New-York tribune., 1910-02-01

writing table and saving to your brain,
Now then. I'm ready for them!--
What she would DO with them If she
had them is quite another matter What
Peter Mottram has TO say to Blundell on
the theme of marriage is also quite an
other matter. Blundell reminds his philo-
sophicsI friend that advice about marriage
would be worth more If 1t did not come
from a bachelor
oh" answers Peter. that won't wash.
When a mans sufferin from gout in the
toe he doesn't stipulate that his NJ d
shall he writhin' from the same ailment.
But the Blrndells are too far apart TO
find benefit in Peter Mottram's homil1eS
about the mid-Channel experiences Wh1ch
come 10 almost all married pairs. They were
in love at the beginning of the voyage, out
they have drifted apart, they have deVel-
oped grievances, and the most srleVouS
parts of their natures. They don't see
things in the same way, they don't bal
ance each other, they don't quite know
each other. When they were unknown III
the smart world, when they were COM
paratively poor. they were happy Fort-
une and fashion have distorted their lives
Blundeu has no time for anything but
money making; his wife has nothing TO
do but to be pretty. to be smart" and to
ever. time for Observation-Disclosures and
quarrels and in these exercises the pros
porous BlundelIs too often indulge. Friend
Peter tries the arts of persuasion. BE pa
tient; you will soon be out of the rough
shoal waters. he tells them.
But the Blundells will not wait Ihey
quarrel again, as they have duarrelled pe-
fore; nay. with greater bitterness than ever
before. and BlundelI thrashes out of the
house. not to return. His wife Zoe, goes
to Italy. BlundelI sOlaces himself with
the charms of a. Mrs. Annerley, who is not
only no better. but is decidedly worse, than
she should be; and Zoe gives herself to
Leonard Ferris. as thoroughgoing cad
as the stage has seen. Hitherto he was
one of zoe's tame robins" There were
several tame robins but this one is now
permitted to do more than eat out Of the
hand.
Zoe becomes disgusted with herself and
Ferris. RlundeT becomes disgusted with
himself and Mrs. Annerly. Peter Mottrarn
undertakes to reunite the husband ana
wife. They are really fond Of each other
it seems and always have been iona OF
each other. But-well. they were in Mid
Channel Why not pick up the pieces!
says Peter Mottram:-
''Oh. the family china is in good many
fragments, ! admit. But there are the
FRAGMENTS lyin' on the carpet 60
into the homes of three-ffths of the mar
ried people you know-I know-and you'll
find some imposin' specimens of porcelain
that won't bear inspectin' very narrowly
ONLY Yesterday afternoon was call
in at a house in-never mind the district
I was wanderin' around the draUIn room
lookin' At the bric-a-brac, and there, on
Louis Quatorze console table, were as
handsome q pair of old Chinese jars-sen-
uine Mings-as ever I'd met with. Such
sooperh glaze they've got, such depths o
coIorr They appear to be priceless, perfect
till you examine EN- closely; and them
NV dear Zoe. they're cracked; they've both
had 2 nasty knock at some time or an
other: they're SCARED shockinly with rivet5
and cement Ain II wiser TO iePalI
the broken china, rather than chuck the
bits into the dusthin?'
One of the bits" is Miss Ethel Pierpont
a girl who becomes engaged to Leonard
Ferris There is a poignant, pitiful scene
between Zoe and Blundell, the husband
confessing to the wife who forgives him,
the wife confessing 10 the husband who
does not forgive. Rlundell RACES like
cave man and casts the woman from him
His sin was venial, hers mortal IT is the
mans right to be forgiven, the woman
duty to pay the penalty. Like man. this
Now there must be divorce Zoe must dl-
vorce him and marry the unspea kable
Ferris But Zoe learns that Ferris IS
plighted 10 the girl Ethel. And then comes
anotI7e- strong scene. q scene between the
three men. BlundeIl, Ferris and Peter Mot
tram. At the end of it they search for Zoe
She has thrown herself from balcony and
is dead For once dramatist has killed
the right person.
Sin in this play brings IFS punishment TO
each sinner. Let those affrghted folk who
VIII charge -Channel'' with the gross
ness it does not possess ask why New
York which poured fortunes upon The
| Essiast Way" and The Blue Mouse.
should shrink from Finero's latest PLAY
| They cannot answer For this play, though
pi1iless, expounds the moral law without
preaching Its characters pay their penal
ties. Death, remorse. torture of spirit, are
the portions Of the offenders against moral
living Pinero shows this here with =
force which cannot be evaded. Spectators
who do not see this can see nothing
Concerning Miss Barrymore's acting,
nothing need be added this morning to
wf,st has lust been said. Concerning that
IF Mr.. H Keeves-Smith. let it be written
that = more polished impersonation, grsced
with z more delicious personal charm and
2 sunny, wise sincerity. cannot be imag-
ined II was quite a perfect work. Next
comes Mr Eric Maturin the cad, Fer
ris Mr. Naturin's study here was SO true
that his Ferris is the most objectiona BILE
Young man one has seen in The theatre. IN
/ less exception he made in favor of Tully
NarshslTs drug fiend in The City"
! Na+rrin has no such dramatic moments
/ r,,+ his performance is faithful to the
! least detail His Ferris rs n creature des-
tined for kicks and horsewhips, if justice
/ had its way.
. Mr.. Charles Dalton is quite believabie as
} the blundering. selfish, hulking Blundel.
/ And Miss Nina Sevening entirely con-
vincing as the Annerly woman, a datntier
/ type of the destroying enchantress than the
stage usually provides
And there Is this 10 be said: Throughout
! the play, at every instant, the power OF
/ Pin4ro is felt Against the play as it is
given in New York one is not disposed 10
! send those shafts Of contumely which were
aimed At it in London. Something has
/ been gained here. Is it altogether the ac-
quistion of Miss Barrymore? A W.
CAST OF .MID-CHANNEL'
Rlunde3l t-hdrles ia ton
/ The Hon peter Mottranl- ..----H Reeves smith
Ferris ffic luTl II
! .thaFles NiiSht
/ cole td"in AThol'l
I Rideout = Romaine Calender
/ TphOlsterers- tt4SSeIi dlI D, MY