The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-03-05
AT THE THEATERS LAST NIGHT

gets. to save her from an unspeaHable
fate at the hands OF couple Of rutfians.
She chooses him as her deliverer because
he Is the least repulsive Of her three
assailants. Later he gives her chance
for freedom, but because OF the subtle
mastery he has gained over her she
gives herself TO him, stipulating that the
union shall be legalized. Ruth. though
urged by every womanly feeling. by every
instinct of chastity and self--espect, to
hate and loathe Client enter,3lns for
him subc0nscious love and admiration
The final ascendency OF this love over all
sOrdid counter currents Is complete and
while the womans surrender may appear
trifie preeipitate. 1t is logical and salts
flying. At no time does artifc.aIlty enter
into this play-it Is ali straight from the
shoulder, sermon gathered from the
very root Of things.
The brunt Of the psychological Interest
falls upon Miss Anglln m her acting Of
Ruth Jordan. II she fails TO inspire absO-
lutte sympathy with the character, 81 Is
due more to the startling realism OF the
lines she speaks than an inability 20 inter
prct them. The impression Is apt to be
conveyed that her treatment OF Client ls
unnecessarily unyieiding and harsh But
Miss Anglin's emotional power Is unde-
niable, ard she carrles her audience Ulth
her with an interest that is unfiagging
Mr. Miller as Client gives a picture Of
a man untitled from mere brutshneas by
the power OF a woman's purity. which
stands high In dramatic purpose. lie ia
especially convincing IN his scene with
Miss Anglin IN the final act As Ruth
says. in her self-reproach. You have
gotten all the good out OF our llfe to-
gcther and have grown stronger: ] have
only gotten the bad and have grown
weaker. This scene is the elimination
OF one OF the most perfect duels between
man and woman that has been seen upon
our stage for a considerable lapse Of time.
and II is acted in manner greatly % the
credit Of these gifted co-stars, who bring
to their parts not only a wide experience.
but a fine intellectually as we'll After
the second act and when the fnal cur
tain had fallen both were obliged 10
respond TO q number OF enthusiastic
calls.
A company Of marked ability IS asso-
ciated in presenting The Great Divide"
and contains the names Of Mrs. Whiffen,
who plays the role of the New England
mother in the last act; Charles Gotthold
as Winthrop Newbury; Charles WyEgate
as Philip Jordan. and Robert Cummings,
as Lon Anderson. Laura Hope Crews
was excellent as a vivaciOus and cpl
grammauc girl Of the East, who seemed
greatly out of place In the businesses OF
the Arizona canyons. A number Of minor
character studies were admirably taken
ne scenic features OF The Great
Divide were notable. especially that Of
the second act. representing the wilder
ness home Of Ruth and Client and the
last scene, showing a New England IN
n-s-
blgness of the preceding pictures.
The special performance brought to-
gether one Of the largest gatherings Of
notables that has been assembled in
Washington this winter In the boxes were
the British Ambassador and Mrs. Bryce
and party, the Russian Ambassador and
Baroness 'Rosen and party. Mr.. Justice
and Mrs. McKenna and party. Mrs
Nicholas LOngwoTth and party. the
Minister from Costa Rica and Nine
Calvo and party. the Minister from
Haiti and Nine. Leger. In the orchestra.
among other notsbles. were Speaker
Cannon. Rear Admiral and Mrs. SchIey.
Rear Admiral and Mrs Converse. Rear
Admiral and Mrs. Cowles, Assistant Sec
rotary Of State and Mrs Robert Bacon.
Assistant Secretary OF State Alvey 4
Adee, the Secretary Of the Interior and
Mrs. Ethan Allen Hitchcock. the Assistant
Secretary OF the Navy and Mrs New
berry. the Comptroller Of the Currency
and Mrs. Ridgely, Senators Lodge. Dick. /
Cullom. Ia Toilette. Wetm0re. Frye. /
Stone. Hale, Foraker Knox. Beveridgc. /
and William A. Clark: Representatives I
Daizell Morris Sheppard Jacob Rupert. /
IT., James W WadswOTth, Herbert Par /
sons. William Sulzer. John WESLEY I
Gaines. John Sharp Williams. and VII I
liam p. Hepburn. Mai Gen. F. G. Aims 1
worth. Brig. Gen Hawkins, Cen J. I
Franklin Bell. the charge d'affaires Of /
Spain and Nine. Pastor. and the Minister /
from Argentina and Nine. Partela.