The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-30

In spite of the weather a good sized
audience was on hand to see this new
play, of Langdon McCormick's at the
Grand last evening. The piece is re-
freshingly free from the usual method
of staging frontier productions, and is
entitled to rank with the best efforts of
modern dramatization. Miss Annie
Oakley, who plays the lead, and whose
name is so closely associated with ex-
pert rifle shooting, sustained the part
of Nance Barry in a charmingly natur-
al manner, besides incidentally breaking
few glass balls with her old time mar
velous skill. She certainly can handle a
gun. Perhaps the most finished char
acter study of the evening was contrib
uted by Richard S. Williams, whose fin
ished rendition of "Lafonde," a half
breed, showed careful preparation, and
through knowledge of his subject.
He was the Indian every moment of his
occupation of the stage. Jeanette Fer
I'll, as Pancheta, a Jealous Mexican
beauty, lent color and charm to the
part, displaying a good deal of dramat-
ic ability. Emmet Dewey and Charles
II. Phillips shared honors as fun pur-
veyors, making the most of the German
and Irish characters and keeping the
audience in a roar with their original
wit. Julie Bachelor played Virginia
Barry, blind girl, with sweet and pa
thetic naturalness. Others who were
we'll cast were o. Kane Hills, Henry
Morly, Robert Comp, Frederic Wilson
and Susie Layton. The mechanical eff
fects are admirable and the entire pro-
duction is we'll staged. Charles H.
Phillips made hit in his singing
specially. Taken altogether "a West
ern Girl" is one of the brightest and
most enjoyable Of the, entertainments
the Grand has had for many weeks.
The engagement is for three days,
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with
the usual Wednesday matinee.
If you wish to laugh, if you wish to
cry, if you wish to enjoy real good
show then you will witness the clever
production of "a Gamblers Daughter"
at the Grand Opera House the first
three days Of the New Year, Thursday,
Friday and Saturday, January i, and
3.
The story Of the play circles around
the troubles existing between a Chi
cago grain operator and his daughter.
The father, a supposedly respectable
man, is leading a double life, for be-
sides being a member of the Board of
Trade, he is also the proprietor of a
famous gambling resort. On the verge
of ruin and fearing exposure by an un-
scrupulous villain, he attempts to sacri-
flee his daughters fortune and happi-
ness to save himself. Her lover, who
is one of her fathers clerks, stands by
her through all of her perils and is al
ways on hand at the most opportune
time to render valuable assistance.
Horace Merrick, of the, Board of
Trade, B. A. Lamar; James Stetson of
the world at large, Arthur j. Pickens;
George Hart, in love with Kate, Will
lam BeckWith; Charlie Collins, a clerk
in the wheat pit Will hidden; Silas
Stone, of the Board of Trade, Arthur $.
Byron; Bobbie, a page of Merrick's, B.
E. Mitchell; Miles Garrish, with a pen
chant for faro, w. J. White; Fred
Hemison, broker, Thomas Nolan;
Captain Wilkes, of the Queens Own,
L. P. North; Bill Malone, Stetson's
handy man, Arthur S. Byron; Mrs.
Mayburn, woman of the world, Fan
ME Argyle Ogden; Gladys Boyd, Hates
cousin, Allie Willard: Maggie, just
plain Irish, Nellie Fillmore; Clara
Thropp as Kate Merrick. Matinees will
be given daily.