The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-07

A farcical play in three acts, MY
Friend From India" by H. A. DuSou-
Chef has been selected for the second
weeks offering of the Ferris Stock
company at the Metropolitan, begin
ming tonight.
The plot hinges on the endeavor of
Erastus Underholt, a wealthy pork
packer of Kansas City, with a cool mil
lion and some desirable daughters, to
gain entrance to the exclusive circle
of Gotham society. The conception of
a moneyed man cherishing social as
pirations in the metropolis of the coun-
try is not original, but the playwright
invested his story with a freshness ct
treatment that was responsible for it's
remarkable success at the time it was
first produced, and still lends Vigor
to its laugh producing qualities.
The scapegrace son of Underholt,
who spends his evenings away from
the paternal roof tree in convivial
company, returns one night with a
companion Of whom he remembers
nothing the next morning except the
apparent fact that he is in the same
room with him. In order to screen
himself from the wrath of "the gov
ernor," he picks out a name from the
steamer arrivals of the day previous
and introduces his quOndam friend to
the family as noted theosophist who
furnishes the elder Underholt with an
inspiration, and he proceeds to make
arrangements to introduce the new
conner into society as a fad, thus open
ing a way for himself and family into
the circles hitherto barred to them.
He seizes the clothes of the theosophi-
cally inclined barber to prevent his
escape and compels him to don yell
low bedspread as the insignia of the
Order of the Yellow Robe" Meanwhile
yellow robes are ordered for the 9TH
Ell members of the family and invita-
tons prepared for a reception in honor
of the return of the disciple of theoso-
ply. Through a blunder of the Ger
man servant maid, the invitations are
not mailed, blunder for which s1,
later receives the thanks of all con-
cerned.
Z Numberless complications ensue
throughout the three acts, but the fun
niest of all the situations occurs in
the second act, when fthe friend from
india" who is dressed in a gown the
exact duplicate of which is worn by
endeavOrs to hide behind a screen
from which the mirror has been re-
moved. The sister, Mrs. Beekman
Streete, enters, and looking where the
mirror is supposed to be, sees what
she thinks is a reflection Of herself
THE friend" reproduces all the an
ties Of the woman before the mirror
and there are five minutes of scream
ing fun. From this incident to the
close of the play, the humor is re-
markedly surprising and genuine.
The cast to be seen in the play to-
night will include Dick Ferris, as Au-
gustus Keen Shaver, the friend from
India; Charles Bowser, as Efastus I'm
derholt; William Lamp, as his son,
Charles Underholt; William Stuart. as
Charles friend, Tom Valentine; E. ].
Clark, as the Rev. James Tweedle;
George R. Fisk, as the servant Jen-
nings; c. j. Byrne, as the cook, and
George K. Henery, as Bill A. Finnerty,
lone Of the finest"
The new leading woman, Miss Matte
Choate, will be seen as Marion Hayste,
Anna HOllinger and Emily Batto as
Underholt's two daughters, Fanny
Granger as lilly, the German house
maid, and Laurette Allen as Mrs Beck
man Streete.