The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01

smoothly, Tho love interest is always
predominant, and the play Is intersperscd
throughout with bright and wholesome
comedy. The production Is one Of the
most costly ever put upon the stage The
scenery by Ernest Gross and costumes
by Dazian will be revelation to the
atre-goers.
Tho first scene opens in the front tier;
settlement that Is now the city OF Vim
cenncs The house Of Gaspard Rousil-
lon Is shown and this is the home OF
Alice, whom he has adopted. At the
opening Of the play the inhabitants Of
Vin4ennes have learned for the first
time that the War Of Independence :, Is
going on beyond the mountains to the
East, and that France has given recog-
milton to the American colonies, and
their fight for freedom. They decide to
throw their lot with Washington, and
a meeting Of tho towns people Is called
at the fort f E
Alice and her two girl friends know
Of this. They also know Of the new
flag which has only just been adopted by
the colonies and they have nearly fin
ished one which, as the towns people
declare for freedom, she unfurls over
the fort. A short timo before Alice had
met Captain Beverly, Of the Continental
Army, while on a visit to Fort Venango,
While she was there he left on an ex-
petition Of danger to rescue some peo-
plo who had been taken captives by the
| Indians, and MS no rode away she threw
Ito him rose that she had been wear
| Ing lIer abrupt departure for home pre-
vented her from seeing Beverly or OF
| learning the outcome of the expedition.
| In the meantime communications between
| General Clarke In the Northwest and the
Virglnian government had been broken,
| md Beverly has volunteered to go and
| find General Clarke.
| IIe comes disguised as q peddler, but
Alice recognizes him. as does also Father
Beret, who had met him at one of the
| Ohio missions. The Father takes him to
his house. The British advance closes in
OH Ylncennes. and the town Is taken.
Alice saves her flag by q clever strategy,
and protects Beverly by telling Colonel
| Hamilton, who commands the British,
that he is really what he appears to be-
q peddler.
| In act the progress of the love story
between Alice and Beverly Is brought
| forward and the fact that Colonel Ham
| ilton is also attracted to Alice, but with
an unworthy motive Colonel Hamilton
| makes his headquarters In the Iousil-
| lon house, and he brings Beverly there,
| thinking he Is a peddler Tho pack car
ried by Beverly has been the property
OF q British spy employed BY Hamilton,
and dispatches are concealed In 1t giving
/ 80 1850 'NNNN'''' ''a ss'S' ~ Nt'S
Continental forts on the Ohio. Hamil-
ton finds these dispatches, and at once
believes that Beverly Is in the British
| services, One Of Clarke'R mon Is taken
prisoner and brought In. Through him
Beverly and Alice learn where Clarke Is.
1t Is Beverly's purpose to elude the vigil
| lance OF the British guards, to find
Clarke, and to bring him to retake Vim
cennes. Alice helps him to escape by
n clever ruse which decelyes Colonel
| Hamilton.
| Ir act Hamilton has returned from
a fruitless expedition against General
| Clarke. concerning whose whereabouts
! he has been deceived by Alice. Through
J a trick he gets Alice inside the fort.
! Beverly finds out that Clarke's force
| Is near, and he has arranged to give
him signal by firing a single shot from
a pistol II the garrison has been weak
ened sufficiently to warrant an attack,
Beverly. who has entered the fort through
| the negligence OF tina guard, faints from,
| exhaustion. Alice takes his place and
fires the signal rs the pistol contain
ell only one load Colonel Hamilton thinks
| tina. she Is at his mercy, but she seizes
! a. sword and defendts herself until the
| Americana capture the fort and rush to
| her rescue. }t,a
\, Act 4 clears UP the palnor interests Of