New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-15
fine action is simply stupid Master Simon

DNf'"-
gives his whole family to the country.
His son, Petit Jean. is to become drummer and his
daughter. Therese rraRdiere. One is not prepared
Tor this military evolution Of the heroine by the
count of her tOmboy grlhood. She comes out all at
once full-blown Daughter Of the Regiment"
IT, OF the volunteers of the Sarre. Why she is
called MADAME" TO the close Of the final tableau
does not appear; as she quits the stage at the end
OF the piece TO be married. She il personated by
Lima Muute, whose naturally weak voice is drowned
In the purring noise Of the electric generator to
ght the theatre. and in the noise OF distant cannon.
marching troops and dashlng cavalry. Lima is
poor stun out Of which to make a patriotic
heroine She does not fit her role.
The best actress Is child, Mile.
Vsnnlna. pupil OF Regnier, who personates
the drummer. Jean Simon. Her dictiOn Is perfect.
her by-play charming ID clever. And she seems at
home on the stage. She says everything she has to
say Just az she ought, and without in any way
thrustlnG herself forward makes when she is silent
her presence felt.
There are many anachronisms in the piece. All
the volunteers armed with percussion guns in
stead of fint-locks. The Brunswicllers were not
" Black" In 1893. Nor do l believe that vlvan-
dieres in that year rode in such jaunty
little vehicles as the one into which
Iherese mounts to follow the volunteers of
the Sarre. Erckmann-Chatrian are great
victnallers. All their heroes and heroines know
how TO ply the knife and fork. In the third tab
eau I'm the house OF Doctor Jdcob there is an
eating scene. The Doctor is German who
has settled i'll Lorraine. But he is descended
from French HuguenOt prescribed by Louis XIV.
HIS French blood SINNERS in his veins when the
Brunswickers cross the Sarre, and boIls over when
in subsequent tableau they ask him TO deliver over
to them Iherese a prisoner of war. The Doctor is
badly housed. The room IN which he brings out
Succulent ham and other food to be eaten by Haire
simon and his family is bare, scanily furnished and
provided With an ugly stove. Jacob ana SIMON deal
/ Philosophical convorsaton.
The fourth tableau also affords gastronouic inter
est. 1t represents the square before the Town Hall
Mt Ansiatt. Volun GERS Of the Sarre waiting to
receive their pay. notary, who has volunteered,
thinks. with watering mIuth of jugged hare
that he has ordered. Other soldiers think Of enjoy
ing themselves in another way. They are aGog lor
spree. One OF them proposes to club together and
employ some gypsy girls to dance. The bay deres
ars led by Mile. F0ntabcla, who trips IN
grit with trI-co,Ored scarf, which she I'M
tastens and MAKES use of with picturesque effect.
he shot Of a gun iii, perses the gvpsies. The vol
unteers OF the SarTe snatch uD their guns and have
barely time 10 form into square with their flag m
the mdlle, when the Brunswick cavalry dash In.
Their dag trcoiored Dut It is composed OF white,
blue ana red ozenges, instead OF transverse stripes.
The latter would hay. been an anachrOnism. They
were introduced later on the National standard.
Children and very uneducated people might be
entertained with tne charge of the Black Hussars.
whose horse, wheel rOunu and round the volunteers
IN circus fashion. We do not witness the breaking of
the square. but in the fifth taDlean. which shows
Ans, att at nigut, that it has been broken.
Houses bear the traces Of shot and she'll. The mar
ket place Is strewu with dead and dying.
Among the latter Is simoa--Personated by Lacres-
sonlere III only good actor the piece IL Is
tabieauS 70 uc got through
In the sixth tableau there Is n courtship. Doctor
Jacob has found IheTese. who left tor dead
among the wounded. He takes her TO his house and
brings her through dangerous illness In tending
her he falls IN love- She reclpr0cates his sentiment.
Bnt he Is n shy Old bachelor, he would
not have the courage to declare his passion
II the Germans did not come To take his sweetheart
who cantIuiere ranks as private soldier
There Is nothing 10 be done but take refuge with
he in tue cdEtp of hOche- That famous general Is
bTOught upon the -ccue a rOliOQuy in hls tent
with ~. lust whose orders he refuses To IKE lie
Resolves 10 attack the Austrans 10 are III posses
OF tie GieSbrrg. one Of the strongest positions
of the NOsges, wnlch are covered with snow. The
passage OF the mountain by teBestrangess corps Is
IN tine circus style, but effective. There is tIe
meudOus din OF military music. An infantry band,
the trumpets of the Municipal Guard, who are leDt
to the Chateet by the municipality. and Artss or
cbestra ali unite In a march. fenestrangess bat
talon supposed 10 be stealing upon the Ausrlans
while IT keeps up this exciting GIn.
An effective tauleau Is the fete gwen by UurIser
70 tire officers Of his staff. 1t Is in small crystal
palace-wnich Is the greenhouse Of Lorraine
cha.ean The officers wear Croat, Hungarian,
Austrian and Polish uniforms. and are
scattered about IN groups. UUrmSer enters. He
apO,Ogzes for not sitting down 10 table at the pre-
Gle time mentioned in the invita- Ion the Duke of
b unswIcl, not yet having arrived. The present
guests are suffering from the paugs OF hunger, aud
forgetting their respect for sovereign Prince OF
the German Empire, they call on Uurmser 10 order
dinner to be served. He. TO give them patience
orders drummers young soldiers and vlyandleres TO
come IN and execute terDsichOrean p0t-pOuTTl Of
1sIgaue, Polish, Magyar and bohemian dances. No
more scenic ballet was ever introduced IN a French
play. Swords and saDres form arches, under which
the drummt r. and the canuI ieres run. There are
mIinlc battles III when the clash and flash OF the
weapons really tXcrIng As To the uniforms, their
varIe Is endless and they picturesque as they
a e varied. ne arrival OF the Duke OF BrunstCck
pu s an eid to his advertisement. That sovereign
Prince Is represented by "a supe."
The closing taDleau is absurd. lt s entitled vic
tory" tenestranges's corps has crossed the Gles-
berg but we do not see il. tight goes on behind
the scenes. We see a detachment OF Austrlans re-
putslng few volunteers. 1h6rese to the
rescue seizes flag and PUSHES over the bridge
winch defends the enemys position. HOche and the
Notary vino likgs jagged mare ride forward. Hrm-
sers troops fly Inc French General shouts Vic
tory victory p and embraces the vlvanuiere and
the limb OF the law, who cry VIve la RepuDlIque