National Republican., 1883-02-24
THE STORY OF EsMERALDA.
An AneCdote of Old Bald Mountain Told
In n Three-Cornrrnd interview.

tn Three-COrnered Interview.
Messrs. Charles Frohman aud Marc; Klaw, man
| ayers OF the Madison Square Emerada eompany,
were found at their hotel last evening and inter-
viewed regarding the coming play.
WHAT Is rms llsMERALDA' WE HAVE HEARD
| so MUCH ABOUT p asked the reporter.
at IL beautiful southern romance which be-
/ gins IA North Carolina aud ends In Paris"
MRS. Burnett the distinguished novelist and
author OF That Lass o. Lowrie The remarkable
popularity of the Story caused II to be dramatized
| by Mrs. Burnett and w H. Gillette, author of The
| Professor This work was done especially for the
Madison Square theater, in New York, where the
play Mt once made hit and has boen running
| every night since its opening"
"ilow LONG WAS IT fLAYED IN NEW YoRK2n
more than three hundred aud ifty times"
"Is THE ORIGINAL COMPANY NOW PLAY1NG7"
"Yes the cast is composed of New York artists.''
"GlvE Us AN IDEA OF THE PLOT"
GAN right. Have you time TO make little
jouTney?"
"Well, we are now in North Carolina"
CARoLINA2"
"ln a lovely valley at the foot of Bald mount.
/ ain"
"WHAr MouSTAtS DID YOU sAY2"
| THE famous Old Bald,' where the earthquake
occurred few yeas ago. Don't you remember
tremDied 50 that many people were frightened
and moved away TO other parts of the country
| There was so much excitement that tue New YORK
Herald sent Special reporter to write the thing
"Do you see that charming scene in the valley
lut INtT-lnc lfce~ lIe lltitt ntiuhes hnu
water hashiug through the canyon bcyond2'
| "OH, Yfsi now BEAUTFULW
| THAT is the home of Esmvtalda: she lives there
| with her parents, tine Rogers"
do you SEE THE BLUE LINE OF MouNrAtSsg'
Never mind the scenery, let's have the ro'
We'll, TO begin with, old man Rogers Is true.
| hearted man, oil generous disposition, who mar
| ricd nn ambitious woman when ho was young
man. But, as she Is strong minded and hos beeu
educated at little gcHdcmy ut Eligabethville, sue
lords 1t over her husband, nnd as E'werada
grows up she treats her cruelty Iecalisu shr slIes
| with her father. Besides his tue sincere aud
gentle girl wauts IT, mary Dave Hardy, &c man
she loves. Although lie is Il hands me aud brave
young fellow, and owns the ndjoiing farm, she
opposes the match because she hopes 20 have
the the girl marry millionaire But ia rs;
mining sharp comes along aud discovers ric, ore
Oh the Rogers farm lie offers to buy It fIr lnrge
sum- and Mrs. Rogers is Willing to sell bechuse she
| wants e. move away ami carry Esmeralda TO tue
city. Dave, the true lover, discovers the sp,cu-
latOr's little game and exposes him, whereupon he
agrees To pay fair price and per cent. ON the
profits oftne niue. Here the play becomes very
Interesting, ana u touching scene follows, The
old man wants the homestead reserved, aud Es-
merlua b,gs to remain and marry Dave. whom
her father hvOTs. but, us usual, Ms. Rogers car.
| rics her point sells house aud land, aud, with a
fortune III her pocket takes the family TO Europe,
| 10 wing Dave broken hearted, with little house
on his hands that he had built for Esmeralda.
The one redeemng feature in this heartlesS trans
action s that Esterbruok, u good cd, hu-
morous chap and friend of tie mine specualor,
bought the old Rogers house TO please ESlnela uR
| iather that he might have u home on his return
from Europe.
"wELL 90 ON; WHAT WAS DONE IN EuRoPE"
| ave next tnd the Rogers living In Paris in fine
style but Esmeralda and her father never change.
| Her mother, however, is 50 carried away by
hunger for wealth and position That sue leier,
4 mines her daughter snail marry certain marqulsF
she does not know that he is rascal aud a ior-
| tune seeker"
"DoEs THE GIRL MARRY InMT'
mot ~ bit Of it, but size Is forced to receive his
Rteu tOns, while her mother, who thinks that all
is going well, grows rs naughty MS duchess"
WHAT BECOMES OF DAVE DOES lie HANG HIM
NO: but be, wants to. Finally he too goes to
Paris and wanders through the streets OF that
great clty in search OF Esmenlda."
"DOEs HE HAVE PLENTY OF MONEY!"
No; he Is poor. hungry. and IN rags, by
man who saved the Rogers homestead
from the speCulAtOr and has heard all Dave
ptiful fae, discovers him, and from time
| to time money Is sent MIN, meanwhile the funny
man hears from North Carolina that the ore un
the RogeIs farm IS exhausted, but appears Ia great
quantities. on the farm belonging W Dave"
| "wHAT NEXT"
"a good deal Romance now begins in Paris
The artist and his sister arrange for Dave TO come
| TO their studio aud give theui sitting; then Mr..
| Rogers and Esmerulda appear. She does not
| know that Dave is there, and he Is also equally
weary OF life, q given some nourishment aud the
story of the mine is told as If It were an imaginary
tale. The truth flashes upon him, ana Tor the
first time he discovers that he is rich he goes
| Into the adjoining pantry for cold lunch, and
Esmeralda aud her father ner, followed by her
mother who begus to taunt her because she will
not marry the marquis. Esmeralda now aserts
herself Tor the first time. She says she has heard
Of Dawes wandcrings IN Paris Of lis hunger and
cold, and she declares her undying love Tor HIM,
while her father dehcs her heartless mother and
says that he and E,meralda will return TO ther
home in North Carolina"
Go ON; AM DYING TO HEAR THE RESI-"
| "At this instant Dave rushes into the room from
the pantry, and, with cry, Esmeralda leaps into
his arms"
"GooD FOR HERr'
MIS-. Rogers Is ready to die with vexation.
Finally she reminds Dave of his poverty, and
sneeHngy asks uim what kind Of home has he
to give Esmeralda, This amuses the funny man,
who is making love to his sweetheart (the artists
sister, in n corner and he tells the story OF the ore
di icoyery on Dawes land. Mrs Rogers is speech
less with confusion, and while SHE Is biting her
white lips in modification news comes that the
marquis Is a scoundIel and has elo, ed with n
rich woman, who discovers his character too late.
This is the last, crushing blow TO Mrs. Rogers
pride, and she Acknowledges defeat. Dave comes
forward and rays that she shall have share OF
the property, and SO oil ends we'll and theHsgo
back TO North Carolina rich and happy"
"MYl ITS LIKE THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. How MANY
TIMES WAS THIS EsMERALDA PLAYED IN NEw
York;"
"Three hundred and ffty nights"
| "WHES Is IT TO BE Played HERE?"
"Ncxt Monday euening, February 26 ut Fofd's."