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 1t 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 the
new play, Butterflies" that was pre-
scented for the first time in this city at
Palmer's Theatre last night. must know
all this. He 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 are In love with each other.
They tritie ~joyously through the scenes,
pclt each other with rose leaves, run
races on a leafy Lcnox lane and play
peek-a-boo behind a giant oak. They
s~oliloquize frequently, and they are at
cross purposes occasionally to vary the
monotony. There Is not an unpleasant
thought In the entire piece-all is idyllic.
sweet and perfect-a picture Of true
American life, which. as we all know,
simply reeks with poetry.
Mr.. Carleton tried one 'situation,' but
1t was so grotcsque that 1t was bathos.
Frederick Ossian, the hero, had to do
something self-sacrifcing 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 adj
venturess-because there was no adven-
turess. Guess what he did? Mrs. Bev-
erly stuart Dodge, the mother of the
girl he loved. and a horrible upstart who
had snubbed him pcrsistently, was
dunned by a drcssmaker. The dress
makers agent followed her to Florida
and was about to present the bill when
Frederick Ossian advanced with all q
hero's fervor and for the SAKE OF the
girl he loved paid the bill with his last
check. This was so funny and SO
original that II 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
'ON ''' ~ tft's WV ~ NJ wv ~
sort OF Arcadia Is made of st. Augustine
Florida, and an %arcadian annex OF
Lenox. The girls wear the prettiest sor,
OF dresses. and the young men are thu
butterflies" those amiable people who
fiutter about and do nothing at all for a
livelihood, the principal object of theil
lives being the uttering OF gentle
nothinRs into the ears OF comcly maid
ems. Life Is not real and life Is not ear.
nest in plays or this sort, but the hyme'
neal altar Is It's goal. After all. VIVA,
more Is needed to frlvol away two
or three hours? Butterflies is cx
actly like q 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. q
DELIGHTFULLY."- clever young woman. II ar
actress who acts. 1t Is a long time since
New York has seen so admirable a per.
Torrance as hers was. ! want to give
her just one little bit OF Enthusiastically
o~ffered-and IT Is that she Will try to for.
get the audience In front OF her. This
non-forgetfulness was the only defect II
her work. John Drew did very well a.
Frederick Ossian. but 1t wRs a part tina
gave him none OF the opportunities
afforded by THE Masked Ball" Miss
Maude Adams, who looked weary and
worn. was satisfactory, and so were
Miss Kate Meek and Harry Harwood.
ALAN DALE.