The times., 1897-12-28

Service wins. That is indubitable in
dication Of strength. Then there is no
heroine. To be sure there is the leading
mans sweetheart, but it is not half 30
much for her sake as for his that there Is
hope for the hero's vindication. Again.
side by side with his own part, the author
has built UP % juvenile role OF intensity
and pathos that often threatens the pre-
eminence OF his; own role.
The story Is told quietly but forcefullY.
Shortly after the curtain rises the involve
rnent is disclosed and the audience is
tempted TO solution. 1t is u mei,'-
drama in all its accepted sense but the
noisInesS OF its sensations. There IL no
noise. The points pierce home swiftly
and quietly, but none the less directly and
effectively. Perhaps it's salient character
istic is the conviction 1t carries. This IS
achieved by natura lness and plausibility
allied TO an ingenious plot construction.
These characteristics are the expression
of William Gillette, as he has always dis
closed himself, in THIS and other pieces.
He nev er SEEKS point. When lie meets one
he treats 1t as II 1t were merely episode,
as IL it happened along and couldn't ne
avoided, ana neencounters it with a natLsai
manner and o. aplausible sincerity which
Is convincing. II seeins impossib e thattuere
is istnesubietyof art ntheunconsGtutlonalIty
of Gillette's stage personages. Without
conceived effort, lie moves on from point to
point with sustained, ev en- crescent, interest.
or course, the cigar Is in evidence. IL Is
a part OF the actor vehicle OF express
sion, as is his eyes, his voice, the lines
of his face, or the position and movement
OF his hands. In the telegraph scene the
cigar was as much in evidence as IL IL Lao
played a speaking part.
A single line on the program would save
Campbell GoltoD's evidently sincere, Dut
almost Ridiculous attempt at Il Southern
Characterization, and it should read, "Jiist
arrived in Bichmond from Great Britain.
His deficiencies In the part We're not mis-
takes, but limit ations Of nature. Ii e simply
is not endowed by manner, accent or SYM
pathy with the type to play Southerner.
Hope Ross has the part of a deliberate ana
ingenuousiy sophisticated Southern mss
which Mr.. Gillette has made simply ir-
ristible. Caroline Milford is the pest girl
part put into play in years. Her point OF
view is her own, anu its Individuality
doesn' + deterherin the leastfruin advancing
her opinions and desires in herown natural
manner Sarah Perry does not make Edith
Varney, the inconspicuous heroine, CON
spicuous This role is hard TO act and
thankless in result.
The part Of the piece which most readily
inspires sympathy is Wilfred Varney, and
Walter Thomas acts the ardent, patriotic
Confederate boy with a sincerity which
is heroic. His differentiation is notable.
At first he is seemingly caprici0us, in-
genuous, boyish boy. the end OF the
evening, SO eventful for the people in the
story, he is brought in again but changed
with an added subtlety in his character
only To be expressed in Mr. Thomas's fine
Characterization. No part in the piece
plays upon the emotions OF the auditor
more certainly than this one. Completeness
in other ma ior and minor parts, in scenic
establishment, and the difficult achieve
meDt OF active supernumeraries marked
the production, which is the most pleasing
seen at the Lafayette since Miss Adams
opened the season.