The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-24


which neither Cook nor Peary-not even
Henson-is clear The ladys feet were
a few shades lighter than her maroon
plush. Indeed, blush-rose stockings OF
the shade with which the actress sought
TO deceive us may be purchased at any
OF our department stores. north or south.
There was no deceit, however. about the
feet OF an Eskimo dog His leg was sup
posed 10 have been broken by the sled
of a cruel driver. our great-hearted
hero carried him In across his shoulders
and laid him on the floor to bandage his
leg.
The dog was a most alluring brute.
and, his dramatic scene being also on
the floor. Broadway stood up. He played
his part very well. lying quite still while
the man broke fire wood and tore
clothes TO bind the fracture. And he was
carried away to vast applause. That
was only just as he turned out to be
the real hero Of the play. The only wit
ness who could testify that the man
hero did not kin the wife who saw his
griddle-cakes was the former master %
the dog. so the canine actor was sent
TO track him over the SHOWS and bring
him to the trial just in the nick of time
"LittIe DOrrit" Drammtized.
How much do you know Of Dickens?
Not what have you read and forgotten,
but what have you remembered? DO
you recall his Little Dorrit at all? If
yes, can you place the girl in the cir
cumstances that the author created? Had
you put those questions 10 me before I
saw the new comedy of The Debtors. &"
l would have confessed the ignorance
Of forgetfulness. So you won't feel In
suited when I remind you that Dickens
book OF Little Dorrit" was a cut at
British official red tape in what he nick
named the CircumlOcution Office. and
that the case he made out was the griev-
Gus one OF William Dorrlt. a landed gem
tleman. shut seventeen years in a debtors
Jail waiting for lazy lame. and obstl-
nately blind Justice 10 set him free. His
seniority I'm the prison gave him the title
of Father Of Marshalsea; and now it
comes back 10 you-dOesnt it?-how his
jailed companions were obsequious 70
him. how he exacted the most formal
Difference from them. how you laughed
and wept over the poor fellows false
pride and real humiliation. And now
darling Little Dorrit, who kept house for
her father in the prison, humOred his
silliest whims. and dotted even on his
selfishness, which he thought was pa
rental love. is with you again-isn't she?
with all her gentle self-efracement.
Well some sugar has been taken out
Of Little Dorrit, and some ginger put in
to make her a heroine FOR "'rhe Debt
ors." She bosses her father while cod
ding him, gives cuffs to her misbehaving
brother as well as kisses. and isn't so
mindful Of her father as 70 forget her
self entirely-for she cocks her cap 20
catch Arthur Clenham. instead Of
shrinking shyly from him as she did IN
the novel The actress is Kathleen Cliff
ford. nice little thing that used 10 frisk
and frOlic in extravaganza: and Glen
ham. who was sedately middle-aged
when Dickens introduced him to YOU
has become a raldsh young rounder OF
Beau Brummelrs time and type; so I
wonder what the irascible and self-sat-
isied Dickens would say 10 see his char
acters altered by Fritz Won Schoenthan IN
German. and thence by Margaret Mayo
into English, to be sweethearts I'm
courtship climaXing in happy marriage
However, Little Dorrit is very agreeable
as here presented. Old Dorrit. the hui
man derelicts floating hOpelessly at
Marshalsea, is satisfactorily Dlckensian
although acted by unknown men save
Digby Bell. SO a specific reason for the
plays quick withdrawal must be sought
1 think that I discern It in Old Dorrit
Dickens hooks don't contain plots for
drama. n good play has ever been
made out OF his material. But Joe JET
fersOn's Caleb Plummer and Billy Flor
ence's Captain Cutie are two among
many happy transfers Of Dickens char
acters TO the stage; and the failure OF
Bells William Dorrt 20 make The
Debtors" live long is due in part only
10 his not being Jefferson or a Flor
ence. The hindrance 10 success with Old
Dorrit Is that, while the pathos and
humor OF Dickens made his whfms Of
vanity and tricks Of rapacity readable. as
delineated In a play by a rather too ex-
plicit actor. they set your toes itching 70
kick him FOR a faker and a beat. That
he is liked on the stage in Berlin. where
Alterations Of superiority by birth are
tolerated. and might be in London for
the same reason. doesn't recommend him
in New York.
Change in Plays Ending.
It would be interesting to know which
ending TO The Fourth Estate" sums I'D
its authors convictions A guess would
not be difficult When Joseph Mediu
Patterson presented his drama in New
York, its very dramatic climax taught
with force that failure may be the re-
ward Of a social reformer and suicide
his ultimate confession Of It. After the
fearless young managing editor had Sc
cured the evidence on which to expose q
corrupt judge. he was stopped by the
proprietor Of the newspaper and shot
himself. This week the moral of the
drama is changed 10 teach that COM
promise in good cause is better than
complete defeat.
The play now has a new and different
end. The story that would drive the rot
ten judge on the bench Is In the form.
Several influences are pressed heavily
on the managing editor. but IN vain. he
turns deaf ear even to the pleadings OF
the girl he loves. who Is his enemv's
daughter. All that is still as I told II
last Sunday. So. too. Is the arrival of
the proprietor with orders to kin tho
story. But now he brings. also the in
formation that the Judge. on the promise
OF the journals silence, has agreed IN
resign his Office and retire totally from
public life. The journalist week Older
than when the play was new-does not
shoot himself. He buries his head dis
consolately In hands The judges dauRh-
ter. whom he was prepared TO renounce
for the cause that he considered right
enters his Office again. and In silence
they sink into each others arms.
Has DISTINGUISHED Precedents.
Mr.. Patterson is not without distfn-
guished precedent for his desertion OF q
suicidal conclusion to a problem illus
trated fctionally. Rudyard Kipling and
Arthur Wing Pinero are honorable
names for him to quote. The novel Of
The Light that Failed" may stiu be
bought with its first suicidal conclusion
the blind hero riding to sure death in
q battle because his boyhood's sweetheart
has deserted him In his affection Or. If