The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-11-07
COMING Nsx1s WEEK
Greatest Success IN Years 1.-THE Lion
and the Mouse

and the Mouse
A play which has scored one of
the greatest successes of the past
ten years will be produced by Hen
| ~ b. Harris at the Bennington
Opera House Thursday evening,
Nov. 14th.
The success OF the piece which
had its premiere in Boston in Octo.
Der, 1904, was immediate and after
an engagement of four weeks there
it was transferred to the Lyceum
theatre. New York. where it has
been presented there for two years
to the fire limits of the theatre, in
fact this play has a record which no
other dramatic production can boast
1t is the only drama to have run
through an entire summer without
IA single break. The production will
be given here exactly as seen in
New York, as they bring it here in
its entirety.
The central figure in the play is
one of extraordinary interest, and
the theme is timely. Mr. Klein has
taken as his central figure money
baron of the present day who wants
to be supreme leader in monetary
affairs, a financial Julius Caesar, an
Alexander signing for a more mon
eyed world to conquer. His will is
law, and any one crossing him in
its exercise has 70 fall. He rules
his Ordinates and his family with a
seeptre of irGG, but he is not with
out paternal love, nor is he unkind.
ly as husband. He simply has
his way to carry out his ideas for
the advancement of himself and
and loves power more than he does
gold, which to hin is only a means
to obtaining his ambitious ends.
He has no idea of financial morali-
ty. Men are to be bought and sold,
and he is simply the highest bidder
for their influence. With him near
ly every man has his price. When
he cannot buy he plots their down.
fall, as he does that of Judge Ross
more of the Supreme Bench. who
has rendered decisions adverse to
in which this multi
is Interested.
The author has made the central
character an impressively natural |
he has all the marks of a
man of decision who does not hest |
tate mt adopting any means for car
rying ont his purpose short of actual |
He is a bold commander
Ofiiduciary forces, who believes that |
any means to obtain victory are
permissible, no matter how near it
approaches criminality. No dishon.
est method is sin to him if there
is no danger of conviction. He is Il
man who believes supremacy in him
self, that he is almost his own Deity. |
Against this element Mr.. Klein
has arrayed another force, that of
love. To attain his ends in scheme
of colossal proportions, the money |
baron has been baked 10y a decision
rendered by Judge Rossmore, Il
Supreme Court Judge, adverse to
this great interest. The money
baron proceeds to remove him.
Fearing disgrace, dishonor and pov.
erty tor her father, Shirley Ross.
mole takes it upon herself to inter
cede. The son of the money baron
falls in love with Shirley, and John
Burkett Ryder finds in her some.
thing which he has never before
found in anyone, and for which he
has the greatest admiration, abso.
lutte determination to attain her
end. She visits his house under an
assumed name; he proposes her
to his son, whereupon she
admits the truth of her identity.
Ryder orders her out of his house
md she deHtunces him. This scene
$ one of the best ever presented on
my stage.
Indeed the play is one of excep.
ional quality, and because of its
Universally interesting theme it
should appeal in the keenest way to
I'll classes of theatre goers. The
'eat sale is announced for Saturday
evening. Nov. 8, at Z o'clock, at the
,Ox Office.