The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-12
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.

MESSENGER FROM JARvIs's SECTION.
Portland has witnessed several plays in each
of which some phase of New England life was
made the salient feature, but none of them
has been constructed with as much skill as
that of "The Messenger from Jarviss Sec
tion," presented at Portland Theatre last
night 1t is true that there is nothing novel
in the construction of the piece and that
few of the scenes and some of the dialogue
drag little. 1t is also true that good old
Uncle Danl, "who has been deputy sheriff at
Jarvis's Section nigh on to fifteen year," ex-
hibits an innocence and simplicity about some
things that we can hardly believe of any depu-
ty sheriff, whether he lives only two hours ride
from station on the Boston g. Maine railroad
or down in the Aroostook. But, while the
critic may find these imperfections in the play,
and say that melo-dramatic business of the old
school forms its groundwork, still it must be
remembered that good meo-drama is always
popular with the mass of theatre-goers.
The story in brief is this Uncle Dan'l,
deputy sheriff, "way down in Maine," visits
his sister-in-laws house to find that her hus-
band, his brother, was killed the year previous
by falling from high cliff. Deceased left
mortgaged farm and the postmaster holds the
mortgage. The postmaster offers to settle the
farm on the widow if her daughter will marry
him. The daughter is in love with sailor
lad. There seems no way to raise the mort
gage. Uncle Danl decides to go to Boston and
see if he can find the widows BROTHER who re-
ioices in the uncommon name of John Smith,
and induce him to lend the money. He takes
with him curious pistol called '.Pettengills
annihilator," and pair of remarkable hand
cuffs, the invention of ST Pettengill, ga rale
handy feller," and they do come in "handy"
In low saloon he meets "Clip" Kepler,
whe helps him find the widows brother (who
turns out skinflint) and the sailor lad who
loves his niece. He also meets with state
prison bird. and his partners, and through the
scoundrels discovers bow, and who, murdered
his brother. With "Clip" and the sailor he
returns to the farm in time to confront the
postmaster, show receipt for the moneys adj
vanced by him, rescue the farm and enable the
niece to marry the man of her choice.
MIR. Macauley's Uncle Dan'l was a remark
ably good effort. Easy and natural-with
little of the preacher about him when he rose
to the dignity of occasions and announced his
office-he displayed not only an unctuous
humor, but in the telling situations of the
play, simple honesty and a determination to
die If need be for duty's sake, that went
straight to the mark. In the closing scene of
the third act-a scene by the way that was in
tensely realistic-he gave an artistic represen-
tation OF the character that will compare with
anything on the stage.
Mr. Macauey was admirably supported by
Miss Ida Glenn as "Clip," the girl who tended
bar at Kepler's, who was fnll of slang and yet
beneath her roughness, cherished the heart
OF true woman, who risked her own life to
save Uncle Danl and who succeeded TO find
nf
characters were well TAKEN
The audience were in full sympathy with the
actors from first to last They laughed hearth
ly at the comic features and jokes, and were
absorbed in the dramatic situations; They
called out Mr.. Macauley at the end of the
third act, and expressed their pleasure freely
as they left the house.
Miss Maud Forester, with her trained steed
Lightning" and supported, as is stated, by
an excellent company, will appear at Portland
Theatre tomorrow and Thursday evenings in
"Mazeppa." The bill says; ''Amid the shouts
of the Tartars, the roar of cannon, the blazing
of fires, and the breathless excitement and ap-
plause of the audience, Miss Forester, as Ma
zeppa, is strapped to the fiery steed Lightning,
who bounds from rock to rock, from the stage
to the roof of the theatre" In the great tour
udIn0uC SCENE Un6 Unr60 RUSSIAN aJQl0C6S, FRED
eric, Gloss and Lavan, will appear, and the
thrilling broadswoad combat of Miss Forester,
Messrs. Langmaid and Murray will take place.
NOTES.
Lolita revived in PHILADELPHIA last week the
play of "Heartsease," written for her some
years ago by Edmund Falconer, and it met
with such success that she proposes to restore
it to her repertoire next season.
Carlotta Leclercq has returned to the Eng
lish stage, and at last accounts was playing
Mercy Merrick in the Provinces
Maggie Mitchell brought out "Little Moth
err" her new play written by George Fuller, at
st. Louis on April l, but it met with little sue
cess, according to the local papers.
Edwin Booth is to have 20 per cent of the
receipts during his joint performances with
Irving, and the price of stalls at the Lyceum
has been raised to one guinea.
James O'Neill's expense. While the popular
actor was playing at the Windsor in New
York, week before last, waggish acquain-
ance purloined from the front of neighboring
variety show big board on which was cut
of man dressed in Hibernian costume. hold
ing shillaleh over his head, and labelled
"Jim O'Neill, the greatest jig dancer in the
world" This was carried down and set in
front of the Windsor, where it remained near
ly "a hours before it was discovered. O'Neill
was exceedingly angry about it, but the News
says his wrath bore no comparison to the rage
of the Jig dancer.