The San Francisco call., 1897-03-07

lumbus, "If you 60 down there you can't get
up again"
Davidson gives examples OF idiot1c things
said and done in the name of common-sense,
but Parisot, who is still unconvinced, takes his
departure with the Parthian shot: Human
patience has its limits, but human credulity
has none."
People interested in occultism would no
doubt find the whole debate interesting to
read, but it is hard to see how il can ad-
vance the action Of play. In the sec ond
act Sardou leaves debating alone, for
Sinone has to be dealt with. Her adven-
lures resem BILE those of the Princess de
Chimay, with the addition that d'Aube-
mas erroneously believes his wife has been
burnt in railway accident. In the final
act she appears to him clothed in white,
like phantom. and begs his forgiveness.
He grants pardon to what he believes is
his wife's spirit. but as she filings herself
into his arms he sees that she is really
creature OF flesh and blood.
Fanny Rice's new musical.costume-
edy, The Flower Girl OF Paris" might
be complete success as a comic opera
with score of its own, but the musical
numbers that adorn it at present are
job lot of songs and cuttings from
well-known operas that are dragged
in without much regard to their ap-
propriateness. In fact when the char
acters burst into song the sentiments they
express are sometimes the reverse of what
they have been saying in prose. The mu-
sical- comedy has a well.dehned
plot, but stands badly in need of chorus
to impart animation and movement, par
ticularly in the market scene.
Nanon, the fower-gir lives all by her
self in a mansion at the corner Of the mar
ket, and across the way sells flowers in
one of those nice little kiosk5 that the
municipality of Paris has thoughtfully
provided for vendors of newspapers, etc.
Nanon is supposed to have lived over a
century ago, but she is only anticipating
modern Improvements by having her
kiosk. 1t is scarcely correct to say that
she sells flowers, for the only people who
ever appear in the market are a baker lin
love with Nanon), Miss Alice Gallard.
who plays the part of the presiding genius
of a vegetable stand. and titled people and
their hirelings from the court of Louis
AlN, VINO come anu 20 Without Duy ing
anything. This may be the reason why
Miss Rice decks herself out with her
flowers, like Ophelia. only more 80, for her
hat looks like roof garden, and birds
would be tempted to build their nests in
her corsage and skirts.
! Nanon is very virtuous little flower
girl. so every one says, but the audience
is offered no explanation OF the ia ct that,
although her hand and heart ara pledged
to the comic baker. she sings "Oh, swear
| to be good and true to tho maiden you say
that you adore" (culled from "Dorothy'')
with the arm Of wicked marquis round
her waist. This marquis has made bet
that the fower-girl shall be his with a
baron whom Nanon calls: "You disrep-
utable old roue, YOU" Alter the flower
girl has asked the marquis to "swear to be
good and true" he is scarcely to be
blamed Tor not taking her seriously when
she says: "Get along, marquis, my heart
is another's' (meaning the baker'sj.
The Marquis makes Machiavellian plot
to kidnap her. Disgusting his varlets as
soldiers of the period he sends them forth
! to arrest fugitive chevalier whom
Nanon, with the most worthy motives,
has been shielding from justice in her
mansion. The cheyalier, who is always