The evening world., 1894-03-06
MRS. DAsCOT."

Stanislaus STANCE at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre last night done n good turn
as the variety actors classically and
grammatcally remark lie was one OF
the authors OF Mrs. Dascot." the orig
nal play In four acts" produced by Miss
Kathrine Clrmmons. The other author
was Gen. Lloyd s. Brice, who knows
enough OF military tactics to be aware
OF the verify OF the proverb that sets
down discretion as the better part OF
yalur. lie did not show himse.. Mr..
Stange, in response to the voCiferOus
applause Of the ushers and their friends.
made "A little speech In which he spoke
Of THE General and l. about s'teen
times. He stood before the curtain with
one hand held aloft as though to quell
the wild enthusiasm, as thugh to say.
"Yes. we have done nobly. but pray curb
your impetuosity." II was very pretty
sweetly pretty. In fact. Mr.. Strange fur
nIshed the only genuine comedy OF the
evening. and he seemed to enjoy himself
immensely.
Az for Mrs. Dascot." It is quite i'm
possible to treat It with the respect that
IAN original play In four acts" should
dramatic aridity. 1t IL sensational af-
fair tby the bye. Mr.. Stange himself
called Il an "affair'J. OF the sort that
IL popularity supposed to appeal TO Mary
Jan, and Sarah Ann. 1t IL couched in
| desperate language, some of which Is
English and some OF which isn't. and II
has n couple of fervid situations. Th"
| heroine. Mrs. Dascot. is n lady who is
longing for kisses. She says so herself
and she is the one to know. She married
a nasty old man about eighty years old
and when the play begins she has re-
| turned to Hunters Pointer was II Lon
don Ito seek out her old love. who is
also the father OF her chee-ild. II Is then
that she tells him that she positively
clamors for his kisses. She is very tall
and willowy. and she wears rose-colored
| crepe worth elghty-eight cents yard. If
her heart Is only as large as her sleeves
she must indeed he n loving creature
| The gentleman whose kisses she asks
for Is Dr. Henry Palgrave. "an eminent
London physician"
| His love. however, Is dead. He makes
no bones about It and tells her so. as he
stands before her in n superb suit OF
|
six dollars. He loves Margaret Clifton.
and az she learns this, Helene Dascot sits
comfortably down and faints. In the
next act she visits him In his private Of
fice. and repeats her demand for kisses.
This time she wears n handsome black
velveteen. but she Is Just as fervent.
Crowds are waiting for him within ear
| shot, and she determines to compromise
him. She locks the door. screams. puts
the key In his pocket. and when the mob
rushes in declares that he has insulted
her. This is the situation OF the play.
| In the third act Alexandria is stormed.
Nobody knows why. but 1t is. Palgrave
is In Alexandria. and 30 Is the Infamous
Jacobus. who knows all about their past,
and who also wants to marry the lovely
Margaret Clifton. Mrs. Dascot in this
act Is a hospital nurse. and she wants
to deliver Jacobus to the enemy. Pal
grave hates her for having compromised
him. Not kiss. or n kiss-ette. or even
a kiss-ine has she had, and she is so
hungry, poor soul! She promises to atone
| for her naughty action, and In the last
act she does so. She tells Margaret that
Palgrave had never insulted her-that
|
she determines that she will live alone
alone with her sorrow. and her white
brocaded silk dress. made with a train
and big sleeves. So she gives Margaret
to Palgrave. and exits slowly as the
final curtain falls.
Miss Kathrine Clemmons played the
part of the lady with the clothes and
worked very hard. She Is, however,
absolutely lacking In emotional
qualities. Why she should es-
say n part that runs the
gamut OF the emotions no fellow can
possibly know. 1t Is most unwlse and
most unkind. Friends should tell her
the folly OF such a course Miss Glenn
mems may still succeed. but she has no
right to star" barrymore knew his
lines very well, and uttered them In his
own peculiar manner. Z. J. Henley was
effective as the villainous Jacobus, and
spoke like Prof. Hermann. You ex-
pected to hear him say. "If some gen
tleman will kindly lend me a hat l will
show him that he Is in the habit OF
carrying rabbits about with him." ID. p
Steele did well in an utterly irrelevant
comedy part, and Miss Eleanor Lane
suffering from bad cold, was as good
as possible. All that can be said ir
favor Of the production is that 1t is ar
Improvement upon "A Lady of Venice. -
ALAN DALE