The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-08

"Romancic," however. shows, perhaps, that
1t Is not well founded. Tho dedication to
my sweetheart" with its sweet love-,
"prctty girl" my darling "idoilzcd.'
and such endearing terms, may he passed.
over as illustrating phase OF lovesickncss
peculiar to Kansas; but Kansas surely never
suggested, with tho exception OF Pop
eyed Pete, the names OF the participants
In the drama Romancie Ivano. Refola,
Dainty Norma. Tcrrol. Magera, Dona Tor
Pop-eycd Pete, Bandoskn, Soilandrocs,
Brusse, Morero, Hoonoolun, Coda, and the
nymphs, epritcs, elves, fairies, naiads, and
gentry. The Duchy OF Coda, where tho
play opens, is not known to geographers, but
/. certainly Goes not lie between the Missis-
sippi and the Pacific. The dungeon Of I'm
dczernne Palace ia equally remote from
Chicago. and so is the palace OF Brusse. the
queen Of ocean, where she dwells with elves
and imps and nymphs, who sing. Cling.
clang. cling. Hero we be! He, ha. he!
BIN! bonn! bim! The king
OF tho land. Soilandrock. Is like
wise unknown to history or mythology.
The conversation Of these strange bcings is.
perhaps, Western in its emphasis. but not
quito characteristic even OF Porkopolis.
.Soitdndroch- Release me! Damn you!
damn you! damn you! damn you! Br,sse-
Be patient! darling darling! darling! dar-
ling! Hoonoolun-How many somersaults
does 1t require. o mighty monarch OF carth's
buried fire, from this cool surface to
the central spot where Is no cold. and
even tho ice is hot7 Soildndrock-.My
hate will burn yon when I'm free again.
Release me- or III quake this orbGd world
with such terrific vigor, rent In skaters
twill wander, broken fragments. through
the air" The one local touch that is discov-
cradle and this is possibly q novelty In
poetry Of such high ambition, Is that papa"
and mamma" are apparently pronounced
pepper" and "mommer." which is. we be.
lievc. good Chicagoese. Witness these lines
Of allectonate simplicity. But you're the
only papa I Lavc had, and Mamma Vaeti
was my only mamma"
These few references. perhaps, Justify the
conclusion that II WILLIAM Is. FELTs
Intended to present an ideal specimen OF
national American drama at "the floating
editice" Of Queen ISABELLA Mt the Worlds
Fair lie was not wholly wiso in following
blindly such gems of dramatic art as GoFF's
Raging Turk" and CAIEYs "Chronon-
acknowledges" "Romancie" lacks novel;
" as we'll as local color. Some phrases
would also be excised by any Chicago officer
who should perform tn, delicate and NAL
odorous duties OF ANTHONY CoMsrOcK. That
such would be the case is. perhaps. proof
Of the seriousness Of WILLIAM BIS effort.
The possibility OF national drama Is.
however, extremely dubious and remote
when even crank from Texas or, to use
euphemisln from the discreet Atlantic,
Western Social motor" can perpetratesuch
Il thing as Roma ncie" for international
delectation and applause ut the Worlds
Fair Tho final moral may be that the wide
and woo!ly West is still widely and woolliy
romantic in matters literary, and slave still
to literary conventions and fictions OF medi-
nval Europe. and that the work OF emunci-
patton which commenced with the French
Revolution is only now beginning and may
not be completed before the millennium.