The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-13
PLAY BILLS THIS WEEK
THE GRAND STOCK COMPANY PRE-
SCENTS "THE LOST PARADISE.
Henry SIiIIer's First Appearance Here
at EngIish's Thursday-DOubIe Bill
at the Parh-Empire.

THE Lost Paradise" in which the Grand
stock company will be seen this week, open
ing tomorrow night. is really the most
dramatic of any production yet given during
the stock season. 1t was immensely popular
some years ago, having so many of the. ele
ments that interest the public and so much
variety In its story. The theme Of the play
concerns the ever-present struggle between
capital and labor, and as this struggle is
always likely to exist 1.-The Lost Paradise
VIII ever be interesting Its principal char
acter is the superintendent of a large iron
works in the East. one Reuben Warner, a
man invaluable to his rather hard-hearted
employer, Andrew Knowlton. Knowltons
employees make a demand for higher wages,
which he refuses. They give him until
certain time to make up his mind to accede
TO their demands, and one of the scenes
between the men and their employer is in
tensely dramatic. 1t comes at the close of
the second act, where Knowlton. in a speech
to a committee Of the wOrkmen, asks them
not to cause him immense financial loss by
quitting work. and calls in his daughter
Margaret, richly dressed and wearing jew
els and tells them she will suffer as re-
suit OF their act. Then one of the work
men goes out and brings In MS daughter,
too weak to stand clad in rags and half
starved and points to her as example
of what the small wages paid to the Knowl-
ton employees has done. There is another
one of unusual interest, and that is where
the ponde9ous machinery of the great iron
works is shown in operation, and at a signal
from the leader Of the strikers the wheels
cease to revoIve and the strike begins.
There is a better defined comedy element
in 1.-THE Lost Paradise than in many plays.
OF course the central love affair, that be-
tween Warner and Margaret Knowlton, is
most serious, especially as. during the early
portion of the play, Margaret regards the
superintendent. who is a practical iron man,
as of too humble origin for her. His force
OF character. however, and his manliness
and truth eventually win her affections.
Warner is heartily in sympathy with the
workmen in their demands for more pay and
urges Mr. Knowlton to grant them. When
he refuses Warner joins the strikers, keep
ing them in check. In the end he and the
cause he espouses triumph and the play
ends happily. There is a pretty little love
story between Bob Appleton and Polly
Fletcher and a funny one between Billy
Hopkins, one of the factory hands, and
Cinders, a girl who works in the mill. There
is a character in the play, Ralph Standish,
who makes considerable mischief and is a
source of much trouble throughout the
story. The cast is the largest yet employed
during the stock company's season. 1t
takes not only the full strength of the or
ganiZation but the services of several 9TH
ers besides. among them Emmett Shackle
ford of the Neill Stock Company Cincin-
natl. who viii appear in his original part
of Billy Hopkins, playing opposite to Miss
Daily as Cinders. Mr.. Horning heads the
cast as Reuben Warner, and Miss Shannon
is the Margaret Knowlton of the play. Mr..
Kirkland viii appear as Ralph Standish.
II. Conger as Bob Appleton, Miss Berg as
Polly Fletcher, Mr.. Gwynette as Fletcher,
secretary TO Mr.. Knowlton; Mr.. Patton.
Mr.. Miles, Mr.. Bradford and Mr.. Spencer
workmen and leading strikers, Mrs. Bank
son as Mrs Knowlton and Miss Field and
Miss Stephens as factory girls
The staging of the piece will be as COM
plete as during the past pleasant weeks of
the stock companys career. The scene
showing the interior of the works Is more
than ordinarily difficult. but will be de-
picted with the well-known skill of the
corps of scenic artists at the Grand.