The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-21
AT THE PLAY LAST NIGHT.

Lottie Blair Parker's play, Under
Southern Skies" made its first ap-
pearance in Topeka Sunday night. II
is the first high class Sunday night
production to be given this season. and
if plays of its class were always on the
boards there might be no objection to
Sunday night theaters.
| The play is q sweet southern love
story. and while the theme is by no
means new it is treated in a delicate
and original manner Major CrOfton' s
young wife had deserted her home,
| leaving a girl baby behind her. The
broken-hearted husband moved to an
other locality and brought up his
daughter in ignorance of her mother S
desertion. The child was told that her
mother was dead, though after she be-
came a young woman she was satisfied
from the action of her father and the
old negro servants that there was a
mystery connected with the mothers
death. On the eighteenth birthday of
for her hand. Burleigh Mayor and
Stephen Daubeny. Daubeny had I'M
earthed the family skeleton and in
formed Major Crofton of his discovery
when he asked for his daughters hand.
The Major begged him to keep his
secret and told him he would be glad
to accept him for his Son-in-law pro-
viding Miss Crofton accepted him. He
exacted pledge from Daubeny that he
would not use the information to in
fiuence Miss Crofton. Daubeny pro-
posed and was rejected In his rage he
dropped word about Miss Crofton's
mother, and the young woman greedily
snapped at the hint and begged that
he tell her all. He refused, but when
she asked if there was negro blood in
her veins he gave her to understand
that to be the case The old story of
marriage to save the family name is
here re-enacted. EXCEPT in this case the
young woman agreed to marry Daub
eny to protect herself. The arrange
ments for the wedding go on and the
night of the marriage arrives. In the
meantime the mother returns to see
her husband and daughter. She is evil
IDENTIFY about to die, and says that she
wants to see them before the dark hour
comes. The night of the wedding comes
and the minister takes his place and
proceeds to perform the ceremony. The
mother steals in at the rear of the room
to witness her daughters marriage.
The ceremony proceeds without inter-
ruption until the minister propounds
the Hateful question to the young wo-
man, when she starts forward and ex-
claims, "Oh. l can't do itr' when the
mother, hearing her daughters cry,
PUSHES forward and falls on the stage
before the distracted girl. who is this
woman" Miss Crofton asks of her
father She is your mother, he re
plies. "She is white woman"
screams Miss Crofton and then she
turns on the expectant groom, but
Major Crofton, now realizing how his
daughter has been Influenced to marry
a man she did not live tries to draw
his revolver to shoot Daubeny, but is
prevented from carrying out his design
by the guests. The wedding naturally
goes no further, and in the next act
Burleigh Mayor appears, and as the
young woman has loved him from the
first 1t is pr sumed they are married
and live happily ever after, though the
audience is spared the pain of a second
marriage ceremony.
This is simply the kernel of the story.
There are beautiful and elaborate stage
settings, characteristic southern ne
groes and the usual clustering south
ern gentlemen of the stage. Miss Min
ME Victorson as Leila Crofton" is a
scarcely have been in more competent
hands. She was excellent in the trying
emotional scenes. in which so many
actresses fail because they overdo the
part. Miss Ida Mule. who had the
Topsy-like part of Amer Liza has
certainly added new laurels to her
crown. She made capital rollieking
ignorant negro girl The company was
first class in every respect.
When all this has been said. it must
be admitted that Lottie Blair Parker
has fallen far short of the standard
set when she wrote "Way Down East"
Many of the situations are strained and
unnatural and others are positively
commonplace. Under Southern Skies
people who see it, but it is doubtful
If any one in the audience would care
to see IT a second time especially if he
has to pay for the privilege.
The Crawford was crowded which
indicates that people will attend a high
class attraction on Sunday night even
IN topeka.