The evening world., 1894-02-06
"BUTTERFLIES."

Plays containing IDEAS and "theo-
ries" and purposes have been very
numerous of late. They have come to
us from England. France and Germany.
anxious TO prove here what they proved
there. They were rejected scornfully.
New York has not yet arrived at a
period when II can enjoy an amicable
discussion Of dangerous realities. II pre-
fers to overlook those realities alto
gether. or to skate over the thin ice that
hides them from view.
Henry Guy Carleton. the author Of tho
new play. Butterflies" that was pre-
scented for the first time In this city ot
Palmer's Theatre last might. must know
all this. lie has put together three acts.
among which there is not "A single idea
divided. He has introduced us to some
bright dialogue, one or two pretty Incl
dents and several nice people, most of
whom nrc In love with each other.
They trinc %joyously through the scenes.
pelt each other with rose leaves, run
races on "a lcafy L"nox lane and play
pcek-a-boo behind a giant oak. They
soliloquizc frequently, and they are at
cross purposes occasionally to vary the
i'iJll'''llgs - an uIlIlltiNdIll
thought In the entire piece-all is idyl,ic.
sweet and perfect-a picture OF true
American life, which. as We all Know,
simply reeks with poetry.
Mr.. Carleton tried one %"situation." but
II was 10 grotesque that 1t was bathos.
Frederick Ossian. the hero, had to do
something self-sacrifclnR to bring down
at least one curtain. He could not save
Miriam from a villain because there
was no villain; he could not foil an ad-
vcnturcss-becausc there was no adven-
tnrcss. Guess what he did? Mrs. Bev-
erly Stuart Dodge. the mother of the
girl he loved, and "A horrible upstart who
had snubbed him pcrslstently, was
dunnci by II dressmaker. The dress
makers agent followed her to Florida
and was about to present the bin when
Frederick Ossian advanced with all n
hero's fervOr and for the sake of the
girl he loved paid the bin with his last
check. This was so funny and so
original that 1t quite cheered the heart.
Frederick Ossian loved Miriam. Andrew
Strong, his friend, loved Suzanne Elise,
and Suzanne Elise's father loved Fred
erick Ossian's mother. Mr.. Carleton has
~ ''''h ~ INV l'N' Wy dly put ~
sort of Arcadia Is made OF st. Augustine.
Florida. and an arcadian annex of
Lenox. The girls wear the prettiest sort
of dresses. and the young men are the
butterflies" those amiable people who
futter about and do nothing at all for a
livelihood, the principal object OF their
lives being the uttering OF gentle
%nothings into the ears of comely maid
ems. Life Is not real and life Is not ear
nest In plays OF this sort, but the hyme.
neal altar is its goal. After all. what
more IL needed to trivol away two
or three hours? Butterflies" is eX-
actly Ike IA good many other plays. for
another turn to the merry Kaleidoscope
is all that Is needed. The hit Of the
evening was made by Miss olive May, a
DELIGHTFULLY."- clever young woman. and an
actress who acts. 1t is n long time since
New York has seen so admirable a per-
formance as hers was. want to give
her just one little bit of advice-sincSrely
offered-and 1t Is that she will try to for
get the audience In front of her. This
non-forgctfulncss was the only defect in
her work. John Drew did very well as
Frederick Ossian, but It was "a part that
gave him none Of the opportunities
afforded by 'The Masked Ball" Miss
Maude Adams. who lookcd weary and
worn, was satisfactory, and so were
Miss Kate Meek and Harry Harwood.
ALAN DALE.