Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-22
AMUSEM ENTS.

People who weathered last nights
storm to witness "A Poor Relation"
at Harper's theatre were amply re-
warded, for the beautiful comedy,
made immortal by Sol Smith Russell,
was given as complete a presentation
As when the popular veteran actor
appeared at the head of the cast,
although, of course, it would have
seemed more natural to have seen his
Noah Vale" a role that has been
assumed by Frank keenan, since Mr..
Russell's enforced retirement by i'll
ness from the stage. The supporting
company is the same one that Mr.
Russell had selected for himself.
Theatre-goers here have become so
skeptical as to the nature of the class
of shows booked that it was with diff
Guilty that they were in a measure sat
isficd in advance as to the quality of
last nights entertainments fact,
they were not beyond doubling until
the performance begun. The manage
ment of the theatre was so surprised
at the novelty of large sized audi
ence, for any class of shows but the
1O-cent clap-trap, that a farce was
made of the disposition of the re-
served seats, causing much annoy
ance, and incidentally serving as fur
Their evidence of the necessity of a new
opera house with first class manage
ment. Good attra ctions in Rock ISL
and are so few and far between that
when one does happen along, the
audience cannot expect the treatment
that experience in dealing with such
occurrences would dictate.
Frank keenan,, in the character of
Noah Vale the starved and strug-
ling inventor, made a splendid i'm
preston, and at the end of the second
act was called before the curtain
twice, the audience not being satisfied
until he delivered a speech, which he
finally did with becoming grace, pay
ing a tribute to Mr.. Russell, whose
place at the head of the company he
considered an honor to be called upon
to assume. While Mr.. Russell
gave to the part more tender
ness than Keenan,, the latter, though
stronger in voice and larger in
stature than his worthy predeces-
sor, has conception OF the difficult
character that is really charming.
His acting is perfect and his makeup
artistic. In his support are Alfred
Hudson as Frederick Faye" James
Lackaye as Jasper Sterrett," Charles
Arthur as Charlie Smith, Jacques
Martin as "Marmaduke O'Haley,"
Miss Lillian Gerome Martin as ''Eu-
nice Faye" Miss Lila Convere as
Dolly Faye" part that this pretty
and vivacious young lady makes
much of; Miss Emily Wakeman as
Alice Warmer Miss Hazel K.
Chapel as ''Scollops." Master Donald
as Rip" and Little lamar as
Patch" Mr.. keenan, and his COM
pany will always receive warm well
come in Rock Island.
A play that yields to ones though.
larger and grander intellectual field
of insight into the condition of human
life. its social relations, passions and
all the varying moods and all the un-
deriving motives of its being, is that
class Of dramatic work which will
ever maintain lasting popularity upon
the stage. Such a play is The
Heart OF Maryland, written and
brought forward by David Belasco,
the author OF more than score of
consecutively successful comedies and
dramas The Heart of Maryland. :"
which Was made known TO our theatre
goers last season and was greeted
with an ovational reception by large