Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-27
CITY AND sTATG NEWS

TusATnE.-.A-s. B't>mne's .N.r imcraeas CDnrr
dy.-Mrs. Bstsmsu's ue:v .American Comedy of.S-i.'
wss repeated lss: night, before one Of the best
audiences that, probably, ha, attended tho Tbeatr,
during the presen! The presence If such !,
number, under tho peculiarly uuprcpiiious circam
Stunces Of the season, cau ouly be accounted for, H.
tr distinction scqu:rei by the fair authorizes Of b
new aud interesting comedy. Urged by the pnpuia-
appreciation 10 which ali ,ha cue las written in ,hi,
connection has been held, We attended tho Theatre
q, no lille inconveuence, and must say that to.
| pleasure thsre afforded more thar couuterba,snc4I
the disadvantage sndure.iotherwise.
The Scene Of THE play opens in fashionable dr>
goods s,ore in Broadway, New York. kept by Mr.
promp'raah and Mr.. ENwide--tho former .-
sustaining the latter se,l.proIno.iDg Individual
These characters were taken by AIR. +. Phillips aun
Mr.. llaniltou; Mrs Apex, tMrs. Jopes,i"a lad,
: {" the height Of f',-hion," the wife ot New York
merchant, enters 10 mako purchs-.s She is show u
dress which represented I" have beeu specially
sinbruhirred tor ths Empress Ea..ne, and nsnrius
from hr. Ellwdc hat Mfs. Es,.,, Mrs. Jefferson
the centre OF fa.hunah!. circle. Tp- crazy to buy
II, rhe AT onoe agrens to Fay the su demanded tor
Inc dress-savcn iiandrc'i dollars. Nr. PrOmp!ossh
is indispos-d 10 hdd ths 10 the S59ti - nj
ready due, but. upon Il pr"r,i.s 10 discharge the
whole acc"un; on the morning following thu .ess l.
given. Mrs A. affects great displessure II: The di-
. satisfaction betrayed ty Mr.. Promptcash With the
term. OF th1 sale, and she uti.rs sharp r-hukes
which he returns by tsCntnS aluson 10 her lineage
uttered In q snmawhat anbdn.d tone. Meanwhile
"Mrs. Radius, tho lady already referred to- enter,
the store, and after some remarks about the difficulty
% gt;tn. ihcre owing 10 distractions oil R.usiway
-he is informed that the seven hundred dollar dress
gone. She manisu.ts TIL greatest .uTpris. ai Mrs
AS being there no soor, CGd At her making such
purohaee, when her huaeant's probable insolvency
and her acrs d--ipalon had become tho talk o tho
~ this time sta 'urIi round, sesa Mrs. Apex
sail.s, and tt3ssi her. Hypocrisy of woman. Ate,
souie convc.aI,inn in -rfcreacH 10 Charles Sand
forr!'. dissipation, Mrs. AZ sonl which his mo-
the- excuses by faying h0 with frtuds, and a
lew sympathetic remcrke oy Mrs. X, regarding Mr.
ApeXs embarrassed condition they enter into di.-
cussion on the subject Of drcs-.
About hs tune, Charles SsEdiprd tE Adauir,j
entsrs in company with Mr. Cynosur- (Mr. Boui.
face.) etlf conrei,cd, travelling uoIenty-a
Frcuchman evidently, ard Mrs. Apex, ieeming him
8 competent Judge as coming from the crest etnpo
rum o fashion, csnyassAs his opinion with reference
TO the purchase which shs had just nlado. He de.
cares IL TO be- just ths material used for ar lion dra.
perry IN Paris. at which Mrs. IL becomes offended.
Upon closer inspection, however. and after he YVES
ludcrouily told BY Mrs. Radius that il WA usw
stys Of dress lately worH by tho Empress Eugenie,
hn corTec,s himself, and declares the TACT tn be
Mrs. r. TRACES this tavOrsbe change in his opinion.
to tho fscl Of Mrr. A having hosu;,irl step dau2h
ter. Chares Ssndinrt after repea,ed 1attering gu
loges his mother. persona, appearance, succeeds
10 getting from her 900. which he says ia necessary
10 msniain the ssHr social standing with Cynosure,
whose marriage 70 hs half sister i-y, be s seekpg
to bring about. Ths prospect of the family hsn
rendered wealthy by such union-Cyuo.ure being
repu,sd worth million pt-rs an additional iE-
dnceuirnt to the mother 10 iHRor the eIlravagan.c
OF her son.
"Chloe" tlli.. Drvsre IN old coloTed nurse. that
several applications had been Insdo during her alb.
, senco for money. adding !het the dross-maker
throsensd 10 keep the articles in her possession in
lier of her payment, and that ihs confect"er could
no longer afford 10 credit. Mrs. a, believes all this
TO be- ths work OF Mrs Radu. She suspacts her have
warned theae parties against giving her credit out
Out Of Inace because h-r parties were more select
snd magnificent than Mrs. Re-.
AN interview tekea place between Mr. Apel, II. Il.
.sck,) and hls wiie Mr.. A. rebukt. her for her
gsnce and insists that sae shall rstrenc her
penditure He mnkss known :hs faot Of hia being
deeply involved, and the consslueLt necessity vi her
being economical; but she r.joina By stating
that ahs too. was involved. snd shows the necessity
Of HE giving her $lOW0 to discharge her ohgetiors,
and ihsraby sav"him and her from thu Disgrace which
series Of pe:ty cults would involve. But ha -tsrnlv
refuses 10 furnish (.
Th!s disasreeahie interview disturbed i,y t!r an
roancemen! .ha."Mr CE:!." tMr. Uwens) retired.
sell opinionsted baaksr. and the partner Of Mr.
Apex had arrived. He il Invited in. aud 81 de-
trcts indications ot passion in the cnIntensrce y!
Mrs a. She, however, Affects 10 be otherwise, and
leaves the with an affected laugh, in order TO
afford the other Two Gu opportunity 10 talk upon bust
ness.
i--y .eyeala tbs eI,rnyagaat career which his wife
has been pursuing, ard Cni; who ~ ell old bache.
lor. congrniustes himself on his single kessedneSs.
The third inds Mary Miss D.vliul the step
daughter of Slrs. Apex seated at small work labs
os, Chloe. the coiored nurse, sitting on stool
nenr by. with spectaclea on. and chds primer III
her hand, saying her letters to Mary, who laughs
she attempts 80 repeat them. After brief period
Irs 4. enters. and Chon is ordered 10 retire. SHE r.
veas Mary her embarrassed circumstances, aud
tie stern refusal Of her father sc her the to
a1,rioste Lorscf and, a,.f r,f-rring TO loans
which she Mary had previously advanced I" enahi.
her to educate her son, Charles SandI"rd, (Mary'o
halt brotdsr requests he. 70 give her check fur the
Sl5,0nD legacy left her by her aunt aud deposited i
th. bnuk to her credit. "Mary sierny reiuous, sad
Mrs. a. reires chsGrined and disappointed.
Soon stter her aber enters. and makes u -'mnr r..
quest, frs, revealing to her hs snharsasse, oIrcn"-
stances She chesr!ully complies, and forthwith writes
check which she hauds 20 him.
Some short time after Charles comes To his mother
| Mrs. Apex and informs hrr that he ha! list hv-
thousand dollars AZ the ci5 ihe night previous. He
represents himself as being in peculiar difficulty
that he wss In fact in danger Of forieting his honor
and standing in the high society in which il her
wlsh at all times that he shoud move Sie hits upon
plan for his relief remarks that he being taught to
write by his srsp. sister, Mary strong similarity
existed In the handwriting o! both. This circumstance
/ =
check in "Marys" nams, md drawing her legacy on
Of the hank. Charles first shrunk from the terrible
deed. hut being encouraged by the assurance On the
part Of hs mother thnt the amount would be return.
I'd in few days-thut il Was, in fact borrowing ii
he wrote the check and drew the money The father,
on presenting .Mary's" bona 6de check, discovered
that the money was drawn, and returning 10 his
daughter rebukes her with treaciery, hypocrisy and
! heartlessness-ignoran OF course OF the plan re-.
| sorted To- By Mrs. Apex and her son.
hp
implores of her TO assume the responsibility Of the
nslter In order TO hsr step brother from shame
and Disgrace She docs so and sscertaining that her
father vas the verge Of bankruptcy, she procures
| from Unit" her old godfather, sum OF Sl3 OUO,
for his relief. Before thia fact reaches her fathers
ears Charles and The Mother their guilt and eI.
culpate Mary. emit" enters With MARY aa the
| avowais ara being made and, after obtaining pro-
mise of future fruyality fiom "Mrs Apex. agrets 10
give sum sufficient to e1tricete the family from their
! embarr8ssmsnts.
! The play winds up with happy reconciliation OF
tho members of the household, much 20 Tho 'atistsc
tion of the fsi.hfai nurse "Chcs." and tne chagrn
and disappointment nf "Mr,. Radus' and "Mrs.
Ctdver," tMre. Mugzyl wGs!shy vulgarian, VINO,
Ike many Of their sex, reioce in the family quarrss
OF thei. that they may Thereby De iurished
with iood for filthy gos.if.
Thi. ID bu, Hi imperfect ou.'i7s nf the play. 10
spurecats duly il must pscesssrily he seen per-
formed We cannot out sd,nirs the Intellect that
could produce such q work, II is the very embodi
rnent Of all that pure ana elevated Ia conception
and art 1t affords an e1ce-drgly Instructive moral
On ex,rayegaDce. In ;hs character Of MARY" is
typaed all ths, i. gentle, n3bc, cnnfding In woman;
while In her so!irude 20 redeem the fallen fortune.
of her father, and to secure her step. brother and
st.y.mother from the evil consequences " their
tr-ach.ry, at q sacrifice Of ali that she p'ssessed,
she estrays az e1c.ss Of hi.l aod sisery love ha!
is pleasing to contemplate. OF the nhu0ucs OF kind
Offices. eniasity gsntleness and hds!iiy, !n contra.
Distinction With sshshnees and the rrdrr qualties OF
the s.r, there is striking illustration in the manner
ia which Mary by her charms, subdu.d the almost
ine1orabls heart of the old banker Unit How
ynin sny other persuasive sgeuey world prove, In
ssoop!i,hing tfs result acquired, s evident troE,
the stern character and almost Unsuitable avar:ce oi
the shrewd old god father.
Mr. Owens performed a:s part .lth preaniEan'
surcss. We never Witnessed q more faithful per