The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-25

"FOr Mothers Sake at the Park.
To one who makes it a business to take
in every popular-price attraction that
comes along. 1T must be evident that Carrie
Ashley-Clarke, author of For Mothers
Sake which was presented at the Park
yesterday afternoon and last night for the
first time in Indianapolis, is new writer
for the melodramatic stage, and one who
has not yet learned to understand the
class of people to whom she is catering.
From a literary standpoint For Mothers
Sake Is the best melodrama seen at the
Park this season. but 1t lacks action-and a
melodrama that lacks action seldom meets
with the same success in the cheaper
theaters that always greets the plays in
which sensational climaxes rule supreme.
The author of this piece actually has a
story to tell-a pretty GOOD. one of its kind.
too-and she tells it in a straightforward
way without trying to work in blood
curdlng. har-raising endings TO the vari-
Gus acts.
There is real humor i'm some of the dia-
logue; real pathos i'm several of the scenes,
and there is much in the play that possesses
the rare and comnSndable quality of origin
allty. The hero Is a New England Tom
Sawyer-a little boy named Joe Pemperton--
whose natural love for boyish pranks gets
him into so many scrapes that some of the
a
reform school, much to the distress of his
mother, who is supposed to be a widow.
Finally, Joe is suspected of piece of devil
try of which he is innocent, and, with the
vision of the dreaded reform school loom
ing up before him. he decides 10 run away
from home Just before he leaves he learns
from an old village character that his
father is still alive and serving a sentence
in the penitentary for murder. having been
convicted on circumstantial evidence The
boy determines TO devote himself in the
fr1frl To inc n at
of the crime, and the rest of the play shows
how he succeeds in his undertaking. OF
course. the piece has happy conclusion.
and the tears of the more impressionable
in the audience give way to glad smiles
A clever little actress is Marie Heath, who
portrays the character of Joe. Her work
at times during the play is truly artistic
and gives evidence of talent that is far
above that usually to be found in the popu-
lar-price theaters. Her support on the
whole. is good, the women of the cast being
especially deserving of praise Rose Evans
as a Boston bachelor GIRL" Clara Byers as
"A fair young society Miss, Theodore Pottle
as a little village belle. Eunice Goodrich
as Joe's mother and Adelaide Plunkett
fault-finding old spinster of the true New
England type. are all Wen cast. and the
very pretty young women, but wear some
exceptionally charming gowns. Charles
Plunkett good character actor, makes an
excellent Deacon Bisbee, Peter Raymond
plays the role of an old soldier In a man.
ner that proves amusing, and the other
male parts are acceptaDly fllled by Joseph
Schafer, j. W. Walsh, Lee Harris, L. FL
lott and j. p. Fegan. There are three chill
dren i'm the play-the Mckinley children
who do what little they have to do i'm
pleasing manner. For Mothers Sake is
splenddly mounted and the performance
shows careful stage management The pro-
duction is staged under the direction of
j. Edwin Brown, who also plays a small
part in the play. Mr.. Brown should stick
to stage management-he is good at that
Despite the sweltering weather. the Park
l-,-e
formances The play will continue through
to-day and tomorrow and will be followed
Thursday by Railroad jack which comes
for the latter half of the week.