The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-01
SHELDON SAYS NO.
Refused to Allow Receipts from Play
Put Into sheldon Hall Fund.

An audience of some 500 people, a
large part Washburn students, at
tended the performance OF ""The Good
Natured Man" as given by the Wash
burn Dramatic club at the Crawford
last night. The play is old. the work
of Oliver Goldsmith, and though it
has been exploited for many years it
still has a lingering charm without
taint of mustiness.
It represents the first breaking
away from comedy as based on the
old standard and is the connecting
link between the modern comedy and
that of the bewigged and powdered
era.
The plot hinges about the loves of
two young couples in an ancient Eng
lish manor house whose owner, an
irascfble old pessimist, NEEDLES in the
Tnatchnakin Despite his attempts,
love finds its true course and chooses
its own particular object Of affection
Croaker, the old English gentleman
who inhabits the manor house, en-
deaVors to arrange for a marriage
between his son Leontine and a rich
heiress who is temporarily making her
home with the CrOakers. However, in
reality Miss Richland is in love with
a friend of Eeontine, Mr. HoneyWOOd,
who is oblivious to the fact that he
possesses her love though he ardently
returns it. He is ready-handed,
gOOd-naIured person, a trait which
brings him into considerable financial
difficulty.
Leontine is deeply in love with
Olivia and in an attempted elOpe-
ment the truth of the whole matter is
revealed, both as concerns the love
affairs of the two couples and the
identity of certain parties which has
hitherto been masked. The curtain
rings down in the last of the five acts
upon the reconciliation of Croaker to
the match between his son and Olivia
and the pending marriage between
Miss R1chland and Mr.. Honeywood.
Certain other interesting situations
add to the Conplexity and humor of the
occasion.
Mr.. Ralph Johnston, who took the
part Of CrOaker, was particularly bright
star in the performance. Johnston has
a capital voice, resonant to q degree,
and an attractive stage personality. He
entered into his part with wholesouled
enthusiasm and a spirit of self forget
fulness that speaks well for his talent
j johnston secured a curtain call from
his fellow students in the audience who
were rather chary with their applause.
This was the nearest attempt at an
ovation rendered through the evening.
John Van De Mark as 1eOntne ana
Miss Lu Grace Whitmer as Olivia as
the thwarted pair of lovers fitted in
with the conception Of the characteris-
tics Of the parts which they assumed.
The part was kept in balance with it's
true position of Importance with refer
euee to the leading roles. The aper Of
dignity, Lofty, was filed by Omar
Smith who caught onto the spirit of
the snobbery which Lofty airs on every
occasion. Miss Daisy Neil as Miss
RichIand and Mr. Elden Tice as Mr
Honeywood acted naturally ard showed
/ thorough training.
! OF the minor characters the parts OF
/ Garnet by Miss Mabel Renwick and the
Bailiff by Hal Hotchkiss were carried
( out with vivacity and spirit. Hotchkiss
/ with some training should show up well
/ in future Washburn dramatic events.
! The remainder of the cast was taken
/ by:
Sir William Honeywood. Roy Unord
/ Jarvis. Observation-Disclosures. Tom Bowman
! Flanagan. Sumner Everinghan
/ Land1ady. y............. Miss Zimmerman
The receipts from the box Office will
/ go to the benefit of the library though
it was the first intention to make it a
part of the Sheldon hall fund. Rev.
/ Chas. Sheldon, however, objected to this
arrangement and in accordance with
his wishes the surplus receipts will be
/ turned over to the library fund. Mr..
Sheldon objects because the play was
given in a theater that gives Sunday
/ shows