The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-10-28
THE AMERICAN DRAMA.

A good deal is being said and written
lust now, on the subject of the Drama
generally, and much wonder has been
expressed over the fact that American
life is not more frequently and fully por-
trayed on the mimic stage. The few
efforts which have been made in this di-
rection have been mere abortions; either
entire absurdities like rip Van
Wrinkle" or political lies like "Uncle
Toms Cabin" 1.-THE Octoroon," &c.
Now it is very strange that so many
sources of dramatic interest should be
overlooked, and not made means of
pleasure and profit. American society
is 80 varied. It's manners and customs
are so entirely different in different
sections. that We would think the nu-
msrous professional playwrights which
infest New York might reap golden
hsrvests by collecting together in
cidents to be represented under
its various phases. For instance,
take first. Eastern life. Wha'
DELIGHTFULLY."- romantic scenes could
be portrayed in fashionable shoddy life!
How fond mama (who flies into ccsta-
cies over MooRE's Injecting of the
MATTERS and delights OH discussing OF
books she has never read) is positively
determined that her dear daughter, who
has been educated in manner suitable
TO her station, shall make an eligible
match. How, after long waiting, the
very man is found. A foreign count or
lord. who is so ''dreadfully bored you
know" but who, while with rather q
slim bank account, has claim upon the
nobility which it cannot ignore. How
the young scion of nobility finally con-
cludes that his pedigree and the young
girls cash would work very harmoniously
together; proposes, and is accepted
Finally how the nobleman turns out to
ba no count nor lord after ALL but some
runaway barber, butcher or advcnturcr,
who leaves his country for his country
good.
Or if incidents among the poorer classes
shall be- desired, surely our large cities
TEEN with them. The denScly packed
tenement houses of New York with their
hundreds of cramped up inhabitants,
leading lives of squalid poverty, and in
haling disease with every breath, or the
hard working sewing or factory girl who
ekes out miserable existence by work
ing for pittance, sixteen hours out of
twenty-four, all these should furnish in
exhsustible themes which would demand
unaagging interest if portrayed upon the
stage. And if an occurrence like that
which recently took place in Gran
tie mill, Massachusetts, represent
ing hundreds of women and
children surrounded by flames, with
no means of escaping, and screaming i'll
mad terror as they trample down and
suffocate each other,-should be thrown in
a sensation would be produced sufficient
" exciting TO satisfy the most blood
thirsty nature.
Or if Western life should be looked into
there are many incidents constantly oc-
curing which might prove useful. For
example, train of cars carried of by
briSands while the engineer and con-
ductor we're dining; such thing as
really happened few days since on a
Western railway, would assuredly be
thrillingly appreciated.
Or turning to the South, what more
enchanting spectacle could be presented
than that of hundreds of citizens OF all
aces. sexes and conditions, fleeing IN ter
rer to the woods to escape United States
soldiers. who ride recklessiy and exui-
family throughout the country, making
arbitrary arrests and paralyzing bust
nessP But tits useless to multiply incl
dents They are apparently inexhausti-
HE It's. indeed, passing strange that
onr dramatists should go so much abroad
for subjects to delineate, when there are
so so MANY real life, and essentially Ameri-
can ideas to be found at home awaiting
illustration. Have we not q playwright
among us to work them upf