The Washington herald., 1908-03-01
NEW YORK THEATERS.
Special 10 me Washington Herald.

Harlem fiat and ending In a semi-fIlshiCn-
able New York hotel with a separation OF
man and wife. was presented here for the
first time Tuesday evening at the Astor
Theater. The play was "Peid in Full. 3"
by Eugene Walter. Much talk has there
been anent this Paid in Full" 1t was
announced that Lena Ashwell had Sc
cured the rights for London. It was de-
MED by cable. Then it was said that
Annie Russell would present it. That.
too. was denied. All this apparently TO
stimulate interest In the piece 1t was
tried out on tour somewhere up in Can
ada Then Il was laid OFF for repairs.
The managers. it was said, wished TO
rush It into New York. but the author
still scrupied. It IS an awful thing for
an author 10 face the first nights death
watch But at last Il has crossed the
Rubicon. and. with Caesar. the diaident
young author is justified in saying that
he came, saw. and conquered
The play IS wholesome and breezy. well
written. and cleverly constructed. More
over. il was admirably acted bv every
member OF the small cast OF but seven
characters, including a japanese servant
and two subordinate persoEages who con-
tribute little or nothing 10 the develop
ment Of the story. Prominent were Lii
Ian Albertson. as the wife. a young ac-
tress who first came into notice on Broad
way few weeks ago when she appeared
al Wallack's with George Fawcett IN
The Silver Girl Frank Sheridan. in a
striking character part as Capt Williams.
an old sea dog, now the head OF big
South American steamship company; Ben
Johnson, as Jimmy Smith a breezy. prod
uet OF Colorado superintendent Of dock
age for Williams. and Tully Marshall. as
Joseph Brooks. the part OF the husband.
The simplicity of the thesis which the
young author defends in his play is ex-
aited by the exceedingly clever treatment
which ne has given Il and the skill with
which he treads water where the water.
fguratively speaking. gets deep and dan
gerous. He has not CLOSED over the
problem that the husband sends his wife
10 the lions den, to the room Of the man
from whom he has stolen Sl6. 500 in order
10 make q bargain 20 save him from
prosecution-sends her there alone az an
uncommon hour or the night. when ladies
are not wont 10 make social calls. Bur
this situation is so cleverlv handled that
II escapes any justifable reproach OF
pruriency and stands out as an incident
full OF dramatic interest and sympathy.
When the curtain goes up we are intro
duced 10 Joe Brooks. a collector in the
employ Of the Latin-American Steamship
Company. at the head OF which is Capt.
Williams. Joe Is a discontented sort.
with socialistic leaniags. who blames
everybody but himself for being com
PEELED 10 support a wife on SIS a week n
four-roOm fat His wife. Emma. IS a
cheerful young woman, deluding herself
with the idea that love can make any
condition III life tolerable Her father. be
fore his death, was Capt Williams mart
ner in business Williams IS a rough old
reprObate of a bachelor. living alone with
japanese servant IN a picturesque suite
OF rooms fitted UP with relics Of his trav-
els and With a capstan for a table His
only weak side is women. Hard to the
last degree with men. he IS peculiarly
sensitive to the influence OF the gantler
sex. That has caused him 10 take I'D an
ambiguous interest IN Emma. through The
medium OF her mother. a shallow woman
who adds 10 JOe's discomfort BY infiuen-
cing his wife against him. In the first
act the husband violently assails Capt
Williams. his employer. and the men al
most come 10 blows as the younger man
hurls his contempt into the teeth Of the
hard old sailor.
When the curtain goes up on the second
act, some months later. fortune has turn
ed in favor Of Joe Brooks and his wife.
They are now tenanting handsome. apart
ments IN a senl-fashionable hotel and
we are given TO understand that Cant.
Williams has raised Joe's salary and
dated it back six months. Everything
seems serene, until Jimsey Smith. an old
flame OF Emma's. a breezy Westerner
with an embarrassing family pedigree.
but sterling sort. tells Joe that mis-
thefts have been discovered and that he
IS about 10 be arrested at the instigation
OF the old sailor. who is the victim Of his
peculauons 10 the extent OF SIC. 800
Jimsey is ready 20 help him I'm his i'm
pending troubles. for the sake OF the
woman he once loved. and stiu loves. AZ
least as friend. Then the truth comes. to
the wife's ears. and the crisis is reached
when the husband insists thar Emma
shall go AZ once late as Il Is. to the
rooms Of the old skinfiint and work upon
his sympathies to relent in his prosecu-
tion. Emma Is thunderstruck bv her hus-
bands baseness, but as he accuses her OF
having promoted his downfall she re-
luctantly accepts the only alternative.
stipulating that she shall have carte
blanche To arrange matters with Williams
as seems best under the circumstances
The husband himself arranges a meeting
between his wife and Williams over the
telephone.
The third act takes us 20 Williams
bachelor quarters late at night. He re-
ceiyes the telephone message and agrees
10 see Emma. Before her entrance a
spirited scene takes place between Jimscv
and the old whale When the Coloradoan
learns that Emma is to come there to
plead for her husband Jimsey suspects
the designs Of the coarse sailor.
Every time Emma has met me, says
the Westerner. in his slow. deliberate
manner Of speech. "she has greeted me
with a bright smile in her brown eyes.
If next time she meets me- she can't look
at me with that same bright smile. III
call on you. Williams. and when do III
be heeled''
Williams only grunts contemptuously
as he pulls away at his short pipe. but
intimates when Jimsey has left the room
that he would doubtless be as good as his
word. Emma comes. and what follows
can be imagined. All she has heard OF
the old fellows hardness Is confirmed.
His insinuations are understood but she
is not that kind. She defies him.
They say you have killed men who
have opposed your will. she says. VERY
we'll. You can lock that door. III be
the first woman you ever killed"
Now here comes the dramatic surprise
Of the evening. No sooner mas Emma