Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-12
oNDoN. Feb. CIV. Som

ONION, Feb. CIV. Somerset
Vaughan may prove to be one
- play man, but II the young author
of "A Man OF Honor" has not
used up all his ideas In writing TINS
striking work, his future place In the
ranks OF British dramatsts seems Ike
~ to be an uncommonly prominent
one. Vaughan, VINO 10 barely 49, at
tracted attention a few years ago, with
sordidly realistic slum-novel Called
Liz OF Lambeth" and he followed up
this success with Mrs. Craddock,' an
other book with lot OF grip IN II.
His play at the Avenue, "a Man OF
Honor" was heard OF first rather over
a year ago, when II was paid the high
compliment Of publication In the Fort
nightly Review. Soon after. 1t was
played at a special matinee by the
Stage society, an organization whose az Z
tention Ii confined generally TO WORKS
which for one reason or anotner are
impossible" from the standpoint OF the
ordinary theatrical manager To every
one who saw this private performance
of "a Man OF Honor" however, II was
obvious that Mr.. Vaughan not oniy
had written a really great play but
one that, with comparatively slight az
teration, should produce box-oillee Ie-
ceipts, so there was little surprise over
the announcement that the piece was
10 be given q regular production az the
Ayenue--a house. by the way, when
has proved "hoodoo' ever Stree ,hs
departure OF Charles Hawtrey ana a
Message From Mars"
"a Man OF Honor" tells the story OF
a marriage which is made mistakenly
and ends In tragedy Basil Kent Is
clever young barrister. with a literary
bent. whose chances In life seem PAL,
ticularly good. He entangles blmseii
with n barmaid, however and when u
becomes evident that she Is In trouo,e,
determines TO marry her. for the SAKE
of nrlncIple. He really Is In love WIN
a snclety woman, but this does not give
him pause, nor does the fact una, n,s
fiancee-Jennie Bush-is unoenlavly
common and has horde OF most We,
testable relatives. He VIII marry nel
he IL A man OF honor In the secohu
act we, find them living In the suburbs,
six months having passed SINCE the',
marriage. Their baby has died ana
with II every possible chance OF any
thing like happiness on their part. inc
woman's lack OF breeding revolts the
man Of refinement, his icy politeness
drives her into hysterla. Things are
made worse by the constant VISITS OF
her brother. an unspeakable pounu-
err" So things have gone until basll'
sick at heart. has sought relier py re-
minglIng with the folk who were MS
assoclates before his Qliotic marriage
Once more he sees Mrs. Murray
the woman he really loves, ana tne
two are together a good deal basll
wife finds this out by dint or spying
upon him aud reading his letters anu
their quarrels over this subject MAKE
things worse than ever, Perhaps the
greatest strength Of the play--whioh Is
written with real brllliancy-lies IN
what might be called Its authors lack
OF bias. the misery Of the couple IL NOT
the fault of Basil Kent; II is not the
fault OF his wife; II IL the almost new
table result OF such q marriage, MAT
ters reach crisis when Basifs wiie
follows him TO Mrs Murray's ana sur.
prIses him telling her rival that ne
loves her. She upbraids them both
when the man drops the mask entirely
and tells her--what she has realized be-
fore-that he never really loved her,
but married her as n matter OF prin-
clple. The broken.hearted woman goes
and browns herself At first Kent is
overwhelmed with grief and self-re-
proach, but as the play ends he Is be-
ginning TO realize that he Is free and
the curtain falls as he exclalms, How
low man may fall when he attempts
TO climb the starsl'
At the Avenue. "A Man OF Honor"