The times., 1899-03-12

pancy. The newcomers have labored hard
for success here and certainly deserve il
most richly.
Experience has taught that in cases of
great productions it is often difficult for
hlm who witnesses the Qresenta ion for the
hrst time to centre his attention on its
story instead of its incidents. ''Cyrano de
Bergerac." the ROstand drama which is 70
be iaitiatly done in Washington tonor.oy
night, is said to be a remarkable instance
CT this and therefore it may be wise as
well as kindly to these who have not read
the play TO repeat is plot in very brief
'Cyrano de Bergerac' is a creation of
the seventeenth century, man of .e-
maikable mind, but whose horrible nose
renders him painfully ugly II has fallen
to this discrepant being to love desperately
one RoXane. q beautiful Partisan The
hrst scene OF the romance takes place at
the Hotel de BOuTEoyne, where a T,er-
torrance Is about TO be given by Mont
heuTy and mis- actors Cyrano has for
hidden the leader to appear and when that
command Is unObseTvcd essays to drive
him from the stage. \ Young fOD takes
up the quarrel and the Gascon seizes tho
double opportunity of making an impress
s!on upon RoXane, who is present. and of
Furnishing the fellow who had tested az his
processes by hshting a duel and COMPOSING
tauntinS ballad the while As the then
tire IS emptied RoXaue sends her duenn,
10 make rendezvous with Cyrano. The
khisht Is overwhelmed with joy-he oe-
heyes he has won the precieuse
Act two represents the interior Of a
bake shop for which the appointment has
been made. KoNane comes and Cyrano
learns that she loves-not himself but a
witless Adonis called Christian. She begs
the warriors protection for her hero and
leaves. Christian then enters and makes
bold TO jest at the nose OF his unknown
patron, who has the grace to say nothing
in return but who speedily stops the ri
baldry OF others who presume to take ad-
vantage of the license given their new
comrade- The two then converse to-
gethsr and Cyrauo promises TO write Chris
tianS love letters. compose his verse and
speak his speeches-in short to provide
with the appearance he lacks the mental
power without which even the youus SOL
dier could not win Roxane
This promise is boldly carried out in the
third act. Christian takes himself to th,,
balcony of his love, but there is caught
and can only stammer his passion. Cyrano
interrupts his rival and. deftly assuming
another voice. delivers the sentences OF
which the successful one cannot think.
When De Guiche, who is captain of the
company to which both belong comes. Cy-
rano even undertakes to keep him outside
while Roxgne is being married within.
This so nettles De Guiche that he orders
his men 10 the wars.
Act four takes place on the
battlefield and the heroine has
come TO visit her husband She
has a long conversation with him and
reused to the fullest realization of his per
iidy in having accepted the love won By
another Christian plunges into the thick
est of the fight ard is killed. The great
secret thus reverts to Cyrano who does
not finch under the ordeal. but leaves Rox-
ane's memory OF the dead undisturbec
Only when dying himself does the knight
of the nose betray the self-imposei trust
and then by accident. The woman Is
amazed at the knowledge of this sacrifice
and her lover passes away with her kiss on
his brow.
This is the story of "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac."
c. de Fornaro who Is drawing clever
cartoons for the Dramatic Mirror" is
also distinguishing himself as writer of
satiric verse. Several OF the rhymes recent
ly printed under his pictures Improve on
those for which Peabody became famous.
and all show signs Of genius. The latest