The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-25
QUEEN LAVlNIA'S DRAMA.
HISTRIONIC GENIUS AGAIN KISDLES
ITS FIRE IN HOBOKES.

Incidents OF tho show Kindly Loaned for
the Occasion by j. Fenimore Cooper
Lnvinia Working Around by Way OF Troy
in Order To Take New York In the Rear.
Unless something is done 10 stop II, Lavinia
H. Van Wes,ervelt Dempsey's troupe OF untamed
actors who have been innicung tho Queen $
thrilling story Of the Revolution, "A Patriot Spy,
or. On Neutral Ground" on unsuspcctng Jersey.
ties for the las, week. will get into New York pretty
soon They have been lowering about tho out
skirts OF the metropolis since the opening perform.
nnce. and residents Of Paterson Hoboken and
other New Jersey towns who have seen the play
suggest that either the militia the police reserves
be called out TO guard the coast OF Manhattan
Island against the danger that threatens IL
Lately "A Patriot Spy" has been doing
turn at the Lyric Theatre in Hoboken assisted
by several carloads Of scenery, including thun-
derstorm and waterfall. and directed by the
Queen Of the Holland Danes and her royal brother
Sir Guy Dempsey. The Standing Room Only"
sign has not been out at the Lyric since the ex.
ploiters Of American history arrived in Hoboken
but then any road company will tell you that
Hobokon never was a good show town
When Queen Lavin.a wrote her play she took
pretty good story 10 base it on The play ism I
quite up 10 James Fcnimore Cooper's The Spy, :
In tho book or course the action is laid up in
westcheser county and circles around the 10
Gusts" the beautiful homo OF Squire Wharton
The Squire Ia In hard luck His son Henry is q
captain In the royal Amy, and his daughter Sarah
10 rcd hot Tory. while his other daughter. Fran
Co.'S Is the real thing In a patriotic American girl.
Major Peyton Dunwoodie Of tho American army
has pretty good clutch on tho Wharton house
hold His men hold the country roundabout and
he's got mortgage on the heart Of the beautiful
Frances Capt Wharton comes homo 10 SEQ his
family and is pinched. He is prisoner in his
own home, and the Major is responsible for his
safekecping.
Harvey Birch. the pedier spy. who Is a sha me-
fully misunderstood man all through the play.
gets into the game at this iunc'ure and so does
commands Capt Wharton regiment am is also
a PRISONER. lhcrr has been a sad affair between
M,lm"rc and Sarah. wclmcrr made love 10 her
he squares himself and in few mi nutes Harvey
Bir,h comes In and rescues Capt Wharton. This
clinches the argument that Birch is a royal spy
shooting a, the eli max, hut lust as Capt whar.
ton Is about TO get large colonial bullet in the
Ter Frances pushes the American soldiers gun
so far back over his shoulder that he shoots be-
hind him nearly winging stage hand.
The wicked SINNERS commit arson al the he
ginning 81 the second act. They burn down ITar.
yry Bi rch hut in the woods. ere mating Haryey's
father Harvey is dead sore about IL and me- ting
Sarah Wharton in the woods pours out his grief
TO her, incidentally making declaration Of love
and stating that he is not what he seems to he
which Is a fact as Gen. George Washing on proves
in the last act Sar.h go~s hone TO get ready
10 marry Col, Wclmerc and the Skinn,rs, who
look bad as history tells us they WERE. walk
out from behind the White Plains scenery and
captur" Harvey, on whose head ,h're ia price
Harvey IN now decidedly A. the brink hut in the
next scene he escapes. First, however. while the
whole garrisons look the other way. Har ey gets
negro servant In all the captures ;hat are made
during the play, fair and square chance II given
to the pr oncrs tn get I'd Of ncrimina'in papers
boss skinner tries to insert knife in The back Of
ono Capt Lawton who has or 'ered him dashed.
but is PROMPTLY perforated. Tha' winds up the
There are big lumps Of pa,hos in the third act
First tncre is tho wedding, llarrcy Biz h comes
in disguised a. the priest 40 one knows II s
The contract has been signed Harvey declines to
perform the ceremony on the ground that Col
Wclmcrc has n wife and several children at home
in England, The Colonel saws Damn itE several
times and Sarah swoons. falling over on a couch
like a ton oi coal. We mere gets out and then the
court martial 81 Capt. Wharton. who has been re
The president Of the court.mnr tial. Col Sin.
gleton, has a very rcd nose but Is truly noble
man. He interrupts tho proceedings six times
to tell the prisoner what noble youth he Is TO
sentences him 10 b. hanged at sunrise tho next
morning. Frances Wharton makes an eight:
minute plea for mercy. and as tho hard-hehrted
court files out. abe rises, and in Lemuous voice,
Guilty Guilty Ny Godl To die tomorrow
again and Capt. Wharton. disguised as negro,
ESCAPES from his prison and through tho Ameh-
can lines, lie wears black mask, which makes
him look like tho late lamcnted MI. Crowley,