The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-06
HENRY ID. DIXEY IN
 MARY JAMES PA''

"It is the best part ever played says Henry B. Dixey, of the title role | of Mary Jane's Pa." That is saying
 a great deal, for MT. Dixey has played some of the best parts of American stage history during his long and bril-
 liant career. Under the managerial di-
 rectfon of Henry w. Savage, MT. Dix ey will play an engagement in the big comedy drama success of which he
 thinks so well, at Smiths theatre next
 Wednesday evening.
 Mary James Pa'' tells the story of a
 Shiftless irresponsible adventurer, Hi
 ram Perkins. who, with much book
 learning and little industry, has the
 wanderlust il his veins and uncere-
 moniously goes away, leaving his wife,
 Portia, and his two children at the
 mercy of luck, almost penHiless,i in Cos
 port, a little Indiana town. The wife.
 8 resourceful woman, with some ex-
 perience at her husbands trade-he
 was a printer bfore he wandered off
 continues the printing office and be-
 comes self-supporting. In addition to job work, she publishes a small news
 paper and furnishes Gosport with its news.
 The play opens eleven years after Mr.
 Perkins departure from home, and all though Portia does not know whether her husband is dead or alive, she re- fuses to listen to the matrimonial pro
 
 torney and candidate for the Indiana Legislature, in opposition to one Joel Skinner, the Pooh Bah of Gosport. As Skinner'S record is bad, Portia does influence of her excellent little news paper to that end. In the midst of her fight, her husband, Hiram, ap- pears, dusty, ragged and badly Shod; but in speech and department, an 1m- perturbable Chesterfield.
 Filled with resentment at his unnat- ural behavior, which he makes no ser ious attempt to explain, Port1a up- braids her husband and orders him out of the house; but, when he starts to wander off into the night, moved by pity, she offers him a chance to stay at home if he will permit her, und1s- turbed. to continue the conduct Of her while he takes charge of her kitchen and looks after the general Much to her surprise Hi- ram accepts the proposition by throw ing a napkin over his arm and polite ly inqufring: shall l do the dishes now, Mam?'
 Naturally, the simple Gosport folk, unaware of the Man hired girls" identity, are greatly scandalized. In cited by Skinner they make an attack on the. newspaper office as public ex- pression of their disapproval of Por- tia's life and in an attempt to drive her and her family out of town. Mean while, Hiram has written book
  and his latent paternal in stinct has been touched by the tender ness of his younger daughter, Mary Jane, child of twelve years His Hifers bravery and womanlineSS, too, | have found response in his own innate | aobleness hidden beneath the veneer | of vagabondage; so the play finds the | young candidate for the Indiana Leg1s- ature though elected, disconSolately | turning away, while husband and wife, | linked by the love of their children, set He down to new-found happiness and1  .ation in New York, Mary lanes | Pa'' was found to be one of those rare olays that appeal to high-brows, low orows, middle foreheads, men, women md children. Men laugh at the arts ic portrayal of Hiram Perkins by MT. 0ixey, the 1ovable, whimsical Vaga- oond Women find deep and sympa- hetic interest in the struggle Of the wife, Portia, never-say-ole Wonail' who does a mans work and fights mans battles in supporting the two ,hlidren who have been deserted by heir dilettante father. Children rec ,gnize common kindred ill the sweet childish love of Mary Jane, who helps | nuch in the regeneration of her father.
 For the support of MT. Dixey, MT. Savage has assembled a typical Saw Lge company of exceptional excellence, including Miss Marie Nordstron, Miss Sretchep Hartman, Miss Maud Earle, Miss Marjorie Wood. Miss Alice Gil nore. MT. Emmet King, MT. Morgan ,oman, MT. Hardee Kirkland. MT. Ed- yard Chapman, MT. Frank Blxby, MT. Jorace Newman, MT. Joseph Greybill, Ar. Augustin Daly Wilkes and 60 ad- litional players.
 Aside from the big company neces- arv to it's presentat tion Mary lanes ,a,, is accompanied by brass band which is introduced in the parade cene of the second act.