Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-29

All summer long the shadow of great
strike has fallen upon Pittsburg; the story
has been told in letters OF blood, and the
epilogue is now being spoken by voices that
are tremulous with tears Akin to the topic
which has absorbed US here, and for time
the world beside, is the plot OF the play '"The
Lost Paradise" which was given for the
first time in Pittsburg at the Alvin Theater
last night. 1t is not founded on the Home
stead strike, for it was written long before
the Pinkertons got their hot welcome on
the Monongahela's shore, but it is never
theless illustrative of exactly that phase of
life which the tragedy up the river brought
before us in such terribly clear colors last
July. Ludwig Fulda, German dramatist
of note wrote the play, and H. c. De Mile
adapted it. 1t is evident that Mr.. De Mile
has done a great deal more than transiat-
ing the text; he has created an American
atmosphere in which characters reason
ably recognizable as Americans move. The
play is good. The plot is not
subtle, but it is not hackneyed, and it is
direct, forcible and interesting. The dia-
logue is often absolutely witty; seldom
dull, and always helps along the story,
either in the definition OF character or in
the development of plot. The story, so
AdT as IL DeeQ De tOlO mere, Is as lOllOWS.
A strike is impending at the knowlton Iron
W orks. The chief proprietor of the works
proposes to marry his daughter to the son
OF the man IRON whom he, khoWtton, stole
lures his fortune has been made.
The THEFT of ideas is no new story.
by the way, as the foundation of
gigantic fortunes. Kno,OLton is wrong,
however, about the identity OF the man he
robbed-it was not the father of his intended
son-in-law. but the superintendent of his
mill. This superintendent is also in love
with Kno,cLon'S daughter. The diary of the
supposed inventor is in this superintend-
ents hands, and he discovers the truth just
after he has been rejected by KnOuitOn's
daughter Margaret. Warner, the superin-
tendent of the mill, is rejected with some
scorn by his employers daughter as a work
man. Then comes the declaration of the
strike, before which, however, Warner burns
the page in the diary giving him credit
for discovering the method in manufacture
which has made hho,clton's fortune.
The unworthy son OF &dndiSh, the presumed
inventor is present and suspects that the
page of his fathers diary burned contains
some secret detrimental to Wu,rer. Tainted
by young Sdndtsh, Warner Joins cause with
the strikers. the strike proceeds and grad
uallv Mugures RnCtCLton learns of the heroic
sel!-sacrifice and love OF Warner. She throws
Stdndish overheard and takes Wdrne7, after
she has learned the truth about the ihven-
tions to which she owes her fortune. There
are subordinate characters who are, per-
naps more close erss to aean life than the the
form the strikers committee, for in
stance. But it will doubtless be decided
by the expert audiences of Pittsburg's
workingmen that the prelude to the strike
is not perfectly true to nature. The violence
of the wo-kingmen's leader is especially un-
like the usual conduct of such intelligent
men as influential ironworkers. The story
is so in teresting and so apropos that the eX-
aggerations anI tamperings with the truth
incidental to it are likely to be overlooked:
Acted by company OF the first-class THE
Lost Paradise would be, we can readily
understand, a great deal more powerful in
every way in its appeal to the minds and
hearts OF the audience. 1t was smoothly
acted last night by Que of the Charles Froh-
man companies. There was nothing bad
enough in the performance 10 call for par
ticular condemnation. But to say that the
actors were equal to the play would be an
authors. Forrest Robinson was reasonably
robust and manly as the hero, Warner; and
in the effective climax or act II and the
touching love scene at the plays conclusion 4
forceful at once. Miss Esther Lyon gave |
very fair rendering to the heroine, and
Frank Drayton, in the unpopular role of the |
unyielding capitalist, carried repression to
a most artistic extreme. Mr.. Drayton in |
TACT displayed more art than anyone else in |
the company. The low comedy of Cinders
and Billy Hopkins prov oked some laughter
and the clever lines put in a country girls
mouth and Bob Appleton's, her rapid sweet
heart, might have easily conyulsed the |
house had they been properly delivered |
The weakness of some of the actors was |
simply exasperating. Yet, in spite of ali |
shortcomings, the play made distinct hit: |
there was double recall after act IL and |
ing a big fy wheel in motion and a real |
steam whistle, aroused the audience to en-
thusiasm. The story of the play should |
suffice to attract the people.