Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-03-27
9alg Spptal.
80. - onIcknr.

Frpn ne AeuAe hesiEterl
L Is not uttea that the journalist has 10
enronicls q raaiiT valuable addition 10 dramatic
literature and when such ia his pleasing task
ne owes t 70 TIE cause Of good taste 10 give it
more th2n q passing police or q few ommon
pace compliments. We have been 60 often
disguised with the trash which forms too large
= part6r dramatic sinnBemruts, that We rejoice
ar any novelty which appeals to the heart and
leine as Weil az The senses. NtT 0riezns has
tae honor 90 5sVing Furnished the stage, within
: brief space Of time, with two novelties com
hniue taess rsquisites-two pieces which have
"a accidental assemblance in name, though In
nathing else. Everybody must remember
DOT, 2 dFsmstzstion Of Dickens Cricket on
te hfarA. We must mistake II Fdnchon the
Cncsd IS uot destined 70 the same, n not
greater, success. As It is the production OF g
touthorn author, has Rever-thas we know Of
been played on any other but q southern stage,
sae therefore cones to us without the prestige
Or northern or Elropean@indorssment we pro-
pose to devote to il somewhat more space and
Ntention Sian We usually can afford for such
@Fanehonn Is the name OF a poor young girl,
grown up Ike a wild flower under the care Of
an age grandmother, whom the peasants (the
scene IS laid ia Germany consider a witch, a
superstition which the victim Of it rather en-
couraEes 70 increase the proceeds OF her sim
PIES and rrfions. An object Of contempt and
sversigl from her earliest childhood, on sc-
Of her grandmotheI's bad reputation,
: little frishdiass Eirl has received the soub-
Of "Criekct' from her quaint appear
anee and wild, wsyward WAYS, beneath which,
however, she preserves a pure and pious heart
and an energy Of character rather intensified
tia repTessed 81 the social han under which
she lives. Circumstance bring her in con-
tset with a young peasant, the hsnds0mest
and The weallhiest youth n the village, and
TIE sfbanced OF a wealthy bride. By degrees
the ronthis prsiudices 70 the despised and ugly
"Cuoke7 vanish before the discovery Of IN
suspected charms Of person and Of character,
and BY a not unnatural reaction become
ehanged into a love as violent as bad been bis
version. But the change is net a sudden one,
Coy bis etrdgg'es with the moral eowsrdice
ID = s1rinks from TIE jsers and gibes Of pub
'nsf oplnten, with former affection, and with
nentLdu-y, are amoqg the most admirable de-
OF eVerJna . eharachzwe haKenft IN modern
e and eGe - ths ruth, and mental
the pols }, assert their power even over the
oese prejudice and stupid superstition OF this
old PeasantrY, and finally conquer all OBJ
lseles.
tNoHe Of the characters are f~aultless and
therefore they are all natural. There are no
heau-idesls Of supernatural perfection, but
there are human beings acting, erring, strug-
Cling, before vou. There is a little girl whom
nature has made superior to the station to
which fortune assigned Der, and who cast of
me faults Of that station and finds a sphere
more suited 20 her. There is an old woman,
an imposter, IL Won please, avarieious, re-
vengeful, and vet who loves Der little grand
daughter, and brings her up as a Christian.
There is a pgrsr-prnud, cross-tempersd father,
who yet is e tan Of sterling integrity and can
~. MA -. e ---eHe-m- ILL au-- A.
l1ee ls a lover, frank, manly and true, but
who after an Is not a hero and has a hard fight
before be eonguers false shame and moral
coWardice. There is a hslf-Wi'ted youth
whom love FOR a noble woman ennoblea in
boay and mind There is a commonplace VII
lsge hirt, and there is a mother with a real
mothers heart. Upon this simple canvas are
embroidered touches Of human nature as deli
cate as taev are faithful to life. and through
out the whole there is not one imm0dest
thought OF wcrd, not one appeal 70 the eosrser
tastes Of the audience, and yet no audience
bas failed 20 be nore than merely pleased
with ~
Tie plot is simple, but he interest is well
Sustained until the last act, which, every one
expecting the dsnoumsnt, is The only defect in
9EE gf the story. In tablesuZ and
sage efsotsh llaLEslngularly felicitous.
Among tbeEe need only mention the "shad-
w A1ANE. Inc moon Att DEcu nN~i1 lh-
ing during the first act, and is the only light
shed on the stage. With the shadow which II
casts fron Fanchon's person, the "CricketD
executes q fantastic dance, while her future
lover and bis twin brother look on with su-
perstitious terror as though she were perform
ing some weird Incarnation.
snch is q meagsr sketch Of, In our opinion,
BY far the best domestic drama Of the last few
years. successful attempt to smuse without
butoOneTv, 70 instruct without long moral lee.
lures and please any and every sort Of audi
encs WitloEt merstricio-s tricks Of plot OF
language. The author is Mr.. Waldsuer Of
New Orleans. and i is written, we believe, es-
pecialiy for Miss Maggie Mitchell : or if it is
not it should have been, for she appears to bet
ter advantage in &c than IN any other role. As
she is now on our boards, and the piece, we
are Informed, already il preparation, our read
ers have q treat before them Of which we sin
aerely advise them TO AVIAN themselves.