Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-05
ADJUSTMENTS.

The THEArER.-There was another fair
sized house at the Memphis Theater last
nightto witness the reconstructed version
of Uncle Toms Cabin. The piece moves
right along like a panorama, with clock
like precision from first to last. This is
one Of the great advantages of a large
company which carries its own scenery
and other stage properties. The interest
never lags a moment; the audience be-
comes absorbed, as if reading a thrilling
story, which is only broken by the imper-
sonation of a role Of humorous characters
and oddly absurd or impossible sit
uations. Where sympathy is painfully
aroused and protracted, and ladies begin
to use their handkerchief, a ludicrous
character like MARKS" the lawyer, who
looks like he might have sat as model for
some of Dickens pictures, or "Topsy,"
the improbable little pagan who sets the
house in a roar by her wickedness under a
Yankee housekeeper, and delights every
body as a b%anjoist, put in an appearance.
The plot is well constructed and is greatly
enhanced by the scenery and frequent fine
sketches of perspective. The scene
where a steamboat is at a landing
taking on freight, fuel and passengers
is quite realistic and striking. This
is where the charming little Eva" takes
a fancy to that pious and exaggerated old
fraud, "Unole Tom" who has been
bought at a Ggh price, falls into the river,
and is rescued by him. In place of the
ordinary singing Of the %roustabouts, there
is some charming vocalism by the jubilee
singers who have finely cultivated and
melodious voices. The crossing of the
river on the floating ice is athrilling scene
in which Marks" the lawyer, as usual
figures to great advantage-by falling in
The singing and the death-scene of little
" Eva" are very sweet and touching.
A capital scene, though it could never
have occurred as set on the stage,
is the slave mart where "Uncle Tom
and two other negroes are sold owing 10
the death of their kind master, one of
whom marks" the lawyer, thought he
had bid in at seventy-fve cents. Uncle
Toms troubles begin then, and from the
pomp and style of a butler to a rich
Englishman he suddenly subsidies into a
very communicating. corn-held darkey,
until finally he is knocked in the head by
a brutal Overseer and expires in the arms
of Little George" who ameontheground
to buy him and take him back to the old
home. Then the piece ends with a grand
transformation scene, The Golden Gates
Ajar, and Uncle Tom rides into glory OH
a chariot attended by angels, and the au-
dience gets up, not knowing whether it is
better to look solemn or laugh at it as a
farce. The principal characters are
e" George Harris" (Mr. J. N. GottholdI
who escaped from his master and went
North for his health; "Uncle Tom," 81.
H. O'NeiD; "Legree,' (Sid r. Ellis(
the imported overseer from New
England Marks" IL. r. Stockwell(,
the irrepressible lawyer, always with
an umbrella and seen riding in on the
stage on a live, sure enough donkey;
"Phineas Fletcher" (Sid S. Hicks the
we'll make up yankee who helps George
Harris OH to join his wife in Canada; "St.
| Clair" Lester Edmunds) the father OF
little Eva; George Shelby" Or. L. Sid
neye eliza" miss Mira CrolinsG top
sy," miss Laura Albertal and Eva
miss Eva Miller. The play deserves the
popularity it has had in other cities and
the good run it has had here. 1t will be
produced ever night this week and at the
matinee Saturday afternoon.
FoREPAUGH's CIBcUs.-It has been a
long time since Memphis has been visited
by a irst-class circus, and the time may
seem longer than it really is. The oppor-
tunity and the pleasure will, however, be
afforded next week to the old and the
young-we include the old especially
for who ever heard Of grown-up people
without pleasant memories Of the circus,
or of a child going to such a place of in.
nocent and instructive amusement with
out being attended by from one to five
grown people as q protection against
wild beasts, runaway horses, anC
many other accidents. All children
love and enjoy the circus. All adults arr
merely grown up children, only not 81
sweet and unselfsh; therefore it follows
logically that everybody likes a gooC
circus. 1t is no thoughtless puffery t.
enumerate Forepaugh's great combina
ton as one of this class, and one worthy
the patronage Of all who have a taste or
propensity for healthy mental recreation
This show opens here next Monday Of
the bluff for two days only, and it j
certainly superior to many that hay'
set up more %extrayagant claim'
IL embraces many attractive features no
to be seen in any other show in America
Among these are seven acting elephants
or forty tons Of elephant more than ha
ever before been seen on the bluff at on
time. Also an immense hippopotamu,
which cost $4,000, the finest ever seen j
this city, and is said to be the only on
ever landed alive on this continent. 1t
supposed that job alluded to this beat
when he wrote: Behold, he drinketh u
a river and hasteth not; he trusted this
he can draw up Jordan in his mouth.
Jordan, however, wal a small strcaI
5 compared with the Mississippi rive
and our river will run all the same. Ther
is in this marvellous collection an Amer