Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-01-19
veritably a Sermon.


After one spends s.n hour or two
with a pessimistic per son, whoimagin,es
himself skilled in tl.e science of na.
ture. and who in is philosophism
maintains that mankind as whole
has plunged he.Glo',g into the mire of
of dsgentcacy. hnW- nracinp to ones
optimism =" Wee. ov er, smile, and an
pland snch u n Apnl,icent portrayal of
human life, s. Sewing the W;nd ;"
and again Ao sic. stiou there ia in
witnessing sac'.'- lrodnetinn after a
continued stes:s, Of s..ve.;.; ,,,unths dnr.
ing wh'eb '.mai'.onr relentless hesier-
ers almost cor,pal you to believe i'm
your own mind chat you have a keen
appreciation of The art of rag time
dancing, operatic ballads addressed to
somebody's Snlu, Lulu, or some other
OF the similar thoroughbred damse!s.
who have apparently taken up their
domiclllation among the popular" (?)
songs of today
Mr. Sidney Grurdy from whose pen
has en- minatcd legions of beautiful
productions has reached the pinnacle
of STAGE cr' TT in Sowing the Wind. /"
Ihe foundation OF the ,,lay is the
trials, Temptations. struggles and final
victories won by . wor IAN. who is COM
PEELED to carry 'he cross of scarlet vice
throughout Ter jaurney to the
calvary OF ultimate success. Mr.
Grnndy chooses from ine two sexes. a
most a6le champion of each and pits
them against each other. The woman
mas been thrust into the world with
the stain OF unlawful parentage affixed
to her, and through the irony of fate
the author OF her being is, throughout
the action of the piece. the obstacle
which stands between her and the
only CLEAN of light in her life, the man
she loves. he objects to the union of
this couple, giving as q reason. the
very conditions that have resulted
from his own yoathsul nerversities.
but quoting from Pope, in his ESSAY
on man: Heaven from all creatures
hides the book of Fate" The obstinate
guardians relationship is not discov-
cred until the last act.
The woman stung and maddened by
the terrible injustice done her, and vet
unconscious,that she is speaking to her
creator, loses her self control, and
bursts upon him with most fearful
arraignment OF the male sex, for its
utter disregard for the virtue i'm
woman which has not it's own reward
nthis life. The man wounded from
the truthfulhess of the charges, and
wrlthing from the pangs cf his own
conscience, rallies from the staggering
effect of the assault and makes a DIES
perate defense and che final scene is
one to be remembered throughout a
! lifetime.
The work of the two leading char
acters was impressive and powerful
without in the least overstepping the
bounds of moderation and accuracy.
In her portrayal of Rosamond, Am
ella Gardner won universal favor by
her clever aud artistic conception of
her role, and won general admiration
by the virtue of her personal charms
and beauty. In the course of the play
there are many opportunities when the
average star would have succumbed
to the almost irresistible temptation
of working up theatrical climax with
"Sound and fury which signify
nothing"
| Mr.. Howard Hall, in the character
of Mr.. Brabazon, did nothing of this
kind, but on the other hand, he acted
or rather lived, as it was too natural to
be acting, with reserved force, that
proved far more effective.
In the elegant scene at the climax of
the third act, when Brabazon discovers
tie woman he has few moments ago
denounced as an outcast of decent hu.
manitv, to he his own daughter, the
scene lacks that obnoxious ranting,
instead the perfectly legitimate and
natural methods of depicting the
tremendous emotional excitement un-
der which they both are supposed to
be laboring. Taken all in all, the act
ing of MIR. Hall was the finest ever
witnessed In this city.
1t is a regrettable fact that Missouri
Valley will afford an Ethiopian pro-
duction crowded house and such a
piece as Saturday nights not even q
fair sized ore.
Elmer Dick, youth about ten years
of age, residing near the city limits OF
a farm southwest of town, met with &
most painful accident Saturday. Abou
6 O'Clock in the evening he was work
ing about the barn, when he slipped