The Washington times., 1902-12-30
Pure and Sweet in Tone.
Finely Enacted-Heartily
Received by a Large Au-
dience.
"Sky Farm" Pleases at the
Columbia-"The Chaper-
ons'' at the Lafayette.
Other Offerings.

Mice and Mem comedy sweet snd
pure in tone and engaging, diveTung,
and uplifting in enect-was first pre-
sented on the American stage at the
New National Thester last night. The
play is the work OF Mrs. Madeleine Lu-
cette Ryley, with whose kindly humor.
fine workmanship, and healthful view OF
her fellow beings the Engiish-speaking
stage has been increasingly familiar for
the past ten years. This new work is
not the most ingenious which has come
from her pen; bUt in gentleness, sim
plicity. naturalness. and pathos. it out
ranks all the others. Its enactment
was intrusted to a most competent
company headed by four stars-liiss AD-
ME Russell Mrs. ". II. Gilbert, John
Mason. and Orrin johnson. II should
excite little surprise. then. that even
on its first presentation Mice and Mem
proved pronounced success.
A fair judgment Of the performance
can be had from the fact that the play
held the interest and touched the sym
pathies OF an audience especially nota-
BILE for it's size and not undistinguished
in composition. During every act there
was a running accompaniment OF spon-
taueous laughter and hearty handicap
ping. At every curtain there were half
a dozen calls for the leading actors.
When the climax had been reached and
passed. at the end OF the third act.
these demands we're so insistent that
Miss Russell, Mrs. Gilbert. and Mrs
Ryley were brought back to the stage
a dozen times and, at Miss Russell's
behest. Mrs. Ryley would have made a
speech except that she could not over
come her embarrassment and ran TO the
wings with both her hands covering
her face. Miss Russell then appeared
before the curtain and. although not
less confused than the author, con-
trived to say sweetly.
Mrs. Ryley would be delighted to
make a speech to you. am sure-but she
is-an English woman. and, OF course.
cannot be expected TO talk the Ameri-
can language. l hope for Mrs Ryley.
and for us all. that in our case tbs
best laid schemes OF mice and men have
not gang R-gley."
But the most notable effect OF the per
Torrance expressed itself silently-in
the awakening OF a kindly sensibility and
sweet sudden emotion which exhibited
themselves in twinkling eyes. and while
the audience was laughing and disarmed.
suddenly forced it into tears The play
had ali the substance and all the effect
Of that humor which is wit and love
combined. which has refreshed myriads
more from her natural springs than ever
tragedy has watered from her pompous
old urn"
The story is smple. old. and familiar
through dozens Df similar Incidents In
ancient and modern fiction. With i'm
material variations Il has been told by
Addison in the lie Of Sir Roger de Gov
erly: by Dickens in the life OF Tom
Pinch: by Thackeray in the life Of old
Colonel Newcomb. and more recently
still. in the life or Sir Jasper Thorndyke
IN Rosemary" kindly bachelor o.
middle age. STEPPED in scientific formu-
ia. IS brought into close association with
a young. biithe transparent girl. he
finds his theories crumbled into dust.
his old heart aroused. and bis life eK~
panded beyond the covers o. his books
20 a wide stretch Of meadows and coun-
tryside. he learns that the awakening
has come too late. that nature and in
clination have given the young girl 10
one OF more suitable age, and in a spirit
Of fine self-abnegation he places her
hand la Hhaf NJ hr
is no mock sentiment The most imag-
NATIVE mind could find in il no SAVIOR
OF modern "naturalism." No problem
IS presented which could excite the in
terest Of M. Pinero. Mr.. Sudermann. or
Mr.. Ibsen. It IS merely a preseutment
OF a great passion, beautiful and en-
nobling tho portrayal OF character and
manhood rising superior to selhshness.
instead Of yielding to f.
All the company is well cast.
Miss Russell's role develops ali the
piquancy. impulse. sweet naturalnes'
and fne womanllness which have under
lain her every embodiment since the be-
ginning OF her stage career. Her task
IS the delineation OF the charm OF girl
hood and she more than encompasses H.
Mrs, Cilbert-whose lovable PERSONAL
y and long standing as a thorough ac-
tress evoked a demonstration she mus
always remember with joy--appears as
the old bachelors housekeeper and mani
tests beneath a rigid pride OF distin-
guished ancestry and present misfortune
most complainant sympathy for her
young charge and a delightful youthful
ness of heart.
Mr.. Johnson is the young lover. and
enacts his part with marked natural
ness and force.
But the chief character is that oi
Mark Embury. scholar, scientist and
philanthropist" His is a temperament
much like that OF Charles Lamb-an un-
spoiled. conhding nature, obiivious OF
self solicitOus only for the good OF
others, thinking 20 ill. uttering no COM
plant. accepting fortune. whether good
or ill. with an equable mind, but strong
sensible. and manful withaL II Is an
exactiEg role In Mr. Masons hands IL
is completely acted.
There are the usual subsidiary parts
and they are all yell done, excepting
norhnrs that E--,ut goIaerrf-h u-bo an