The record-union., 1899-12-13

love, the polished villain appears and
dares her to do so. His own fortunes
being at low ebb, and having been re-
jected by his selection, he renews his
suit for two purposes, to repair his
purse with her fortune, and to triumph
over her. While humiliating her with
the threat to reveal the truth to her
affianced, he boasts that his conquest
was but to win bet. In her anger
and frenzy she strikes him with a load
ed riding whip and kills him, but with
out criminal intention. She conceals
and disposes of the mans body. But
the tragedy by unfortunate accident
becomes known to her sister AS the
heroine, telling this trusted one, how it
came about, her affianced overhears the
confession and discloses himself. There
upon she avows the deed anew, declares
that she gave the blow because it was
provoked and because she was frenZied,
and appeals to him, WAS it Murder? '
The reply is mo; had 1 been there
would have delivered the blow" And
the play ends with the unhappy woman
received to the arms of her affianced
Such, in brief, is the plot of the play.
How nearly it runs with the story of
the book we do not pretend to say. But
1T is strong drama, we'll acted, su-
perbly mounted and staged and robed
with great richness. Miss Blair and
Mr.. Bramwell are the central figures
of the tragedy All others are little
more than mere accessories, the frame
work as it We're upon which
the workings of the plot by
the two leaders rs hung. Mr..
Bramwell is an accomplished, all
around and finished actor, judging by
the care, feeling and spirit with which
he enacts the role of the brutal rake,
whose fine raiment and blue blood do
not conceal the rascal or relieve his
diabolical arts of their infamy Miss
Blair is a stately handsome and grace
full actress, whose heroine commands
the sympathy of the auditor, inspires
his respect and wins for her the YER
dict Of not guilty. The shadings she
gives the character are as delicate as
ever painter laid on canvas. There is
exquisite care not to oyer-color or draw
too strongly, or step over the bounds
of naturalness. However, it may have
been regarded in the seventeenth CEN
fury, When accountability for the talk
ing of human life was not perhaps as
strict as in this later period, yet even
under the laws of that time Clorinda
would have been held guilty of man
slaughter, though it may well be
doubted if verdict of guilty could
have been then secured any more than
in this day, in which, when the test
is applied, men are not less chivalrous
than in the more courtly times.
Joseph Eisendrath, manager of the
Banner-Brand Opera Company, is III
the city negotiating with Manager
Ficks for the appearance of that COM
pany here at any early day.
Friday night at the Clunie we are
to have once more, after a lapse Of
many years, the splendid spectacular
war drama by Bronson Howard, en-
titled Shenandoah" There are forty
two people in the company, band of
trained horses, and two carloads of
special scenery. This time the piece
will have the added effect of cavalry,
whereas before there was only artillery
and infantry and a single mounted Off
Ger. But now the artillery effects are
quadrupled and troop of cavalry used
and the whole piece has been intensi-
fed 1t has been running two weeks in
San Francisco, and every night large
numbers have been turned from the
doors of the theater. unable to gain adj
mission, such is the attractiveness of
the spectacle, and so realistic are the
war effects introduced. Withal, a