St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-02
FOOTLIGHT AND FOYER.

The engagement of Arthur Rehan's
, excellent company at the Newmarket
theater, which begins this evening and
day matinee, is an event in our dramatic
circles, and is looked forward to with
eager anticipation by those who remem'
Der the excellence of this cOmpany's
work during their past engagements
here; and add to this the announcement
that they are to produce Augustin
Days new comedy, surprises OF Di'
vOrce. or The Lottery OF Love- and the
interest is dou5ly increased. The play
is an adaptation from the French COM
edy lies Surprises du Divorce" by
MessieurS Bison andMars, which proved
such hit at the Vaudeville theater,
Paris, and in which M.Coquelin and Jane
Hading created decided success dur
ing their American tour last season.
surprises of Divorce" is not farcical
sketch of the ordinary kind. but a
straight comedy, depending upon legiti-
mate stage methods and real dramatic
merit for its success. A young gentle
man, with fancy that he can write
music, marrins young lady who has a
mOther-in-law, and who becomes al
once the bane of his life. She had for
merly been a StrOngmlnded woman,
dressed in BlOomer garments, deliv-
cred lectures on WOman'S duty, and SO
manages to do the most maladrOlt things
that the evening of the wedding day re-
suits in her daughters divorce. Two
years elapse, and we learn that her huS-
band had in the meantime met young
lady at the concerts, fallen in love, mar
ried and was happily living at Newport
with his wife and her father. The
father, mild but especially strong
headed old widower, had gone to the
breathing resorts, and on his way had
likewise fallen in love with one of the
summer season adventuresses, been
captivated and married, and the
morning of his wedding returned
to his home With his brides
mother. to learn that his new
wife was the divorced wife of his daugh..
ter's husband. This leads to series Of
Extraordinarily amusing incidents,
which end in another divorce. The poor
lady, who has thus been twice in the
same comedy. married and divorced on
the same day, discovers all old lover
who had returned from the Brazils. and
the curtain falls upon certain aggre-
rate of happiness based, so far as our
respect for the conventiunalitleS of sOci-
ETY. would 20, upon the widest and most
undesirable experiences.
Il
When "Hans the BOatman" achieved
its great success three years ago in
England, it was unique in many re-
spects. 1t was so widely announced
that it was an American play, the work
of an American pen, TT Eating of series
of Incidents that could hardly have hap,
pened outside of America, and produced
by an American actor, that even greater
attention was drawn to it in the English
drama ic world than its histrionic I'M
pOrtance might nave warranted. Not
WlthStanding this. when the curtain fell
in the Tiieater Royal i'll Sheffield a
triumph had been completed. After a
few weeks of trial MIR. Arnold took
Hans the Boatman" into Lon
don, and at Terry'S theater
duplicated his provincial success
and inaugurated one OF the long
est dramatic runs in the history
of the English stage. For 3l5 perform
ances did Londoners flock to witness
the delightful portrayal of the child
loving Swiss lad. Twice witnessed by
the Prince and Princess of Wales and
repeatedly by prominent members OF
INC uOUlilIy, IldllS tue Dudt-
man" enjoyed popularity sell
dom vOuchSafed to far more preten-
tious efforts. 1t is idylic in character,
and treats of the ever pleasing phases
of child life Devoid of the usual shades
of crime and vilIainy, it is sure to please.
4 romantic and beautiful girl. who is
spending the summer in the Adlron-
dackS with her father, falls violently in
love with Hans. and finds occasion to
draw from him declaration OF
his passion for her. The mar
riage follows, and results in
the paternal curse from her proud
father provoked by his daughters DISC
Incidence. Six years elapSe and find
GLADYS pining in the l0Wly cottage by
the lake, and becoming more and more
dissatisfied with the lot of bOatman's
wife. Hans proves a poor prOvlder, and
spends his time romping with the
"kiddies" to the neglect Of his family.
An incident occurs to provoke the jeal-
ousy of the wife. and at this OppOrtune
time a tempter appears in the form of
an old lover. who tells her that her
father is willing to forgive her
and take her back home. She leaves
with him under circumstances much
like those of All elopement. She SOON
discovers the desires Of Der pretended
friend and spurns him, but her
reputation is already blasted in
the eyes of her friends, and she
fears to return to Hans. who, before
discovering his Wife's departure, re-
solved to change his course OF life. and
abandon his improvident habits. Pur-
suant to this resolution, he collects II
Of the playthings together with which
he had been wont to amuSe the children.
and throws them into the fireplace, in
which one of the children had hid Ell
his powder horn. While igniting the toys
the powder explodes and Hans loses his
eyesight. From that time forth he
Wamders about. led by a large st. Ber-
aard dog, and finally in his rambles he
stumbleS on the proSrrate form of his
wife, who mas fallen by the wayside IN
faint. A touching reconciliation takes
place Hans eyesight is restored. The
stain on his wife's name is eXplaint
away and the curtain falls on a
scene of perfect happiness. Peals of
merry laughter. with the genuine heart
ring, make this play peculiarly interest
ing. May Harmon, the diminutye
young artistic who has accompanied MIR.
Arnold in his tour of the world. is quite
dainty bit of infanlile femininity. and
delights one WITH ner quaint dancing ana
clever tricks. Myron Calice, who is well
known in this city and who was former
ly member of the stock company of
the old Peoples theater, is member of
Mr.. Arnold's support, and Charles Tin
gay. Julius Kahn, Charles Foster, Jes-
sic D. Busley and Dot Frederlcs CON-
plete MIR. Arnold's support. Matinees
Thursday aud Saturday.
-i-
One chilly morning some two weeks
ago the little town of Salem. ILL.,, awoke
to find itself famous, and that, too, in a
very singular way. During the night
the old established bank of the city had
been robbed: the immense safe had
been blown open and everything yalu.
able carried away. People wondered
how the thing could possibly have hap
Dened. At the museum next week that