The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-01

Commencing with a Labor Day matinee tomorrow afternoon at 2:3o. the Biiou -eason will be naugurated with hartley Campbell's famous drama of the south before the war, "The White Slave" with it's wonderfully realistic scenes. the fire on the boat and the plantatjoI sngers and dancers.
 Tickets for tie opening performance are or sale now, and every indication points to a packed house Monday afternoon and again Monday night 1t is the rule oi thousands of people to attend the 5ijou on Labor Day. and this season an extra ordinarily strong attraction viii greet inc patrons.
 The house has been renovated and i'm rroved for the season, repainted inside and outside. with fresh furnishings in many places. II will he well cooled dur ing the remaining hot weeks bv num- ei ous electric fans. and il Is always ex- eeliently ventilated.
 rThe White Slave" will certainly pack the theatre. and the demand for tickets has been such that those who desire the best seats for either of the performances should make haste to secure them. The Rijou has a performance nightly af s.sG o'clock and a matinee Moseday. Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday afternoons
 Bartley Campbell. author. wrote. many excellent dramas. replefs with human interest and breathing a pure and healthy sentiment. hut none Of them eAf eeded lis masterpiece. '"The White siaae,r is. running over the whole gamut of s1mas, emotions. touching chords of svs.lness with an artists loving hand and chang ing al times to htfm bursts of ps,ssion
 In this beautiful story Of Southern life in the anti-bellum days. the writer showed his knowledge of human nature; that real life Is not poem,y a stream gliding along between banks of flowers ond overarched alternately by the sun light and the stars. II has its noise ani it's turmoil: it's hours of farce and trag- edy; its hates as well it's love. and he who groups these changes together delft ly and from the rude materill lying around produces rich mosaic. harmon ious in color and tone. in instinct with beauty, Is as much an artist as g tan- ova or Messonier.
 The story of the drama is simple one. 4 girl grows up in an aristocrati socth- ern home nnder the belief that she i.; an octaroon, and falls slave into tho hands of man who would betrav lec. She escapes with her lover. and af' a' rassing through many perils, happiness comes at last with the knowledg that she is a free-b born white woman.
 Of this slender material. the author wove an interesting plot. In tr satment, Tn tintS ana cOlOrlng, the Story js usr- tlnctly southern. but it rises abov. other dramas built on similar groundwork in that it is free from everything see- tional. There is no fawdry, sentiment: no attempt to fan old embers. of str,fs ir'to flame. no appeal to passion or pret- r6ice The man. who strikes his slave does not do so because he is a Kentli,is- ian. hut because of his inpate iiitry and cruelty. That love has no special abiding place, and that. hate can live and wrong do its work in every cline and rule. these are the truths which the dramatist tells.
 A rich embroidery enlbellishes the lan- auage and quiet undercurrent of .nt- mor gives q lighter tone to the souibcr parts of the play. To sum 1t up. tho