The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-03
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Ter Lord and Master.

/ I2er Lord and Master.
An original play in four acts. BY Mar
tina Morton. Presented at the Metro
poltan theater last night for the first
time in st. Paul by Herbert Kelley and
Effie Shannon and a strong supporting
1 company.
! CAST OF CHARACTERS.
Thurston eYiscount Canning. Mr.. Kelley
4 Lord Nelson Stafford. Mr. Morton Selten
Mr.. Fred Saltwater. Mr.. c. w. Stokes
/ Glen Masters. Mr.. Douglas Fairba nks
Jennings Mr.. Percy Brooke
/ Flash Mr.. William Elliott
/ Lady Canning ....... Mrs. Isabel Waldron
Grandma Chazy Bunker
Miss Hattie Russell
Mrs. Saltwater Miss Ida Darling
Kitty ..r........ Miss Winona Shannon
Indiana saltwater ......... Miss Shannon
To those who have witnessed the pro-
ductlon of the plays that owe their
authorship to Martha Morton, her latest
composition Her Lord and Master
which was Given. its initial presentation
at the Metropolitan last night by Her
bert Kelley and Effie Shannon and COM
| pany, will be something of revelation.
Heretofore this gifted playwright has
4 contented herself with giving to the
public number of character delinea-
lions, all of which have been faithfully.
drawn, and around whom there has been
interest, has not been especially char
aetef1zed by dramatic strength. Indeed,
there were some critics who did not hesi-
tate to say that, while Miss Morton had
proved herself a clever story teller she
had failed to touch the hidden springs of
J action, and these same writer's have
| animated that, although she might be
able to weave pleasant story, the
drama that stirs the souls of men and
| her ia T.
| from the truth their deductions really
were must have been apparent to every
one Who saw the production of her latest
| work last night
1t may be said, and with perfect truth
fulness, that Her Lord and Master Is
easily one of the best offerings of the
present season. It is to a certain extent
study in a story, but it has been
wrought out with such consummate skill
that its dfdacticism has been yelled, and
the moral which the play emphasizes
does not obtrude itself upon the attention
| until after the final curtain has fallen,
and retrospective survey of it is taken.
1t is the story of the development OF
wilfful spoiled child into noble woman
She is endowed by nature with the fac
ulty for winning the love of everyone
with whom she comes in contact and
the inevitable result is that she is a
spoiled, impetuous creature, whose mood
changes with every passing moment. She
marries a man considerably her senior
| and there is a clash. In the end she
surrenders to Her Lord and Master
and a happy life is presaged thence
forth
From beginning to end. the play is filed
with 1eft touches, such as only a woman
could supply. Miss Morton is, evidently
student of her sex, and that
she knows the weilsprings of their ac-
tion cannot be doubted. Light and shad-
ow follow each other throughout the
| four acts as sunshine and cloud are
afield on day in June. There are situa-
tons when the action becomes tense and
strained, and one looks fer some domestic
/ tragedy that shall wreck at least two
lives: but the danger is averted and the
ending is a happy one. It is all very
beautiful, very charming, very interest
ing.
1t is hardly necessary to say anything
Of the work of Mr.. Kelley and Miss
Shannon, who, for the most part, held the
center of the stage. They are not I'M
known to the theater-g going public Of the
city, and their work, in previous appear
ances here, has stamped them as artists
of genuine merit and worth Possibly
neither of them has ever before had a
part that has demanded SO much, or that
has shown them to such good advantage.
Mr.. Kelley, as the representative of a
staid, conservative English house, a
scholar and a gentleman, deeply in love
with his young American wife, but feel
ing none the less the necessity Of mould
ing her character into channels that
should be consonant with her social posi-
ton and that of his family, was wholly
admirable, and, to a great extent, must
have commanded the sympathy of the
audience In all his work there was the
| finish of the true artist and it was
wholly lacking in meretricious effects.
From beginning to end there was a subtle
| delicacy and an artistic quality
that defined analysis. and that made
it commemorate from every point of
/ view. The same may be said of Miss
Shannon. She, too, realized most con-
| vincingly the character she was imper-
| sonating, and her work was wholly ad-
| nlirable. Coming from America, where
her girlhood had been spent, and where
she had queened it in the little circle in
! which she moved, into one of the oldest
and most digniffed families in England,
| she maintained her supremacy to the
end, and won the hearts of all those with
| whom she is associated In the almost
dual role Miss Shannon is called upon to
| enact she strikes no false chords and
| her work rings true throughout 1t is
| all very commendable, very artistic and
| wholly satisfying.
/ The supporting company is one of the
! strongest that has been seen in the city
this season. Especially worthy of men
ton was Miss Hattie Russell whose i'm
| personation of the character of Grand
| ma ChaZy Bunker was breezy, yigor-
Gus conception of the woman who refuses
/ to accept white hair as an evidence of
| old age. Mr.. Morton Selten's character
| ization Of Lord Neson Stafford was adj
| mirably done, and his efforts to use the
| American slang were excruciatingly fun
| ny. Mr.. Douglas Fairbanks was wholly
| admirable as Glen. Masters, and his dis
/ play OF the egotism of youth was re-
| freshing and true to life Mr.. PERCY
| Brooke was excellent in the role of Jen-
/ ningS, the old servant. The remaining
characters We're felicitously placed. The
! settings of the piece were remarkably
/ handsome, and the production as a whole
offers one of the best entertainments
] that has been given at The metropolitan
this season The engagement is for to-
| morrow and Wednesday nights, with
/ Wednesday, matinee.
/ Adelaide Thurston, one of the most
| bewitching and popular of the female
| stars, is to be seen at the metropolitan
Thursday In her very successful pay,
| Sweet Clover The title, which dilates
1 the nestrils with the delicious perfume
/ of the fields, suggests the reputation of
! purity which the play possesses. The
opening act shows the exterior of the
/ heroine,s country home in Connecticut set
mid fields of waving clover blooms of
| purplish pink.
The Grand opera house was filed last