The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-01-21

The third act finds Hale in q tavern
occupied by British officers. No sooner
does the Continental spy enter, than
the Britishers obligingly begin to un-
fold their plane, one Of the many weak
points which the dramatist has per.
mitted. Hale is detected by one Of the
officers who has seen him in the school
house at New London, and his sweet.
heart is sent for that che may recognize
and betray him. She. however, is
wal ned by the woman who keeps the
tavern, and Miss Elliott arrives at a
highly dramatic moment, denying all
knowledge Of Hale and demanding to
see her lover. whom che has been told
lies there wounded. The critical mo.
ment seems safely tided over. when
Hales old negro servant rushes 10 and
by his blubbering affection betraye his
master to spy's death. This pitiful be.
trayaI. by laundering. we'll meaning
old servant, after all Miss Elliott's forti.
tude, is excellent in its dramatic effect,
and is a thoroughly legitimate and ar.
tistic device.
In the first scene OF the fourth act
Hale, closely guarded in his tent, learns
from his sweetheart's brother that his
work has saved the Continental army
and inspired every youth in the land to
deeds OF glory and patriotism, and that
his sacrifice has not been in vain. Miss
Elliott enters for a scene OF farewell in
which not word is spoken; only wo-
mans anguish ard woman's tears.
Anguish, alae, which fails to convince
tears which never fall. In the hands
OF great actress. even Of a truly emo.
tional actress, it would be moving
scene. Miss Elliott tried very hard, but
she failed utterly. She struggled with
all her physical strength to break
through that icy loneliness Of hers, to
make that star like beauty for mo-
ment human and imprisoned. She
was neither Indifferent nor cheap, only
helpless.
The tragic ending of the piece is a
daring and masterful stroke Of art The
last scene Of the play is the hest; go
good, indeed, that I fear me 1t will never
be popular. 1t takes place in an apple
orchard, a beautiful scene painted by
Ernest Albert. 1t is one of the few in.
stances l recall Of sentiment in seer ic
effect. The dawn brightens from gray
to red through the leafy apple branches.
from one guarded bough the hangman' 9
rope swings in the rising wind of morn.
ing The scene opens in silence. with.
out figure on the stage, ;he suggestion
OF the rope has human interest enough
to carry this unconventional trea tment.
AZ the east hushes rose, the birds begin
to sing; then the sunrise floods the
world with glory and hope, and the
death knell browns the matin of the
birds. Hales' old pupils steal silently 10
and crouch down on the grass under
the apple tree to see their master die.
The condemned man is led 10 and takes
his stand under the gallows tree in the
young morning. When asked il he has
anything to say. he lifts his face to the
sunrise, and seeming with one glance to
see all the glorious strife with men that
he will never enter, all the deeds OF
manhood undone. all the youth quenched
in a night, he speaks his only lines in
that gruesome scene:
II regret that l have only one life to
lose for my country" The curtain falls
slowly.
In such character as this, Mr.. Good.
win labOrs under Obvious nh vsicol die