The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-14
1.-THE Volunteer Organist" at Park.

"The Volunteer Organist" mt Park.
Park Theater patrons welcomed return
to their class Of plays after a week Of ami
NAL shows by filing the theater at both
performances yesterday of THE Volunteer
Organist" The play is a pastoral drama
and teaches a beautiful temperance lesson.
There is no plot. as there is no blood
thirsty villain. The story is founded
on the life of New Englanders
residing in the little town of Cam
bridge. VT, and tells of the love
of Howard Sturgis, a Methodist minis
ter in the village, and Grace Barrett, the
taven keepers daughter. The cosby
tongues of the village postmaster and gro-
Ger try to create scandal and to implicate
Miss Barrett, which is the only unpleasant
incident of the narrative, but essential to
more forcibly show the deep love the young
ministers bears for Miss Barrett. In the
early part Of the story Sturgis steps be-
wife, and prevents Yokem from striking her
while he was in a drunken condition. The
young minister induces Yokem to give up
drink and to return home with his wife and
little daughter, and after that Yokem leads
an upright life. Hop Barrett, the tavern
keeper, gives up his saloon, but still the
postmaster and grocer would not become
Barrett. In the third act, the church
scene, the organist and choir refuse to play
and sing If Miss Barrett continues as
member of the choir: The young minister
refuses to dismiss Miss Barrett from the
choir, and two choir boys visiting in the
city offer their services. 1t was after the
minister called for a volunteer organist
that Tom Sturgis, brother of the minister
and a reformed drunkard, walked up the
aisle Of the little church and took his seat
at the organ and the services proceed with
out interruption.
Reparation is made for all the wrong
doing in the last act at little gathering
at Sam Yokem's home in the woods not far
from Cambridge. Before the confessions 1t
was learned that Yokems daughter had
been lost in the dreadful snowstorm and
searching party, with the aid of two big
st. Bernard dogs. was organized. The lit
tie girl was found by Tom Sturgis, who
was tramping through the woods, and was
carried back to her home half-frozen. Aft
er the party reassembled at the home of
Yokem, Hanford Scott acknowledges to
Miss Barrett that he had done wrong in
talking against her character. Hubbard
Griffin, the village grocer. who had led the
crusade against the minister and Miss Bar
rett, sees many things that touch his heart,
and when the little Yokem girl comes to
the room to say her prayers he asks for
giveness.
The story is a beautiful one and we'll told
by the well-balanced company of actors.
The play is well vested in beautiful scenery
and the storm scene in the last act is the
most reduStlc SnOWStOrm ever staged IN
this city. The characters are all cleverly
portrayed, John Milton making a typical
young minister and Frank H. La Rue
plays the part of the reformed drunkard
and brother Of the minister in admirable
style. The grocer played by John Z. Cor
man, the postmaster, by James Ten Brook
and Ebb Utter. the village handyman, por-
trayed by Larry Dooley, furnish the whole
some comedy, assisted by Carrie Thomas,
in the role of Lucretia Barrett, the old
maid. in love with various men.
- Del ,-ss
Pilgrim Band" by Master Floyd Hunt and
Master Willie Nelson, in the church scene
called forth many encores. 1.-THE Volunteer
Organist" will continue to-day and to-mor-
row, with matinees both days.