The Portland daily press., 1900-01-26
MUSIC AND DRAM 4.
qHE MUSkE1 EERS.

MIR. James O'Neill supported by an
excellent company, opened three days
engagement at the Jefferson last evening
with "1he Musketssrs," q Drama In q
prologue All tsbleaux, by sydney GIuI-
dy, after pumss's novel
The story of Grundy's version is as Iol-
lows:
The Conte de la Fsre Is In love with
Anne de Breuii, but an abrupt ending
Is put to their romance ty the interfer-
ence of "1he Stranger, whose brother
has been jill ed and dIsgraosd ty Anne,
and who in OF der 20 mark the woman as
o felon fer liie brands er on the right
shoulder with the tleur-le-iis Later In
he play tine Conte do Ia Eere becomes
Athos, one of thu Musketeer5, and Anne
de Breuil changes in:o Milsdi, ons OF
Cardinal Riehelieu's spies. D'Artasnan,
a lad from Gssoosny, in search CT his
fit ne. ard on his way 10 Paris to en-
hst 10 the famous coips Of the Mus
keteers. meets at an Inn by acc dent
with hichelleu and Miladj. They .el'eve
tstt they can use tls imp, taous 10y in
ono OF their numerous schemes against
the Queen, Anne Of AUSTRIA, and Miladi
therefore sets about to ensnaro him. ] his
Is not very hard task, as D'Artagnan
Ia ready to fall In love with every woman
he net Is. However, the final outcome
Ct their nesting In Miladi's apartments
turns out to tho woman's discoa ftIre,
as D'Artagnan disclvers that sbs is
Anne de Breuil, and 1usssss her purpose
IN wanting 30 use him. After fiercely
fought duel With Ro0hefort, the head If
the CARDINAL Guards, D'Artagnau es-
capss to his humble lodgings in the house
of Eonacisux. Ihers he meets Con-
stance, the dau -bter Of MS Landlord, and
she is trustwt rtby maid to the Queen.
Tho Gasoon promptly falls In love with
the fair girl and she indt c's him 90 as
sist the Queen and the Duke of Bucking-
ham in getting an opportunity for final
interview, before the Dukes departure
for England. Mehnwhils, Miladi ha 4
been commissioned by the Cardinal as
one Of the ladies-in-w waiting on the
Queen. She overhears the Interview ",
and sees the Q leen. giving Buckingham
a jewels6 shoulder knot as n nemento.
When Richelieu learns OF this, he induces
the King to invite the Q2een to a state
ball, asking her to wear al her diamonds
SO that the King may Motto the absence
of the knot, which was a present from
him to the Queen, Anne OF Austria 81 es
through this Cardinals scheme and Is at
her wits end as to how to secure posses
sion again OF the knot. until D'ArtaGnan
volunteers TO oyertska tha Duke and re
gain the jewel. This he does with the
assistance of Athos, Porthos and Aramis.
The Green is saved, Richelleu and
Milndi banished from Court In ignomi-
niou4 disgrace. and D'Artagnan wins the
hand, as he ha 1 the heart. Of the beauti-
full Constance.
The performance was indeed excellent.
n tho prologue Maude O'Dell appears
and from the very start she gets into the
attn osphere of Ter part. She was splendid
In appearance ami We think tyPlfisd the
rels az drawn by the adRrtsr. Sinu-
Gus, seductive, full Of that nervous ener-
gy which scattsrs itself and makes its
influence felt from orchestra below 20
gallery above, her scene with D'Artag-
nan stirs you. Skill and effective ness
marks its frantic terIDination. We warm
ly commend her rortraiture of Miadi.
OF course all eyes were centred on Mr.
O'Nei when he rode In on his not spiT-
tied Eorge. He sounded the right noto
on tis entrance and remained true to