Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-02-07
gus Anseles alwala.
(From the Evening Expressly
Lies Femmes QaI PieureDt."

When Victor Hugo wrote his
book, "LHomme Qui Rit," (The
Man Who Laughs he threw out
title which has proven suggestive
to wide range of writers, and we
have had books without end ring
ing the changes on this odd conceit.
"The Man who Sings" "The Wo-
man who Plays" "The Girl who
Laughs and so on, have success
slvely appeared in titular variation
of the original by the great author.
The piece selected for representa-
ton at Nine. Marra's benefit next
Friday night is another phase of
this mania to paraphrase Hugo's
suggestive title. 1t is called "Les
Femmss qui Pleurent," (The Wo-
men who Cry,) and is an exquisite
ly conceived and put together little
comedy in one act. Chambly (Du
Py) has welded a sharp, though
charming widow, (Delphine-Mme.
Marra) who, as condition prece-
dent to their marriage, stipulated
that she should hold the key to
the connubial cash box, and that
the. husband should receive from
her an allowance OF 1000 francs
per month. They 60 to Baden
Baden to spend their honeymoon,
and Chamb!y tries his luck on the
green cloth. He is one Of those
callow players who invent a sys-
tenn to beat the game, but the
game, as usual, beats the system.
His wife knows of his passion, and
determines to punish him by re.
fusing to advance him money on
his monthly allowance. About
this time Albert de RisuX, "a.
Charruan) an old classmats Of
Chambly, also arrives at Baden,
with his wife (Clotilde-Mlle.
M. Chevallier,) to spend their
honeymoon. The friends have a
happy meeting, and when they
come to introduce their wives,
they, too, turn out to be old school.
mates. Albert has entered into the
marriage state with a set determi-
nation to be firm at the start, so as
to lay a solid basis for supreme
pantaloon government in the fu-
ture. Clotilds has seen a set of
diamonds which takes her fancy,
and, naturally enough, wants them.
But Albert, in obedience to his re-
solve, refuses to buy them. When
the two ladies get together, the
widow chides Clotilde for giving up
the fight so easy, and instructs her
how to bring Albert to terms. She
counsels her to insist OH the dia-
monds, and if he.refuses, to resort
to tears. She does so, and Albert
yields. Chambly learns of the
ruse, and he determines to try the
the same method on his wife, so as
to open her purse-strings and enable
him to prove that his system will
beat the bank. He solicits an adj
vance of a thousand francs. Del
phine resolutely refuses. Chambly
resorts to tears, and Delphine COW
ers him with ridicue. The game
wont work both ways. In the
meantime Albert overhears a con-
versation between the ladies, from
which he learns that he has been
imposed upon, and that Clotilde's
tears were theatrical. The decep.
tion renders him desperate, and he
accepts challenge from some
Russian officers whom he had
called to account for insulting his
friend Chambly at the gambling
table. Chambly, having failed in
his little effort to bring the widow
to terms by his tears, also becomes
desperate, and hearing that his
friend is about to fight in his quar-
rel, anticipates him by meeting the
officers in the field. The duel re-
suits in a scratch to the first officer,
when the affair is amicably settled
great trepidation about the duel,
and when Chambly returns hero
the widow is glad to relent. Clo-
tide acknowledges the deception OF
tears, and albert forgives. Mutual
explanations set all things right,
aud the play is brought to a happy
close. The only other characte r in
the peace is Jean, (J. Michaux,) a
waiter, who serves to give consis-
tency to the plot by his humorous
blunders. The piece is a pleasant
trlfie, and rests mainly on
the unlookedfOr situations de-
veloped as the plot progresses.
The conversation is spark
ling, and the movement of
the piece rapid. The amateurs in
cluded in the cast have carefully
rehearsed their les, and we shall
look for a very interesting little
dramatic performance as distrac-
ton to the musical excellence OF
the evening.