The evening world., 1894-09-12
THE BAUBLE SHOP"

henry arthur JOneSR plays are al
ways enjoyable as ingenious theatrical
constructions. They hold you in alb
sorbed interest while you are in the
playhouse. and II Is only afterwards
when you come to think 1t all over
that you realize Jones's clever charla
tanism. He weaves spell around you,
and If he Is quack, he succeeds in
making you his accomplish for the time
being. This Is the case with THE Bau-
BILE Shop" the play given last night at
the Empire.
1t IL an admirably written, strong and
theatre-reeking effort, more acceptable
than anything we have yet had from
the pen OF MIR. Jones. We have seen
THE Dancing Girl" Saints and Sin
ners." THE Middleman." Wealth" and
Judah" THE Bauble Shop" is an i'm
provement upon all. and 1t is far more
human and probable than THE Mas
queraders," which New Workers. have
not yet seen.
Lord Cllvebrooke, the leader OF the
House OF Commons. has accidentally
met Jessie Keber. the daughter OF the
proprietor OF a little toy shop. He Is
attracted by her apparent innocence,
for he liz cynical on the subject of
women. truth and goodness. almost to
the verge OF Oscar Wildeism. His politi-
cal opponent. Mr.. Stoach, NJ. p, en-
ploys Jessie Keber and her father, and
discovers Lord Clivebrooke's infatua-
ton. The leader frequents the toy shop
at the most ungodly hours, and Stoach
has him followed. One night Stoach
breaks in and finds him with Jessie. A
strong scene ensues Cllvebrooke is to
speak in the House for the Public Nor
ais" bill. Stoach thereupon swears to
expose his private life to the House,
unless he signs n confession OF guilt.
Clivebrooke Is innocent. Jessie's
fair name Is untainted. He refuses to
sign, and In the third act Stoach tells
the House Of Commons all about him.
The audience sees Clivebrooke's pri-
vate room. opening into the House,
where the noise and excitement can be
heard. In the last act, the leader re-
signs, offers Jessie Kober marriage. and
disconcerts Stoach.
There is a feeling OF dissatisfied ton at
the end OF the play. Neither the hero
nor the heroine has sinned, yet Mr..
Jor es shows US Clivebrcoke's career alb
solutely ruired. Audiences don't care
for that sort OF thing. They love to see
sinner chastened, but when q play
wright has taken particular care to prove
the innocence OF his man and woman,
theatrical gatherings prefer to look
upon undiluted happiness. That IL the
popular View OF It, at any rate. To the
fostidious few. the ending OF THE
Baube shop" Is better than the stereo-
typed fms.
1t IL not easy to accept Mr.. Jones's
Clivebrooke-eXcept as a purely theat-
rical puppet. Imagine cynic a man OF
the world. the leader of the House,
upon whom the eyes of the world are
turned, visiting Jessle's home, inno-
Gently. after the midnight hour, night
after night. with no thought of compro-
missing her! He Is so utterly surprised
when Stoach accuses him of baseness. yet
what else could Stoach or anybody else,
Infer? Yet Clvebrooke is a diplomatist.
tactician, a political genius. and he is
a man In the prime OF life. Mr.. Jones
does these queer little things purposely
to excite discussion. Every play that he
has written in the last decade has been
talked about for Just these little de-
ittts' JoHts hHONs tHdt tnty exist. lie
Is clever theatrical juggler. and his
calculations are always exact
John Drew did exceedingly we'll with
what was, for him. new departure
The Bauble Shop Is not a play of
smiles, and Mr.. Drew has been asso-
ciated with laughter, His work was
always worthy. although his limits were
seen rather plainly at the end OF the
second act. the effect of which was
spoiled by an inartistic exit The cast
was entirely good Miss Maud Adams
was pretty and pathetic, and II she
could leave her face alone in her emo
tional moments her work would be I'M
proved. She clutches at her forehead.
throat and temples in a bewildering
way. j. f. Dodson, as the tipsy old
father, was excellent; Miss Elsie de
Wolfe played the role OF Lady Kate
Ffennell with much refinement, and
Harry HARDWOOD was brusque and
felictously unsympathetic Stoach. o.
body should miss The Bauble Shop"
ALAN DALE.