Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-12-09

Thy people shall be mine, and SO,
] Where thou shOvYest, L Will 90.
Miss Ida St. Leon, who portxays the
title part in Frederic Thompson's
Polly of the Circus" uses slang that
is very amusing in the first act Of the
play which comes to the Grand opera
house on Saturday December 9.
The little sick-a-b ed lady of the tan
bark, injured by fall from her horse,
Is seen tucked away under coverlets
IN the home of rural minister. who
is the good Samaritan Of the occasion.
Sne wakes up early in the morning
and slowly comes to a realization Of
what has happened John, the clergy
man, sits beside her and their con-
Versation develops the most charming
episode of the story.
Polly talks in the only language
that she knows, the argOt of showland.
and the minister gives gentle. often
puzzled responses The spirit of the
girlish naivette, the delicate, impul-
sive realism the little circus rider
puts into these words, invests the
scene with subtle poetry and carries
current of pathos Underneath its
mild humor. AS the talk goes ON.
people in the audience laugh and ar
tne same time wOu Id like to cry a
little. In this epoch of slangsters, on
ana OF the stage, the vernacular Is
usually forced to absurd hyperbole
real IN its outward semblance, it is
only a cheap pose within. In life
slang is usually merely an effort to
De smartly colloqulal l, and when nut
upon the stage i is sincerity is
accentuated. The Rose Stalls. the
victor Moores and the irrepressible
slang mongers of the vaudeville stage
represent strained point of view
Gney are off the key of reality, but
rolly talks in circus metaphor, be-
cause she is child who knows
notnlng beyond it. H er slang is abso.
lutely spontaneous.
NJ Kinder tough, amt it? saws polly
Wnen she finally und erstands that the
snow has to go ON and leave her
Denlnd How long will it be?"
Ihe doctor can tell better about
tnat when he come 3" answers tbe
young minister. ''''
Doctor AS bad as that ebo 1t,o
my wheel, amt it% ~
'Yo' what" demands MANDY tbe
colored nurse, in surprise.
my wheel-my creeper. Oh. gollv
that hurts. Is 1t punctured?o
When Polly learns that .Tohn is a
clergyman she bounoes nm with.
Great Barnum and Bailev' vo,
SKY pilot Well, never thought that
would be talking to one Of Won
MY church is right out tbere" saws
John, You can see 1T from the win
she asks. ~ 'o n0i .
=, I've only been here about six
six monthsl Ha vent they cot
mighty tired of your spiel?.
hope they haven't"
Zee Six months in burg like
thls! They must be sick of you-or
perhaps you change your act No
you do the same stuff all the time mr.
nave you rep?"
pilot" p0NN'ieu sAy
Sure. repetory. Different acts-en-
tries some call them. Why ITncIe
'Toby-he's our clown-has got twentv
entries Makes hea ID of difference
IN the big cities where YOU have q
run" nave
Il see. Well, l try to saw some
thlng new every Sund ay."
None of your acts is like cireus
acts are they. Is there any laughs
in your acts?''
Not many laughs, IN afraid But
MINISTER'S u, try to tell their people
things which help tn EN- and make
them forget their wee k-day troubles
for time" Die'
Why that's just like the circus
Dusiness-only circuses draw more
people than the church es."
Ihe scene closes when Polly is
given peep at the pictures in the
minister's Bible. Her eye is caught
with the figures of Ru TIL and Naomi
from whose costumes he argues that
they must be circus folks" She asks
to be read the story am d the minister
begins with. 'Entreat me not to leave
thee. Whittier thou go est, I will go
Ihy people shall be my people; thy
ways my ways, and thy God my God"