The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-28
AS TO "PAID IN FULL"

Did you ever see Paid in Full2" Two
thousand miles or more, as we are. away
| from congested humanity. it isn't often
that we get the opportunity to witness
such good acting. Maybe that will suf-
fee as an excuse for dwelling some
what at length upon the late performs
ance.
A dramatic production as strong as
that was leaves its impress. And an
author who has achieved such signal
success as he who wrote Paid in Full
will perhaps pardon one at this time
for an analytical discussion of the inn
press left by the drama recently put
on at the Salt Lake theater.
The audience clapped when the hero
inc, the dutiful wife at the last drop
of the curtain. deserted her husband.
There was no doubt about what the fu-
ture was to be. The criminal husband
was bound TO go from bad to worse
The wife predicted it. She herself was
going home to mother. A divorce was
to follow. She was going to marry the
man she loved and live happily ever af-
forwards. 1t was beautiful. 1t worked
out we'll The public approved-except,
well, some of US wondered what would
become of the husband. Somehow the
Bible, or religion, or our own ideals of
duty, or morality. or something OF the
other, impelled US TO believe that a
woman or wife worth the applause
would have remained, would have chung
TO her shattered ideal and tried to lift
him from the mire.
Sentiments somewhat similar to the
foregoing, whispered into the ear of one
of the fair sex in the audience brought
out the indignant query. Hadn't the
wife suffered enough? The husband
had kept her in poverty. That is, they
had only SIS a week. He had stolen to
get rich, then was willing to sell her to
save himself. She couldn't be expected
to stand more
No, she couldn't. Not according to
life They don't stand as much now
adays. IncOmpatibil,ty sufffces for
divorce The story was true. 1t was
reahstic- 1t brought home everyday
experiences Women in the audience
cheered the woman who had had nerve
enough to go. Some of them had suf-
Tered 1ndignities. Next time they will |
know the course to take.
Beng Christmas time, some of us |
we're feeling enthusiastic along moral |
ines. The memory of another scene |
where the two thieves occupied the CEN
Ter of the stage together with Another
anne to our minds. And we remem- |
1ered that Others words as he hung |
here, erucified by his children, Faith |
r. forgive them, they know not what
hey DO. We wondered what the his
DRY of the last few centuries WouId
lave been if different sentiments had
'een uttered. He might have said.
Win tears in his eyes, well, goodbye.
ohn, I'm going to heaven I deserve
|. You can go to hell. You can't helm
INNING. | can't save you. Good-bye,
Ana yet Paid in Full was true IN
lie. Is that reason enough for IT'S he
ng? The author might answer Yes"
FOR the artist
shall draw the thing as he sees it. for
the God of things as they are
But to quote again, 1.-The artist has
10 right TO paint a picture or to write
story, the predominant and final Of
ect or which is to hold lust, or brutal
~, or usliness, or deformity. or mean
ess before the mind of the beholder
re mas no right TO do it. because he
as no right to be the kind of man who
rants to do it,
WASH 1t little mean for the wife I
; teaNe the husband when he needed
eI he deserved it, it is true. But
hiuI humanity has always deserved
estructiOn- Thank God. not ali WON
nave acted So Some of us can easily
1eall where the forgiving kiss of .
lother or sweetheart or wife upon our
Wn sinful lips has been the salvation :
our souls. If saved they are For, !
What angel shall {
less tnis unworthy husband, he cannot
to hear eS4ieits I
nd loves to grant, reprieve him from
greatest Justice" J
me husband deserved no pity, if pity
'nld.hs an element of love But didn't !
he piece leave a bad tasteg :
w. H LEARY. !