Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-02
At TIE PLAY HOUSES.
"stronahesr,- Mt the BOYD


Ross, a freshman...........R Richard Sterling
Resde, grind" ............H David Todd
Ihorne; special. 49,. .... sidney Atnsworth
FRED Skinner, = sport..........F a. Turner
Frank Nelson, a senior ....... Francis Bonn
DICK Livingston, a junior. Frank Gheen
Billy saunders, senior by courtesy
go: ................... Frank J. Mcintyre
siegfried, a mascot. Himself
soansataha, known as "stronghesrt."
Mrs. Nelson. Franks mother.
Molly Iiyings,on I,,c hjs s,n Ei9 Prs
Betty Bates, Mollys chum. Marjorie Wood
Maud Weston. Moliy's chum's friend
Dorothy Nelson, Franks sister. ......,.....
- .....,... :......,............... Mary Boland
Tad. "A rubber. ...................John Mitchell
Josh. trainer Purnelf Pratt
buckley, head coach. a grad. Ira Hards
Farley. manager of the visiting team,
........................ Madison Smith
BLACK Eagle, a messenger. ........ Ira Hards
Ruth, the Moabtess, could say. Thy
people shall he my people," and could wed.
first with Mahlon and later with Boaz, the
Judeans; but Dorothy Of New York could
not say to Soangataha of "out west"
whittier thou gpest, there I will 60" for
the law OF race and convention is stronger
than love, stronger than friendship, and
stronger than anything save a strong mans
sense of honor. And, happily. the two
run together. Sympathy rushes to the
rescue and says, Let the girl wed with
the Indian; she loves him and he loves her.
and love Is the first and greatest law" aud
retires weeping when COMMON sense drags
them apart, and sets them on their separate
roads, alone. And we left the theater after
the play. Just little bit saddened to think
that this must be so. yet realizing fully that
duty is above all in life, and that all heroes
and heroines are not happy.
word OF thanks is due here To Mr.
DE Mile, for that he has had the courage
to write a drama OF genuine interest and
TO furnish II with a rational terminal and
not the mushy happy ending other
writer's have deemed absolutely essential
TOT American audiences Let us hope that
now the way has been pioneered the
drapatists will credit us with being SEN
slole men and women, and cease to treat
US as children, who must always end the
meal with sweetmeats, no matter what
precedes. "Strongheart" is an excellently
conceived drama, prepared from material
easily at hand. and without exhaustinp
the subject, not by several long iumps. II
ought to be forerunner OF a lot of mighty
good plays, dealing all with purely Ameri-
can topics. Our life is not so crystalized
maybe as that Of Europe. but surely II is
as complex. and in the varying degrees of
democracy material as interesting exists
as ever was secured from the somewhat
nonotonous stratum of European aristoc
racy.
WI hueson showed more than ever last
n,sht MS grasp on dramatic potentialties
ne eVirces In the character of the Indian a
SURE understanding of the many minor ele-
ments that combine in the correct delinea-
,ba
directing his efforts gives us an Indian We
can understand. And we know Injun pretty
wen at that. The chldlike simplicity and
trust of the red man is n MOST nronouroo,;
characteristic OF Strongheart; his fearless
manner and his implicit faith are all narts
OF the same undeveloped nature that is
not versed in the subtleties of white mans
ways and does not draw distinctions with
the nicely that prevails among the civil
lzed peoples of the world. II is n savage
he gives us; veneered with civilization
ciothed In the garb OF culture and sur
rounded ny the atmosphere OF ultra refine
ment' but moving to hfs object with saw
age direetness. He makes il clear why the
sri could not marry the Indian and he
comes TO understand II himself II NAV he
that in some aspects It is the Indian of
the legend rather than the Indian of the
reservation he gives JUS; this is the fault
OF the author In detail, Mr.. Blossoms
Indian is remarkably correct. too His
method of speech, his bearing. his u,anner
In all regards, is accurate to a degree that
Is most comforting to one who has becom.
accustomed to see the red man misrepre-
scented on the stage. All in ALL Mr.. Eide
sons work is of the satisfying sort. and
ne surely has won the distinction that has
come to him during the last two or three
seasons.
sharing honors with Mr.. Edeson is Mr..
Mcinyre' delightfully."- recalled as Mac"
IN soloiers OF Fortune" In a comedy role
that could easily be overdone and thereby
spoiea' out 1t Is so cleverly presented
that 1t deserves a place alongside that OF
the star The other male parts are those
oil college boys, ranging in experience from
freshman to senior, and each a tvnA ana oil
good.
Miss Bolsnd is not as convincing az ons
might wish In her role of the girl. In the
mai scene she reaches the climax quite
EFFECTIVELY, and by bit OF repression does
much to redeem the uncertain quality of
her earlier EFFORTS. In justice to her.
though' II must be admitted that prior TO
the climax she has little OF real oppor
tuhity Miss Drew fairly sparkles as Mol
lie Livingston, and Is fine second for
the awkward slangy ways OF Billy ssun-
ders.
College men and women by the score sat
through the play last night, and surely
showed their enthusiasm by the demon
stration at the close OF the second act
when the stirring incidents In connection
with the foot ball game were unrolled
The earnest profanity OF Buckley as h. .x-
horted his men In the dressing room. the
sterling honesty of Farley. the coach for
the other fellows, and the intensely dra-
matte scene that followed the denunciation
or Stronsheart by the real oulprit were
so typical of college life that folks seemed
TO De far away from the theateT, and back
al alma mater once more Then a very
pretty bit Of melodramatio work ensues
IN the description of the game by Strong
heart for the benefit OF the injured PLAYER
VINO writhes on the floor in his helpless
ness. All of this brought out the feeling
OF the audience In such a storm OF applause
as is seldom heard in a theater. II was
not stilled until Mr.. Bdeson, breathless.
came before the curtain and spoke a few
words OF appreciation and thanks.
stronsheart' will be offered again this
n