The Detroit times., 1910-11-23

'fn.Nedf-olN lau--oNe oi tut peSt u'""h
child characters the contemporary
stage has ever offered. This lad IL
impersonated by Thomas Tobin, whose
ability Is astonishing, considering his
tender years, and whose naturalness
is so refreshing that IL completely
banishes the usual boredom OF the
average theatergoer In watching the
usual stage child. Tommy or William
Gordon Jr.- his imposing name In tho
play, rs Just manly, mischievous
natural Md" with a tremendous feel
ing OF good-comradeship and pride III
his dad. big love for his mother
behind a line contempt for open dis-
play Of affection, and horror OF be-
ing kissed. except when the fellows"
aren't looking In the course or the
story of the play. William does nat
ural things, speaks natural words anu
Is as far removed from the, usuai
goody. goody. stilted little prig or
stage youngster as hot house now
er Is from the common garden sari-
ETY.. He Is sturdy. wholesome and JUST
the sort Of small boy that plays on
every block II YOU haven't the good
luck to have him as member or
your own family.
II Is a little difficult after having
made the acquaintance Of William 10
forgive the fates. or the playwright.
for placing the lad I'm the peculiar
position in which the close M the
third act leaves him. His sweet little
mother, played i'm charmingly girl
ish manner by Miss Emily Stevens,
Is found To have one of those dread
full "pasts," which used to be the sole
property Of the black-garbed white
faced heroine of the "melodrammer,
who is cast out into the binding
snow storm OF paper bits with her
"ehee-ild' cldsped to her BOSOM IN
this "drammer" Mrs. Gordon Is found
TO have had a schoolgirl romance
with a Germaa baron. who. with the
innocence Of her II summers to prey
upon. had tricled the girl into elop-
ing with him, keeping her month
and then. her young eyes being open
ed to his villainy She leaves him To
return to her little home town.
With the desperation Of fright
ened woman upon whom dishonof
presses fast, she marries in much
haste a young man she has known
all her life. Their married life has
been ideally happy for eight years
with the child as the strongest 80
between them Then. the young hus-
band who is also the leading banker
in the town, decides to run for mayor,
on the Prohibition ticket. not because
he is temperance leader. but be-
cause he believes that for the best in
terests OF the community the town
should he dry
There happens TO be large brewery
interests. in the town also and as the
representative of these interests
comes foreigner, who turns out to
be the scoundrel of Helen Gordon's
youth. Finding that Gordon has gone
into the mayoralty fight in a determ-
ined spirit to win and that he cannot
be prevailed upon TO withdraw
through any consideration of money
or threats. the baron tries TO get AT
him through Helen. On the very
eve OF the election Helen tells the
truth 10 her husband, fearing that
the baron will give the story TO tho
world. Her mother love urges her 10
sacrifice herself at any cost TO save
the boy from dishonor. so she makes
the heart-rending confession. This Is
the point where the third act leaves
the auditor.
The fourth shows the husband re-
fusing to have anything further to do
with the child The little lad is
brought in with a broken arm, which
he received while vainly trying TO
push his way through the crowd in
the run on his ''daddy's" bank, forced
by the opposing political interests.
with the money for which he has sold
his new bicycle, clutched in his hand,
meaning to add to the banks treas
ury.
There the audience is forced to
withdraw. with no further knowledge
on the election the future status OF
Helen and the boy except that as the
final curtain descends the injured lad
Is In Gordon's arms, with none of the
threads of the story of the three
previous acts taken up in any way
whatever. Following first hearing.
the impression Us given that the play
contains splendid material with a cry
ing need for new fourth act to make
1t one OF the most acceptable plays Of
the season.
The cast is exceptionally good
every member Of il showing marked
ability. Miss Stevens, cousin OF
Mrs. Fiske, bears all the evidences of
the family genius and gives a very ap-
pealing and strong performance, OF
the wife
Every father and mother and every
student and lover of childhood will
be benefited by a visit to the Garrick
this week to make the acquaintance
of Tommy Tobin as William Gordon.
Jr. Such charming child characteriz-
atoms are few and far between. The
engagement Is for the week with mat
mess on Thanksgiving and Saturday.
ELLA MAE HAWTHORNE.
TEMPLE.
Although Mile. Erna Claron. the
famous model, who is the central