The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-11-15


has been goodly sight during the week past both
to the managers and to all those in the audience
who are interested in the promotion Of histrionic
enterprise. to behold the rows of benches and
chairs all filed, even to an extent necessitatinQ
demand for camp stools. 'H
The great hit Of the week has been Augustin
Days play "Under the Gaslight." Those Of rs
who had only hitherto known of this sensational
piece by hearsay, Of course were prepared to see
it at all hazards, 30 soon as Manager Floyd should
give Us the opportunity. The consequence was
that on Monday night, the occasion Of the first
production Of the play, the Varieties was filed to
repletion, orchestra, dress circle and tiers. On
Tuesday night. although the weather was buster.
ing and inauspicious, there was the same large
attendance as before. On Wednesday night one
couldn't get even camp stool, if he got there
late, and on Thursday, although it was cold, raw
and disagreeable without, there was again a. very
numerous attendance.
On Friday, and the two performances yester.
day, the attendance was, if anything, larger than
before.
The railroad scene is, after sll the great fea-
ture Of the piece. Take this and the pier scene
awsy and what would remain, Suppose that
Byke endeavored to make away with the ubiquit-
Gus Smokey by the more ordinary means of Q
Colts revolver, or the conventional dagger, where
would be the keen interest Of anticipation which
keeps one up through some Of the dialogues, or
makes one overlook several very glazing inconsis
tencies of the author in bresihlessly awaiting the
whistle of the express train, and its subsequent
passage across the sphere of vision.
Suppose the express train should be few min
utes in advance of time, as will sometimes occur
or suppose Laura CORTLAND should lose her pre-
sence of mind, ss ladies often do in moments Of
peril, and not rescue Smokey in time, and the
cruel remorseless iron monster should dash past
under foil Roadway mangling and crushing him
before our eyes. We do sincerely hope the con.
ductor and engineer in charge Of the train win
exercise great care and diligence, and, If posi-
BILE, avert such dreadful catastrophe.
The authors plot is briefly this: Society dis
covers that Laura CORTLAND, one Of its acknow..
lodged bellies, is only by adoption q member of
the hon0red family whose name she bears; IL dis
covers further, that she, the beautiful, the ad-
mired, was, at the age of six, ragged child,
roaming the streets and picking pockets when.
life of crime she was rescued by the benevolence
Of her adopted mother, whose portmonnaie, by
the way, she had previously endesvored to sppro-
pirate. Laura, poor girl, attends Q ball unaware
with averted or chilling glances. Even her be-
trothed, Ray Irqford, has not the courage to
defy the edicts Of Mrs. Yam Dam, leader in
society who declared Laura henceforth ostracised.
In the course of a conversation between Traford
and Mrs. V. D., in reply to the latters denuncia-
ton of Laura as an impostor upon society, the
author makes the former reply "'ris falsehood."
This to lady, in ballroom!
Laura leaves her luxurious home, and, attended
by q female domestic, occupies rented room,
supporting herself by her brush. Here she is,
through the fundamentally of Smokey the
soldier discovered by her lover, whose overtures
she however firmly rejects. Here, too, she is
found by Byke and Dame Judas, q precious pair
of rogues, who, previous to her reclamation by
Mrs. CORTLAND, had directed her childish feet in
the path of crime. They, affecting to have dis
covered in her their long lost daughter, have
Laura arrested and brought before a police
justice for restoration to their keeping. The
scene in the police court here is introduced. 1t
has its good features. The character Of Coun
selor Splinter is an excellent take-off upon the
Toombs lawyers. How, with an assumed con-
sciousness of his own legal ability, he ap-
peals to bis honor's experience and knowledge
OF the criminal statutes; and how. changing
his tactics from bravado to pity and pathos, he
conjures up the narrowing picture Of the Italian
organ grinders monkey, separated from its ma
tural protector. This part of the scene is rich in
acting, as the discriminating Dyke, deserves par.
ticular mention. His tactics succeed, and Laura
is led away weeping, Smokey, however, promis-
ing to follow and, If possible, rescue her. He
while Lauras whereabouts are mystery. Then
comes the scene on pier 30, North River. In the
distance are seen the spires and gaslghts Of Jer
sey City, and now and then, over the still river
passes ferry boat. About the pier great waves.
perhaps little too great, are dashing, as Byke
comes sculling boat up. fastens it to the wharf,
and disappears. Then Smokey comes upon the
scene, accompanying number of gamins, who
have invited him to share with them their "hotel"
under the wharf. During banjo interlude and
break down, Dyke reappears, accompanied by
Dame judas and Laura. There is an encounter,
and the curtain falls upon Smokey lying insensi.
BILE in the boat, Byke prisoner, and Laura res.
cued from watery grave by one Of the river
Then comes the scene at Long Branch, where
In q summer parlOr looking out upon the sea,
Laura once more rejects Traford's suit. and
resolves to fly again. She reaches Shrewsbury
station on foot only to find that there viii be no
train In the direction she wishes to take until the
next morning. The kind old station agent, very
pleasingly personated by Mr.. Geo. Ryer, finally
consents 10 permit her to occupy the station until
morning, provided she consents to be locked in.
1t Is bargain. 30 Laura Is locked up and the
old man goes of in the moonlight to his home.
Then Smokey appears-he has discovered that
Dyke and Dame Judas, who have inexplcably
appeared at the watering place, are plotting
robbery OF the CORTLAND House, at Long Branch
he s Fastening thther to Illustrate their plan. But
Dyke, himself on the alert, steals in. binds the
one-armed soldier. and lashes him down upon the
track. Laura In silence sees all this, and Is eager
to release the Prometheus vnctus. Then Is heard
the locomotive whistle in the distance, and over
long tresselwork the train 10 seen crossing mile
or two away. Nearer momentarily comes the
whistle, and then is heard the bell ringing and the
putting of the iron monster. The cries Of the sol.
der for help are horrible to hear no less frantic
are the efforts Of Laura to break open the station
door and rush. In season, to his rescue. The train
Is IN sight; with an effort all but euperhuman she
seizes an ak, and with redoubled blows sends the
door flying from its hinges. In another instant
the keen edge has severed the cords binding the
PROSTATE man, and as the train rushes by it finds
no obstacle. Smokey is saved, and the curtain
falls upon an appropriate tableau. a.
The subsequent portion Of the plot is hardly
worth abiding to. 1t shows that Laura was not
Bykess child, ii reuntes her to her lover IL In
short winds up to the general satisfaction of the
multitude. Virtue is rewarded, vice punished,
and the curtain goes down amid uproarious ap-
plause.
The side scenes in the play introduce some
rather prosy dialogues between Dame Judas and
Pe0chbIossoDs Miss Lsura's maid of all work. Miss
George Dickson in the latter part sbo W., how.
ever, good deal of vivacity and humor, and Mrs.
Preston as Judas is well up in her part. Bernsu-
dds. sidewalk dealer in songs and shoestrings,
aiype of the New York ganaiys. is personated By
Mr.; Stanton, who gives the character all its due,