The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-11-09
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC.
Milton Mobiles in his Round
of Plays.
J0Hx McCULL0UGH'S JOKE.
rave AID Law-Gus Williams Victim
fzed-A Busy MOnth-Gen-
eral News.
JoHx McCULLoUGH's JOKE.


the Melo drama which is announced to
he the greatest success since the Two
Orphans-his own play of Love and
Law. Judging from the handsome cuts
and Autographs this drama is one ofthe
,,eculiar kind of sensationals which were
ever popular in this city. Phoenix,
Man of the People, Pique, In the Ranks,
Taken from Life, ETC., plays which com
bine the startling, humorous and
nathetic, drew well here, and as it is
some time since we have had anything
IF the kind, Love and Law will doubt
less dc as well as its predecessors. We
have followed this play with some in
terest since It was brought out in New
York, as we believe its author possesses
genius in a particular kind of dramatic
writing which no other American actor
has exhibited. That puffy bag Of con-
eel. Jno. a. Stevens has attempted to
follow in Mr.. MOBILES footsteps with
PASSIONS Slave, Second Love, etc, but
he has been left out Of sight both as a
writer and as an actor. The following
reference to Love and Law IS found IN
the New York Herald Of April I'D. 1884:
The story in brief refers to Jasper
Craddock, who is the black sheep OF
wealthy English family, and Is dlsln-
herited for his wickedness. He causes
Giovanni Cont, a villainouS Italian
organ grinder, to abduct his (Craddock 81
Young niece, Rita, to whom his father
had Willed his estate after casting off his
son. Craddock, who has married a
village girl secretly, wins the hand of
Helen Montague, an English lady of
wealth, but just after his bigamous
marriage is sentenced to fifteen years
penal Servitude for participation in a
diamond robbery. Cont brings Rita
70 New York, and makes her his I'M
willing slave as she grows up. She is
rescued from him by Felix O'Paff, an
attorney, formerly of Dublin, now of
New York. who finally establishes her
identity and foils Craddock in the latter's
subsequent villainies upon his release
from prison, and causes everything to
end happily.
The play has several strong situa-
tons, notably in the last act, where
O'Paff cleverly cOunterfeits the wiley
Italian in order to make Craddock con-
fess he had caused the abduction of the
and every character was well filed last
night, the audience fully recognizing
the merits of the author and his capital
delineation of the philOsOphic, cool and
humorous young Irish attorney.
Some strong names well known in the
theatrical world, accompany Mr..
Mobiles. Besides Dollie Mobiles, who is
starring it with her husband, the troupe
includes Agnes HerndOn, and Frank
+. Aiken.
The Trsgedian's Joke.
John Mccullough loved above all
things a practical joke. A couple of
wears ago, as q certain writer relates, ne
struck up a great friendship with Presi-
dent Arthur aud his set in Washington,
and was the life of the table at all the
diplomatic stag parties. About that
time Gus Williams was poisoning out
from the variety to the regular stage,
and had acquired considerable reputs-
ton as a general raconteur of funny
conceits and Sprightly after-dinner
wit.
Mccullough, who had suffered from
several practical jokes played on him by
the Dutch comedian, determined to take
him down and nip his reputation in the
bud. He took John 7. Raymond, Jim
Collier and the political coterie of Wash
ington into his confidence, and the gan
was perfected.
The President gave a little dinner
party. and among others, Gus Williams
was invited. 1t was impressed on him
that he was celebrated at the White
House as a very funny fellow, and he
was expected to keep the table in roar.
He said nothing but secretly laid him
self out to do it. He reported at the
dinner party with a choice budget of
original witticisms, which he was sure
could not fail TO make a great effect when
he got a chance to fire them off.
The dinner passed very merrily, but
whenever Williams attempted to get off
a Joke he was sure to be interrupted by
either Mccullough or Raymond before
the point of the joke could be brought
out. At last, however, there was a lull,
and he couldn't be STAYED Offany longer
He began a story. The whole party
listened with greatly gravity. The Wag
proceeded in his best style, working it
up to the laughing point. The story
was a good one, but thew all preserved
their equanimity and listened witt out a
smile. When the climax came and the
Joker stopped there was dead silence.
We'll, what then ?" asked McCul-
Tough, after painful pause.
That's all of the story, replied VIII
hams, sadly.
The tragedian gave him a pitying
look, and exchanging glances with the
other actors, changed the subject.
Later the wit took heart again and
tried on new story, but the result was
the same, and Williams noticed that
the whole party cast looks of pity and
establishment at him. He grew secret
Iy mad and desperate at this, and tried
frequently, but still in vain, to make a
point. Not laugh could he get that
night.
8fterward, on the way home, MeCul-
Tough talked with the wit in fatherly
way.
'FYou made terrible exhibition of
yourself tonight, my boy" said he.
You need rest and you'll take it if you
are wise. Your brain is going. There's
too much strain on it, inventing Jokes
for years for your performances.
He insisted on seeing the joker home
and tucking him in bed, and then sent
three doctors to him, at his own expense
20 the great discomfOrture of the funny
man. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.
The Future.