The Portland daily press., 1878-10-24
A False Title


The violent storm last evening prevented
large attendance at the Portland Theatre, but
those who did brave the stempest found their
reward in witnessing an amusing play, correct
ly and very pleasingly interpreted by COM
pany OF great and strkingly uniform merit.
All the parts were well taken, and the per-
Torrance was delightful by reason of the
ease and grace of the actors engaged in it, and
the intelligence, fidelity and spirit of their
renditions. Indeed the art bestowed upon the
Interpretation of the play is far finer than the
play itself. The workmanship surpasses the
material. For the comedy, though certainly
amusing and well constructed in dramatic
sense is decidedly improbable in plot; the satire
upon the manners and the times is not always
of the keenest, and sometimes sinks to
burlesque. But the plot is WELL
developed, the story interesting and the acting
good enough to make amends for all the
faults of the comedy.
"Florence Whittier" who meets her fate at
the White Mountains, was charmingly pre-
sented by Miss Rose Osborne, who gave an
representation of the handsome young heiress,
notable for its vivacity and pretty petulance in
the opening scenes and its delicacg, symrathet-
| ic grace, AID genuine feeling in the stronger
passages. Miss May Davenport was an
eminently pleasing Valerie" The character
! is not one to command strong interest but
Miss Davenport by the naturaness and SINGER
I ity of her acting, the faultless grace of her
method, did invest it with many attractions.
! Mrs. Brutone as the stately Knickerbocker
dame, was excellent. Her manner and voice
! amt nr IN
who is always good in her line, was of courss
satisfactory "Olivia Webster Brown Mr..
Levick's false lord was a fine and admirably
well sustained impersonation, praiseworthy for
its quiet strength, Its naturalness and its artistic
moderation Indeed the sympathies of the
audience went out to sthe villain of the piece;
they overcame their prejudces 10 favor of
noble birth. and heartily wished that wicked
"Tom Tibrook' might win the heiress. Mr.
Plympton's 'Lord Kensington" was something
wanting in force, though played with correct
ness and finish. His love-making was good,
but he was not as happy in the portrayal of the
other passions to which he is called upon to
give expression. The part is perhaps un-
suited to his manner. Mr.. Maginley's
Jonathan Webster calls for high commenda-
so common on the American stage, of the self
made rich man and the tendency with actors is
to overdo thing already overdons by the
author Mr. Maginley exhibited wise and
commendable restraint, avoided the tempta.
tons to exaggeraton which so lavishly present
themselves, and made the character not only
natural but very likeable. Mr.. Ringgold's
"Wabash" was inteligently done. and the
"Ttus Airey" of LIE Clercq was amusing.
sA False Title" will be given for the last
time this evening. Those who miss it miss the
opportunity of seeing pleasing comedy given
by an unusually strong company.
NOrdhoff's Politics for Young AmerIc ans.
To the Portland Press
SIR.-I see it stated in your issue of this
morning that the subcommittee of the school
board, to whom was referred the question of
the approval or dsapproval of this book, have
reported unanimous approval of it. The tenn
perance men who know the committee person. |
ally will not be surprised at an approval of the |
work and of its teachings, but they will be very
much surprised that it was unanimous.
The objection Of the friends of tenn perauce to |
this book was not lightly taken, and they think |
the matter is of very grave importance A |
great many wise and good men in this and 9TH |
er countries, within the last fifty years, have |
held and taught that alcoholic drinks, however
taken, as a beverage are always bad to persons
in health, and are fraught with immense dam
ger to ali who use them, especially to the |
young.
This book teaches that the appetite for these
liquors is natural one; of course that it is i'm
planted in our systems by our Creator; of
course that the Indulgence of it is right and
proper; of course that the whole temperance
movement is founded 10 error and is "hying in
the face Of Providence" as grave Doctor of
Divinity in Boston put it. We do not object
that the gentlemen of the school board should
hold strong drinks to be good thing, and that
indulgence in them is every way right and
proper; but we do object that they should avail
themselves of their official position to teach
that to our children, because we regard 10 as
false in physiology and in morals, and in the
highest degree dangerous in practice leading
fifEsfty apd i4eyitably, to three-fourths of all
which afflict society.
The miserable wrecks we have all up and
down our country owe their wretched fate to
indulgence in strong drink. Lost opportuni-
ties, wasted lives, wretched homes. neglected |
and abused wives and children, ignorance, deg
radiation, idiocy, insanity, come from indul-
gence Id strong drink. The great danger of
wreck and ruin to the young comes from indul-
gence 10 strong drink. The temperance men
of Portland protest against any exercise of
power and opportunity by the school board to
teach that alcoholic drinking is 10 accordance
with the Divine command, and that society has
no right to protect itself from the inf Rite and
terrible evils and dangers coming from the grog
shops. NEAL Dow.
October %, 1878.
1.-THE nsinuation conveyed in the opening lines
of the above Communication is unworthy of its
author ''The temperance mea who know the
committee personally, know that it consists OF |
the Rev. Drs Hill and Smaller and Me- Gray, |
and will smile at the int nation that these gem
tlemen ''teach that alcoholic drinking is 10 &C.
cordance with the Divine command" II is to
be regretted that Gen. Dow demeans himself |
and weakens his argument by introducing Of
fensive and upjustifable personal reflections
into discussion of the merits and dement's of
text book that has been approved by some of
the best educational authorities of the land.
Rowing REGATTA.-The regatta of the Un-
ion Rowing Association, which was to have
taken place yesterday afternoon in the front
harbor, was postponed on account of the in
clemeucy of the weather to this afternoon at
two O clock If the weather should be uupleas-
ant at that time it will occur on the first fair
day. The course will be from Portland bridge
to Galt's wharf-which is one mile
al