, 1877-11-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

ADJUSTMENTS.
TIE ADELrI1I.
"The Danttes," joaquin a1ilcr's play,-or.
more strictly speaking, tho joint production OF
Miller ind Mckee Rankin.-was brought out !
here on Monday cvaning, and met With gcncr-
Gus Welcome from tho nulioncc, which Was q
largo Que, and susceptible Of being kndicd Into
a steaay glow Of admiration. At any rate, the
applause was unstintcd, and there wero re-
pcatcI demands for tic actors to corno out at
tho close Of the acts.
"Thc Danttcs " ts In many respects m elect
I've, -htgh1y-colored neloIraula, III whlc., wc
recognize, amid ccrtain parlouabtc md perhaps
unavoidable bItss of theatrical claptrap, MI
honest. sincere ellcayoT to dcltncatc particular
phases Of Wild Western life and charac-
ter at d particular period Of wild
Western history. This is u circumstance
TINT It would bc we'll to keep III
mind In aeckng to estimate tho truth Of tho
picture. Il prcscnts to our View q group Of
figures TINT to civilized eyes may appear gfo-
tcsquc ind exaggerated, because tho ctrcum-
Stances which formed such characters have al
ready taken on tho. picturcaqucncss that be-
Tonga to rcntotcncas Of piaco mil time. From
dramatic point Of View, however. II should real
iy bo Of litte consequence whether the lratnatts
pcrsonm llyc. nloyu, au1 have their being IN 40
Il. G, or 4. D. 1870, 90 long as tllero Is in them
touches Of nature that fnaks ali agcs kin. This
is theatrical picture Of lsncr's lfc In Caltfor-
MA in tho lays OF 10. Theatrical, not political,
albeit Conceived by poet, and containing true
poetic touches hQrc aud there. 1t ls very easy
to sec that tl,u practical haud OF the staga man.
niger las been at work here, remorselessly cut
ttfnhrh7v tY nflafftsu1
bu. ituuractlcable dialogue aud e'o-
ouunt but sllpesauous descriptive touches,
substituting Rankinfsnls for 3iEllorsu,s, mud
pruning the thing down to conform to tho co,l-
uit!uuH OF stage effect. Tho result ts ttlat, ln-
stead vi play which, 11!fglt have been literary
curiosity, We tlaye tI,clo4ratna thxt people who
onIoy. Tho Incidents which make up thu drama
can bo very brieay skctchcd.. The Mormon
Dahtcs, bound to Arr.,Ee tho deatli Of Jostph
ut the hands Of onu IYNtiasns, resolve to *.
terminate tho sacc VI 1Natans, and thu first ast
inns dh1 her brother 0e9rgk. Sandy -4c0ee, q
miner, attenpts tu saw them, aulI makes a
uartDw escape. Tho second net Introduces us
to mining camp on "rhe Forks :, into which
who, magnet like, .'druws tho
rusticst Iron of old intners' hearts," au4
effects q transformation In their character nnd
detneanor. Among them Is boy. HtAV lIpsr,
who suon becomes MI Intimate friend of thu
sctlpullna' ami at tue Same titlo cxcics tue
envy anl fll-wilI Of thu whole camp, partfcu.
larly that OF tho PaFson. 30 called On account of
n. swss5!ng DropSnsi.ss who Is i oys WITH
schoulma'an,. The fatson's jealousy incites
lin to u,aku away with lIalY, who u presently
discovered hY tic Widow to bc woman, mud
who turns out subsequently, to bo NONE other
than tVancu |YUltams. aeanwhlls 6a.dy 4Nc-
Ia becomes nuanorvi OF tho scnoulnia'ani, pFo-
poses, Is ncceptcl, and marres. Billy likr
cherisllcs q hopeless Eoyo for Sandy, md tllla.
considering ths knowledge on tho part Ut Nrs
miners that thurs u sly lure affair IN tue case
brings about pretty R1foug dramatic situation.
BiAVts thrust from, a,aiyscab!l oi.c night after
BeI,.c which reveals to him what his pot.'ratlc!
BuiV In Ills cabin half deal With grlcf. lovs, aud
tue terror Of the Aycugiug Angels. Thu latter,
lInling that Htty II ono u tho 'FIffanset. rnlso
mob to lynch him ior n!a supposed Intimacy
sooa s,i 'ae oees u tho 1srso", :saWfy, and .wo
women OF tho camp, tue truth CONES to llght,
and the moi turn upon thu DESTROYING Angels
aud lynch them. sucl, u brief outline Of the
IL picturesque situations and tell
lug dramatic cltmaxes. Thu characters arc
al truthiul!y l!snned as ono can ex.cet In melo-
drama, whose.purposu Is theatrical elect ratlieE
talk and deu1ean Themselves Is people In thuso
rude titpes are popularity believed To hayo dons,
! aud this satisfies the popular car and pye. III
| be sure there IA the wonted Infusion OF stage
d1awl and swagger, just a. there !a The inGY'
liable suuerabuntanc1 ut slang. This u alnlply
| \ statement Of thu truisM TINT most theatrical
pictures OF life mud manners arc vt best 10 bet
Ter than carlcatutcs. Thu effect upon the
miners of tic appearance Of tho schoolma'aIu,
for example, will 1e to n,auy spectators ulGEe
buslesQue, but those who hare haA experiences vi
these rough days Will perceive that II II truth
full caricalure,- Is TO say theatrical repre-
| scutatiun Of u fact !n human nature. Tbs up
| partition Of = lady among these men, who
had Got seen woman for years, had something
itku The eItest which shakapsar describes tu
herds "-"thelr downelst eYes turned 10 q
moIess guze." Ws, hare known ,ol
wilder incidents ln this connection
than that presented BY Mt. MlE!er'a
play-such ~ that VI crowd Of miners calling
out ncwIy-arstvcl emisraut to thu front VI he,
| covered wagon, aud throwing gold cotns at hel
| feel for tbs privilege Of gazing ut ller tace.
| That would seem absurd On the stage, and Ye'
Tbs inpsobabllity Of Bully pipe4llging 10 lona
eulpux thcsc men without discovering her sex
mud tho further luiprobatiiityu uf her keeping he'
secret frun Sandy When the had revealed 1t Il
bis wife, may be accepted u theatrical ueccs
slty, although 1t betrays poverty ot invocation
TherA nre several conspicuous cruuitics Ok thl'
kind In thu drama, n1ld yet 1t will not iau on th'
whole to impress tau spectator - being singu
larly itcS frt,ru = Kind OF vulXarts0l a,l1 ca1l
RESERVATIONS of Western ulanners.
It only femalns to remark that the play ia
bceu appropriately and handsomely mounted =
the Adclphi, aud TINT tho company brouEh
hlther to play II Kaya sufficient reason 1or tn
heastY welcome thay met Ill. Rankin give