The San Francisco call., 1899-05-14

n GAIN last Monday night I had
~ occasion to regret that I had
a not been born twins or triplets,
L \ like some of my colleagues Of
the other dailies Just twins
would have served very we'll this time,
when there was a brace of important
openings: Charles Frohman's company
In the Bisson farce, "On and Off" at the
Columbia, and the Alcazar's stock com
pany in the first presentation on any
stage Of His japanese Wife" I wanted
to see both pieces, and l envied my
double barreled rivals. I wanted espe-
cially to see His Japanese Wife; not
merely because its author, Clay NJ.
Greene, is an old townsman of ours and
clever. but because an Alcazar pre-
miere has not been a safe thing TO stay
away from ever since that surpriseful
night Of a couple of seasons back
which gave US The First Born" But
TO ignore Mr.. Frohman. after begging
him on bent knees to come back and
forgive Us,-that would have been more
than reckless. We need Mr. FrChman
long and often He is to-day the all
powerful provider in the American the
ater. Without him in San Francisco
the playgoer's pleasure and the dra-
matte critics business are not worth
mentioning. So ] went to the Columbia
and saw "On and or; and the sacri-
flee was rewarded by letters from sew
eral of The Calls readers, who won
dered what sort of local pride was in
me anyway, and how a critic could
ever expect San Francisco to be any
thing better than a. jay town when he
ignored her local productions and
truckled to the high-priced importa-
tions. Scorned and misunderstood by
those whom 1 had tried to serve, I
turned TO the dramatic columns Of the
Tuesday newspapers and found consola-
ton in their disagreement as to the
merits Of Mr.. Greene's farce. The
Chronicle praised it. The Call patron
lied it good -humoredly, the Examiner
found it violently immoral and sug-
gested in the plainest language that the
word wife" in the title be changed
to something less. This was promis-
ing, and when night came l hied me
to the Alcazar to find out for myself.
Mr.. Greene's farce deals principally
In that amiable hospitality which the
Japanese hold out to visitors in their
land-the marriage contract limited
The scenes are in America. and the jap
anese characters are just two in num-
ber-little Miss Go and her large papa.
who is by heredity and profession a
wrestler. Harry Merrifield and his
friend Michael Patrick McGuffin have
returned from a sojourn in the chry-
santhemum country. The former is
married and presumably virtuous: the
latter has INDUCED in a contract mar
riage" with Miss Go. while in Japan
and is now the legitimate affianced OF
Miss Bessie Stow, a young woman OF
his own race. Young Merrifield is writ
ing q book on Oriental life that in one
: Chapt handles the custom of con
tract marriages" with ardent realism
This chapter falls under the eyes of his
wife and his wife's father, and
is suspected by them of being
autobiograp phical At this juncture
the Jap wrestler and his daugh
ter, who have been urged to Am
erica by a zeaIously moral missionary
arrive at the Merrifield residence
where Miss Go discovers her long lost
Michael Patrick McGufin, falls on bis
Heth anu idHS ulSiltS III lut SWNelS Ol
osculation that her IMMERSED japanese
lips had learned from him. Michael p.
is"not a willing accomplfce to this dem
onstration, but when the mighty wrest-
Ter limbers up his muscles and saws.
Kiss wife" MichaeTs objections are
left Unsaid. Fearing discovery he in
duces his friend to take the embarrass-
ing visitors into the Catskills, whittier
young Merrifield is bound on a vaca-
ton. The next two acts are in a sum
mer hotel in the Catskills and back
again in the Merrifield household OF
course Merrifield is made TO suffer the
brunt Of the japanese invasion. His
wife and relations turn up at the hotel,
where by some means or another the
girl has become registered as his wife.
This complication is kept up until the
last. when the Japs depart McGuffin
confesses and is forgiven and happi-
ness reigns in the Merrifield household.
Now for the life of me l can't see
where the morals or the immorals Of
His japanese Wife" come to question.
The so-caIled contract marriage" does
obtain in Japan, and a very popular
institution it is, ] am told on the best
Of authority. It has been written about
by other pens with much more candor
and license than Mr.. Greene allows him
self without attracting the attention
Of the prudes. Mr.. Greene treats the
subject humorously, 1lippantly even,