New-York tribune., 1909-10-10

dansel who plays fast and loose with the affec<
tions of an oldtirne adnirer. and a pretty, de-
rrure parIoruaid who receives COldly the adj
vances OF a window washing porter and watches
the frivoIity Of smart people around her without
being tempted to rise above her station This Is
the little Vanity Fair which the barrister's
brOther-in-Iaw, Thomas Freeman. RhOdesia1
farmer. finds In London when he returns after
an absence of eight years during which he has
been sowing his wild oats, "roughing it" in JO-
hannesburg and broadening out into a strenU-
Gus citizen of the empire. He condemns every
thing that is going on turns the fiat inside OUT
is lifted BY the cynical firJ in a spasm OF hons
esty and finally prevails upon the pretty house
maid, Smith. TO marry him and 10 go back to-
RhOdesia with him.
The sins Of society which are brought out in
this play are ideness. card-p playing, pIeasurabIs
excitement. coarse and vulgar talk hirtatiOns
between married woman and tame robins In
sincerity and artifciality. Women viii not havs
children when they are married. and the reason
assigned is that chiId-bearing is a provincial
or suburban habit and that it interferes with
the pleasures Of fashionable life. The wife. who
has been so Old-fashiOned as 10 have q child
neglects Il shamefully and plays bridge with
vtvacity when it is sick unto death That IN
the one tragic note; all else is comedy Of man
ners The only novel effect OF Characterization
Is produced in AIgernon Peppercorn. the puppy
follower. inpersonated with delightful insOu-
Glance by Mr.. A. E. Matthews. He is not tho
phIanderiug rake so much as the parasite, who
connects himself with a fashionable family IN
order 10 make a living He is the most amusing
figure on the stage-a bIoOdless carpet knight
without a shred OF seIf-respect or decency. Tho
satire is directed otherwise against familiar
types OF SNARE society, and il is bent back so
as TO have double edge The returning colo
NAL keeps I'D a continuous fire upon the artt-
hctal ffrts and fools who are idIing away their
time; and he Is himself hit by the recon OF the
gun Hardship and rough work may have
broadened his experience and made man or
him. but his manners are coarse. his cOurtships
rude and unfeeling and his searchinss after 9
sensible working wife a line with the pur-
chase of a horse for his stables. He falls 20 his
own level when he rivals the window washer
and carries of the parlor maid
The two leading parts played with nat1-
ralness and charm Otherwise the comedy
would not have started OF with the prestige Ot
a brilliant first night success Mr.. Robert LO-
raine as the RhOdesian farmer does his work
with manly spirit. unaffected ease and unfailins
sureness of touch II is capital performance
and so sincere and convincing that the coarse
ness OF the language loses much Of its repeIlent
power Miss Marie L6hr. in cap and apron. ia
q striking contrast 10 the vulgarity OF the shall
low, pleasure loving people served by her. Al
though Smith is a farmers daughter. she has
the conservative prejudices OF the servant class
and is not disposed 70 marry out of il until tho
RhOdesian has convinced her that he is more
muscular than the window washer. SO WinsOms
and charming is the dainty serving maid thae
the facility with which the backwoOdsman fnds
consolation in her society after the overdrsssed
bridge player has dismissed him is quite intelIi-
gible. Miss Edyth Latiner enacts the capricious
firt. and il is not much her fault as lt "a
the authors II her conversion TO srraightfO--
ward conduct appears little less than miracu-
lOus. Miss Kate Cutler Is the Chidless matron.
who keeps her husband under rigorous discipIlns
and anuses herself by substituting the guileless
AlgernOn for a poodle: and she also gives an
admirable performance Win artists OF BRILL
liant talents 70 interpret the parts and With
sparkling epigrams 70 Illuminate the text. a -
not remarkable that 3lr. Naughams play eom-
rnauds success from the outset i n =