Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-01
ESMER AIDA
Receives a Grand Popular Ovation in
Knoxville.

ESMERALDA
Receives a Grand Popular Ovation in
Knoxville.
Knoxville can now say, since the expert
ence of last night, with feelings of satisfac-
ton and qualification, that she has seen
Esmeralda, the great popular play of the
season, which was written by one who was for
many years, an honored and respected citizen,
Mrs. Francis Hodgson Burnett. And, we
can say, with all truthful candor, that the
reception given to its presentation, by the far
famed Madison Square Theatre Company,
was in the nature of grand popular ova-
ton This was due to the fact first
of the high regard and esteem in which
the fair and talented authoress is held
here, and to the knowledge and confidence
that, in the care of the Madison Square
people, it would be properly handled. 1t
was decidedly the best house of the sea-
son, and very few larger houses have ever
been attracted to Staub's Opera house
ALI readers of current literature herea-
tiful and fascinating story of Esmeralda, by
our favorite authoress. The scene is laid in
the old North State, which bor-
ders upon us, and the heorine
is the daughter of Elbert Rogers, an honest
old North Carolina farmer, who with his
spirited wife Liddy Ann, who was ''fotch
up" in Elizabethton, and Esmeralda lived
on poor farm, in one of the western coun-
ties of the State. Esmeralda was in love
with plain and simple neighbor boy, Dave
Hardy With the completion of the railroad
to Elizabethton, near the North Carolina
line, there came trouble to the family, in
the shape of New York fortune hunter,
who found valuable ores on the place, and
by lucky deal supplied the family with
large sum, which they took and started out
to see the world, lead on by mother, ye
know" much against the will of Rogers and
Esmeralda and Dave. They finally
turn up in gay and giddy Paris, much out
of place, though reveling in wealth and
fine things, and the spirited mother makes
a worldly match between Esmeralda and
Marquis. But Esmeralda's heart remains
true to Dave, who follows them all the way
to Paris, and upon the knowledge of his ar
rival she absolutely renounced the Marquis
and returned to her first love. The sequel
proved that the rich lead was found on
Dawes land, ard the Rogers find was of very
little value. In fact, Dave had for some
time been furnishing the means for
the support of the Rogers family. Mother
spurned at first the return of Esmeralda to
Dave, and was 10th to give up the giddy life
and prospect of Marquis for law,
but finally suecumbed, when the real facts
developed and all ended happily.
1t is hard to conceive of how the play
could have been placed in better hands for
a true portrayal, than in those of this, one
of the strongest companies ever sent out by
the Madison Square Theatre Company.
The part of the heroine was well placed in
the hands of Miss Belle Gilbert, whose
charms and delightful stage demeanor have
long since endeared her to Knoxville play
goers. Mr.. Edwin Arden played well the
role of Dave, and the two drew forth re-
peated applause. Mr. R. F. McClannin's
portrayal of the old unsophisticated farmer
and hen-pecked husband, was indeed true
to life, and splendid piece of work, and
as the high spirited and domineering wife
and mother, Mrs Berrel was a decided
success She was truly finished femi-
nine fend, in its strongest light.
Miss Clara Spence, as sister of the painter,
and lover of Estabrook, the atmospheric
artist, did some of the cleverest acting we
have ever seen, and illustrated strikingly
the groupings out of human nature. Mr.
F. NJ Burbeck filled in the part
of Estabrook to perfection, and
superior talent, while Mr..
Jas. Gilbert, as the speculator, Miss Enid
Leslie, sister of the painter, Mr.. Fred
Peters, the painter, and Mr.. Hugh Fuller
as the Marquis, were up to all the require
ments
In fact, IN a word, the play is delightful
one, and it was put on in such manner as
to enlist the most undivided interest and
most rapturous applause of perfectly de-
lighted audience. 1t has seldom been our
pleasure to witness more satisfactory pre-
sentation.