The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-19

15
THE SERVANT IN THE HOUSE. Bv
Ghaples Ram Kennedy. Harper &
brothers, OF New York, publishers.
$1.25. : - =
Every now and aga In a note is struck
by writer OF drama or OF fiction. Ia
which the heart OF the world responds
IN thrill OF sympathetic Interest.
Ihat such thrill has been evoked
py the recent production and presen-
tation of THE Sarvant In the House.
Is now q self-evidcnt TACT, II NAV add
somewhat to tho interest OF this drama
for Richmond readers. II they are fur
ther informed, that Its author, Charles
Rann Kennedy, Is the husband or the
actress who SO successfully portrayed
leading part In "1verynlan," given
at the Richmond Academy last autump
by Ben Greet and his company.
Tho Servant in the House" is a
play of tho present day In five acts,
setting forth the story OF a single
early morning In spring. The scene
remains unchanged during the play,
and has for its setting room in an
English vicarago. Jacobean In charac-
ter and furnishings, .evIdently the
room OF rich man, who has apparent
" come to some compromise ON the diff
ficult question OF Ills entrance into the
Kingdom of Heaven. for the pnne1ed
| walls possess. among other decorations,
richly ornamented crucifix, Virgin
and child by an old master, certain
saints in ecstasy, and a really remark
able modern oil painting OF the Divine
Author OF our religion.
The personages OF the drama In
clude James Ponsonby Makeshyfte. D.
D., bishop OF Lancas shire; the Rev. VIII
liam Snythe, the vicar; Auntie, the
Wears wife; Mary. their niece; Mr..
Robert Smith, gentleman of neces-
sary occupation; Rogers, page boy,
and Manson. a butler.
a PREDATORY quotation gives In the
beginning the basic principle on which
the drama is constructed. 1t says: 1.-THE
hunger for brotherhood Is at tho bot-
tom OF the unrest OF the modern civil
LIKED world. The sweeping away OF
all artificial and class distinctions and
the establishment OF the brotherhood
of the human family-this Is the plea
that has made Its appeal under the
title of THE Servant in the House.
The story is not an unusual or COM
plicated one. The vicar, the Rev. Will
liam smythe. is the youngest OF three
brothers. BY a fortunate marriage and
Il
Bishop Of Lancashire, he has advanced
his position from a worldly point of
view. and has become quite separated
from his two brothers. Just before
the opening OF the play, however. he
has received a letter from one brother.
bearing the signature Of the Bishop OF
Benares as we'll as brother, and an
nouncing his immediate arrival In Eng
land. The necessity Of having a drain
repaired that is giving trouble5at the
vicarage is the unintentional cause. on
the wears part, of bringing the other
brother, Robert on the scene.
The Bishop OF Benares comes to
the vicarage under the disguise OF Man
son, butler. and Is THE Servant In
the House" In the power he possesses
and in the influence for good he exerts,
he is an impersonatlon Of Christ and
as such has caused adverse criticism OF
Mr.. Kennedy for his naturalization
of the essentially divine and spiritual.
The vicar Is knoynE assthe Rev. Will
liam Smytte. Robert Smith, his brother,
looking after the drains. being given
over to strong drink after his wife's
death and separated from his only
child. known in the play ss Mary, the
Wears nieAc, appears at fret trucu-
lent and emhittered. The Bishop Of
5Benares. or Manson, who also clears the
vision OF &the vicar and banishes from
the vicarage the complacent presence
OF the Bishop OF Lancashire, restores
Robert to "a proper attitude. culmlnat-
Ing eventually In brave atonement,
Look 'ere comrlde, admit a bad
nature to begin with. Didn't me an
my brother oshua pinch ana slave the
Z skin OFF our bones to send that spotted
swine to SCHOOL, Didn't we CLIP I'm
out with Us books and lis mortarboards
an is bits OF clothes, to try and mex
lin look Respectable SCos why? Cos we
was proud Of the little perlsher!---
proud oils 'ead-piece l45jNV 'adn't gone
none ourselyes-leastwa 'adn't,"
One Understands that "the5 little
PERISH was the vicar In his boy
hood. The climax to which all preced-
ing pa ges lead steadily up Is reached
:inTthe fifth act OF the drama with fine
effect. There Robert Smith, having dis
covered tho sanitation trouble which
he has been called in toscure, IN Y dis
5cussing the matter with the vicar and
his determination to cure
the trouble, a. excla Inns .repr oachfully.S|
when the ter forbids him to end ans
ger his life:: s.
you call yourself q clergy
man!,'
And tho vicar answers: II call myself
nothing. 4 less than nothing In all this
living world l"aSt Il! IL s
.'Bys Cod returned Robert. "but I
cal myself summat-1m the Drain
Man, that's wot am "
You shall not 60 into the vault
under thu church" d eclared the vicar,
feverishly, III, ss i,
III obert :ss'.'rW hy.5w at Is there to FEAR?
Amt It worth while ITO move away
that load (. muck ~
yicar::s he stencil. the horror, the
Robert Ii Whats It matter il the
comrides 81 vi aboves 'ay light and Joy
and a ahreat n q lesone air to sing
BY ~ II,
Il Yicar:S '"II orr ny hour dying alone"
I Robert: The comrides lip In the
spans an arches 1olnin' lands 80
III Vicar: Fainter and fainter, below
there and at las stan >end less, sllence,nil
Robert :S" Ugh In the dome. the ,anl-
nerln's Of the comride s, as nv climbed
aloft!--I mus t go."5s IN ls ~ SIS e.
Vicar;S hen, BY God and all the
pow ers Il of grace Nv you shall not 10
alone NoW,Si rs You are req q ", oomra lei:
yo,l and u ! ogetherl \. r Fl
Auntie; aoa y nslg 1T 60 With you'll