The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-19
SIM q s E NJ E N rs.

BOOTHS Enthusiastically evening Booths
theatre was crowded with delighted spectators Of
the renewal OF the signal triumph won by Miss Kate
Bateman when this great American actress reap.
peared last June at the Haymarket theatre in Lon
don and personated the character OF Mary Warner,
the heroine OF new domestic drama which was
written expressly for her by the versatile Tom Tay
lor The plot is simple but deeply interesting. Devoid
OF striking originality OF conception nevertheless
ingenIously combines the strange incidents which
sometimes break the monotony Of the humber
walks ofllfe. Indeed 1t has been affirmed to be In
the main faithful transcript OF real experiences
illustrating the adage that truth is stranger than c
tion II is the ofttold tale OF robbery, with chain
OF circumstantial evidence, pointing as usual
to parties entirely innocent and remarkably
vlrtuous, while the real criminal. Of course,
gets or at first without breath OF suspicion,
although he Ia IN the end overiaken by remorse ana
makes q clean breast OF It. AS the secret however,
only appears to be known by Mary Warner, her hus-
band and the wife Of the guilty party, 1t is difficult
to conceive how the character OF the falsely accused
woman can be successfully cleared, although she
does md her husband very well Off and arectionate,
and her child all that can be desired.
The first two acts OF the play are decidedly the
best, and In these the plot works smoothly and the
dramatic interest Is fully sustained. The first act
shows the robbery in the house Of the firm by which
George Warner Mary's husband Is employed, the
thief being graceless scamp, who is Georges
fellow workman. Immediately before the cash.
box ia stolen George is IN the counting room
with one OF his employers, and after taxing him
with taking unfair advantage OF his workman's
skill indicates his determination TO emgrate to
America aud asksthe loan OF twenty pounds to help
him to make start IN the New World or course
ne does not get II, but IL left alone IN the room,
having seen his employer put large sum OF
soon afterwards Mary Warner, his wife, enters her
object being to make tho same request for the loan
S "ea ~
the husband and wife. She obtains an interview
with one OF the principals, Is refused the
loan, and she also Is left conveniently alone In
the counting room with the unlucky casl-box.
After she leaves the thief who has been all the time
concealed IN a Mushroom, and who is repeatedly
interrupted In hts speculative enterprise and conf
PEELED to pop back into his hiding place gets clear
or with the booty His goodness OF heart leads him
twenty pounds they need to carry out their scheme
OF emigration, which he has overheard while
their lodging for that purpose. Finding no person
at home ne OF Georges chises to force open
the casl-box, wraps four MYERS IN bill OF the sail
ing time OF the American packets, pockets the bal
ance OF the money and finally conceas the box Itself
seen. Mary returns, the partners and the
police Officer who have discovered the robbery
enter ana nnd ,he evidence o. gua "a aie midst Of
OF damage TO the policeman, obliging him TO
summon brace OF assistants. George, however IL
ready and willing to swallow all three myrmdons OF
the law, with the two partners in the bargain, when
Mary suddenly declares herself the thief or course
she does this supposing George 10 be the guilty
party, ana OF course George believes that Mary had
really broken one or the ten commandments. She Is
sentenced to Ave years. imprisonment and the most
impressive scene in :ne play is that III which George,
after long absence !for In his strong honesty he
abhors the CRIME OF which he deems his wife guilty..
at length visits her In prison. It being the first
time she has been able to speak TO him she expects
him TO evince his sense OF the sacrifice she
has made and the suffering she has undergone, as
she believes for his sake but he is cold and distant,
although deeply affected; and when she tells him
that 1t Is for MS sake she IL there he misunderstands
her meaning, and imagincs her to plead that she
committed me theft for him. Mary, certain ip her
own mind OF her husbands guilt. believes him to
be coward and an migrate, and resolves
never 70 see him more This ends the second act,
and from this point the plot begins to lag, the
third act finding Mary free, having served cut her
time. The rest OF the play exhibits her subsequent
trlas-how the real thief has IN the meantime mar
RED Mary's dearest friend and become wretchcd,
pennless starving drunken scamp; now this mana
wife steals RentIcman's pccketbook; how Mary Ii
again tne.lnn0cent victim arrested for another per-
sons crime; now the gentleman VINO has been
roDDeo Turns out to be George warner; how Mary
gets on, refusing 70 star 1t her husbands request: