New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-10-24
Neb 0rlears 1aiIp Cresterrt.


In the st. Louis Democrat we find the foIloTfnr
exegesis of a play translated from the German by
Mr.. Aug. WaIdauer, who, as everybody in New
Orleans almost knows, has been for many seasons
the leader of the orchestra Of the st. Charles
theater, and has gained high and general favor for
the ability manifested by him in his professional
| walks as musician and composer:
The cacKET "a Domestic Drama, Translated
\ from ue German and dodDted TO the E719lisle
| Sage 6af Aug. Wabioater, Of 81. Louis.
| Our citizens will be pleased to learn that Mr..
poser and cl,e Goaciestra Of the st. Louis Theater
has, IN the leisure moments of his summers yaca-
tioD directed his fine literary taste TO the transa,
| ton OF beautiful German drama entitled /. The
| Cricket play Of standard popularity in the old
/ country; and which, after careful perusal we
| are persuaded will become great suecess when
| ever or wherever presented in this country. We
| say nothing Of the merits Of the translation
further than that ii ia done in plain and vigorous
| English, and is admirably adapted to the spirit of
| the play.
| Fanchon viyieux, called the "Crcket,n Is the
pest of the two little villages of CoEse and aPriche
| In the south Of France. She Is introduced az
poorly clad, Wild shrewd, harum-scarum girl the
granddaughter of old witch living near the vii
/ lagos, named Fadet, who subsists on telling for
tunes and selling mysterious roots and herbs to the
| peasantry, for medicines, in which trade, by the
way, as the sequel proves, she accumulates hand
| lot of the 't Cricket.''
=" Cricket and her witch mother are the peculiar
4 ayersions of Father and Mother Barbeaud who are
amongst the richest peasants Of the village of Cosse
and who have twin sons, just grown, Landry and Di.
4 der, who, being young, impressble, and very much
attached to each other, give their parents good
4 deal of trouble. Didier becomes very jealous of
| some attentions his brother had paid maiden of
/ LaPriche, Madeon, whose father, Caiiard, was one
| of the chief farmers of that village, and in bis
spleen of jealousy absents himself from home over
night, whereat, of course, his father and mother
4 become much alarmed, and Landry, his brother,
| sets out in search of him.
Landry, in his pursuit, seeks the old witch Fadet
| TO gain some clue, but she only mocks him, and
then he appeals to the g Cricket Fanchon, who
knows exactly where Didier lies hid and can be
found, but before revealing his hidng-place exacts
| promise from Landry that on the following day,
at the festival of st. Andoche he will comply fully
and without hesitation to any request she may
make Of him. Didier's hidng,place is revealed,
and he is carried home in triumph and joy.
Landry appears at the festival, and is about lead
ing the charming young Madelon out to the first
| dance. when great merriment breaks out in the
\ crowd at the appearance of the "Crcket,n
dressed out in the finest ottys and ridiculous fash
ion. She approaches Landry directly, and remind
ing him of his promise, claims his hand for seven
of the most prominent dances Of the festival. Ali
| the village maidens and beaux gather round and
| ieer at her; bat Landry, even against the re-
proaches and sarcasms ofthe fair Madeon, keeps his
promise, and leads the Cricket out to the dance.
| The dance over, Landry is provoked at his iuck
i
| very angry manner.
While IN this state of mind Fanchon, the crfck-
et, comes running up to him for protection against
| the villagers, who says that she wears DEVILS
claw around her neck, and they want to see it.
She will not let them force it from her. but gives it
to Landry, who finds it to be medallion contain
ing a simple prayer of . pure maiden to the
holy mother of graee.n The villagers, banked and
disappointed then want to drive her from the fes-
tvaI, but Landry interferes and denounces them.
Atthis Cricket is astonshed and gratilied beyond
measure, and releasing Landry from further fulfill.
ment of his promise, voluntarily quits the festival
Landry and his twin brother both soon discover
that the Cricket has splendid eyes, beautiful
figure, and bewitching little feet and Landry
begins to experience the growth of a tender pas
sion for her which the Cricket will not encourage,
refusing to let him kiss her. Finally he becomes
very much absorbed and distressed in his passion
for her. and one day overhears an interview be.
tween Fanehon and the maiden Madelon, in which
the "Crcket'' tries to make up the quarrel between
Madelon and him. He reveals himself. deneunces
Madelon, and declares his love to the "Cricket.n
She is almost overcome; and, while he is pleading
with her, his father and Madelon's father make
their entrance on the scene. Landry's father re.
proaches him for being found with the little witch
girl; and Gaillard, Madelons father, demands, be-
fore he will agree to pledge his daughters hand to
Landry, that he, Landry, will disclose the nature Of
his intercourse with Fanchen.
Landry declares that he will not marry Madelon
and only loves Fanchon, the 'tCricket.n At this
his father becomes much enraged, thinking his sor
bewched by the "Cricketn and her grandmother
old Fadet. Fanchon, though secretly delighted
interferes and assures old Barbeaud that she has
| not given her consent to marry to Landry, and
that she will not marry above her station.
Bandry's father atterward seeks old Fadet, and
tries to bribe her to send Fanchon away from the
| villages out of the reach of his son. She refuses
but Fanchon herself volunteers to eave and finally
goes into exile in neghboring city for one year,
leaving Landry forlorn and distressed, yet hopeful.
The year passes and Landry pleases his father
very much by his steady and exemplary conduct.
The old hopes he is entirely cured of his pas
sion for the witch girl, the " Cricket" She returns
home at the close of the year, to the death bed of
her grandmother. While watching the dead for
the customary three days OF mourning, she refuses
to see Landry, and he becomes very uneasy and
| wretched at which his father kindles again with
his old rage ut the Cricket and swears his son
shall never marry her.
In the very heat and flame of his terrible passion
| Fanchon herself enters the family circle and de-
mands an interview with Father Barbeaud, who
grants it very reluctantly, but observing her i'm
Il proved appearance, modest department and SEN
sible speech, gradually energies from his crusty
shell of anger and obduracy, and finally is won
over entirely to her favor, and rejoicingly con
fesses his desire to see her married to his son
Landry. His enjoyment is greatly enhanced after.
wards on hearing that the Cricket brings as her
marriage portion the savings of her old witch
grandmother, amounting to the handsome little
sum of 10000 francs. Great happiness and re-
joicngs on all sides follow, of course.
The above is a somewhat imperfect sketch oil
the main incidents of the plot of this highly inter
est1ng drama. Ihe incidental scenes and charac.
ters all contribute with admirable effect to the rap
id and lively development of the story. There is
no tagging in any of the scenes, no dullness va
pidty in any of the dialogues. There are no un-
necessary characters, or impossible situations. ALI
is vigorous, animated and natural and we repeat
that the success OF the drama on the American
stage is moral certainty.
i We know nothing of Mr.. Waldauers intentions
i respecting the disposition of the play. We have
| understood that he is under some implied obliga-
tions to Miss Avonia Jones, who expressed de-
sire for its possession when its translation first
seriously considered by Mr. Waldauer. Miss Jones
is now in Australia, and we hope that its produc-
ton may not depend upon her decision in regard to
it. 1t should be produced at once, and right here
| in St. Louis.
BoLDNEss AND RUDEEEss OF SuSDKY AMERIcAt,
WoMEN.-The New York Express is responsible
for the following paragraph:
One thing is determined by the recent visits to this
country OF Princes from the East and from the
West of the old world-American women have
worse manners than the men, 1t was the women
who, at Washington, intruded upon diplomatic re-
| ceptions, and sat upon the mantels in the Presi-
dents mansion it was the women who insisted
upon going to ball at Gen. Cass' house, SO that
the venerable Secretary of State declared he dared
not give dinner or matinee; it was the women
4 who thrust their notes upon Tommy. So, also, 1t
was the women who josted and crowded nponthe
Prince ut the ball at the Academy; it was the
| women who got upon tile seats at Trinity Church
ftSta 1inn tfop pln hod