The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-17

This IS the title OF a play, ny LIZ MAJ
Nordau, author of Degeneration and
some other works that have attracted at
tention One of them is entitled How
Women Love-" and to show that seems in
large part the motive of 1.-THE Shackles of
Fate" The scene of the play is laid en-
tirely in Berlin, and the plot seems in
tended to reveal, perhaps exaggerate. some
features of social life in the Berlin of to-
day. The principal characters are Fritz
Sickart, an ambitious attorney, who with
considerable talent unites degree of UNI
scrupulousness; Ernest Won Popping,
German nobleman and government official:
Mrs Won Dobbelin, his married sister; Mrs
Sickart, the vulgar but honest mother OF
Attorney Sickart, and Louise Wahbe,
pretty country girl. Other characters fill out
the dramatis personae. Fritz Sickart, born
and reared in a country town and edu-
Gated at university, locates in Berlin and
is achieving fame as lawyer. AT first his
mother lives with him. She is really the
dominant character in the play. Ignorant
and vulgar a. workingwoman all her lie,
she is the embodiment of honesty, sincerity
and sterling worth. She adores her son, but
he is ashamed of her and thinks she handl-
caps his career. In the END she proves 10
be mis- guardian angel and salvation. Never
theless he is so ashamed of her that ne
places her in quarters apart from ms own.
He has just won celebrated case by op-
tanning a decree of divorce for Mrs. Won
Dobbelin, the ariStocrat who brought suit
against her husband for making love to
servant girls His professional employment
by Mrs Won Dobbelin ends in his making
love to her and proposing marriage. Sne IS
beautiful and rich as well as noble by blrtn.
She knows Sickart is poor but beLeves MN
and ambitious he will succeed. she knows
nothing about his parentage. lie presses MS
suit and is finally accepted. Won Fepping,
DOhhpllQ'S brother.
posed to the match, believing Slckart 10 De
mercenary and suspecting that ne is or low
origin. He tries to break on the engage
ment but is unsuccessful. Finally, through
the efforts Of Mrs. Dobbelin's divorced aus
band, who hates Sckart, the secret ei OF ms ms
birth is discovered Mrs. Won Dobbelln visits
the old woman and is so impressed by her
honesty and sterling worth that she would
still have married the son. But worse was
to come She finds that Sickart, after leaV-
ing the university, betrayed and deserted
Louise Wahbe. The girl still loves him de-
yotedly and comes TO Berlin with her little
boy. Mother Sickart knows that Louise mas
been betrayed, but does not know by Whon.
At chance meeting in Berlin she taunts
Louise with her disgrace and the latter
tells her her son caused it. Then the ola
woman takes Louise in her arms and takes
her and the little boy to I'VE WITH n ner 40 no
aging some of Mrs. Won Dobbelins prop
erty, apprOprates several Thousand dollaTs
to his own USE still expecting to marry
her When she learns all and even has an
interview with Louise she finally though
gently and reluctantly, breaks WITH SlckaIt.
Then when he is encompassed with troubles
and enemies and threatened with exposure,
disgrace and the prison. and all his fair
weather friends have deserted him, MS
mother and Louise stand by him. me oid
woman rises grandly to the SITUATION ana
her true character shines out magnihcently;
Then it becomes apparent that the real
noblewoman in the play is not Mrs. Won
Dobbelin, but old Mrs. Sickart, whose
hands. hardened with work. have never felt
a soft glove In this crisis she overtops all
the other characters and saves her son.
Louise too stands by him like true wom-
an. Rescued from the difficulties and dis
grace he has brought upon himself MS eyes
are opened, his old love for Louise returns,
and he determines to marry her and begin
life anew in a foreign country. HI mother
tells Louise she must take the boy too
''you belong to your boy, and your boy be-
longs to mine" Finally, the old woman asks
If they will not take her. too Sickart, his
better self fully restored says, You shall
both come-not as my shackleS, but as my
anchor" Thus what he once regarded as
shackles of fate that would keep him down
and prevent his career, became his sheet
anchor and source of happiness. This is
mere outline of the plot, which is sym
metrically developed and discloses some
strong situations. The characters are well
drawn and there are some distinct types.
The play has dramatic possibilities and
could be easily adapted to the stage. It is
published by +. Tennyson Nicely, New
York