The Benton record. [volume] (Benton, M.T. [Mont.]) 1875-1879, 1878-10-04
A LETTER FROM BOSTON.

Monday evening, September 18th, we
thad something at the Boston Theatre to
wake US mp.
kit, the Arkansas Traveller" is what
YOU mean when you say "bang up" There
lis much bang and many upshots to the
matter, after the quiet man-in-themoony
time we have had all summer, when they
had nothing more palatabIe for us than
Gvishy,washy burlesqne, the most note
worthy points of wrch were the plaudit-
4ory foot-notes put in the wrong places.
EThis dash into the reckless life Of the
hunter and the Mississippi gambler is
fquite refreshing, and the opening Of the
Irregular season with this play, withe E. s.
fChanfrau in the title role, his seventh
annual engagement, called together a
large concourse of people that nearly FL.
ed the magnificent building.
The action Of the play is rapid and you
have little time to read up your program
me. The situations are striking and Chan
frau was well supported. The story Is
fthis: Beginning with Kit, the Arkansas
traveller, in hunters costume by his little
cottage door, just home from a days
shooting, happy in the pleasure ofhis little
child whom he interests with stories of
his adventures. We hear him mention
Manuel Bond as a man whom he has met
on steamer coming down the river and
who refused to drink with him-this to his
wife who is visibIy affected, but limits her
demonstrations to an exclamation or two.
but feels it all the same. In the evening
Manuel Bond, disguised, comes to the cot
!tage for nights lodging and furnishes
the iuaIe to the tune, the half of which
Kit is always playing on the violin, for
swhicn favor Kit is proportionately CRATE
iful and offers his hospitality in payment.
When Mrs. Kit sees him she turns very
cold shoulder towards him and he turns
his back on her-the best piece of still
acting I ever saw. Kit goes off to shoot
some birds and Manuel Bond renews old
sovertures of love and forcibly carries off
wife and child. He sails away with them
5n little boat. and from the shore Kit
fires on them and the wife drops out Of
Bight and out Of the play. All this is sup.
posed to take place in '58. Thirteen years
having elapsed, We have Kit, the dealer
n hogs, and Manuel Bond the wealthy
gambler. Alice, the child, grown up as
fs2oraa'a ward and promised ID young Mr.. |
Temple, Southern gentleman Kit drinks
badly and plays high and is looking for
Manuel Bond. He has many afectionate
Friends who help to drag him down the
social plane, among them two dead
beats-Judge Suggs and Major Squiggs-
both astonishing specimens in their way.
sThe scene closes with grand melee OF
pistol shots and broken glass, then all the
characters 90 down the river in the Ne,
dora, and then we have the wooling up
of The steamer and dismissal Of the dark
es with kick thrown in, when their work
Is done. The little German emigrant
Frau Pea3ors, who was good specimen
pf the able use of muscle in woman's rights,
asks Bond to help her on board, and
whose pass he pockets and and goes on
board himself, leaving her 70 be pushed On
shore and her trunk thrown otter her,
Fbich Kit having seen, offers to play
game with the Captain for her passage.
The moving of the great steamer away
from the wharf is triumph of mechanical
skill, and the song of the darkies on shore
must recall old times to many minds. The
Scene too, in the cabin, and the game Of
boxer where Kit retrieyes the fortunes of
foung Temple, IL very thrilling and held
be audience spell.bound. When Kit holds
Up the four aces in his hand, what en- (
Rnsiasml Cheers drowned the noise ofI !
Tapping and stamping The daughter, !
ahce, has grown up, and vhile Kit plays :
he old Jig that he used to play, on the |
lotin that he has hastily caught up as he .
9}ts waiting for the last passengers to go
h board the "Medora" she il passing up
be plank when the old familiar tune |