The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-27
THE HARVEST NOON
An Excellent Domestic Drama ADJ
mirably Played at the
Opera House.

"The Harvest Noon is the attraction
at the New Opera House this week. and
yesterday afternoon and evening large
audiences witnessed the performances of
this drama of domestic life in undis-
testifying their qualification. At the very
beginning the auditor is interested and
mystiied, and so to the final fall of the
curtain. The scene of the play is at 'sThe
Harvest Moon." a village MOTEL Mrs.
Edith Oakley (Miss Louise RiaD is the
landlady- Mrs. Oakley Is a matronly
woman, loved and respected by all in the/
village. A widow, she has many s~uitorsI
and none more pressing. yet respectfully
so and obedient, than DR.. Grimes (Mr.
James Martin) who is stopping at the
Deerwood OF the Navy Chr. I. j. lMc-
Grane,) who has been brought up and
cared for byMrs. Oakley and who considers
himself an orphan, picked up as a waif by
Mrs. Oakley. BoArders at the hote1 also.
are Tony Harrington. from they gold
and John Hardest, a deteetiye, (Mr.
Nelson Compston). A contest for a seat
in Parliament going on (t9e scene
Of the play being in EDgland.)
Charles Gordon (Mr. Harry d.
| SAAAU0Ae OAO - IA OQAAtAcVFS. Will SOOu
arrive IN the village and wifi stop at tue
Harvest Moon. This announcement
startles Mrs. Oakley, and Immediately
interest is aroused to find the cause. She
refuses at first TO entertain the idea OF
Sir Charles stopping at Rhe hotel, but at
last, after much Persuasion on the part
of Dir. Grimes and her daughter, Clara,
(Miss Helen BelD Consents, and promises
to revive San DIN English custom OF wei
coming the guest by presenting him at
the door with AZ goblet of wine. Sir
Charles arrives, ds welcomed. but the
recognition that passes between himself
and Mrs. Dskley. painful to
all appearances to boJn. and
inexplicable. only increases the
interest, and Ihe curtain falls with the
curiosity OF Dhe audience fully aroused.
In the seconk act, The scene, the parlor of
The hotel. unfolded the story of a
wronged wynan. deserted and cast adrift.
a story so Ably portrayed by Sir Charles
and Mrs. o ktey, that tears for the
Wronged Woman, aud at first detestation
for the man. aud later, when he
underworld 10 right a wrong, adj
mir tiona were manifested by the
~oniookeEs. In her youth Mrs. Oakley
met aHd married Sir Charles, she being
a rarEher's daughter, he the son Of
an eaFl. Deserted by him q few days after
theiTmarrIage, with the oath of secrecy not
to reveal the marriage fastening her lips,
10 hide the shame she had to flee her
home. Their son grew up, the Ensign
Horace Deerwood. loving Mrs. Oakley as
ajmother but believing her only a friend.
Years fly swiftly by. Mrs, Oakley in
That time became the wife of an honest
man. He died. Sir Charles. with his
Regiment, spent the years in Egypt. He
Endeavors to win the forgiveness of
HEdiJh, but she repulses him, despises
him. The Ensign loves Blanche Gordon
| (Miaa T1u SnllQal ntara nf Cir Obariac
aud she reciprocates his love, but the
uncle's consent must first be OBJ
tanned, Horace asks the consent of
| Sir Charles. telling him his history,
his supposed lowlY birth. knowing neither
father nor mother, only his Kind friend
Mrs. Oakley. Sir Charles laughs film to
scorn for his impotence in thinking of
an alliance with his niece. As he laughed
to scorn Horace's request. SO Mrs.
Oakley despises his prayer for forgive
ness. He pleads, and at last she consents
if ne will grant her one request.
Name il" he cries exultingly, land l
WILL"
Then give your consent to the mar
| rage of Horace Deerwood to your niece,''
she hautily demands.
.No, never will I do that. He is of
lowly birth, a wait of the street, as he
himself told me. He TO become my
heir. the head of our family? No; it can
not be-"
"He is not Of lowly birth. He is your
son; / am his mother"
The revelation is a shock TO Sir Charles.
and that ne may mak PREPARATION to the
women he SO cruelty wronged he con-
sents.
Sir Charles is murdered that night.
Mrs. Oakley hearing his screams rushes
into the room in time to grasp a man
muf1ed, but wearing a uniform similar
to that worn by Horace. He breaks
away and escapes. and Sir Charles dies in
Mrs. Oakley's arms. believing it was
Horace. and imploring her not so reveal
who committed the decd.
The two following acts are given to in
vestigating the murder aud fastening the
crime on the guilty party. who proves to
be Tony Harrington, from the gold mines
of America, but in reality a noted
English outlaw.
Thus briefly and incompletely told is
the story of the Harvest Moon. 1t is
portrayed by a capable nj Dai nstaking
company. the leader of which is Miss
Louise Rial, who, in the role of Mrs.
Oakley presents a character which ex-
cites sympathy and admiration, such as
only true dramatic excellence can excite,
The comedy eiement is exceedingly
pleasing, aud consists in the mishaps
which befall Simon Snipe. (Mr. Harry
Booker) a butter and egg merchant.
whose sole ambition in life is ito marry
MISS clara D hatch eggs" Mr.. Book
er's performance was delightful aud en-
tirely devoid Of that b~uffoonery which too
often characterizes the low comedian of
the stage of to-day.
If Miss Ida Sollee would not turn her
back SO unnecessarily to the audience,
and il Mr.. Nelson Compton would talk
less rapidly and more distinctly and do
away with some of his mannerisms two
slight defects of the cast would be re-
medied.
There were two characteristic inter-
ruptions of the performance last night.
the first was by a fresh" youpg fellow,
one of a party of eight. four ladies and
four gentlemen, all jolly aud good souled.
Going TO the theatre they amused them
selves on a Grove street car. In the
theatre this young man yelled out at
an interesting point in the dialogue.
Called to account by the usher, b. apollo
eized.
The second interrup tion was by a
fatherly looking, middle aged lrishman
seated in or DE- He was chivalrous to
a degree. and when the detective cross
questioned Mrs. Oakley relative to the
murder to a degree that almost drovs'
her ~frantic. the man yelled PUT th86
rascal ontr'
TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY.
h Byron Combination Entertains q
Full House at tho Academy of Music.
Every seat III the New Academy OF
| NTuaic rus fiilad lact nirhk oE,o, = - 49,