The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-23
would have been a successful play ana
ono Of q wholly original Idnd.


In his sFrenzled Finance Mr. Kellelt
Chalmers has a far more vital and signih-
cant theme than Mr.. steen's, and he has
had the discretion 20 handle It almost CON
slstently IN the manner OF farce HIS
original title, 'The Spirit Of the Age was
far happier than the one II now bears
tackled on afterward by the manager 70
make capital out Of a topic OF the hour
with which the play has really nothing 70
do. In a past generation tho popular
ideal Of American manhood was the ran
splitter or the canal boy who made him
self President. Times have changed, and
the young dramAtist IL on the trail The
spirit Of the pre- ent age he epitomizes In
the bsllboy who makes himself plutoorat'
Not q heroic theme, thisi II was . sure
instinct that led Mr.. Chalmers 10 view the
whole thing from the point Of view OF pre-
posterous absurdity. Yet II has q meaning
which be who runs may read, and nobody
can follow the Transformation which mere
bigness Of aim makes In the bellboy's char
aoter without a better comprehension OF
modern finance.
More important than the message Is the
freshness and Melikeness Of the principal
characters. The Yonkers undertaken who
finds nepenthio relief from his trade and
from his suburban family In the cocktails OF
the Hotel Van Billion ls a creation OF pene-
trating humor; and It IL a most fruitful
device TO make him wake up In his aberra-
ton 10 find that "a modern Christopher
sly he has been taken for the cop
per king, lodged In the $4,000 bridal
chamber and served with champagne.
As interpreted by Mr.. Ferguson the
character rtseI 10 all but classic pro-
portions OF alphabetically OWNED abb
surdty. Equally happy IL the under
takers daughter, a scornful, aspiring
maiden who hates her father and IL pathet-
icauy hated In return and who takes yad-
vantage Of the Misunderstanding In which
she finds him to lure mercenary broker
into an engagement
As TO the likeliness Of the pair Of Mon
tana rivals ! have no means Of Judging,
but one thing Is certain, and that is that
they do not, like the miners Of the Hoorah,
impress one az a mere rewarming Of Bret
Harts. The encounter with pistols between
these two worthless In the bridal chamber,
and the process Of frontier justice by which
the bellboy IL awarded the million dollar
check which represents the profits Of his
first days operations on Wall Street, Il as
fresh bit Of fooling as has lately adorned
the stage, and is delirious In its satric
implications. The public is TO b con-
graduated that, though kicked from the
Savoy by the cold feet Of the manager,
the play has found refuge In the Princess
It is only in handling the bellboy that Mr..
Chalmerss hand falters. His romance
with the true daughter Of the Copper King
lie very far from convincing, and the part
that damsel plays In the plot IL shadoWy
and detached. 1t Is on this account, more
than any other, that the first act lAgs. While
neglecting the sentinentalities here, more
over, Mr.. Chalmers overworks them In his
depletion Of the character Of bis hero.
Let us frankly admit that the spirit Of this
plutocratio age u not 10 be soorned. But
Is It possible to elevate II 10 heroic proper
tionsi There Il q monologue toward the last
curtain In which one feels "a II the author
were standing beside the bellboy and vigor-
ously patting him on the back. It is a
touch quite. out Of keeping With fareical
satire, and goes far 10 dampen the final
effect Of the whole.
At the worst, however, the farce confirms
the hopes which Mr.. Chalmers aroused
In Abigail Both pieces have faults.
They give little evidence Of the hard labor
Of the intellect necessary 70 compose and
construct a play. Both are weakened
by sentimentality. But both have the
firm grasp Of the essentials Of character,
the touch Of spontaneous sentiment and
humor, which mark the born playwright.
JOHN CoRBIN.