The Portland daily press., 1883-03-31
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
RsMERALpA.

FeMEtSAi4pA.
Next Wednesday and Thursday the Madison
Square Theatre travelling company will APP
pear at Portland Theatre inIMrs. Hodgson Bur
nett's play Of "Esmeralda' and the tickets
will be ready Monday. Tho story OF the play
is as follows: gilbert Rogers, an honest old
North Carolina farmer, lived with his wife
'Liddy Ann and has daughter 'Esmeralda,
on poor farm in one of the western counties
of the State The young girl was in love with
Dave Hardy, noble specimen of Southern
yeoman. Dave had secretly built him little
house for Esmeralda, and when the play opens
he is just about telling Esmeraldas mother of
his love for her daughter, and his prospects in
life. Mrs, Rogers, a shrewd, scheming mother,
has reluctantly given consent to their marriage
when Northern SPECTATOR appears upon the
scene, and proposes TO buy the farm, all the
while concealing the fact that it contains val
liable vein of iron ore. Mrs. Rogers, who
runs things generally is about to dispose Of
the barren property at any price, when Dave
Hardy, who has seem the Spectator and his
friend viewing the land and examining spec-
mems, suddenly suspects that they are after
the property for its mineral deposits He
snatches the deed from Mrs. Rogers, who Is
about TO deliver it, and exposes che scheme OF
the Spectator. Mrs. Rogers then makes a
new bargain whereby the farm makes them
millionaires. Her first act is 10 discard Dave,
who would never do for the husband of her
rich daughter. Esmeralda clings to Dave, who
finally leaves her so as not to stand in the way
OF her education aud advancement
In the second act we find the Rogers in
Paris, where they have formed the acquaint-
ance of young American painter and his sis
tiers, residing there. The Rogers family are
living in luxury, and the mother is planning
the marriage of Esnleralda to a French Mar
sNr1tc E-skf f..n -
love for Dsve, who has secretly followed her to
Paris, and is living there in poverty. He
comes TO the studio 60 sit as model, and
there meets a friend of the speculator, who
tells him that the vein of ore on the Rogerss
land suddenly gave out and turned up on the
farm where Dave had built his little house for
Esmeralda, thus making him very rich man.
In the next act. kind-hearted old Mr.. Rogers
tries to get the Marquis to give up his claim TO
Esmeralda, because she is breaking her heart
for Dave. The Frenehman refuses. When
Esmeralda discovers that Dave is in Paris,
poor and hungry, she rejects the Marquis with
scorn, deheS her mother, and falls tainting in
her fathers arms. going back to North CARROLL
ma in spite of them ALL
In the last act, old Mr.. Rogers, who has al
ways given up to mis- wife, makes stand aud
resolves to bring Esmeraida and Dave together
which he does Mrs. Rogers now first finds
out that her money was long since exhausted,
and that Dave had secretly been furnishing
the family with funds and finally relents and
the curtain rings down with the sun shining
on the little house, where Dave and Esmeral-
da go to pass their honeymoon"
THE LyCEUM.
The bin this week attracts large houses. The
mania for "Picabou" is on the increase. To-
night is the last opportunity to see the Europe
an Voyagers. Fred Mortimer takes o benefit
soon, and will of course have great house.
novelty is presented this evening in the
appearance of Jim Cusick, the acknowledged
champion clog and Jig dancer of ireland. 1t
Is his first appearance in this country.
sALsBURY's TRoUBADoURs.
Next Friday and Saturday Salsbury's Trouba-
dours, always popular here, will appear at
Portland Theatre, in "Greenroom Fun,' their
last play.