The Washington times., 1909-04-06
Popularity of THE Fortune
Hunter" Assured After the
First Performance.
Play Breathes Spirit of
Green FieldS-Company
Is Excellent.

Without the blare OF trumpets that
usually heralds the coming of Cohan
productions but also without the many
caricatures and distortions that usually
mar them, 1.-The Fortune Hunter with
Thomas Ross as the star performer,
made it's bow last night at the Column
bia, and almost from the ~2ry start. its
popularity with a Washington audience
was assured.
Possibly the one thing more than all
others in the simple little play that grips
the interest is the trueness to life with
which the characters are drawn. Unlike
almost all rural plays, the people whom
the young New Yorker. the Fortune
Hunter, meets in the little New Eng
land town are just the kind of people
with whom all Of us who have ever
been fortunate enough TO have the op-
portunity are we'll acquainted There
are the village druggist. shiftless and
ne'er-do-well, but overlooking with
kindness and simple faith in mankind;
the sheriff, full of Importance and proud
of his shining badge; the banker, the
big man of the town, hard and calcu-
lating, but all powerful with his thous-
ands: his daughter, the spoiled village
belle, an easy victim for the "citlfed"
young Duncan. Mr.. Ross, and only
too anxious to marry him.. Last comes
Tracy Tanner, the liveryman's son, a
fat, awkward youth, with social aspira-
tons, who is very much ia love and
who shutters, just a bit.
All of them are there, not the eXag-
gerated style Of rubes seen only on the
stage. but real live personages. very
lovable, too, when one gets to know them
and understand them, as did the For
tune Hunter during his year among
them. There is something so true TO
life about the characters and III The
atmosphere Of the play that those of
us who arc just beginning 10 look for
ward TO vacations sLent far away from
the city and possible only in some lit
tie town like Radville. ind ourselves
feeling the symptoms OF spring fever"
and a desire to change places, at least,
for time, with young Duncan
The plot hinges about the life OF
Nathaniel Duncan, a cOllege-bred chap,
who after five years OF unsuccessful at
tempts TO make good in the business
world comes back to eee his old chum,
now q successful broker, and admits
himself a complete failure EEen ii is
that the plot IS outlined. His friend eN-
plains how he can make a million IN
q wears time and so confident is he that
plan is for Duncan to 80 TO some rural
town, dress well, attend church and Sc
cure employment in one of the stores
and in time marry the village heireSS.
Duncan agrees TO take the chance. and
the play IS on. Everything works like
a charm in Radville. He secures a
place with the old ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
helps him out of liis financial trouble
with the stake" he is supposed TO live
on, develops a hitherto unexpected
business ability-but falls IN. love with
the druggists daughter Numerous COM
plications arise, but they are OF course
all Strengthened out. Duncan marries
the right Sirl, and the fortune is forth
coming from one OK the old druggists
inventions
Mr.. Ross, as the Fortune Hunter. is
possibly more acceptable than in any
OF his former roles. From wild young
chap who is complete failure, he be-
comes a business man. content TO live
in the quiet little town, and the transit
ton is so gradual that il seems the only
natural result. AS Betty Graham. Miss
Mary Ryan, came back from school so
thoroughly charming miss that she in
herself Is a sufficient cause for the
reformation Of Duncan. Miss Ryan.
left nothing TO be asked for in her in
depreciation of the role and she and
Forrest Robinson, her father, shared
the honors.
Another feature Of the Fortune
Hunter" that makes il so enjoyable is
the abundance or clean, wholesome hui
NOR. ana the entire absence of any
thing objectionable, one or two little
"damns" being the sum total Of wick
edness in the entire performance
AS a fitting climax comes the rain
storm and, as a bit Of stage realism.
II can hardly be surpassed. The lovers
are standing on the lawn, held fast in
each others arms, when the doWnpour
of real water, toO-begins. JJLcon-
sciOusly they stand there, making q
typical Gibson tableaux until the faith
er appears with an umbrella and wakes
them TO the realities Of life.