Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27

"where the Trail Divides" at the
Brhndeis. ,.
Robert Edeson and company In. where
the Trail Divides moderp drama in
three acts, by himself suggested by the
novel by VIII Llllibridge under direction
OF Henry y. Harris. The cast:
SOD manning ............G George W. Barnum
9RuCh walker ...............,....Joh ohm Palmer
W. Au Magner., ................E NJ Dresser
buu smith .,....,... ...s.....,... Shep. Camp
Mrs. Jim Burton. ....... Cordelin Macdonald
Rev Henry Mitcheli...........Ed Ed. Mansfield
5eTo go: '......................J John Prescott
2,i ss i'aB10r ;.....'....... Eva Dennison
Ma Wa-Cha-sa, known as How Landor
-, ............ ...................Ro Robert Edeaon
clayton Craig............A.A. H. Van Buren,
In his present undertaking Mr. Edeson
deserves commendation, both as an author
and as an actor. No matter what else no
has or has not done. he is to be praised
for having withheld his hand when tempta-
ton must have been strong upon him
HIS play has been built cautiously and
along approved lines and is presented in
the same way. Mr.. Edeson does neither
Indian nor white man an Injustice; ne
merely presents the case between them
squarely, and lets II answer itself in
way that is reasonable. The white girl
married an Indian and found out that she
had made mistake; the Indian, too. real
lied this, and he gave the girl up to the
white man she loved That's all there is
to it, but It is worked out in "a way that
appeals and shows the hollowness of much
OF the prejudice against interraciaI mar
rage.
With the characters who appear in the
story we, of the west, are quite familiar
we know the big-hearted old ranch owner:
the young lawyer who Is combining several
lines Of endeavor in his effort to get
ahead the truculent cowboy, the town
loafer, the old general store-keeper, and
the splendid woman who kept alive the
light Of learning in the frontier community.
We also appreciate the dry. and at times.
sardonic humor of the play. and under
stand in some degree the arguments that
are presented as the action Of the pIay
develops its situations. And so we enjoyed
Where the Trail Divides" as much for |
Its reality as for its cleverness. Mr. Edeson |
has kept close to truth In his first effort |
as playwright.
As How Landor he gives us a variant OF
the Indian Of whom Strongheart was a |
type. Lander is a man. brave, loving |
gentle and sIngle-minded in all things |
When he finds the love of the girl he wor-
ships has slipped away from him he quietly |
tells her to go with the man she does love,
for he wants her to be happy. 1t is done
quietly, but seems to be the natural thing |
for the man to do 1t is a remuneration |
accomplished with less Of dramatic flourish
than marked that OF So-an- ga ta-hs and |
therefore more genuine. Mr. Edeson treats |
the character carefully and makes It one
worthy of attention.
Miss Dennson has a part OF some diff
fculty to. play. but surmounts her obstacles
courageously and makes of Bess Lander a
girl that can be understood. Mr.. Van
Buren, gets the only conventional role in
the cast, but does we'll with his opportuni-
ties. Mr.. Barnums Bob Manning and Mr..
Camps Bud" Smith are two finely out
lined types, and the rest OF the characters
are Of a part with the whole-well con-
ceived and well acted. The comedy ele.
ment of the play is well developed. and
much occasion for quiet laughter is found
as the story is unrolled. It's setting is dis.
unctly western, and altogether It Is enjoy
able. The large audience at the Brandeis
last night gave Mr.. Edeson a cordial greet,
ing, and in return got a sincere speech of
thanks from him.