The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-02-14

hausts Her Because of Its Spiritual In
tensity.
Gospel Of John is its Source.
Edmond Rostand's La Samarltalne,
xrhich the Director of Public Safety III
Philadelphia, that moral town, has just
banned as sacriligious, had its first per
Torrance on any stage at the Theatre de
la Renaissance in Paris on the evening
Of April 5. 1897. Just when it was writ
ten no one seems to know, but there is
good reason to believe that it was sketched,
at least. when Rostand was no more than
Is. 1t did not get to the stage, however,
until two other plays by the poet Les
Romanesques" and la Princess LON,
tame" had been produced, and so it ranks
third upon his list. 1t was followed. after
an interval Of eight months, by 'Cyrano
de Bergerac," the most brilliant theatrical
success Of half Il century.
L Samaritaine," which the author
denominates IAN evangel in three tap
leaux." is founded upon the narrative
In Samaria. This narrative is to be found
in the fourth book of the gospel according
to st. John, beginning with the fifth verse.
Here are the principal passages:
Then cometh he to i city of Samaria,
which is called Sychar. near to the parcel
of ground that Jacob gave to his son Jo-
seph.
Nov, Jacobs we'll was there. Jesus,
therefore, being Wearied with his journey,
sat thus on the we'll, and it was about the
sixth hour.
"There cometh a woman Of Samaria to
draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me
to drink.
For his disciples were gone away unto
the city to buy meat.
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto
him, How is it that thou, being 4 Jew,
asketh drink OF me. which I'M d woman Of
Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings
with the Samaritans.
Jesus answered and said unto her, II
thou knewest the gift Of God, and who it is
that saith unto thee. Give me to drink;
thou wouldst have asked of him. and he
would have given thee living water.
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou
hast nothing to draw with, and the we'll IS
deep; from whence then hast thou that
living water
Art thou greater than our father Jacob,
which gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Who
soeyer drinketh Of this water shall thirst
again.
But whatsoever drinketh Of the water
that | shall give him shall never thirst
but the water that [ shall give him shall
be in him 4 we'll of water s%pringing up into
everlasting life.
The woman saith unto him, Sir. give me
this water. that | thirst NOT, neither come
hither to draw.
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy hus-
band. and come hither.
The woman answered and said. l have
no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou
hast we'll said, [ have no husband.
For thou hast had five husbands: and
he whom thou now hast is not thy hus-
band i'll that saidst thou truly"
Conversion Of the Sychareans.
L woman then sat and listened while
Christ explained to her the way to sal
walton, but it was His quick penetration
of her own secret sins that most impressed
her. Who was this man who could read
hearts and see into the past? SO eager
was she to spread the news of His ap-
proach that she dropped her water jaI
by the we'll and ran back to the town
crying Come see a man which told me
all things that | ever did. Is not this
the Christi The Sychareans left the1,
work and crowded out TO the well TO see
and hear and Jesus delivered q sermon.
$50 the Samaritans besouSht
Him that he would tarry with them: and
He abode with them there two days. And
many more believed and said
unto the woman. Now we believe. MOI
Him ourselves, and know that this is in.
deed the Christ. the Savior Of the world
It is this episode that Rostand has
sought to set upon the stage. avoiding
all needless Interpolation or embellish
ment. The piece is, in form. 4 lfturgica
pay of the Middle Ages. and there is med.
iaeval color in its sonOrouS and picturesqu.
verse. The Rostand of those early wear,
was greatly Influenced by Rossetti, an(
this influence WAS made most NANTES
in LA Samaritaine.' The play is slow
moving. dim lighted. mystical. That til,
authors purpose in writing il was entire
~ reverential there can be no doubt what
ever.
At the rise of the curtain We see Jacob
we'll upon an eminence outside the cit,
walls. 1t is a starry night and the frs
streaks of dawn are just appearing in th,
eastern sky. Three figures are family visi
Bile. They are the spirits of Abraham
Isaac and Jacob, and we hear them tall
of the coming of the Compromised Mes
siah. People from the town enter and fl
their water jars. IAey. too, have got som,