The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-05-11
THE NEW STYLE OF DRAMA.
APLOT THAT'S SLIGHTLY mixed
BUT REPAYS PER USAL.

From The California Spirit Of The Iimes.1
The story of Evougelime, now
being played at tho Grand Opera
House, this city, is not as intricate
as one Victor Hugo's novels, nor as
clear as ono of Miss Thackcry's, but
it tells s., stay, however, let Mr..
Goodwin give the argument in his
own fashion:
AS rule we dislike to got into
an argument with anybody, but for
the benefit of those persons who,
having left their spectacles at home,
are unable to see the plot of
E'vangeliae, we have waived all
personal feelings and consented to
explain few intricacies which may
not be apparent at first sight.
Some years before the curtain rises
that is to say, looking back before
the action of the piece begins
what we mean is, some timo pre-
vious to the date of the plays COM
mencement-on second thought,
we will begin this argument differ
emily. Evangeline, the heroine, is
Basil's daughter and in love with
Gabriel, who reciprocatcs her
affection. They are to be betrothed
to each other, and to the great Joy
Of Leblanc, the officiating notary,
who alone knows tho fact that an
uncle of Evangeline, who died some
years before the rising of the cur
tain, left his money to her on con-
dltion that she never bctrothed
Gabriel, whom he hated, because he
(GabrieD had onco shouted out,
''There goes old Skccsicks /" at him
(the uncle) when he (GabrioD was
boy, ond he (the uncle) was going
along the street in front Of his
(Gabriefs) house. This, it will DO
perceived, is ingenious, as it gives
n motive for introducing a will,
without which no modern piece can
very we'll get along. 1t also ex~
emplifies tho old proverb, "Whcro
there's will, there's way"
If she betroths Gabriel tho money
is to 60 to Leblanc, this being
provision Of tho will; and rs
Leblanc has the will, all he wants
to find is tho way to get the young
couple betrothed, so no can como
into possession Of the large fortune.
BY this it will DO naturally inferred
that Leblanc is villain. Do not
let it be thought for moment that
his motives are mercenary-far
from it p! He is in love with Cathe-
rine: Gabriels mother, and fears
she will reject him unless he is
wealthy, which he is not, yet. If
he marries her, and her son mar
ries Evangeline, and he has obtain
ed Evangelines money, and Cuth-
crimes sou has become his son, and
his money goes to his son, and his
son naturally settles somc Of it on
his sons vito, who is Evangeline-
perhaps we had better 60 on with
the argument-but my way tho
money will be in the family just the
same. This is some what confus-
ing at first sight, but it will repay
study.
Evangoline is rather romantic,
loving to get into exciting situa-
tons, because she is q heroine. So
she hides two sailors, who have
deserted from man Of war living
in the bay near Basil's house. Just
as a lot of guests had assembled ut
Basils house to see his daughter
betroth Gabriel, and just as she
has signed "Eva--" and is going
IN to write "-nge1ine," the captain
of the an-of-war enters the house
with file of soldiers, searches the
premises, finds the deserters, and
arrests Evangelino for abotting
them. He says she must go to
England to be tried by court
martial, and Gabriel volunteers to
go too. Leblanc, anxious to cot
the rest OF her name signed to the
contract, says he will also go, and
Catherine, in n truly noble spirit,
and one worthy of imitation, decides
to become the chaperonne If the
party. The ship starts for Eng
land, but meets with storm, and
is shipWrecked on tho coast of
Africa, and our pa,t ty of friends are
P>,,oI IL