The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-07
LOCAL MELANGE.
Matrimonial Misfortunes Of
a Journalist.
The Whitley Company in
Frou Frou.
Full Line of Brevities and
Other News Nuggets.
FROU FROU.

In the character of Gilberte, (Frou
Frou,) Miss Lewis had innumerable oppor-
tunities, every one of which was improved,
of revealing the depth and intensity of true
womanly devotion as well as of convincing
the audience that E'hell hath no fury like a
woman scorned." Her charming naivete
in the first act while holding that animated
school girlish conversation with her sister
Louise, (who is dead in love with Sartorys,
the future husband of Gilberte, but who
most successfully controls her passion while
desiring her sister to receive hinA as her
accepted lover,) make most happy i'm
pressi on upon the audience. In the sub
seqHent acts which required the most
sable Interpretation of human emotions
conceivable down to and including tthe
restoration to husband, child and home,
the atonement for error and the forgiveness
of her husband Miss Lewis showed most
Enthusiastically her complete mastery of
everything going to make up the vivacity,
the coquettishness and the pettishness as
well as the most genuine sisterly and wife
appearance was signal for applause which
was gracefully recognized. The costuming
of the character was singularly appropri-
ate and beautiful and proved to be not the
least important of the adjuncts of the
play.
AS Henry Sartorys, the husband of Frou
Frou Mr.. Cooper added another link to the
chain which will ever connect him with the
play-going public of Rock Island. One
moment in a state of great mental torture
consequent upon the discovery of the fick-
leness of his wife, by sudden transition,
after having discovered the regard of his
wife's sister for him, we find him making
the best of the situation, and considerable
love as well, with all the consummate sang
froid of the true man of the world. In the
final reconciliation. happy and complete,
with his dying wife, pathos was blended
with tragedy, to such an extent that those
who were not in tears were winking and
blinking like so many cats in the dark
which is the most striking commentary OF
which the ARGUS can conceive, tending TO
show the absolute faithfulness of the finest
seen in long time.
Maude Atkinson made splendid Louise,
sister to Gilberte. Her beautiful self
abnegation in surrendering her sister to
one whom she evidently loved as only
true woman can love, was one of the most
thrilling points of the play. Not less
powerful was her delineation of a sister
whose motives had been naturally but
none the less cruelty misunderstood
by those nearest and dearest on
earth. The principal charm of Miss
Atkinson's work lies in her
complete remuneration of all manner of
affectation Neither mannerism nor false
infections marring her superior rendering.
If she lives the ARGUS predicts for this
really gifted woman an elevated place in
the grand temple of Thespis.
Rob. V. Ferguson. the lively comedian,
took unto himself the character of an
aged but remarkably frisky French husband
something new for him in Rock Island,
but he read his lines as effectively as in
any other character which he has assumed.
His appearance was greeted with consid-
cradle enthusiasm and it is not too much
to say right here that during his engage
ment he has won his full share of
friends. BY the way Ferguson would
make one of the best Paul Prys of modern
times, and the ARGUS would like to see
him in that old but ever convulsing charac
ter.
In the character of Count de Valreas
MIR. Guptill's excellent dramatic genius
had wide scope. Naturally a gentleman
(and this word is used with the true con-
seriousness of its meaning) MIR. Guptill is
quite at home in the impersonation of true
gentility rather than in something of the
Jack Cade order. While perhaps, lacking
in force. his work is ever of highly pleas
ing and satisfying nature.
Carrie Carter was the seemingly inRo-
cent, but really INSCRIPTIONS French bar
oness with a vengeance. The end and
aim of the existence of such
as shewas to have good time themselves,
no matter what the world may say. yet at
the same time, to carefully avoid every
pitfall.t Keeping out of hot water herself