New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-04
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
THE WHITE SLAVE.

This is an unfortunate woman who, in the teeming
fancy of Mr. BARLEY Campbell, passed through a
series of most distressing adventures, in the State
of Kentucky, 8" before the war" She the
granddaughter of Judge; but having been as he
enormously supposed, born out of wedlock, she
was reared rs the daughter of one OF
her grandfather's female slaves. 10 whom
the Judge las is customary with the judici-
airy of kentucky entrusted the secret OF
her birth, her paternity, her mothers sad death,
and his own sapent scheme for shielding the family
honor When she had become well-grown and
handsome girl and had fallen in love with tho
Judges adopted son, this fine old Bourbon magis
trate expired, leaving " freedom papers" and an
annuity TO her rcputed mother and herself and conf
handing his aforesaid adopted to see her in
every way protected. And while the old man was
dying the slaves gathered around his hall door and
sang a hymn-which naturally prccipitated his
demise.
Then the bereaved girl--after kindly interposing
TO prevent sable sister from beating her sable hus
band with dead hen, in the judicial parlor-naGe
arrangements TO go to Europe; but these were
frustrated by the aud heir, who had been
gambling on the race-track, and wanted money and
who thcreupon sold all the slaves to rascally
friend and it turned out that our heroine was one
Of thenl-as the lamented Judges " freedom papers"
had been made too late his property having all
been mortg ed, withott his knowing it, By the
adopted son, armed with power-of-atorney. Tho
young lady was now conveyed to another planta-
ton, where her purchaser commended himself TO
her attention in the capacity of a lover and
treated by her with contumely and frigid nso-
lence which he rcciprocated by violently squeezing
the back of her neck She then fed with the
youth who had caused all the trouble, but
who row explained that he madly
loved her. and, in swindling his revered
ia her had merely been weak and deluded and they
went together aboard of Mississippi steamer.
Here they were presently found by the Infatuated
planter, and, IN the course of heated discussion
which followed this meeting flames were commune
Gated to quantity of contiguous cotton and resin,
and the boat was Immediately consumed-all on
board perishing, except the dramatis persona, who
oated down the river upon burning logs.
A while later the fugitives arrived upon
desert island where they suffered hunger;
but ultimately they fell into The hands OF
their pursuers and brought back to slavery. 1t
was then oppOrtunely made known that the whi'o
slave had never really been slave at all and, fur
tbermOre, that her purchaser had just shot and
killed another woman who was his paramour. 50
she was declared rescued and free to marry, While
the villain, in trying 10 escape was shot dead by
vglant sheriff
II is evident from this recital that she suffered
much. Those who saw her, last night III the scveu-
act play that Mr.. Campbell uncocd at HaveTlys
Theatre, also suffered They had to view corpse
in tie first act and another in the last They had
to listen to the frequent warbng of the melodious
Southern negro. They had to absorb such momen-
tons moral lessons that rags royal rainent
when worn for virtue" They were distracted
with anxiety to find that Mr.. Campbell had
written a coherent and rational play, upon good
American subject, yet torn with doubt as 10 whether
what they behed was really, as one of the charac-
tiers said, "a tit ing climax to congom-
Grafton of horrors" OF whether il consisted
of scraps from Tho Octoroon," scenes from
Uncle Toms Cabin" shreds from Exit; or. Tbs
Arkansas Traveller and stray speciality features
FROM the Minstrel Theatre of Birch Il Backus. They
could not fail to reflect that there a law of selec-
ton which ought to govern and does govern IN good
dramatic works aud that the author who undertakes
to depict given phase OF life is bound to treat 10
with fidelity TO It's truth yet they had TO see pro-
lix medley of motley scenes which went on
without purpose and ended without reason IN .
which unnatural conduct and impossible incidents
were forced into the service Of theatrical effect ana
which might as we'll have proceeded for twenty
four hours as to have stopped at three. And they
had to ponder upon state OF manners such as never
existed anywhere upon this earth. Inc
utmost they could do was to applsaa
tho steamboat explosion, TO rejoice IN
hat fine ancient sentiment that 1.-THE man
who LAYS his hand upon woman, etc.. 10 10
mire the pretty, sensitive face and Constantly