River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-03-21

SUM- " 1hc vanity OK Haman. but
Mordecai, unassumiig but dignified
and frank, exhibiting the wisdom of
honest purpose, the disingenuous
purpose of a righteous man, prevails,
attains the ultimate, ends of justice.
He understands the vain and wicked
nature of Hannah, and with the
characteristic dignity of the con-
scientious righteous. man refuses to
huniliate himself before him. The
vain and vindictive Aaman is seized
with furious jealousy and desire for
vengeance that could not be satisfied
with the destruction of Mordecai
alone, but of the whole Jewish race,
including the queen herself. But
Mordecai, in his debasement and in
his advancement alike preserved the
equanimity, the lofty, unpretentious
dignity of the wise man. Mr..
Rasmussen performed his difficult
part with such naturalness, with such
even tenor and effect as TO preclude
the possibility of adverse criticism.
Even in his exaltation and the con-
sequent humiliation of his bitter
enemy he manifested none of the
offensive eXultation Of common men.
Haman's charactdr was the direct
opposite of Mordocai,s, vain, pompous,
vindictiye and cruel, counting favor
and adulation, not by the intrinsic
worth of true merit, or justice and
kindly authority, the favor he receiy-
ed was necessarily obsequious and
hypocritical, as rendered for the
purpose of Cancellation to supercilious
power, vanity on one side and seryility
on the other. Frank b. Thayer, in
the role of Hannah, the most distinc-
tive and difficult character in the
whole cast, performed the part with
faultless effect, and throughout the
whole play in his acting did himself
proud" His costume was splendid
one; he outshone the king in the
magnificence of hisapparel, in adorn-
ment, in glitter of jewelled crown, in
his conscious pride Of place, as prime
minister, the vehicle of authority,
more distinctiyely authoritative than
the king who seemed but the source
of laws. As the naughty regent, the
administrator of tire laws, the actor
personated the typical Haman to
perfection. With what ''pomp and
- I n nna'f no snpnxraI no
cringing courtiers: With what appar-
ent indifference he received their
adulations, their fulsome praise!
With what scorn and hate did he
regard that Hebrew, Mordecai, when
he refused to PROSTATE himself before
this lofty lieutenant of the king,
with his Misrepresentation of kingly
qualityl 1t was the naughty spirit
that goes before a fall. And in his
reversed condition, from the pinnacle
of power to the gloom of degradation,
in his humiliation as in his exaltation,
he was true TO nature, to life. Yet
in his humiliation Hannah exhibited
more the characteristics of the man,
than in the supreme moment when
in the intoxicaticn of power and
adulation he had lost his head In
his low estate, despoiled of power.
stripped of the glittering trappings
of authority, the splendors of crown
and apparel, he elicits more Of
sympathy and commands more of
admiration, for Che humanity of
man is displayed to better advantage
in hislow estate. In all these varying
conditions of Haman's life the actor
was inimitable. A pathetic incident
that appealed TO the hearts of the
audience was Haman's parting with
wife and child. When the memorable
decree of the king ''let him hang
upon the gibbet be has erected for
Mordecai" was pronounced and the
attending officers we're hurrying him
away to execution, with a frantic
effort he breaks away from the guards
and seeking an interview with wife
and child, for moment he ''unbends
the rigOr of his s1ul'' and lets the
heart speak, giving way to those
softer feelings that bind the man to
sympathy and friends. Again tear
ing himself from the arms of his
loved ones with supreme effort. he
consigns himself INTERESTINGLY to the
executioners.
Zerish, Haman's wife, was a con-
spicuous figure in the drama She
proved herself an ideal wife. Identify
ing herself in sympathy with her
husband in all bis yicissitudes; eX-
ulting in his triumph grieving, but
femlnlnely sympathetic in his debase-
ment and evil fortune. This part
was performed with truth TO the
realistic conditions of intelligent and
sympathetic life, the actors exhibiting
the features of perfect womanhood
in their delicate relationship. Miss
Clara Evans was assigned to this
important character and had
perfected herself On the parts, acquit-
ting herself fsCltlessly in the
exhibition of Thursddy evening. Her
voice was excellent; she had accepted
the situation of the play with quick
and sympathetic apprehension, and
had performed tile part with intelli-
gent interest and effect. Indisposi
tion precluded the attendance of
Miss Evans at the recital of Friday
evening and Miss Ethel Heasley was
induced, but reluctantly and with
protest, to assume the role of Zerish
She had not practiced the part, yet
her performance was 50 faultless that
none of the audience would have
suspected it. Both these young ladies
in the performance of the part
assigned them we're justly entitled to
commendation. and this they received
with hearty approya |.
Zerish as the devoted and beloved
wife of the prime minister Of this
proud luxurious court was attired in
rich and costly garments. sparkling
ingems and precious jewels. To her
husband In all the varying phases of
his career she was loyal and sincere,
whole hearted . and honest. To
L--.maa ~ ms lofty triumph she
gave conspicuous and hearty praise
the only sincere friend in all that |
vast array of sibSeryient adulation:
praise While his star was in the !
ascendency, an ascendency that |
brought her equal glory: in his fall |
and humiliatioI she did not desert |
his fortunes; her womanly affection is
deem and constant prOtiprlQg com fort |