The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-15
cARRlck.

Ing her, Miss Blanche Bates might 0'
said 10 have made very modest re
entry TO the Detroit stage, after al
absence Of over eight years, wher
she made her bow Monday evening, II
the Garrick theater, in The Fightinl
Hope That her long years OF a0
sence had not made her stranger
was shown in the hearty applause
that greeted her initial entrance. anc
that she had not forgotten was evil
denced In the deftly-turned phrases OF
q prettily spoken curtain speech. II
was in this city that the ogre, typhoid
fever, overlook Miss Bates. in the
midst OF an engagement in Under
TWO Flags" and ii was many many
weeks before she was restored &C
health. She has never appeared IN
Detroit since. although her admirers
here. have kept account OF the many
foOtlight successes that have been
here in the interim.
For the first time In a decade Miss
! Bates Is seen without the habiliments
Of a heroine OF romance or period
and is the vital figure OF very mod
trn bit of melodrama AS BETTING its
theme OF high finance, The Fighting
! Hope" Is a conservation OF story and
action TO Ave people, one OF whom
| does not appear for more than hve
minutes. II is incisive and crisp and
does not take more than two hours to
! play The playwright's name Is given
AS William j. Hurlbut, but il is never
theless a BelasCo-made drama with all
that wizards keeness for sharp con-
trast his utter disregard for the con
ventions and the means, so long as
the desired effect is obtained ana
his positive genius for providing those
invaluable aids OF scenic details that
make for an artistic and long-to-be-re-
membered stage picture.
Robert Granger has been sent TO
Sing Sing for allowing a trusted Gus
toner OF the Gotham Trust company,
Ct which he was treasurer. to over
draw his account several hundreds OF
thousands. There is popular BELIEF,
fostered by yellow journalism" that
Granger has been the scapegoat and
that the president of the trust COM
psny. Burton Temple, has profted by
the deal Anna Granger, the convict
ed mans wife. shares this belief, and
sets out TO prove IL. Before her mar
riage she was stenographer so
through the good Offices OF an old
friend now occupying the position OF
confidential stenographer and secre-
tary of Burton Temple. she makes her
appearance in Temples household as
substitute for her friend during the
atters vacation. Although her hus-
tanG had been associated with Tenn
pie in the trust company she had new
eI met the latter, but when they do
meet as employer and employe, she
recognizes him as man with whom
she frequently came in contact, COM
ing and going TO the office In which
size was employed before her mar
riage. Her face seems strangely famil-
lar TO Temple, but II is sometime be-
fore he can place her in his memory.
Because Temple refuses To make
any public denial OF the insinuations
cast upon him in the Granger case,
the matter comes TO the point where
public opinion causes a grand jury
la estigation and he is indicted for
completely I'm the crime which sent
Granger to PRISON for ten years. Know
ing Granger to be guilty. and his con.
fidential adviser Marshfield Craven,
employ detectives to learn what
Granger did with his share OF the
p.under and also to secure letter
they know exists written by Granger
to the customer he accommodated,
acknowledging the whole deal This
discriminating letter is found and when
ii comes into Temples possession he
gives IL to Anna 10 look in the safe.
She reads fl and for the first time
knows OF the guilt of her husband.
Her mother love for her two boys
stiles all other feeling and in mo-
n.ent OF mad despair she burns the
letter, the one thing that will save
temple from going to prison also. as
true pill has been found against him
by the grand jury. Temple has fallen
H. love with her and when he tells
her so and asks her TO marry him,
she confesses her identity to him and
hey destroyal of the letter
AT this juncture, Granger comes
upon the scene having escaped from
Sing Sing which is not far from TEN
pies residence on the Hudson. He
proves himself to be complete
scOundrel, in his accusation against
his wife OF an intrigue with Temple,
and as she accidentally learns through
receiving diCtation in letter from
Craven that the money Granger got
as his share went TO another woman.
she would turn him over TO the prison
authorities. lie I'm his Cringing cow
dice begs for help TO escape for
their children's sake and she allows
him 10 go The sound OF a shot OF
stage as the prison guard catch him
brings more OF less satisfaction -
the audience, and Is the easiest dis
rosai CT the situation and to give a
hint of they-lived-happy-e ver-after-
ward ending
Miss Bates has ample opportunity
for emotional WORK and make every
moment tell II anything she over
does ii at times 10 the point OF arti-
ficiali,y. The scene with the husband
N which she Is driven TO white heat
CT anger and flies at him like a tiger
ess as ne utteTs his beastly insinua-
lions. she handled very we'll In the
lighter moments she was charming
and as stenograDher-well there Is
no doubt she could get that kind Of a
Job" at any time.
John w. Cope as Marshheld Craven.
gave one OF The best bits OF character
lzations the Garrick stage has dis
closed this season. and that is saying
great deal for the immediate past on
this stage has been remarkable I'm this
respect lie is "A monumental pessim-
ist with a grist OF old-blooded facts
| TO back him up and a swearing habit