St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-19
RAINDRops AND TEARDRoPs.

"Die Milwaukee," refused engage
ments at Buffalo, Toledo and other
cities to come TO st. Paul. but had they
consulted the signal service they might
have changed their minds. Still. the
Metropolitan last evening contained
quite large-sized audience TO witness
the farce-eomedy "Papagen0." and
the teardrops produced by laughter
plentiful as the raindrops on
the outside, and in place of the disa-
greeable feature of having their UNI
breilaS split up the back. the audience
ripped their handkerehiefS into ShredS
in their merriment. There is not the
slightest dragln the continuous whirl of
fun, and as scene succeeds scene. the
people seem to think each one funuier
than the other, end the laugh once
started, it as contagious as that among
a lot of school children.
There were many Americans among
the audience who questioned the mean
ing of the word that gives the play its
title, and there were nearly as many
German Americans who could not en-
tighten them The word itself refers to
a bird of gay plumage, but in the third
act one would be led to believe that it
referred to 4 clown or Il clownish per-
son, Judging from the suit in which the
gay old decelyer is about TO attend the
masquerade.
The play is one mass of peculiar and
funny situations, brought about by the
scheming of hired girl in revenge for
poor recommend that her employer
has given her, it being the custom in
Germany for servants to carry books in
which are written certificates of char
acter from their last place of employ
ment She is about to leave, but first
becomes acquainted with the new
girl and TO her establishment
finds that her master has
been making love to her friend on the
sly, and lmpersonating his own son-in-
law and as a single man. They form a
compact and determine to learn the old
man a lesson, who has always posed as
highly moral father and husband.
The old man is caught in the trap and
in fear of exposure willingly does all
they ask. His wife and daughters are
on visit, and the gay sport IS supposed
to lave taken business trip. The Sery-
ant knows he does not feel kindly
toward his son-in-law and will not con-
sent 10 the marriage of his daugh-
ter with her lover. So she writes
them letter, and they both come to his
house and confront him in his dilemma.
The letter has in the meantime fallen
into the hands of the mother and
daughters, and they start khOme post
haste, thinking the huSbandsand lover
have left them to carry on a love IL
trigue with the two hired girls. They
reach home just as the entire party is
about to start for masquerade, but
a combination of circumstances
allows them all TO escape with
the exception of the old deceiVer,
who seeks refuge in the closet with, his
Papageno suit on. As his wife starts to-
hang her cloak and hat in that identical
closet it looks as though there might be
an explosion, but the quick-witted
hired girl. who had not bargained for
the return, of her mistress, puts out the
lights and allows him to escape in the
dark. Her mistress's suspicious are
aroused. but before she can verify them
the Vaccinations of Bertha bring about
a satisfactory explanation and all are
acquitted. even the Old man.
Justine Wegener carries the leading
female part, and with Gertrude Berry,
! as 1.-THE two hired. girls. they make a
splendid comedy combination. Ernst
tischmeidler. and Gustave Hartzheim
were in their eiement.and handled their
parts as though they bad been grown
for them, while Herman Schneider
seemed TO be slightly out of his, line as
the young, enthusiastic and jealous
lover, with vein of comedy running
through. Tonight will be presented
der Pfarrer Won Kirehfeld." This is a
brilliant play, and at the hands of "Die
Miiwaukee'r' will surely receive full
iuStice..