Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-11-27

performance, the story told In "Aris-
tocracy" serves to point a moral-name-
ly, that Americans who attempt to buy
social recognition, whether in the mar
kets of New York or the Old World, are
apt to pay too dearly for the toy and
may come wholly to grief before they
discover the danger. 1t is playing with
fire, and with a sort of fire OF which
Americans are likely to know
but little, The adventures OF JEFF
ferson Stockton, an archmillionaire and
salf-made man, of San Francisco, who
wishes to buy for his wife and child So
clal recognition in the highest circles,
and sets out to do as he would buy any
other purchasable commodity furnish
the incidents selected for the stage pre-
sentation. The Stockton family go first
to London; they take the house and es-
adjustment of the impecunious Mar
quis of Normandale. They meet vari-
Gus more or less disreputable but high
ly fashionable personages, and they en-
ter, thanks to financial arrangements
with the Marquis and his friends, into
the fashionable whirl of London sea-
son.
'For this money" says the Marquis
to Stockton, 81 suppose you to intro
duce you to our best society?"
NO." responded Stockton, "the
highest point that is instantly ap-
preciated by the house.
While in America Stockton's only
daughter has become engaged to the
eldest son of Knicker0ocker family
of wealth and great social prestige. The
mother of the young man objects to the
match, and when the girl is in London
she manages to bring about a misunder.
standing between the young people and
the match is broken off. Virginia
Stockton, warm-hearted girl, but rash
and impulsive, hears that her former
lover, Stuyvesant Laurence, is about to
marry another girl in New York.
Under the sting Of disappointment she
accepts an offer of marriage made to her
by Prince Emil Won Haldenwald, ras-
cal of the first water who had already
been dismissed from the house by her
father. Virginia would have married
and one at the time TO show Laurence
that her heart was not broken. Fate
threw in her way the Prince Won Hal
denwald. Fate was unkind. The Prime
Won Haldenwald is not only roue Of
the worst type, but an INSCRIPTIONS
fellow whose viciousness is equalled
only by the polish acquired by years Of
the best society OF Vienna and
Paris. OF his family standing there
can be no more doubt than
of his utter worthlessness. Not only
does the Prince begin at once to neglect
his young wife, but he exerts an un-
wholesome fascination upon the wife OF
Jefferson Stockton, who Is not the
mother of Virginia, but second wife.
When this interesting family group re-
turns to New York the Prince brings
matters TO a climax by forcing Mrs.
Stockton to appeal TO her husband for
protection. She is a weak woman and
admits to Stockton that she has yielded
more or less TO the fascination or spell
thrown over her by the Prince. 81
know he is the devil" she remarks,
land l hate him as such; but he has the
devils power"
Stockton first chokes the rascal and
then elects him from the house. The
next news comes from Paris, where the
Prince has died from wounds received
in duel with his best friend, the Duke
de Vigny-Volante. This disposes Of the
dilemma, and the audience is allowed to
infer that after the curtain falls happi-
ness will once more reign in the Stock
ton family, and that Virginia will marry
her old lover Laurence, who never mar
ried the other girl and bad no intention
Of doing so.
Upon this framework Mr.. Howard
has constructed an exceedingly well
written, interesting little comedy. 1t
shows care and untiring thought In
hundreds Of neatly turned sentences.
The characteriZations are built up line
by line; there is not a word too much
or too little. Mr.. Howard tells me
that when he read over the first draft
of 'iAristocracy" it pleased him so
little that he was unwilling to
show ii even to his besl
friend; Then followed q years
work, very nearly. upon each Of the
four acts, and / judge Mr.. Towards
work is no play. One Of these scenes
was rewritten twentY-three times. Not
all our dramstists have the time or the
patience for such thoughtfulness,
but II pays in the end. Even from q
financial standpoint It pays. Mr.,
Howard will receive fortune from
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