Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-28

Police sergeant .......,......... Del De Louis
Augustus Thomas is quick to conceive a
situation and turn II to his advantage. In
writing Mrs. Leffingwell's Boots" offered
at the Boyd last night for the first time in
Omaha, he was possessed of an idea with
almost boundless possibilities for humor,
and these he largely realizes on. Once or
twice he finds himself almost cornered for
some way Of relieving a situation. but these
corners he turns by simply introducing
some well-nigh impossible occurrence as an
expedient, and away he goes into smooth
water again. He brings osteopathy to his
rescue, even at the expense OF his own
knowledge of Missouri geography, for he
was long time resident of that state (and
maybe that's the reason for the vicious dig
he hands to Louisville). At any rate, II
must be borne in mind that he wrote the
play for New York consumption. and the
average New Yorker doesn't know II the
train for California runs through Kirksville,
Mo-. or Kenosha, Wis. All he knows or
cares, apparently. is that California is some
where west of Jersey City. What Mr..
Thomas has done in this case is to place
several people in an unpleasant proximity to
each other. the disfavor arising from a silly
jealousy on the part of a husband Of his
wife and a maiden for her troth-plight
sible words might explain. but everybody
for the space Of two acts and almost the
third at least takes leave Of common sense
All save two, the lover and the old doctor
These might have had real pleasant even
ing If II had not been for the absurd con-
duct OF the others Under the circum-
stances they are deprived of rest and COM
! fort, but with the aid of Mr.. Thomas faith
in the Still school of therapeutics they are
enabled to restore TO usefulness a boy whose
moral perspective has been knocked galley
west, to reunite a husband and wife who
I have been thrust asunder a result of the
/ boys inability to distinguish between right
and wrong. and incidentally TO let the cur
tain down on a lover and maid in close en-
brace. with every reasonable prospect of
living in peace and dying in grease, no mat
ter where they might eventually be in
TERED. The episodes appeal directly to even
a blunted sense OF the ludicrous, for the
progress of the play is almost farcical at
times; its dialogue is smartly written and
some of it's satire is keen. It hardly shows
Mr.. Thomas at his best, and while 1t is
amusing and even entertaining in some OF
it's aspects. one wonders at its vogue OF an
entire season in New York
The company is fairly well calculated tc
bring out the points aimed at by the author
Mr.. Courtenay conducts himself with just q
trife too much of compOsure, giving an i'm
preston OF his absolute certainty of the
outcome of the unpleasant predioament il
which he is located up to almost the las
moment OF the play On the other hand Il
Mr.. Payne were To borrow a trihe OF Mr.
Courtenays self-possession, he might make
his Lehingwell more convincing. Kicking IL
doors is awfully bad form, even in Jealous
husband. Mr.. Burbecks Bonner is a fairly
good conception OF a husband who thinks 1
hardly good conjugal form TO rout his wifi,
out Of bed on a cold morning 10 reSindl,
the fire in the furnace, but who doesn't un
derstand the mechanism himself. Mr.. Ser
rano is a good Dick Ainslee while he is bad
and a trihe mushy after he has had hi
oervical veTtebrae properly adjusted by DIT
Rumsey, who, in the hands Of Mr.. Harmon
Is the cleverest bit OF character in tn,
whole arrangement.
Jane Laurel, pleasantly remembered II
Omaha, gives further evidence OF the ablit,
she displayed here in THE Proud Prince
and deepened the impression made on tina
occasion. She has a ine idea OF her par
and executes il with evident sincerity.
Mrs. nefingwell's Boots will be repeate
at matinee this afternoon and again thi
evening