Telegram-herald., 1890-01-27

lyEB yERSlOyOF TIE WEIRD STORY


Daring the engagement II Robert
Dow re th.. cty September last
he nreaaee5 under rtae tt.a of "CoHrt
Claudo' dramsmataton of Mar
Cerra p .roverfri ana ntsr v eNe.t-
mg story, "Iae Nanieta.' Iaos vho
haEe st taIs novel w0aH naturally
conclude thar IL contained materal
FROM wl.e.Ia q strong aud n-a.y nt,f-
esuag drama could be constructed A
good de.l yas expected ot Mr. Down
lns b-- al. ,Ior. proved dlsapp pointing.
4 s9mure aina. .paele must naturally
peyale suca tale. hut Mr. Downing s
characters were ttlkatlyc and traegy IA
moyameat-tne plot was there, but he
failed to arouse interest through lack
of ~-Wat.ou, and c.maxes. This Is
where 1lr. Downing was w0iully weak.
Consequently, after forcing the play
upon tae pubic tor few weeks, he
very -en>.O.F abandoned t. IL IS uCW
believed tAlt tie Wt.l-knOWu actor, ".
j. Butler, has succeeded lu evolving q
strOng and forCeiul drama nom "Iue
Vendetta" Mr. Butler (, an intelligent
and aspiring acton. and has fOr several
seasons acted As stage manager OF Tie
companies with which le ha, becn cone
nccted. Ills last appearance n tls
rlty Was ID toe spring oil 1889. when le
Tas one ot the leading members. OF the
Ida Van cortland Company Sir. But
ler ua> been close student of dramatic
effect. 1ad is p0S- ,-ed Of excellent
judgment aNd fine taste, In the matter
ot stage "busmess. Beng cmncutlv
qualnrd ln those most necessary essen
tA->, there is reason TO expect much OF
hls play. 10 viii be brought out next
season possibly in the East, and Mr..
Butler VIII endeayor 10 secure a prOml-
nent and reputable actor for the lead
mg role.
The story of "The Vendetta" is Of
trusting husband BETRAYED by a faith
less wife and a false friend. Tie
scene IS lald IN Naples. The we
tim IS stricken by the plague.
and is immured, alive, in the
tamily fault, where repOse the bones Of
his ancestors. Regainlng consciousness.
hc escapes from the charuel house ana
hasten, 10 his own home only 10 iul
ms trusted wife in the arms of her
lover, his bosom friend. Himself uu-
observed. he hears from her own Ips
an ayuWal of nor mhdelty. Suug To
the prOfOuudest depths OF his nature.
he controls hls rage by a suucrhUmlu
effort amt takes 4 terrible oath of re-
vcngc. The accomplishment of tins
rcVon ngC constitutes the deuOuement of
the story. step by step, with utles-
zeal, the outraged man pursucs lbs par
pose, uuul hc accOmplIsucs the de-
-tructiol of his uttravers. He ..ays
the false friend in a duel, while the
death oi the wife is preceded bv "a
weird and CHASTITY scene in the vault.
whore iuc Wrouged husband reveal, his
identity and wings her soul with rc-
morse and sorrow. The miserable
woman passes from terrified cnucatv
TO ah'ect supphcat.ou to threats. ~
defiance, 10 dcspcYat on: TO caiOlcrv.
and even almost 10 cOquetry; then
again % wild and agOnlZed supDlcation
for forgiveness and release, ending at
ieu-,a d sudden insanity. Through
all tis terrible scene tue husband re-
mans iIn a- adamant, Remembering
only &. .o keen smart OF bis WrUnz> a.t
hl- oath ~ vengeance. An earth9uak.
forms tne final catastrophe 10 tins
scene oil horror killing the unhappy
woman.
Iuco. VI. Carpenter, the able dra-
matte critic, Of tuc I4glc, has read the
maau-Ci Ut OF MIR. Buffers dramatzl-
ton. aud na, given forth the following
opinion, lu q lengthy review: Nr Bat-
llr~ urluat.latOu remedies MANY. i