The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-17
A M u S E M E N S.

THE NEW SOCIETY NOVELTY AT THE FIFTH
AVENUE THEATRE.
Mr. Daily produces this evening for the first
time his long-announced society novelty. entitled
"The Big Bonanza; or, Riches and Matchesn AS
may be inferred from its name, the "Big Bonanza
is nothing II not contemporaneous, and. indeed,
the perllous but amusing ventures OF q certain
Professor Cawallader who Is possessed OF rather
more brains than experience and less money than
either, in the speculative arena, forms one OF the
llveliest episodes OF the piece. The main plot OF
the comedy however, has to do principally with
the love concerns OF the hopeful members OF the
two families Cawallader-hrst, with the heart
romance of Miss Eugenia, the gushing daughter OF
the banker Cawallader and his romantic spouse,
Lucretia; and secondly, with the alternate hopes
and lears OF Miss vrgie Cawallader the only daugh
ter oil the Professor and his more common sense
better half, Caroline. The hero OF Eugenia's
youthful dream OF love Is q young man named
Ruggles, wac rescues her from peril upon her
arrival from boarding school, and her dream Is
obscured by a scion OF the De Hass family, who Is
the sutton chosen for her by her romantic other.
Eugena coaxes her easy-going father over to her
interests, but her little love strategy is nearly
trusted with token OF gratitude from the oaugh-
ter to her rescuer, concea!s sum OF money with
the gift, and thus gives TO the otherwise pleasing
transaction q pecuniary air which wounds and
insults the hero. The incidents by which the clouds
are cleared away rom Miss Eugenas youthful rO-
nance form merry series OF events, which Keep
the spectators amused to the en0 one OF the
most original OF these being an ingenious test Dy
which the banker and his Sentimental vile dis
cover the love secret existing between their
daughter and young Rugges II have always OBJ
served" says tAe banker, "that when two people
IN love are sent to light candle In . dark room
they usually require quarter OF an hour to do
It." The test Is first applied to couple or old
household retainerS, who are sent 10 light the
same candles. III they are In love-" says the
pnilosophcr-ban "they'n be . quarter OF an
hour; n they are not In love quarter OF min
ute." The results OF the two experiments are
unique. The love AFFAIRS OF Vtrgie and Jack, who
Is young physician In search OF practice, II not
complicated as those Of her cousin, are fully as
interesting in their development The Professor
sets his face against the ,youns N. d.,
patients ~ he inquiries. II don't know" says
Jack, ''but think they must have another doc.
t0rn In the Professors household the mother IS
Cupid's protector, and she encourages the young
lovers even to joining their hands and giving
them the parental blessing; out unfortuna' ely the
moment sue selects for the latter benedictIon Is
ul.cbosen, and follows upon the hna CRASH which
the moment when stocks tumble and the unlucky
amateur bull finds himself tossed and gored, ne
Is confronted with the new furniture from
Narcotics the new toilettes from Worth's and
otneI feminine Outbursts OF extravaganza into
which his wife had been led by his fancled wealth.
but even this Crash Is comical, and followed as IL
Ii by q shower OF luck, under which all get q
douche the denouement is as happy and sunshlny
as any set OF lovers could WISH