The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-30

Mark Smith and Charles w. Swain.
The pictures of the Tea House of Ten
Thousand Joys, and gardens of the
Marquis palace, are said to be redolent
Of japanese secrets.
After week of farce, Manager Hays,
Of the Grand, announces a departure
to the realistic realms Of melodrama.
A worthy production of this order is
promised in the initial visit here Of
Joseph Arthur's drama, 1.-The Cherry
Pickers." The engagement will be in
augurated with a performance tonight
at 8:15. Joseph Arthur as playwright
is popular with theatergoers through
the success of his familiar play 1.-THE
Still Alarm" and his successful drama,
Blue Jeans" AS a dramatic writer he
has always exhibited considerable
originality and his plays are all strong
local color The Cherry Pickers is
said to be an interesting contribution
to the melodramatic stage. The story
is laid in India and AfghaniStan during
the campaign of 1880 and is full of
local color. 1.-THE Cherry Pickers" is
the lame given to the 18th Regiment
British HusSars, distinctive feature
of whose uniform is the cherry color
of their trousers. A romance of the
Afghan campaign forms the theme Oh
which Mr.. Arthur has built his play.
The heroine, Nourmallee, is the daugh-
ter of a rich Eurasian, as the half
castles are termed in the British In
dies, and Mr.. Arthur incidentally brings
out the struggle of this class for social
recognition. This EuraSian girl is deep
ly in love with John Nazare, brave
Eurasian officer in a native regiment
of the British army, who has been de-
tached from his command to act as
aide e-camp to Col. Brough, COM
mandant at the military settlement of
Rawul Pindee. Col. Brough is the viii
lain. In spite of the fact that he has
a wife living in England, he keeps the
fact a secret in order to marry Nour-
malice. John NaZare, who is aware OF
the fact that the colonel is married,
comes upon him conversing with Nour-
malice and learning that he has made
a proposition of marriage to the falr
Eura sian, is Infatuated and makes an
attack upon his superior officer. For
this he is tried by military tribunal,
composed of the friends of Brough,
and is condemned to twenty years of
incarceration in a military prison. He
escapes, makes his way to the house
of Mrs. O'Donnell-Duleep, where he
sees Nourmallee. Brough's troopers sur
round the house. Nourmallee endeav-
ors to help him to escape, but he is re-
captured and sent to the fortress OF
Candahar, where Nourmallee is also
sent, for conniving at his escape.
Nazare is confined in a wing of the fortress
with an Afghan spy, Ayoob, whose brother
had been slain in battle ty Nazare. An at
tack is made upon the fortress by Afghans
Brough has NaZare chained up in front of
one Of the gun ports, and when all seed lost,
tells Ayoob that NaZare is his brothers muir
derer and bids him turn the huge cannon till
its mouth touches the breast of Nazare and
then blow the latter to pieces. Ayoob fren-
zed by the thoughts CT revenge at once
turns the gun. Nourmallee who has been
dragged out by Brough, manages to escape
her prosecutor reaches the gun room and
drags Nazare out of danger just as Ayoob
pulls the lanyard and fires the cannon
NaZare rallies the native troops and puts the
Afghans to fight. In the last act at
native dak he meets Brough and kills I'M.
The soldiers enter to arrest Brough, who has
betrayed his post and the British viceroy
pardons Nazare for his gallant conduct,
The characters are said to be extremely
well drawn. There is a regular kaleidoscope
| CT colors in the different portraits, that at
| once transports the auditor to the Orient.
| The scenery is quaint and thoroughly char
| acteristic of the locale so much that
| almost feels the glare of the Indian sun.
All the scenery and properties of the original
production will be brought on for the pre-
sentation of the piece in this city. The cast
and is composed of the following wel-known
players: Ralph Lelmore, a leading actor OF
excellent reputation; Robert T. Haines, Nat
jones, R. V. Ferguson, Edward Poland
Frank Insee, George Brennan, William P.
Sprague, William C.. Riley and Charles Ed
win The feminine portion Of the cast in
Guides Jennie Satterlee, a clever character