The record-union., 1899-06-24

but with the madness of a nature gov
erned wholly by passion, he attempts
to compel the disappointed bride to
marry him, by declaring the crime Of
her fatherAof which she has been kept
in ignorance-thus staining the name Of
her family. The outcome is not what
he expected. The family prefer the
shame of the revelation to compromise
with dishonor Here the better nature
of the rascal gets the upper hand, and
he relents, seals his lips for the love
he still bears the daughter, and van
ishes from the story, which closes with
the hope left still for a faithful lover
of her childhood, whom the unhappy
daughter Mad discarded for the less
worthy man. Throughout the play
there rum the liveliest comedy veins,
mainly sustained by Mrs. Lorrimer," a
frequently divorced woman, who had
lost faith in men, but RECEIVERS it at last
in discovering one true one who COM
manded her respect as we'll as her love.
Miss Abbott, in this character, is spark
ling, brilliant, artistic, all but incom-
parable. She comes dangerously, for
Miss Shannon, near to carrying off the
highest honors No more piquant, sat
character has been seen here in many
day. Mr.. Kelley, one of the most fin
ished of actors in society roles, is pre-
scented for the first time as a heavy
william. That he assumes it with the
same ease characteristic of him when
he is cast for heroic and refined parts,
is but to say that he justifies the judg-
ment that he is an accomplished artist.
GIL ell -
the emotional role. She gives it with
delicacy, pathos. tender grace and art
istic finish, leaving nothing wanting.
There is brilliancy of dialogue, richness
Of hurnor, the sparkle Of satire and the
strong color Of genuine comedy
throughout, relieving the somber shades
and by very contrast making a tragic.
story sparkling. The drama is finely
mounted and staged with that atten-
ton to detail which insures effective
ness in stage pictures. 1.-THE Moth and
the Flame will be played for mat
inee performance at 2:15 this after
noon, and for the last time tonight. It
is asserted that this is the last high
class company Eastern managers will
send to the State for a very long time,
because of the alleged unfair and harsh
treatment SO many plays in the hands
of fine combinations have received from
| the San Francisco press. It is added
that inasrnuch as the standards of Bos-
ton, New York and Chicago are not &C.
cepted in San Francisco, and as pays
approved at the East by discriminate
ing public and press, meet with only
cold and hypocritical treatment from
the critics of San Francisco, therefore,
it is unwise to bring other frst-class
! companies here. This is harsh judg-
ment. The managers are much to
blame. They have pampered and cod
died the San Francisco critics until they
have, apparently, conceived the idea
that their judgment is 1nfallible and
that the art Of criticism resides wholly
in fault finding. However that may
be, we are certain that if 1.-THE Moth
and the Flame" was roughly handed
in San Francisco, it was unjustifiable
treatment. 1t is, to our mind, a nat
urally moving, probable and not UNI
wholesome work. 1t is neither untrue,
nor more overcolored than dramatic
pictures warrant. 1t affords rational
entertainment and is worthy to be seen,
and seen Will be enjoyed as a work OF
wit and art presented by company Of
excellence.