The Irish standard., 1895-01-12

Ak u. lgzs
pleased 70 give him the much needles
! iheirogliphics.
/ .Father and Son" the four-act dram
by F. r. Leroux, Of this city, was PRO
duced for the first time at the Lyceun
theatre last Wednesday night. The au
dience was quite large and the genera
verdict seemed to have been that the pla.
was we'll rendered. Taken as a whole
amateurs seldom acquit. themselves .st
creditably and the play itself has much
to commend it to public favor. The an
thor, Mr. Leroux, appeared between thu
third and fourth acts, and briefly ane
gracefully outlined his ideas IN the con
struction Of the play. France, the coun
try of his birth, and America, the coun'
try of his adoptlon-their RELATIONSHIPS
the pivotal or governing thought in the
preparation af "Father and Son" Among
other things, Mr.. Lsroux said it had been
his endeavo1 to produce play which
| would prove both moral aud e1evating in
all it's parts, and in this he has fairly sue.
ceeded. As to the scenes of the play
they are laid in three continents. In the
first act Robert LIE Grand son Of mon
archist marquis, suffers banishment be-
cause Of his liberal views. He goes to
America and marries an American girl.
During his absence an endeavor is made
by his father to force Irene, his sister, to
marry worthless nobleman, but this is
frustrated by the timely return Of LIE
Grand to France, who exposes the viii
lainies Of De Kergal, in the fourth or
clo.ing act, which is followed by recon-
ciliation between father and son. In the
second act the scenes are laid in Panama.
The third act opens in the home of the
Wilkins family, Minneapolis, where the
young count seeks the hand of their
daughter and is accepted. In literary
way there is much merit in the produc-
tion and many of the speeches are we'll
written, though some Of them might be
improved by the cutting down process.
Already very pleasing play, "Father
and Son" can be made still more attract
i've by few changes, which Mr.. Leroux
will more clearly discern as the play con-
tinues to be produced.
Col. Reuben c. Benton died at his
home, 1915 Hawthorn avenue, Tuesday
afternoon at l:30 o'clock. Mr.. Benton
suffered stroke of paralysis December
30, since which time he has been gradu-
ally sinking until death came. r. G..
Benton was born in Waterford, Vermont,
May 13, 1880, but removed with his faith
er's family to Essex county in the same
state when he was IL years old. He had
an early desire to receive collegiate
education, which was not seconded by
his father, and he remained upon the pa
ternal farm until his majority, in the
meantime seeking preparation for col
lege as best he could, and 'devotlng some
time to reading law with al uncle, Jacob
Benton, of Lancaster, N. H., and also
with William Haywood, of Guildhall, Vt
Within ten days after reaching his ma
iority he entered the University of Yer
mont at Burlington, in the third term OF
the freshman year, where he completed
the college course and graduated in 1854
Mr. Benton joined a company of volun
teers, Of which he was commissioned cap
tain, in the Fifth regiment OF Vermont
infantry, and marched to the front. This
regiment was actively engaged during
the whole of the fret peninsnlar cam
paign. At the battle of Savage Statlor
he received buckshot wound in the
arm. A. year later he was promoted tc
the lieutenant co|onelcy of the Eleventh
Vermont infantry, which efterward be
came the First Vermont artillery. Ir
1857 he removed to St. Adams, and be
came associated with w. D. Wilson, ane
afterwards with a.. P. Cross. There ht
was busiiy employed FOR Sc ven years, an6
until he removed to Minneapolis in 1875
where he formed q Law partnership witt
his younger brother, which continued
till 1911. In 1879 Col. Benton was ap
pointed city attorney of Minneapolis
holding the office until December, 1881
whom he resigned. 1t was period of
rapid development in the city, and thf
city attorneysbip assumed peculiar i'm
portance. Many claims for damages fol
personal injuries were made against the
city, but not single judgment was OBJ
tained. The first controversy with the
railroad, respecting the bridging Of
tracks, arose at this time. It WAS settled
satisfactorily to the interests Of the city
Upon his resignation, COL Benton was
appointed local attorney for the St. Paul
Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad Com
pany, upon an annual salary, with liberty
to engage in other practice. Upon the
merging OF that railroad company with
the Great Northern corporation his EN-;