New-York tribune., 1880-09-29
icfcc.ivo

fret oct 70 even tho clumsiest dcfcc'iyo
officer that ever wore an Attleboro damon" ID n'S
shirt front. the play OF Deacon Cranket' lever
couId have got beyond the first curt'in' ~ 10
he has forced its thin stream OF mawkish doHes"o
sentiment through five OF the wcarie7o ac'' '""'
ever tried the endurance OF Rood-hatuie'
There is not, however. in the entire coz p'unu
one ain ole dramatic incident Mr. Wbeclo x, N
chastity glare Of lme-iight, demanding rev'nfe Oh
somebodv who has run away with S3O,OCO; Mr'
WbeeIock. in the last stages of tie shakes," yo-
cifcratipg In tones of thunder that he
will sink burn and destroy the Aforesaid iuga-
cious swindler the moment be finds hIm Dr.
WheeIock in beautiful state of grief and bine
trousers convulsively declaring to his sweetheart
that he Will spend the rest Of the evening IN lfa"
tic endcavor to restore to her arms this yagaDoni
sharper whom. evidently, she does not want; ana
Mr. Wheelock grandly posing schooncr's iib-boom
to strike down the discovered foreer. and then
presently welding, with portentous Jury, brand
new stage axe III his ef,ncethcse are The tableaus
Through these, and through vast interncdia'o
ouacmires Of the smallest kind OF pratfe, MT. Ben
Marinev. very rosy and fat, trips airiy 10 AID
fro with the casual exclamation Of mackerel
and gnrry-tubs p which, apparently. is supposed TO
contain a perfect sunburst Of humOr. And that IS
the pav There seems to have been. on the part of
Mr. H.bbcrtOn, the intention TO suggest that 1t ~
noble to forgive injuries, aud that even rascal
has n co science. These, however. are not very p'o
found truths and Mr. Habberton Is tie victim OF a
doplora bic deuson if he supposcs that the modern
stage is deficient in types of heroic selfsacricc or
didac.ic lessons of charity toward the criminal
classes Onte the con riry. There never was,
since the New Testament was written pf We
NAV adopt style Of expression to which
II I 10 o1 add
such f1ndness for sinners, such joy in the
repentant drab. such strenuous assertion OF the
divine spark in every form OF r.Iscrcant as may be
fonnd il the benevolent pages OF the Frencl comedy
of today; and the French writers have got what
Mr.. Habberton. and the rest OF these
theatrical morlsts have yet 10 acquire. the art
of choosing ana dspos.ng dramatic IDEAS and
materials
The worst quality about Deacon Crlnkett is
certain tone of easy familiarity with Divine Proyi-
dence Most Of its persons have frequeLty on their
lips the name of God. Once there Is reading rom
the Bbe-whlch being totally needless to tho
plot has an air Of obvious cant. The idea,
doubtedly, has been to catch the fancy of simple
minded ig%E@nt 1%cS Be9cr cT3ndtfu t1e S S9nn' 5s
conveyed. "GOd." says the Deacon, SIS dead hent
on filing the world with beautiful things God
only knows galsn he remarks, at another moment
of pions forvor and He hasn't writ book to tell
IL about EN-" This kind OF clatter Mr. Habbcrton
may possibly, consider original, brilliant daring,
and quite in the muscular Christian vein of the
Bcechcr family. II Is IN fact rreverent ribaldrY.
And on general Dflnclpes. man who talks Gospel
much a. Mr.. iiaDDertnn does III tnls pay, IN :
himself open TO the strong suspicion that he doesn't
mean word OF It, The scene OF he Bible reading
by the way, was significantly illustrated Oy the
DraS,nce If Mr.. Harry Eytngc, whose piOus
posinres were rccon zed with peals of laughter.
j. is not pleasant to linger ou such subjects. Nr.
Hub .eton i Young II play-Hritng. and sufficient
feeble IN all kinds of writing 10 have great need OF
prudence. lhe Stage Primer would ut least. t'1ch
him that the theatre Is no place for holding Bble
class. As the backwOOdsu IN said. when the caliOy
young clergyman had been ridden on rail OFT IF
the settlement: We amt agim religion here. but
we hate 10 see n fecr spn II"
Mir. WheelOck acts with all his earneStness-and
i'm HIM It is peculiarly lovely and affecting quality
III this piece; aud his acting has saved II from
utter failure. Mr.. Maginley. also acts with
. arkable ability himself under the nlme of trGn
keu. The sweet good mature of the nan. the sudden
moments of firm gravity and dignity and the latent
spirit of innocent msch,eVous pleasantly, are -
effective ever. For such a part JOkB Parry
inmate, Mr.. Maginey Is splendIdiy adapted. Eyrn
wICn his present surroundings he will find favor
wht rever he goes There are some terrible atilir
tOns IN his company, though notably Mr ". Hem
dcrsDn and Miss Helen ScdgcwIck. OR stage. how
ever - popular with persons who have mistaken
their avOcaton; and protest probably useless
Ii j. wonderful to thlnk to what lengths human
vanity will mpel the human creature. This Is the
Deacon Crankett n iov Old fellow VIII nnfer-
good things besides religion Ben Maginey
Joe thatcher, the deicons pet and thorough
Mr. Heatherton New.lork capitalist Harry EyIiHge
Eebert Gray young banker tranS Roberts
Weazel VILLAGE ne'er do weel "..-..... W Henderson
MaXev detective ....................W. W. b. Murray
Dawson deputy sheriff W Williams
Tom QUITS Name Logger ..--.. George Wilson
Eleanor Heather0n New-York helless who
spends her summers at the deacon's. Miss Helen sedgwck
Mrs. Deacon Crankett. austcre, but with good
Polly PesEin. help to Mrs. craakct in love
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