The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1902-01-03
david harum."


Chicago and is now in Washing.
ton, and from there ii goes to
Philadelphia to show the good
people how TO get ahead of u
deacon.
AS u rule deacons are sup
posed to be able to take care vi
themselves financially, but III
David Harum," you remem Der,
one of the neatest things that
appears is the scene in which
the plous gentleman is worsted
by the secular, who holds that IA
fe!ler might be stralghtern u
string in most things, and never
tell the hull. truth about a boss.
Mr.. Crane seems 10 those who
watch him as the play goes on
not merely to portry a character,
but TO be the real, living, moving
person whose character he only
assum es. Mr. Cranes keen, kind
ly face, his general make up one
could easily imagine those OF The
famous personality given The
world by E. Noyes Westcott: a
bust of Mr.. Crane as David, "a
work Of art recently displayed
we cannot but think would have
greatly pleased the creator OF
the hero if only he had llved 10
see the wonderful success OF MS
book and the wonderful success
of Mr.. Cranes portrayal oil that
books chief parsonage.
Mr.. Cranes quiet chuckle is
irresistible. is just the right
touch, suggesting the humorous,
warm hearted fellows we all
know and are so fond Of. Though,
as we nlnted before, there is
very little Of story to attrac,
in the play, yet one feels IL de.
cidely worth while to sit out an
evening listening to the wise
saws and mirth moving com.
ments that fall from the lips of
the village philosopher. David $
morality is sounder than his
words would lead one to suppose.
You probably have not forgotten
his uttered sentiment in regard
to counterfeit bills-"they are
all right so long as you keep 'em
movin'."
The dramatist has arranged
the play in three acts, condens
ing a great deal, of course, and
changing here and there. In
the first act is shown the exteri
or of Harum's house and bank
at bonneville. In the second,
David's Office is the setting. and
here occur several amusing in
cidents; here negotiations are
carried on concerning the horse
that was guaranteed to "stand
without hitchin'. The last act
discloses Aunt Polly's sitting
room on Christmas morning
and the curtain goes down on d
scene full of fun and good cheer
Rural plays so often affair
wide popularity one is set won
dering as to the cause. Perhaps
the explanation is that we gel
weary of fine ladies and swash
buckling gentlemen; of dollhouse
scandal; Of gilded fools; Of ques
tionable flirtations; of forced
epigram and talk with double
meaning. But. whatever be
the reason, we know that every
year we have with us at leas'
one very well attended rura
play. The sight of peaceful
village street is refreshing afte'
a surfeit of dark wood scenes
and oppressive city thorough
fares; the homely interiors ap
peal to US more than did the GER
emonious drawing rooms, the
homely folk and speech more
than the infection and twaddlt
of people of fashion.
Perhaps il is because so many
of US are country born and coun
try bred. Once used TO thu
smell of fresh turned burrows
the tinkle of COW bells, the sigh
of wide green fields and distan
horizons. And now and thel
we like to return to honest pleas
ure in honest things, simple io,
in simple scenes and speech.