Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-03
Women Clubs
I HE special feature of interest at
the Eben yesterday afternoon was

n HE special feature of interest at
the Ebell yesterday afternoon was
- the reading by Alfred Allen,
dramatic critic and playwright, of his
play, "Chivalry,' a four-act drama
dealing with the race problem of the
south.
OF this play Prof. Richard Burton
said: 1T is the strongest play ever
written" and many who had the pleas
ure of listening to the authors reading
yesterday were convinced of the truth
Of that criticism.
Well written, virile, the unspeakable
conditions portrayed candidly but deli
cately treated, of absorbing interest
from opening to close, and almost as
full of heartbreak and torture for the
sympathetic listener as the real living
of the story could be, the play is un-
deniably great, but too terrible, too ap-
palling for any manager who has re-
speet for his box Office to risk Offering
to his patrons.
An afternoon and a night is the span
of time required for the development
of the plot, which led up to that crime
of the black man Of the south against
the white woman of the south for
which so many negroes have paid the
price at the hands of incensed fathers,
brothers and neighbors. The scene is
an isolated plantation, and among the
characters is a wealthy planter who
disowns his octoroon daughter and
heaps every luxury on the beautiful
white girl whose mother Is his wife.
It Is this dearly loved daughter who
pays the price of her fathers evil do
ing, her negro assailant having the CO.
operation of the octoroon, and who
afterward, despite the pleading of her
northern lover to become his wife, kills
herself. Her mothers death follows
from heart failure.
Mr.. Allen liven ten years in the
south and among other points made
prominent in the play was the differ
ence between the old family plantation
"darky," the faithful servant who
guarded the home and his mistress
during the dark days of the Civil War,
and the negro Of the south today, who,
as a class, f1aunts his education and
his equality" while he possesses
neither; who often, correctly and hand
somely attired, fills positions of respon-
sibility, and in his conceit and head
strong grasping for the unattainable, Is
a menace to the life Of the community
which harbors him.
Mr.. Allen wrote "Chivalry' in Town
Topics contest of nearly 1000 manu-
scripts, in which he was awarded the
prize of $1,000.
The Crescent Bay Women's club held
its annual high J1nKS IN the shape or a
Halloween party Thursday of last
week.
After short business meeting lights
which shone through grinning skulls
were turned on and ghosts and witches
took possession of the club room. The
shrouded form of woman was discov-
cred on q funeral bier, and beside her
a witch with shaking form and cracked
voice foretold the future and prophe-
sled a glowing decade for the Santa
Monica or Crescent Bay as it is some
times known.
She also added a word of "blood and
thunder and woe'' regarding the fate
of any member deserting the club in
the future.
The part was taken by Miss Bessie
Trickle, who made realistic witch
Mrs. Page, garbed in a winding sheet
concluded with blood curdling reci-
tation which ended in a terrifying
scream.
Refreshments were served in the dim
ing room from a large caldron presided
over by witch. whose mattresses were
tiny ghosts.
The committee in charge, Mrs H.
Wickizer, Mrs G. H. Rundel, Mrs. Page
and Mrs. Goldsmith, deserve special
mention as a great many clever, Inn
promptu ideas were carried out.
Among the new members who as
sisted in receiving were Miss Hardman,
Mrs. Kahn, Miss Leslie and Mrs. Lag
FouS.