Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-02

weave the spell that charms the listener
out OF himself and into the mood that is
most favorable for the enjoyment of the
performance.
Much of Marion's work goes apparently
unnotlced by any save the most expert Of
critical eyes. The average patron of the
theater merely realizes that there is some
thing about the production which meets
the little girls description Of salt "salt,"
she said. lis what makes your potatoes taste
bad when you leave 1t out SO it is with
the Marion touch. 1t is what makes tht
production lacking in something of perfec
tion when It Is omitted. Tho patron. sitting
comfortably in his cushioned seat. can
scarcely define just exactly what It is that
pie ses him so we'll, yet he realizes II is
there. When 1t Is missing he also realizes
something is lacking, although perhaps he
could not tell exactly what. George Marion
knows this and works his problem out Just
as does any other artist. He paints his
pictures with living people moving about
continually, and yet with such deftness and
purpose that the picture Is continuous. For
example, in the ballroom scene Of the open.
ing act OF The Merry Widow" II would
be a very obtuse stage director who would
not have persons moving about to carry
$500 N~ - VI NAAN Oallt Twill Ut
1t required the knowledge and good taste
of a Marion to arrange those movements
so that at no time was there any inter-
ference with the logical procession Of the
events of the act or offeuse in good taste.
In appearance or posture. Even the pro-
cession down the grand stairway is an
achievement, Something about that was
peculiarly attractive. II was simply a mat
ter Of detail. Mr., Marion has arranged
that the women, dressed in beautiful gowns
of different hues and texture, shall appear
I'm such order as will procure the highest
possible artistic effect. And so on through
out the whole play, every detail is pro-
vided to the end that the illusion may be
heightened, that the eye as well as the car
VIII be charmed, and at no place will one
detect a false note I'm color any more than
a false note Ia the music, In fact, Marion
is even more certain OF his results than
Conductor Vaudeville, for a singer may
occasionally get off key. a player in the
orchestra may now and then strike a wrong
note, but the chorus girl Is never allowed
20 wear the wrong dress or get into the
wrong place in the parade. The Merry
Widow is now being produced In thirty
countries, but the United States has the
advantage Of them all because It has the
only Henry w. Savage production staged
by George Marion.
Mr.. Joseph Medil Patterson's expose OF
life in Il great newspaper office is now
being paraded before the public in Chi
oago, and is receiving much attention from
the eitizeps and the newspapers. In time
1t will, perhaps. drift westward and Omaha
folks will get a chance to see the secret
springs OF the daily press barred of all
mystery that has hitherto surrounded
them. Al tho risk OF being accused Of
Jealousy, the assertion Is made that the
published accounts OF the plot and action
indicate that Mr., Patterson's play bears
about the same relation to actual news
paper life as do the efforts Of MIR. Klein
In similar directions to actral business
life. Mr.. Patterson has INDUCED In con-
siderable poetic license in order to show
mp the sordid character OF the business
office and the subservlence OF the edi-
torial department. thereto. Of course, ex-
ceptions are admitted. but the general pub
lie is not advised exactly as to what
papers are to be classed as being outside
the rule laid down by The Fourth Es-
tate
Briefly, The Fourth Estate tells the
story of the struggles OF a managing edi-
tor Of a ,aTgs and influential undertaking
daily printed, Of course, In a metropolitan
city. The managing editor. with the con,
sent % the owner, is In fun cry on the
trail OF the octopi, lie is about to flush
a covey Of these undesirable creatures and
expects to astonish the community with
the result Of his investigations. OF course,
he is in love. That is the normal con-
dillon Of managing editors. In fact, it is
n condition precedent. In this case the
object OF the managing editors knightly
devotion is the beautiful daughter Of a
prominent politician, straight TO whose
door the TRAN of graft and other forms
OF political iniquIty leads. The daughter
discovers that her sffianced lover is about
10 hold her father up 70 the world as a
monumental example Of raseality, and goes
to the office TO plead that this disgrace
be not visited upon her, She faces the
managing editor In his natural habitat.
the same being the composing room OF
the newspaper. and here she throws her
SET PROSTATE across the truck on which
has been prepared the page that is 10
wipe her father of the political map. aud
implores the manastng editor to be mer-
ciful and withhold the blow. But he Is
adamant and refuses TO allow even the
nlaa ~ thu alrl of Hia baarf 10 aweark. hin,