The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-08
" Mrs. Wigs of the Cabbage
Patch " Dramatized.
Is Nearly the Female Analogue
of" David Harum."
TO PLAY " MRS. WIGGS''
Madge Cooke, Clever English Ac-
tress, Will Create the Role.
Amateurs Seem Very Anxious
to Produce the Play.

Mrs. Wigs OF the Cabbage Patch"
hat bit Of literature that has the soily
nature taken from the breast OF mother
parth, is to have dramatic as well as
literary being. The stagification of the
quantity philosophical heroine and her
pTotege, Lovey Mary, is to be brought
about next September. Mrs. Wigs Of
The play Is to be no less an actress than
hadge Carr Cooke. the clever English
woman Madge Carr Cooke as Mrs.
Wigs should count an exceptional
achievement.
This book. which was read for its
philosophy. its fidelity to nature, it's
hemely truth and its human appeal.
has been widely read. and there is
consequent widespread interest in its
hramatization. 1t is nearly the female
analogue Of David Harum. and has as
much hearthstone wisdom in it.
II the amazing demand in amateur
circles for a vision of a stage presenta-
uon-of some kind. OF almost any kind
In fact-of Mrs. Wigs OF the Cabbage
Patch" and her prOtege, LOvey Mary,
IS to be regarded as having value IN es-
timating the popularity Of the proposed
bona fide dramatization Of Mrs. Annie
Hogan Rice's two delightful stories. then
a brilliant future certainly awaits Mrs
Anne Crawford F1exner's work. It is
Mrs FIexner, the friend, cOnrade and
feIlow-citizeness OF the distinguished
authoress, Mrs. Annie Hogan Rice. OF
Louisville. Ky, to whom has been del
egated the task, and her work, so far
as completed, gives promise Of being
wholly delightful and thoroughly salts
factory.
No sooner was the announcement of
the proposed dramatization made public
than the office of Liebler & Co. who
had purchased of Mrs. Rice the dra-
matte rights of the books named, was
flooded with personal applications and
written requests from the four points
Of the compass and from nearly every
state IN the union for permission TO
give amateur presentations OF newly
made dramatizations OF Mrs. Wigs,
dramatizations without authority or ex-
cuse, and assuming all sorts OF Shapes
Some OF these undertakings went 70
farther than to propose to give read
ings" from the books, but from this
point the propositions expanded until
they embraced everything which, in the
Judgment Of the amateur author, was TO
be looked for, or expected. in complete
play. They came from schools, from
churches. from societies. from individ-
4 uals. and, almost without exception, they
made their plea for sweet charity
sake"
The form which some of these re-
quests assumed made them difficult TO
refuse. For instance, one from an inter-
Tor town in pennsylvania began. 0Es
Blank begs to draw Mr.. Tyler's atten-
ton to the enclosed correspondence and
bexs that he viii grant the request Of
the Matrons' Auxiliary OF the Blank
hospital and thus insure another year.
free bed for the towns suffering poor
and sick" etc. etc. This request came
accompanied by letter from Mrs Rice.
20 whom the appeal had first been made
and who had. very properly, referred
the writer to the firm who had paid
money for the rights which others were
90 anxious to secure without money and
without price.
Another came from st. Joseph, Mo,
which performance. as the writer ex-
planned in her letter, was merely in
tended as a parlor play" to be given
BY amateurs. for the benefit of one Of
our churches" The play had already
been in rehearsal for ten days. as the
writer explained. and there was an in
timation also that they proposed to con-
tinue them until they were compelled by
law to cease.
Another self confessed transgressoT
was a minister living up in Nova Scotia,
who explained that I'VE have a nice lit
tie Sunday school house, which we call
the parish house and once or twice a
year some of our young people get UP
OF that sort Of thing" frankly acknowl-
edged the liberal minded minister. and
have arranged stage and painted
scenery myself for Il. / always try tc