Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-05
GEN. AGNUS'S PLAY.
III Woman Of War;" a Story Of ths
-Four Years Of Strife.
AT THE ACADEMY THIS WEEK.
Tise History Of the Part Played by
the Southern womsn During the
Hostilities fn tho Sixtics-The
Americas Girl Comirg.

with Easter week comes a revival OF
theatricals.
Lent this year has witnessed during it'
holy confines the presentation Of two
most important attractions before Inn
mense audiences, largely composed Of so
cIety folk.
They were Nat. c. Goodwin, and Miss
Ada Rehan. who was supported by Angus
tine Days New York company.
This week a pay Of southern interest
"a Woman Of War;" on Wednesday anc
Thursday evenings and Thursday. natl
nee, and IAN American Girl on Friday
and Saturday evenings and Saturday
matinee. will be the attractions at the
| Academy of Music.
l WHY TWAS WRITTEN.
General Felix Agnus, author OF "A Wo-
man OF War" briefly explains that during
rnuch Of his service in the hate war he
had been among the southern people. and
has had ample opportunity OF studying
the men and women OF that section. He
had been much struck In subsequent
years by the iinaccuracy and even the alb
! surdity of much OF the war literature
which pretended to deal with scenes and
events located in the South, and particu-
/ iarIy were the photographers or all
writer's of the southern woman's sympa-
! thizer grotesque in their accounts.
The daredevil pistol-firing woman was
/ not the type Of true southern womanhood
| ON the contrary, his experience with the
| daughters OF the South had shown him
I that they had not always received fair
treatment at the hands of post-bellum
authors.
His story Of ths play is founded upon
actual incidents that came under hts own
observation while H. front OF Port Hud-
son.
"a Woman Of War" has for Its main
object to show the southern woman as
she really existed at that tme-a pas
aIonate lover of the South and OF her
cause. an equally ardent hater OF those
she considered as tyrants and invaders,
and a soldier in spirit, ready to sacrince
everything. giving up comfort, happiness
life. and love itself in the cause to whlcn
her heart and soul was devoted. The IN
cidents of the story are founded on iacts
which actually occurred during the siege
OF Port Hudson by the Federal troops
under General Banks.
The besiegers had In vain tried TO sur
nrise the fort. the Confederates were al
anc TO uossess a knowledge OF their num-
hers. movements and even plans which
could be explained only on the theory
that they were in communication WIN
some one outside But no endeavors OF
| search could reveal the mysterious III
formant. Near the fort was large plan
| ,ation. on which resided a widow ana her
two daughters both charming girls, wnoih
the Federal officers had taken under their
special protection.
The elder Alice. had been captured
while riding with her betrothed lover,
| CAPTAIN Lattimer, Confederate States
army. OF Port Hudson, and this capture
had been regarded as important on ac-
count OF Lattimer's value as an ex-
perienced engineer
THE DISCOVERY.
He had, however. escaped, and Alice
had been returned to her home. An acci-
dent had led one OF the young officers TO
suspect her Of being In communication
| with the fort and he discovered her
taking the dispatches from the carrier
dove she had trained to fly between her
home and her lover with mutual messages
She was at once arrested and court-mar-
tailed. On the discovery OF her secret
her native courage threw of all restraint,
and she displayed fearless defiance and
disregard OF consequences that astounded
| her Judges She openly avowed herself
in communication with the besieged and
gloried In the harm she had done TO the
| northern cause.
Her courage her devotedness. and her
beauty made a deep impression, and one
| OF the staft officers, who volunteered TO
defend her, did 50 with such eloquence
that IL impressed all. But she rejected
/ all ha ho offaraI
her. and declared she was willing to die
for the South. She was sentenced 10
| death and on tho morning Of the execu-
ton, when the troops were drawn up TO
| witness her death, the officer OF the day
found only a dummy In her place. She
had escaped by the connivance OF her
guards, who, touched by what she thought
her dying prayer, restored her to life.
love. and liberty.
| Miss Virginia Stuart, young actress
| richly endowed with histrionic force and
genius. will impersonate the true. warm
| hearted, patriotic southern girl. an I'M
dertaking for which she IL In every way
well fitted, and In which rendition she has
already achieved large measure Of sue
| cess. The company In support of the
star is said TO be a masterful one. every
pereon in II having been chosen for his
or her aptitude. TO effectually play the
various roles assigned to them.
The scenic environments will be tho
roughly adequate, and the play will deal
| with facts known 10 all who braved the
| terrors OF war In and around Port Hud-
son, where the action of the play takes
place.
THE AMERICAN GIRL
1.-THE American Girl" is a play; in fact,
a clean, wholesome. and enjoyable one.
II deals with the fortunes OF an English
younger son." who. under the name OF
Philip Devon, comes TO America in quest
OF fortune, and tells simply very ro-
mantle story Of the long separation OF q
young wife and her final restoration to
her ever devoted husband.
The cast includes the names Of such
prominent members of the stage profess
sion as Albert Roberts, w. A. Tully,
Irving Southland, Helen Robertson, Cora
Belle Greene. and Ann Warrington.
Miss Julia r. Henning, the author of
John W. Ranson's big New York hit, We
nezuela," and other popular vocalisms. IL
collaborating with Mr.. Robert f. Golden
the erudite dramatic editor OF the State
on a new song. The verses are travesty
| on the volunteer military.
| NOTES OF THE STAGE.
The striking resemblance OF Maxim,
Elliott, just now leading woman OF "A
House OF Cards Company. to the first
wife Of Edwin Booth, recalls TO old play
goers one OF the loveliest characters and
sweetest personalities OF the ''palmy
days" Mary DevlIn was her name. She
met Booth In 1856 -Four years afterward
they became man and wife. Adam Badeau
and Wilkes Booth being witnesses to TIL
marriage Three years after that sht
| died