The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-19

through which stirring story of American interest is told and story
 with a moral that sinks deep into
 every heart. An innocent girl of rural
 Indiana undertakes the reformation of gentleman drunkard, and wins in the
 undertaking Tom Silverton is the one sheep out of the hundredfold and Ruth
 Blake seeks his redemption. That is the story, and dot one man who saw
 the play last night escaped the lesson
 it reveals.
 Carping critics may write of it's cru-
 dity in spots; philosophers may scoff at the theme, but the fact remains
 that Ninety and Nine" is doing more
 good for humanity than Ten Nights in a Barroom," because "TheNinety and Nine" is a better play and 1t leads an audience unwittingly to the lesson 1t | teaches. There Is continuity to the story and sufficient of the comedy ele-. ment to tighten the serious shades, the whole rounding out an entertainment
 that is worthy of intelligent interest. The company presenting Ninety and Nfne'' is surprisingly able, and the scenic equipment was astonishingly artistic. The first act, showing the home of Abner Blake at Marlowe, In- diana, with a meadow in the back ground. and the last act with its
 country flower garden, were stage tri- uAARA2 Nh& RASoSSA bA&t FSIJ
 much.
 The management of '@rhe Ninety and 1 Nine'' has been fortunate in the seIec- 1 ton of the co-stars, Mir. Montague and
 Miss Whipple, the Tom Silverton and I Ruth Blake About whom the story cen- | ters. Miss Blake made a sympathetic | picture as the demure little country ! girl with a woman's heart and she | proved several times that she is capa- | hla oF a Fsoh fiona | fine reading of the hymn from which | the play takes it's name stirred the audience to enthusiasm. Mr. Montague 1 has fine stage presence and a voice l that any actor might envy. In his
 scenes with the girl when he had been drinking he might have gone the way | of another actor and overplayed 1t but | he didn't He was always in the pie
 ture and he restrained himself to the proper limit.
 But let us not forget that there is an actor in the company equally as | capable, equally as artistic and finished as the co-stars. A young man, Hugo I Goldsmith, who portrayed the half-wit-
 ted village boy in love with Ruth and
 ready to be led to any length by that l love gave a vivid exhibition of talent. I Tn makeup, in facial expression, in | quiet restraint, in jerky speech and in shuffling gait he played the part like
 a true exponent of the best in stage
 art His long speech describing for | est fire and the death 1t carries to | country homes was fine enough for any
 stage and aroused the audience to a
 high pitch of excitement
 I Mr. Hastings, was convincing as Ab-
 ner Blake, the father; Miss Brook was l natural and effective as Rachel Blake,
 the mother and Mir. O'Connor earned | the hatred of the audience so realistic
 was his presentation of the despicable Mark Beveridge, grandson of the prest- | dent of a railroad, young man trav- cling about in private car. This, by | the way, is some more of the play wright's modern effort to please the gallery gods, this making thief, a liar and a scoundrel of one who lived
 in high estate.
 Other actors in the company worthy
 of commendatiop are Miss Saunders. | the adventures, and little Willie Fink
 a New York, urchin transplanted to the l green fields of Indiana.
 'sThe Ninety and Nine" will be re- | heated at the Bijou Theatre tonight.