The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-27

the summit of daredevilment And yet,
in way, it wins.
You find yourself getting nightly
interested in the affairs of this young
Lady Ursula. She becomes as real
creation as the star heroine of Your
fairy tale days. You hear about her
feigning a swoon at the door of Sir
George Sylvesters house, just because
he has vowed that no woman shall
cross the threshold; you hear from her
own lips, that Sir George was equal to
the ruse and politely offered her the
shelter of his porter's lodge, and that
her brother on finding this out, sends
a speedy challenge to Sir George, which
is accepted. And then her brother.
Lord Hassenden, enters the scene him
self and heaps no end Of acid re-
proaches on the head of his sister when
she explains that the whole thing came
about through a wager of hers with
his betrothed that a woman would sue
coed In entering Sir Georges house.
Now the fun commences in real earn
est, for gentle Ursula dons the breeches
of the free legged sex and boards the
lion in his den. Sir George has been
deadly dueliSt, and she fears for her
brothers life. Artfully she plies
Woman's wit, explains the reckless
wager, and in the guise of loving
younger brother paints glowing pic
ture of the sister Ursula, and finally in
duces Sir George to call the fight off.
Here the complications commence, for
Sir George is at once for being con-
Quoted by his guest to her peppery
brother and to her sister. If not the
guest has the alternative of putting In
the night at Sir Georges. Horrors
The be-trousered Lady Ursula takes
the first choice, and while Sir George
is making ready for the journey slips
out into the night and off for London
town to her brothers quarters. Here
she encounters a band of noisy blades,
full of punch and fight, and soon the
ma Suuerading maiden is about to par
ticipate in bloody duel because, by
Cad sir! she will not admit that the
Lady Ursula has the squints. Enter
Sir George, who parts the hostilities in
the middle by claiming a previous en-
gagement with the young stranger.
She chooses pistols, one loaded, the other
empty: distance, across the table They
take their positions. "One! two."
drones the master of ceremonies. And
then Sir George calls halt and refuses
to fight. When the company sretires he
makes many pretty speeches to her and
Ursula. And perhaps this handker-
chief that bears Ursula's name and
was somehow or other discovered in his
house-perhapS, says Sir George, she
will once again invade his monastery
and bring it with her.
Sure enough, the next act finds her
at Sir Georges, handkerchief in hand,
and her fighting brother in hot pursuit
But explanations are given and taken
and all ends with nothing more serious
than the promise of a wedding.
Now set up in the quick type that
follows a performance that gives out at
something like halfpast eleven O'Clock,
this may read like the argument of a
comic opera. But THE Adventure of
Lady Ursula" is not comic opera It
may be-way down deep-a satire on
the romantic drama of the day, but
on my soul it is.not a comic opera, nor
even a farce. 1t is a transparent light
wasted adventure INTO playwriting,
and a cleverly fantastical play. While
it is going on you want to believe in it,