The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28

I Special Correspondence Washington Hetah
New York. Oct. 5.-Because Mary
Halls statuesque physique was racked
with the agonies Of ptonlaino poison as
result OF a diet of fish. there was a
/ postponement Of the first New York per-
Torrance of Cora Maynard's play Of fren-
zied finance. THE Measure Of a Man.
{ from Thursday to Saturday evening Of
last week. The event occurred at the
Weber Theater in the presence OF a friend
~ audience, among whom | noticed Forbes
Robertson, Gertrude Elliott, Augustus
Thomas, and all the notables among the
fraternity of critics. L. N. Holland play
ed Christopher Guthrie, a tarantula OF
/ finance while Robert Drouet played the
part OF King. young promoter. Percy
Hasweu was Guthrie's daughter. who is
Kings uplifting angel. and Mary Hall
appeared as the second wife of the finan-
cier, vino tries her level best TO start
liaison with the manly looking lover Of
her stepdaughter.
The piece was tried cut at a perform
ance given by the pupils of q school Of
dramatic instruction last season. and on
THAI occasion received somewhat fayora-
bic attention. ! hear that Augustus
Thomas was called in TO minister to its
defects. but his name did not appear on
the programme as a collaboration
The Measure cf Man parallels
+ The Lion and the Mouse" in general
pUrp0rt as il has, like that play, a colos-
slls OF finance Of = certain standard ia
mIliarity for its central figure, but lacks
altogether the spirited motive Of that
/ play as we'll as its sprightiy treatment
After all. II Is not the much-acclaimed
/ tlmeliness of a subject but the comprc-
/ hensive method Of dramatic technique ap-
/ parent IN play that decides its fate.
Miss Maynard's play pictures ambition
swayed by the conflicting motives OF
power and passion the medium young
ish man, who forges to the front by the
grace or his genius as the organizer Of
vast capital to fight the steel trust, and
at last stands face to face with the alter
native Of sacrificing his integrity as the
I helpless tool Of tho Moloch OF finance or
reuouncing the ambition Of his life and
I lAC hand Of a guardian anEel-in thu per-
son OF the fnancier's own daughter-wh0
admonishes him 10 do right, though the
+ heavens fall.
/ The temptation is too great. The hero.
/ who has pTated Of his adherence to honor
: for two acts. falsifies statements purpose
( iy 10 wreck the company, as planned By
Guthrie. but II the critical moment I'M
dergocs sudden awakening Of conscience
at the prompting Of the girl he loves, and
+ az the directors meeting. at which the
/ final crushing blow is 10 be delivered.
openly denounces himself as a fel0u. They
/ turn their backs on him. one humorous
old director tarries only long enough. 10
.
/ to make such a confession. Therell be a
me citing VI the directors tomorrow. but
/ IN see that you're not prosecuted and
I he is alone. But In the enveloping shadow
of bis doom his good angel appears, Just
az angels DO Ga a fairy spectacle. and
gives him the warm sympathy of wom-
ans heart
There was no ioophole for excuse on the
ground Of q disregard OF art il the play
did not score siguaIy There was ap-
plaUsc enough, and after the third act the
autnoress responded 20 the demand for
her appearance by making q bow before
the curtain, much as Rachel Crothers had
done few nights before during the pre-
miere OF THE Three of Us" But these
things happen on Broadway and yet may
+ De- meaningless withal This latest blend
/ ms % love and finance which aims 20
/ scourge the modern spirit o~ adventure.
conquest. and power has q story ynat was
spoiled in the telling. 1t is poorly articu-
lated in construction. lacking in simple
directncss Of narrative. with the subsidi-
/ airy characters little mote than partially
I developed. and as a whole suggesting an
T immature treatment of a subject Of other
wise vital potential elements By a lady
/ who has obviously studied the realities of
life only IN the pages OF the popular mag
azines
The four leading characters did the best
+ they could % impart the dignity OF CON
sentative realism 10 the unreal lines. but
+ the sceHt OF the literary blue stocking
chung 90 them stil. Percy Hasweu was
charming. Holland was graphic. Drouet
was incisiye and the sweet face Of Mary
+ Hail lent Peculiar interest 10 the IN
tHgue OF the woman who enters matri-
monty as q matter of CONVENIENCE.
How much Of her own experience did
+ the lustrous Mary throw into the fiction
/ Just eleven years ago last month she was
married in Kansas City 10 Smith 3 Han.
/ who was employed on one of the Kansas
+ City papers rs a dramatic critic. She was
then pretty Mary White, the daughter
Of the late Judge Henry p White, Of that
city. She was stage struck As soon as
she and Hall were married he began to
make efforts to realize her ambition. Her
mother and other relatives objected: he
encouraged IT, They had a child. but
: that did not divert her from her object.
/ They came re New York, and she sue
ceeded In getting an engagement. with
Z the understanding that she would not
play outside OF New York. But by and bv
there were no engagements 10 be had in
I New York. and then She accepted engage
meuts on the road.
The result was Suit for divorce
brought by hsr husband I'm Minneapolis, in
I February. 1904, al which Hall testified
that her ambition had overcome her love
for home, and she had practically aban-
doned MIN and their child. The decree was
granted. and the actress became Mrs.
Charles Tabb Pearce. She won distinction
as leading woman Of the Pike stock COM
pany OF Cincinnati. with T. II. Sotbern
( in The Proud Prince" as leading woman
OF the Murray Ilir stock company Of
/ New York and of the Boston stock COM
{ pany- She is now an admirable actress
and one OF Tie most beautiful women APP
pearing at any Broadway theater
The House of Hirth' by Edith Wharf,
ton and Clyde Fitch. serving as a starring
vehicle for Fay Davis. had its premiere
Monday evening at the Savoy, and scored
a success d'estime, nothing more The
play is from the novel OF that name The
cooperation Of Mr.. Fitch was not able to
redeem the performance from inspiring
a benumbing sense of languor which the
excellent actress in the stellar role did
/ little TO relieve. The critics give high
praise to Albert Bruening for the por-
tg1yal OF Simon Rosendale, the money
loving Jew, but faithful friend of Lily
Bart.