Evening star., 1912-07-21
lavish exercise of the play
wright's license" in the con-
,truction of Pretty Peggy.
- -,r ,ary cordially re-


Columbia Theater the past week, puts
him who is disposed to criticise some
what at a disadvantage. The reckless
manner In which the playwright has
Jumped about in the selection of the cpl
sodes of the lives of Peg Wellington
and David Garrick. to weave the very
pretty love story told in the play, raises
difficulty at the start to determine pre-
cisely when its incidents are supposed
TO have occurred.
1t would not be unfair. however, to
assume the romance began when the
principals were young-they were both
pretty nearly the same age-say. some
where in the early forties of the
eighteenth century. although in real
history Mistress Wof1ngton's break
down In the epilogue Of "As You Like
It." in which. by the way she played
the role Of Rosalind, came very near
to the close of her life when she was
not far from fifty years old. So be 1t.
Tradition has given a well defined con-
ception Of both the famous English
actor Garrick and the equally famous
irish actress. Margaret woff1n gton. bet
ter known as Peg.
It eQuips Garrick with all the quail
tiles birth and breeding can give to a
man. He had grace dignity, suavity of
manner and personal charm that made
him irresistible Added to these, he
had the artificial accomplishments of
the actor. and great ability that taught
him how to use them. 1t was this COM
bination of natural and artificial quail
tiles which may be presumed to have
fascinated the brilliant and capricious
young actress, and to have made of
her a willing conquest
Peggy herself has been variously de-
scribed by her critics, but stage tradi-
ton has painted her as a rare dream of
Irish youth and beauty, welded to a gen.
erous heart. thinking mind, wit that
was keen and humor that spared neith-
er the high nor the low, daring In its i'm
pudence. diplomatic when needs be, but
withal irresistible in its brilliant ensem-
c. That was Peg Wellington as tradi-
ton paints !her.
At the time of the story In the play
she may be assumed to have been when
sne first met Davey, little more than "a
slip of a girl" one OF the early hours in
the dawn of glorious womanhood, fresh.
vigorous, reckless with her impudence
and permeating in personality-in fact
one of those wild fragrant blossoms Of
the Irish race that have inspired poets
and disconnected the high and mighty
Of more serious mien. She was never
other than herself. even in the hour Of
her breakdown that Is to say. from the
standpoint OF the play). but only a wild
flower sickened and fading in the artifi-
cial atmosphere that surrounded her.
Such would seem to be the idealization
Of the two leading roles OF Pretty
Peggy" 1t is at least consistent with
the romantic conception OF the play
wright. who seems to have sacrificed
everything but q few incidents in the
lives Of Garrick and Peg with which to
build story entertaining withal. but
not In accord with the facts as handed
down in the history OF the stage.
While the performance Of the Columbia
Players approximated a degree of excel
lence that cannot be denied, yet in many
respects it was disappointing to some of
their friends. who feel that it did not
measure up in artistic worth to some of
its predecessors. Whether 1t was due to
failure to make the most Of the COM
pany's assets in the casting of the play
or the lack Of careful preparation by
some of the players, has doubtless been
determined by those who feel that "Pret-
ty Peggy" however enjoyable. was not
one Of the most artistic offerings of the
season.
tells Q good one on himself Perhaps 1t
is best to let him tell 1t in his own
language:
Our family has always been noted for
Its light hair. In fact. light hair. very
light hair. Is one Of the glories OF the
Kentish boast. My hair at my birth was
so light that even the doctor could not
see It, although man of strong vision.
But as I grew older its varying shades
were the admiration Of the neighborhood
Now have never been particularly in
terested In hair, because / learned early
n life that. unlike my sister. l would
not be expected to fascinate with my
golden curls But have always had a
strong aversion to doing things in a
rush. The man who is impetuous is very
often apt to be wrong. The horse that
is impetuous Is apt to do damage. The
automobile that gets impetuous usually
gets It's driver in the clutches of the cop.
And the statesman who is impetuous
sometimes has his delegates taken away
from him
But that Is neither here nor there.
The point am trying to make is that
DON'T IKE things done in a rush. And
Il 10 because Of this popularity Of my
nature that was forced TO quit one OF
tho best BARRIERS that ever trimmed q
pair OF gaiways or put a childlike
smoothness on Q bearded pard. Simpson
was his name. When first went to him
at tho beginning Of our season he be-
came Interested in my scalp. Not that
he wanted to have me fred, but he
ionged to see me Haunting long curls in
the spotlight. Like all BARRIERS, he was
talkative. And In persuasiveness he beat
anything that ever coaxed coin from
comedian.
engaged him 70 treat my scalp" /
had quite profusion of hair at the
time. light hair. light in weight. I mean.
But IL was fast. not wild and unruly,
but securely buckled to my head The
barber wanted to see more OF 1t and
paid him three btsI believe the native
Washingtonian gives that name to three
silver quarters-each and every fortnight
which my English friends will recognize
apply soothing and lifegiving properties
to the roots of my hair
Two weeks ago, as / careiessly fipped
glance at my auburn over my left
shoulder. preparatory to making my
usual hit with the audience l noticed
that something was wrong. Not only
had my barber failed in his expecta-
tions. but he had aroused In me a sus-
picion at once dire and deadly. / sough,