The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-10-01
Last Night at the TheaterS.

~ ~ 4 ELGNSNGl De
ferson refuses TO fire. It sounds. as
written here. as If il were melodramatic
but It Is not; 1t is fine, simple, and dig
nifed, and it holds the audience in a
most intense interest.
The last act shifts to the mountains Of
Nevada Through the efforts Of Bobby
WanscOmb the two partners have recov-
cred the mine. and fortune is in their
grasp. But it is empty TO Jefferson. 1t is
In vain that Wilson tries TO gloss things
over Says he:
Chuck 7 stood behind that curtain an I heard
his Augmentation her. II knitted me-every word Of
it-an what he said nOthin' but the damn
hoPaless-trIth. I had give her an / had-but it
want enough. She had seen hfe-an' needed what
! couldn't give. For me-the deal WIS over.
OF course. it was not over. for she
comes 10 him, the goveTness with her. ex-
planning how the young wife was only
a girl still and had lost her head, had
been tempted-but had come back. and the
heart broken man. whose life had been
so empty without her, opens his arms to
her, dusty and tired from her long ride
through the mountains. and not one word
of reproach or of bitterness-Only the
open arms. into which she throws her
self so gladly, and as he strokes her
beautiful hair he says-it Is his welcome
home:
"Honey-did you notice-when you come along
how the birds was-whistling'"
On such a tender note as that the cur
tain falls and the play is done
II is beautifully sympathetic story,
straight, direct. vital. 1t deals with no
intricate problems of right OF wrong, Of
morals or of immortality. Il is a clean.
opeTPair story. that reaches the heart
and makes one feel kinder toward hui
manity and more hopeful of life in gem
eral 1t is a play that one feels inclined
to thank heaven for; that it is American
genuine Enthusiastically American. Mr.
Peple has done great work,
The presentation Of the play leaves
nothing to be desired. Only a small cast
is required. and each member is picked.
The excellent part Of jefferson Hunter
is we'll played by Mr George Fawcett.
man in the prime of life and an actor
Of wide experience. he has learned ad-
mirably the value of repression, and the
strength of his quiet acting was worthy
of all praise. Scenes that ranting would
inevitably have spoiled ne got fun poetic
value out Of by his fine reserve. His
voice is wonderfully sympathetic and
fine. and his facial expression does much
10 render the meaning of the lines he
speaks. From beginning TO end IL was a
mastery performance. Miss Jane OakeT
shares with Mr.. FawCett the honors Of
the piece as Mrs. Hunter She plays the
part Of a Western-bred girl in an East
ern environment with rare subtlety and
skill, and IN the emotional passages she
rose to every requirement, save. perhaps,
at the end of the third act, where more
force might have added 10 the veTisimili-
tude of the tense situation
Very clever too, was the work Of Miss
COnsuelo Bailey. a charming ingenue,
who played Agnes Hunter with all the
grace and abandon of a schoolgirl. Her
work was delightful in every sense. Mr..
Norman Tharp who played opposite to
her, we'll deserved the applause he re-
ceived for his conscientious and able
acting.
A markedly clever performance was
that Of the governess, played by Miss
Lillian AlbertsOn. She has a striking per
sonality and a voice of such charm that
every line she utters is received with in
tense sympathy by the audience. Mr.
George Nash did very well as Hargrave
though MS work was not striking. and
there is a harshness about his playing
which makes one doubt whether Mrs
Hunter could not have chosen a more
attractive lover The "Chuck" Wilson Of
Mt. Charles Warren was a clever piece
Of character acting. and an excellent bit
was the Tyner Of Mr. Harry LillfOrd.
Altogether. the company was most ade-
quate, and gave the play its full value.
Scenically, the play is al that can be
desired and the beauty of the setting of
the last act evoked applause before ever
a line was said
The Silver Girl is a play that Is bound
to be remembered, and Washington is
fortunate in having an opportunity 90 see
it thus early In its career. II is a fine
American play, that every one will be the
better for having seen.
HECTOR FULLER