The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-04-15

man Of thirty" born on April FOOLS day,
who, young. rich, handsome, with the
most beautiful wife in Paris finds 1t
worth while to "scorn delights and live
laborious days, what Of him? Four or
five years ago singer sent me copy of
his first plsy, LA Princess Lointoine,"
from Paris. l wrote lengthy review
Of it, l believe for the State Journal.
The piece was played by Nine. Bern
hardt and failed because it was poem
and not play. Coquelin first met him
in Bernhardt's atelier and pledged him
self to play any part that this young
man should write for him. As he re-
marked afterward. he had never hoped
to be able to make such a, promise. The
actor himself has related what life
this furious young genius led him. For
weeks he would disappear entirely and
Coquelin would hear nothing Of him.
When one met Madame Rostand and
sought information from her, she would
say only, with despairing gesture.
He writes-in the day, in the night. He
writes: that is ALL Poor Nine. Rostand.
Then some morning he would burst in
upon Coquelin before the actor was out
Of bed and begin declaiming his verses,
reading scene he had just completed.
Coquelin, catching his enthusiasm,
would leap out Of bed and wrapping
himself in his bath robe, seize the poker
and begin to rehearse. He would COM
nit the scene and begin working out all
his points" and then next week this
devil OF a Rostand would dash in to tell
him that the scene would not do at all,
that he had torn it up and written an
other. But" said Coquelin, ii could
afford to be patient. for had been wait
ing for that fellow thirty years."
l think France may fairly Say of him
as lola said Of Maupassant: He is one
Of our own. Latin Of good. clear, solid
head. a maker Of beautiful sentences
shining like gold, pure as the diamond.
A child Of the great writer's OF France,
a ray from the good sun that fecundates
our soil, ripens our vines and corn"
The more conservative critics, the few
voices worth listening to in the chorus
OF cheap and meaningless adulation that
followed the American production of the
play, we're not unqualified in their praise
OF it. They stated, truly enough, that
it is in essence melo. drama. a pay of
situations rather than Of character;
melodrama picturesquely placed, felic.
itously presented, speaking in verse the
like OF which has not been written these
last tive'and-tweLty years. but still
melo drama, depending upon external
embellishments for it's greatest effects.
The characters do not develope with the
action OF the play. OF "Cyrano' him
selfwe know nothing new after the third
act, and "Roxane" has not character
enough to be greatly developed at any
time Out Of the ho't of minor person.
ages, few OF them have Municipalities
sufficiently marked to be at all memora.
BILE. This is play with very long
cast but there are few people 10 it.
"Cyrano's" friend "Ls Bret" for in.
stance, is scarcely character at all, but
mere device to draw out the heto's
condolences, while in Shakspere's play to
which this one has been compared,
"honeo's' confidant. "Mercutio.' is as
complete and vivid character as "Ro.
meo' himself. outlets nurse will ever
remain one OF the most delightful and
veritab Q OF comedy characters, whereas