Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-12-21
Chester Dramatic Association.

principal play was "The Drunkard, or
the Fallen Saved" in which all the actors
sustained themselves creditably, and which
in the present state of temperance feeling
in this section, was well calculated to
make as it certainly did, a most favorable
impression upon the large and highly APP
preciative audience present.
The cars being late we did not arrive
in season TO see the opening scenes, and
therefore commence with the wedding, and
briefly notice few of the most prominent |
characters. Mr.. A. II. JACKSON in the |
character of Edward Middleton, the
drunkard. had apparently the most diff
cult role to sustain, and one in which he
succeeded admirably. With marriage he
starts off with the most .nattering pros
poets for life of happiness and prosperi-
ty, and from this he gradually step by
step, descends to the lowest depth of a
drunkard's degradation and distress, and
when he has reached delirium tremens,
he then rises and becomes reformed
man. 1t was a most strong and powerful
appeal to temperance. The scene in
which the tears and prayers of wife, child
and friend, are brought to bear upon him
TO save him was touching in the extreme,
and Throughout, his whole career there is
u tender spot in his heart, and even in
most of his drunken reyels he had lucid
moments in which he showed realizing
sense of his degradation. and which
brought out the intelligence of his mind,
but he long continues slave to his appe-
lite, and yet retains his love and affection
for his wife and child in manner beauti-
full and faithful to life. His remorse is
not that he had ruined himself bat family,
and even in his last scene of degradation
when in that state most horrible TO the
drunkard, remorse was the most busy with
him of all his tormentors, and perhaps in
this scene his power of acting was most
fully brought out.
NlT. ~. H. w Hi It's lIii LCWlOn
won the admiration of the audience. He
was always on hand and in just at the
right pace, at the right time and never
failed when wanted. His was not COM
mon character, beings serio-comc, and
therefore required a genius for the drama,
which he seems fully to possess, and 10
which few performers are adapted, but
which seemed just in his line.
Mr.. S. II. LEONARD as Lawyer
, Cribs" had a laborious part, speaking we
!. believe some one hundred and forty times,
but acquitted himself finely. He acted
the part Of an unprincipled and unscrupu-
lous lawyer. He invites Middleton to
9 drink but is careful not to drink himself
Z steals will--hints of mortgage on Mid
: dletons homestead, and finally, having
: vainly tried to get him to commit a for
gerry, which even Middleton in his degre.
e daton refuses to do, commits the for.
s gerry himself. He not only won the ap
i probation of the audience for the perfec-
ton OF his acting but also their indigna,
Il ton, and especially of his friend the
n writer hereof, for his rascality! And ye
e the play would have been tame withou
this'very important part.
If Miss f. A. RAYMENToN as the wife o
O the drunkard was a fine character. Sh,
N possessed the power of throwing her hear
n into her voice with touching pathos
Amidst poverty and starvation, and all he
"a trials, she never faltered in her faith in he
"a husband, and father of her child, but pre-
served her purity of character intact
e agnes Dowton," the maniac, was person
l. fled by Miss M. A. SpRAGuE. This char
d acter was finely sustained throughout anC
4. the dramatic effect in her last appearance
in on the stage as a maniac was thrilling
Her apparent knowledge of the latitan
" "Will," and her scathing denunciation o
,e 4" Lawyer Cribs " had a telling effect upo
a.. the audience which was not lessened whe
n she was clothed 10 her right mind, brin4
ing the guilty to justice.
Mr.. ID. l.. SPRAGUE as Landlord
ne was true to life and certainly made h
In traffic sufficiently oiious, and we don't Sc
ed how the scenes in his establishment coul
Sc have been improved. Mr.. G. G. MAJ
ry FIELD as" First Loafer" and frequentt
'r. of this place brought down the house in
!" roar. He evidently has a good tact f
m the part assigned him.
at Mr.. G. II. Rowe as Rencelaw"
u princely banker and millionaire, acted Il
III humane part of philanthropist and GOO
ri Samaritan with good effect, which was
e. decided relief amid so much rascality.
Nv Miss JOSIE SHEpD as Miss Spindle
as convulsed the audience by her maidenl
d modesty, coquetry, gossip and "spare n
Y bushes" She was capital in the chara
a. ter she sustained. Little ADDIE How
NJ ARD, as Julia" the drunkard's daughte