Arizona republican., 1907-11-22
SOCIAL LIFE Al
 OLD t0RJ GRANT
A Real Story of the Home Country in the Play of Arizona.

Augustus Thomas play. Arizona"
 house last night Q to a delighted au- dience which filled the theater almost to the limit of capacity. The Hollis F. Cooley company has by this per- formance earned the commendatiOn of as critical an audience as 1t could find anywhere. for Phoenix people are at least of average intelligence. the play pleased them and there is nothing in the world they should be more com petent to pass judgment upon than a story depicting the scenes found in their own environment.
 The scenes of the play are laid in the Aravaipa valley. Arizona. at Fort Grant. and with the town of WillcoN as a geographical point of interest The play itself is the story of an army scandal and it is an intensely thrilling one It involves the leading officers stationed at Fort Grant, in- Icluding the post commander and his family Its fabric is woven of the varied emotions inspired by the love of a good woman, the doubts of an irreproachable man. the hatred of one who accepts as duty an opportunity to wreak vengeance for woman's wrongs, the self sacrifice and heroism of young officer who sacrificed rank. a promising future and the friend ship of one who, had been his great est benefactor. to shield from disgrace a woman whose greatest fault was be- ing tempted. the broad charity of the
 
 may have erred. and finally the real villain in a uniform who wrought all the trouble and came to a disgraceful and violent death. All this in a set ting that is typically AriZonian. con tributes to a recital wondrously true to life. already well known tO a large portion of regular theater goers. but too long and interesting in detail to warrant any synopsis of at this time.
 The time of the play is fixed as just preceding the Spanish-American war. It might have been better were it dated back ten years or so for in the rapidly changing conditions in the west the story depicts a locale. true at the present time in certain parts of Arizona, was more true at the time the play is dated but was more em- phatically the prevailing Arizona "at- mosphere" twenty years ago. The sanctity of social conventions in army circles is proverbial Nevertheless, it was never so pronounced. at least nev- CT so haughtily impressed on the civil ian mind anywhere as on the western frontier where the army practically preceded home building. where all there was that might of right be term ed exclusive society, was found either at the army posts or Gfavitated to them from the surrounding settle ments. IL was time when men and women found their best protection in their personal honor. In this story. which is tense with dramatic interest from the very start, Mir. Thomas has not been found wanting. either for in- cident or its portrayal.
 The cast required is a large one. some fifteen characters beside the supernumeraries. and most of them have been well chosen, though it could not be expected that all should be stars" J. J. Hvland makes a very impressive Col. Bonham. while Edward J. Farrell in the hero's part, both through the lines of Lieut.. Denton and through his own personality commands attention all the time. Virginia Pear son was good both as the halting. hesitating, tempted wife and as the better womah after having conquered her weakness. through the help of the close mouthed and self sacrificing young man who protected her honor and who in the end was rewarded by the hand of her charming sister. a real Arizona girl in whose wooing the audience became very much interested.
 Passing mention must be made of Joseph Green, who sets forth all the homely virtues old Rancher Canby could have possessed and his "dobie" ranch house was typically furnished and appointed. Anybody who has travelled in the Arizona hills has cer- tainly met Madam Canby and prob ably the Chinese cook. for ten or fif- teen years ago he was fixture in all most every big ranch household and he isn't q rare avis yet. w. F. Gerald made an excellent villain, so good in fact there was general satisfaction when the lieutenant killed him off and things began to go more smoothly. The Mexican was all right in senti- ment and action but in this land of | Mexican dialects he might by close observation perfect his lingo little. The play in it's entirety was a fine entertainment and if Phoenix could always be assured of such one there would soon be standing premium on seats