The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-17
"yIcx OF THE WOODS"
Tho Cnrioua Piny. in witch tho Late Joseph
Proctor Appeared for Many Wears.

The Cnrioua Piny. in watch tho Late Joseph
Proctor Appeared for Many Wears.
When John E. owens died. 'Solon Shing'e. the
quaint New England peoples lawyer whose
father fit in the Rovolution-ho driV n bag
gage wagon and who came TO Boston town
with his barrel Of apple sass, ciod with him.
With t.. 4. Sothcrn died Dnndrearp. with j. X.
Emmett died Fritz. and with +. s. Chanfrau
died XII, though in all three cases tho sons OF
the comedians cndcavored. unsuccessfully, to
revive the glories of these character plays.
There has been no acceptable HunptB- Dunn pin
since George l.. Fox died. no Ddrp Crockett since
Frank Mayo consod playing tho part, and no
Enoch .frdcn since Edwin Adams ceased play
ing IL. In Boston. moro than n week ago, Jo'
scph Proctor died ut an advanced age, and with
him died, probably for all time, one OF tho most
curious of American melodramaf, with the cad
ing characters Of which the name Of Mr.. Proc
tor was inscparably identified. 1t was the play
of Mick OF the Woods. I" more frequently called
1.-THE Jihbcnainosay."
1t was an American drama. The ostcnsible
author was n woman-Mlss Nedina-and 1t was
produced first in Boston In 1S43. 1t was
adapted from II book by DIR. Robert Montgomery
Bird, the author OF Forests famous play
The Gladiator As at that period there
had been no civil war for the use of dram
a'ists in the construction of military plays,
as slavery was a theme not to be touched upon
In any playhouse, and as the country's prowcss
Mt sea MS shown in the war of 1912 could not.
by reason of the mechanical deficiencies OF the
American stage at that time, be reproduced
properly, American playwrights DESTROYS of
national subjects were compelled to have re-
course either to such patriotic memories as
were shown In Putnam, the Iron Son OF 70"
Lexington and the Shot Which Sounded
Around the World and valley Forge and
the Patriots Last stand, or to plays with In
dians in them. mick OF the Woods" was full
OF Indians and every character in 1t was worked
at full time, the leading character conforming
TO the Shakespoarian formula that lone man in
his time plays many parts" Mr.. Proctor, the
star of the entertainment, played six parts. as
follows: Mex Of he Hoods. the Jibtcndinosay.
B1oodp Noth"n. the, SPIRIT Of the Water, the
H,rc was IA case where tho auditor got full
value for his money. and II he was partial
episodes. and t,inpestuo!s meetings. his cup OF
enjoyment should have been filled to the brim
Proctor wore a dccrskin bunting coat. doerskini
lcgRings and black shoes covered with deerskin.
= broad; brihmed hat, = long stan, and a hunt
large Indian blanket and an Indian headdress
OF feathers, with a black mask, and carried a
black cloak. with black s!ouch hat and untanned
shoes, and carried a sharp knife. As Bloody Ma
than he was dressed in a hunting costume. with
a belt in which there were three knives. and he
also had a gun oyer his shoulder, a powder
he lad Ia marvellous evidence Of luxury and
refinement on the stage in those days. Il plain
white shirt: pale blue tights; black shoes, and
was dressed entirely, in white, with a flowing
robe and sandals. and he carried what seemed
as such, the NTH scene OF the second act, was
laid in Salt River. and this extract would show
Woods at about this point. In the previous
scene, "a rocky pass at night, music agitato."
Rniph Stuckpole detes the SPIRIT Of the Wdtcrs
in these words:
Amt | the crittur to shake Old Salt by the
waters ! Can take angeliicrous madam down
any chute rs was ever seen. equal to a streak Of
Al this point the scene changes to the Salt
River with n cataract in motion. 1t is moon
light, and therc are Indians in great numbers
Koiii away. Old salt; Don't miniSd the old fel.
low; sp!cndiierous madam; thnr's more in, his
i S"Fk a ass snd his and Si' as lic rE%Fnfl s ae a Whole % % 1TouR eS
of sugar trees. We will Just take n dip at him
10 wash the, mui of our shoce, and then we'll
say farewell to u! SIT and tho aborigincs to-
gethcr."
At this point loud yclls and outcries, Indian
dinns rush on the stage seizing all characters.
the villain OF the piece g~rasping the heroine by
Now, Edith Forester, thou art wholly mine
She IS moi Wholly MS nor erGn parity MS. for
meets the emergency in these words:
.tiri!n death and m"ssncrcation! o You
pHrlltlDn hrutcs! Let me loose. You Sum-total-
izcd rcn nis-crs. or. ,arna,ion death to me. iii
haunt you when N dead and eat you all. from
u sm"kr-!ricd varnint skl.rmudseon TO u
sQltill! faced hab0y rappooSc.
MS wilt but dnSTenInatical threat has no
effect upon the Indians. ami the redskins arc
about 10 carry of their victims WhCn II noise is
heard in HE back Of tic Stage, ana MIR. Proctor.
robc4 in white. is seen on = log coming down
salt Iaver. H. was appearing as the SPIRIT Of
he U'aicrS. The VILLAIN cXclaims: Man or
devil, phantom or lend. wherefore do you come
and who are you
At this point the log, with the Spirit Of the
HGt'r' upon IT.. is preIipitnlcd over the c'ta-
rSS''an the indians. al! uttcring a yell f terror.
bling the prisoners to make their escape.
As may be deserved from these episodes, the
be called in these days " hot stuff, and it is a
remarkable fact that While each OF the three
perate catastrophe, enCh act opens with u cheer.
full and almost idyliic poetic stanza. In the
cattle grazing and the immigrants. male and fc
male. singing at sunsetI, these are the predatory
words:
Exilcs from our homes Of birth,
Weary, fAint. and wasted. we
With Joy our place of refuge see.
The second act, which ends SO nhominably.
with the Indians grouped about Salt River. opens
ut "a clearing Mt Bruc town. Miss. time sunrise)
part, sing:
Away. away. tits break OF day.
In the east the sun is ~dawning;
With speed and care our march prepare.
In the pleasant morning.
The end OF the second net of Nick of the
Woods" has been given above. and the end OF
the first act is. perhaps. equally worthy OF men,
ton. 1t took place ut a stockade fort, and the
heroine, seeing Indians in the distance; shouts;
Hold, murderous villains! Richard BraXley,
forbcar!'
R'chard Brariry. however. does not forbear
He says. "Ha! What meddling intruder's this T.
Tc summon tho Indians. The redskin chief
PiuHkCshdir. exclaims:
white man think-red man dol Long knife
asleepi Rod man come softly as tho creeping
panther"
I IL ~ tLjs nnipt chat RJonJ., NotIou Iu.
pcrsonatcd by Mr.. Proctor, made his appear
ancc. and in the following rather crude Language
addressed him:
"Dog of an Indian, redskin, red wolf, die! Muir.
dering coward. die, n murderer's death. Re
member Bloody Nathan. the Avonger."
lie puts upon tho body OF the Indian. upon the
Indians breast, Tho cross-nark of his knife
somewhat in the manner Of Jack the Ripper in
modern days, and Colonel Bruce. one of the immi
grants. eXclaims: