Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-21
Clunie Opera House.

drama, True Devotion" last night to q
good house, when it is considered that the
eyenin. was unpleasant and week of
double attractions well patronized had pre-
coded. Ben Cotton in the prologue appears
in role, the type of character he per-
sonated twenty years ago as scarcely any
other has with greater success, the old-time
aged plantation slave attached to the fam
| lily of his master by sincere affection. Yet
Cotton IS as successful to-day in the per-
sonating or the character as then; perhaps
age has made him better in the role. In
the drama proper he assumes a role
sharply, violently in contrast-that of a
young, active, spirited free negro youth.
One can scarcely realize that it Is
| man far past the years of middle
| life who is playing the part. Miss
| ldalene has pleasant, easy role in the
play. The piece is well played throughout.
| 1t is a trifle as drama, old style in plot,
| melodramatic, and though one may be in
clined to smile at the stupidity of the vii
| lains of the play, in doing precisely what
| is necess airy to lead to the triumph of vir-
| tue, yet it is true that life gives US innumer-
able examples OF just such fortune-hunt-
ing. child stealing, thief-training reality !;
and many a cold fact recital of Just as vii
famous schemes to accomplish the ends of
the vicious. Still there is a good deal of
dramatic license availed of, and the rascals
are conveniently and obligingly falling
into the traps set for them, where ordinary
prudence would guarantee them safety. In
| the hands of an accomplished playwright
the inconsistencies of the piece might be
eliminated and the text made consider
ably more spirited and representative of
reality. For instance, Mr.. Cotton will
notice that by simply changing the tense of
| the dialogue between Mrs. Van Dyke and
jerome, In the prologue, the utter absurd
J lty of the divorce business can be corrected.
As it now reads Mrs Van Dyke is the first
| to inform her husband that she has applied
for decree of divorce. He expresses sur
prise, and informs her that she can never
| establish her case. While they quarrel
| over it, letter arrives with the decree and
| the woman proclaims herself free. This is
simply an impossible situation. Put the
conversation into the past tense, let the
parties speak of trial had and discuss the
probabilities of the decree, and the anus
ing absurdity disappears. The play, even
as it is and light as it is, takes" and gives
Ben fine opportunity for good work, and
wins liberal applause. 1t will be repeated
tonight for the last time. To morrow there
will be Washington's Birthday matinee,
at very low admission prices.
The WEATHER.-The Signal Service tenn
perature yesterday was $40, being AZ warmer
than the normal for that day. The
highest and lowest temperature was
$40 and Az with brisk to high north
erly winds, reaching a maximum We
locity of SO to 40 miles per hour. Weather
clear and streets dusty. AT P. NJ last
night there was a strip of stratus clouds
about the width of rainbow, stretching
from a few degrees below the moon to
within 45o of the horizon, in the south
western heavens. There were no other clouds
visible in any portion of the sky. This
was rather remarkable and singular oc-
currence, the clouds appeared like roll
that is made by the carding machine of a
wooden mill.
MARRIED.-The San Francisco Call of
yesterday says: The wedding of Frank
Miller, of Sacramento, and Miss Eleanor
Cook, of this city, was quietly celebrated
last Saturday afternoon at the residence OF
Rev. DR.. J. II. Warren, 1916 Mason street,
the family of the officiating clergyman
being the only witnesses to the happy
event The newly-wedded couple left for
Del Monte Immediately after the ceremony,
and will in few days go to Sacramento for
permanent residence"
COME and see the great quantity of goods
we will have on sale tomorrow from the