Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28

He never forgets, nor lets his listeners for
get, that he is Northern man trying to
talk, act, and look like a Southerner It
would have been a great relief to himself
and to his audience, If he had taken advan-
tage OF his long renegadeShip, and learned
to talk more like his brother Yankees.
''Col. Moberly,' typical Southern gal
liant, is excellent as to his gallantry and
'.get-up." but alas both are spoiled when
he opens his mouth. He is another wrestler
with accent and RS.
''Old Col. Preston" does the one true
blue deed in the story. He losses glass of
wine in q Villains face, and challenges
him to fight, in the true old Southern style
The two only really good characters in
play, are esquire Tucker Coosa county
Justice, and DECATUR an ante-bellum
servant, but the squire is spoiled by max
ing him play the funny man of the game,
and the servant, by placing him in the house
instead of the cornfeld, Gas his makeup
and manner suggests.
Yet alabama" is very beautiful. It's
faultssare the sweet faults of an oVer-drawn
perfection. 1t is full of patriotic and broth
erly sentiments. 1t is another healing hand
laid on the old gapings wound of sectional
hate and blame. a blue bird has built its
nest in lannon's mouth; Northern man
woos and wins Southern girl; the prodi-
gal son returns; the right parties marry j;
virtue is rewarded and vice put to shame,
and ''they all live happily ever afterwards. y
You go home soothed and warmed. You lie
down to dream of that sunset on the bayou,
the blue still waters, the Southern moon,
aud stars twinkling through the gray moss !;
and to forget and forgive the bad accents
and idiotic drawl
But it does put one to thinking why a
real, s'sure enough'' Southern drama would
not ''take'' here-a drama in which the
scenery and story shall be taken from life,
and the people who move through them, all
SouthernerS who furnish their own accent
AS for the West, it is most charmingly
represented by Joseph Authur's Indiana
play: "Blue' Jeans" In this play the
writer and stage manager understood ana
expressed the people they had to deal with,
much better than has been done IN "Ala-
bama." From the moment the curtain goes
up on a bevy OF rOsy-cheeked, muslin
frocked Hoosier girls dancing a reel with
their blue leaned sweethearts, one IS lost IN
the sentiment and atmosphere OF the freSh,
windy west. There is an apple orchard,
and one real looking tree in the foreground
from whose branches the hero shakes down
shower of pink and white blossoms on his
coy sweetheart. There is Jersey heifer-
real one, yoked with roses, and nl0bllng
clover from her mistress hands. There IS
planning mill with its buzz-saws, and some
of the handsomest lustiest voiced singers
among the 'hands.f There is a political
situation of course, and a home scene, with
Santa Claus, Christmas tree, and little
undressed, dimpled child hanging up her
stockings. It is all beautiful, fresh, prai-
rie-like, breezy and rural II is an oasis OF
rest and healthfuiness in the midst OF this
great, griny, rushing city. And, oh! there
is a country barbecue and country town
brass band, with its hoarse horns, big drums
and pompous drum-malor, playing, way
Down Upon the Suwanee River, with a
vigor to make you scream, and patnos 10
make you weep. 1t is real Indiana life.
There is not a jar nor extravaganza IN the
play or its setting.
Why can we not have such perfect
picture of our Southern life transplanted
here in the receptive soil of this great rep
resentative American gardenf perhaps
the most typical play or entertainment OF
the season was the Womap's press Clue
benefit at the Casino on February 9. II
seems that this admirable organization has.
been feeling the stress o. hard times OF
late, along with its masculine and more pre-
tentious brothers. To their praise De II
said that the best artists of the metropolis
came promptly and generously TO Its aid.
The theater was rendered by Mr. Aronson
and the names of the creme de Ia creme OIL
the dramatic and operate profession were
put down on the complimentary programme
programme was opened with an address by
New York's pet orator, Chauncey Depew,
who, 1t grieves me to say, made about as
poor and commonplace speech as ever
heard. His theme was the threadbare one
of woman's remarkable progress toward
recognition as mans equal (Which we
women know was settled some centuries
ago when she pitted her influence against
Adam and some more important powers
and brought about a revolution in Para
dise). His anecdotes varied from the old
rib story to the equally chestnutty one OF
whether life is worth the living depending
on the liver And, If my ears, together
with those of two reliable Witnesses who
sat by me did not deceive US, his orator
ship said that something was -oursted- !"
I've forgotten what 1t was. Since then 1t
has been my hero worship Of the populZ
Chsuncey.
Among the singers were Campanini, Al
bani. Emma Eames-Story (whO has made
such a hit as Marguerite in Faust this sea-
SOM, Marie Tempest, the catchy light opera
singer from London, Of Aronson's com
pany, Signor velaro, with beautiful
baritone voice, and two young men, ballad
singers-oue late Of the Lyric theater, Lon