The record-union., 1899-06-24
ADJUSTMENTS.

1t is greatly to be regretted-in dra-
matte interests-that the Kelley
Shannon Company did not draw a full
house at the Clunie last night. II the
fact that the house was not more than
half filled, indicates distaste for high
class society dramas, and the work of
large body of accomplished artists,
then indeed is the public taste deciin-
ing more than is the drama For the
company is a rare aggregation of COM
petent people. In its composition there
is no weak timber On the contrary it
is strong throughout and artistic in the
best sense The play itself is a strange
but not unnatural mingling of comedy
and pathos. The Moth and the
Flame" is an entirely natural. wholly
probable story Wherein the San Fran
cisco press discovered in it the improb-
able and the fictitious, last nights dis
eliminating audience could not under
.tand. That the drama runs out of
the groove, is not to say that it is alb
normal, strained or unreal. 1t is con-
ceded that it is dardngly constructed.
that it moves upon plane calculated
to bring upon it the bitter criticism OF
the class Of society with which it deals.
But that it lacks virtue for that reason
is absurd. If it mingles brilliant COM
edy and the pathos of tears with start
ling abandon, is but to say that it re-
fleets the comedy and tragedy which
color life all around US. Certainly it
is free from a single line of offense to
clean and elevated tastes. If its wit,
humor, repartee and satire presents GER
! tain phases of the society Of money"
in a ludicrous light, it is to be replied
that every days world news gives US
| stories not one whit less open to crit
| icism or unreal 1T is certainly true,
as an adverse critic says. that mem
| be1s of refined society are. supposed to
| not indulge in even colorless slang in
conversation; but that 1t is not to say
| that some do not or that within such
circles under such conditions as are
created in this play, some do not ex-
press themselves precisely as do the
characters in Moth and Flame" Satire
in dramatic form is always pardoned
for something of ver-color-without it,
| it would be ineffective. Even polished
people may commit themselves occa-
/, sionally, as Mrs. Lorrimer does to such
sang as ANY old thing But there
| is in no line of the play a coarser ex-
preston than that, and very few of
such an order. The story of the drama
which, by the way, is handsomely
| staged--is, in brief that of Scoundrel
with vet something Of good in him, who
wins the heart of pure and trusting
young woman. The engagement takes
place at society function, where the
| assembled company disports itself in
the costume of chi dren, playing that
T. e., A.
young woman is involved. his credit
goes begging and he has sunk funds
held in trust Confronted by his
brother-in-law with the fact that his
crime is about to become known, he
takes his life whdle the fete is at its
hight. The prospective bridegroom is
appealed to by the brides uncle to save
the name of the house, and he does so,
by meeting the liabilities. A year later
at the altar. in an Episcopal chapel. the
bans are forbidden by a wronged wom-
an, who brings her child to the chanceI
rail and demands that the father ac-
knowledge him. The bride, in the
depth of her love, refuses to believe the
charge, but the groom gives rein. to un-
! governable temper and strikes down
his unhappy victim. With terrible
revulsion of feeling, the bride denounces
him as a coward and leaves. the altar
Her effort thereafter IS to compel the
man to right the mother OF his child.