The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-07

story. Grigsby is opposed to slavery.
and expresses his opposition. AS a last
resort, to cause him to either resign or
take the opposite side, the leader of the
slavery party shows him the memoir
anda of the money pledged for the sla-
very campaign fund, and for the first
time he knows his nomination was
bought. 1t is at this point that Mr..
Russell becomes emotional, the only
time during the progress of the COM
edy. Walking over to the sign 'Wel-
come, Hon. John Grigsby," with which
his office has been decorated for his re-
turn after the election, he tears down
the letters H. o. NJ and as the cur
tain falls throws himself in a chair.
broken in spirit at the dishonorable po-
sition he finds himself in.
The story, of course, is not allowed to
end unhappily, and in the last act the
tangled condition of affairs is satisfac-
torily Strengthened. The school teach
er discovers in her prosecutor her own
father who years before had deserted
her mother and married again. He is
confronted with his own baseness and
pleads forgiveness. A love story between
the daughter of his second marriage
and Grigsby's son, which is in evidence
through the run of the comedy, is hap
PLY concluded, and another love story,
which the audience is left to imagine
to a large extent, concludes as happily
when Grigsby, looking at his fair client
commands his son to kiss his moth
err"
sponsible for is supplied by a veteran
of the war of 1912 and veteran of the
Mexican campaign, and an office en-
ploye of the poor mans lawyer" The
pathoS falls largely to the lot of Miss
Florence Rockwell as Meg Ronalds,"
the school teacher, with touches here
and there by the comedian. None of
the supporting parts are overdone, and
throughout, the comedy has a natural
colOring.
Mr.. Russell makes Hon. John Grigs-
by an admirable character. Just and
sympathetic at heart, he can not bear
to see injustice done or the weak i'm
posed upon. Back of the fairness and
sympathy is a strength and force OF
character, which once or twice in the
progress of the comedy strikes fire and
shows itself. He has ample opportun-
ity of displaying his peculiar humor, and
is altogether as pleasing in his new
part as he proved himself in his many
old ones.
The audience of last night was gen.
erous with applause, and after the fall
of the curtain on the second act Mr..
Russell was called before it and re-
sponded with a short curtain speech. 1t
was characteristic Sol Smith Russell
speech, and the audience was COM
PEELED to smile while he talked. He
thanked the Topeka people. commented
on the fact that he had played the par
ticular role he at that moment was
playing before the curtain on several
different occasions, and said that such
a magnificent audience inspired actors
to their best efforts.
Mr.. RuSSell'S company numbers elev-
en- people, and all the characters are
well cast. The weakest character is
probably that of James Ogden as play
ed by James Lackaye. 1t is rather a
difficult character, and Mr.. Lackaye
is not always natural Miss Rockwell
has to deal largely with the melancholy
in the role as Meg Ronalds" but she
deserves great credit for the character
she creates. Fannie Addison Pitt as
Mrs. Marsen'' makes the most of her
part, an important one in the comedy.
Miss Lila Convere as Nellie Ogden
and Mr.. William Fannum as John
Grigsby, Jr,' well sustained the juv-
emile roles.
The scenic representation of Grigs-
by's Office was a particularly good piece
of stage work.