The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-18

artists and managers eagerly grab at.
America Is fertile field for dramatic ac-
tion. Abundant material can be found
throughout its broad domain for the pro-
duction OF any manner of play, whether it
partake Of pastoral or urban life, Of COM
edy or tragedy. i believe In keeping as
close TO nature rs possible and depicting
scenes and incidents which happen in our
own country and In our own times. The
rising generation should know the history
OF its own country-and contemporane-
ous history at that--bcfore studying that
of other nations And know of no better
instructor, no better history maker, than
the stage, for no teacher, no cold type, can
make such an indelible impression upon
the mind of youth as well turned drama.
That is the reason speak with such ear
nestness and directness.
am not partisan by any means, and
do not mean 20 decry foreign plays of mer-
It, Man or woman could read the works
Of the immortal Shakespeare or witness
their presentation score or more Of times
and still learn something SO, too, in u
miner degree, with the works of Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, Richard Lalor She'll,
Bulwor Lytton and men Of that stamp.
The plays L object to are those which give
the widest play TO the imagination and
which have hardly a shred of facts to build
upon; which appeal 10 the worst passions
OF mankind instead of the noblest senti-
ments; which abound in anachronisms
and portray exaggerated situations which
lead up To impossible denouements. Such
plays arc history destroyers and intellect
perverters.
OF late years am pleased to note there
&, -, = ha - rt ~ ON
people 10 encourage home production and
TO applaud clean, wholesome, instructive
American drama--drama typical OF Amcr-
lean life, pastoral and urban, political
and social. Such plays, for instance, as The
Mighty Dollar" THE Gilded Age"
"The Old Homestead" THE Senator"
ambition, - Shenandoah, and "Shore
Acres" Of which have the good fortune
to be author and am now playing at the
Fifth Avenue theater, New York, have
met with as pronounced favor as any OF
the passionate, turgid, stilted, erotic
dramas of foreign playwrights.
And with good reason. They appeal
directly to the hearts of the people. They
are in close touch with nature, and they
either recall scenes of childhood days or
portray those with which they are familiar
In youth or in manhood. They are pure
and inviRorating as well as being strong
in dramatic action. will not attempt TO
analyzo these plays, as my readers are
probably as familiar with their qualities
as your humble servant, but l will make
bold enough To ask what sermon could
better point n moral than the little pas
toral comedy am now presenting9 The
scene is laid off the picturesque coast OF
Maine, near Bar Harbor A noble fellow
STILES his affection for the woman he
adores and goes of to the war TO serve his
country in order that the younger brother
he loves, who was also smitton with her
charms may win her. When that brother
does win her, he surrenders his share OF
. the farm TO the two people he loves best
on earth. In time the younger brother,
now master OF Shore Acres, listens To the
voice of the tomptor, the real estate specu-
lator, and becomes money mad. Despite
the protests of the self sacrificing brother,
he enters into the schemes of land inn
provement company and cuts up the
homestead into village lots, after first
mortgaging the farm TO get the necessary
funds TO construct cotSoges. He even sac
rifloes the plot of ground which constitutes
his mothers last resting place. He has
no room for sentiment" That superflu-
Gus feeling must give way to the Moloch