The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-02-11


EXPRESS myself through slang ad-
visedly; the people who are aIready
crowdiug in to see "Officcr $685.
and .'The Trail of she Lonesome
Pine will not object Indeed. T
am sure considerable majority
would mistrust praise couched in
formal English, For neither OF the
new plays is designed to satisfy
Professor Baker, or destined to cap.
ture the lbsen pennaut for Amer
lca; they obviously were written to
entertain 'he greatest number of
pIaYgoers, irrespective Of their in.
felllgence and taste or lack of
those qualities, and they unoues.
tinably have succeeded No need
TO hurry to New York to see either
play-no matter how long you post.
Pone Your visit, both pieces pretty
surely will be running merrilv on
when you arrive.
GEORGE NJ. COHAN and his
~ partner, Sam Harris, pro-
ducel "Officer 666'' in their
Older New York theater, and the
afternoon Of its premiere they
laughed openly at their own folly
IN asking New York to come 70
such = hopeless play. When the
performance was over IL is doubt ful
whether their interest in the farce
could have been bought for 500.
oO0- So much for expert iudpment
IN matters theatrical. The firm
mad had the manuscript for some
time when the failure of a drama
on which they had placed confident
reliance threw them into anxiety
for an attraction for their the
ater. So they tested the ssOfficer
COS out of town. where it's luke
warm reception confirmed them in
their opinion. However. the com
edy with which. in the meantime,
they had filled their stage did NOT
nearly fill the auditorium: so. while
preparing another production, the
greatest fare success Of the pres
ent season received a haIf-hearted
rcnanee. Its author. Augustlu Mac
Hugh, was previously quite un-
Known to fame: though people ac-
quainted with the names of she
small fry of the profession re-
call h'm as an actor of very small,
'nconsequential roles and as the
author Of some vaudeville sketches
A / the end Of three uprosrious
N acts the fair young maiden
murmurs, as she drops into the Cd.
ulent hero 8 outstretched arms:
g can I believe it: il seems as if
1t couldn Z have happeued-e1cept
in play To which, as the Anal
curtain falls, the blonde and genial
gentleman replies; "Believe me.
nv dear, it couldn ~
That happy "tagN hits off the
whole affair Three acts of ex.
travagaDce are rushed through at
such breakneck speed as to allow
30 opportunity for reflection: and
the unexpected always happens. A
Young American millionaire, who
has bought priceless collection Of
Corots, Remhraudts, Gaipsbor.
ougbs, Meissoniers and heaven
knows what other masters-lust
because he doesu know how 10
sneud the wealth be has inherited
is bewitched by lovely face.
Is owner was eating grapefruit at
the time ne first laid ewes on her.
and. spIlling some juice. glanced
away from him, never TO look
again Returning TO America and
re-cnterlng his empty town house,
ne tells all this to an amiable
friend, when the door bell rings
and the very divinity herself walks
IN. Presently it becomes evident
that someone, assuming the mil
honalre 3 uame. has arranged to
elope with this trusting heress,
She has come 10 tell the spurious
Travers Gladwin that she will keep
the rendezvous that night; and, be.
ing received by the actual Glad
win. she accepts his statement that
he is a friend Of the man she has
called on. Thereupou young Glad
win gets the policeman from the
corner into his house. and for a
bribe, gets possession of his coat,
cap, stick, etc. Then the fun be.
gins To trace its ins and outs TO
vou would he rather hard and very
unkind; for Won will surelv see
.Officer 666 sooner or later, and
] would moi rob you Of your
pleasure in it's spirited surprises,
IT HE second act hnds Gisdwiu
IL and his friend waiting in
the lonely mansion for the i'm
postor, who soon enters with his
confederates-a discharged valet
of Gladwin 3. The chief thief s
one Of those characters OF whom
the public never tires--a gentle
man crook. His manner is
snave; his attitude toward friend
and foe is calm anl genial. Think.
ing himself alone, he cnts ma stcr
pieces from their frames and cou-
ceals them in a suitcase he pur'
poses taking with him when the
fascinated girl arrives. But he has
recknncd without bis host-the
yellow haired millionaire disguised
as Officer 656. The duel OF wits
nr.. nnrrnms 1niVn lu