agnes throws a halo over her body. Curtain. The acting of Mme. Kalich is intense, as is also that of Harrington. Booth, as Fr. Bertrand, also does excellent work. The sketch is a thrilling one, and the audience is under a spell of suspense throughout. Mme. Kalich was accorded many curtain calls at both Sunday performances.