Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-07-12
Boston View of 1.-THE Contrast"

A column and half of space in a
recent issue of the Boston Transcript
was devoted to a write-up of 1.-THE Con-
trast' by member of the Transcript
staff. The following is an extract from
the article:
For century or more Brattleboro,
VT, has had happy habit of original
ing things. Sixty years ago one of it's
worthy, though slightly cracked citizens
made the first American automobile, a
horseless carriage driven by a steam en-
CINE. Ten years earlier Brattleboro's
postmaster issued the first American
postage stamps. The first box-pump,
the first Vermont telephone and in
Vulnerable other "firsts" grace the towns
history And incidentally it claims
its share with Harvard in this first
first night" For many years Brattle-
boro harbored Royal Tyler and his fam
lily; and now the town is reproducing
the old comedy as part of its pageant in
celebration of the one hundred and
fiftieth anniversary of its founding.
For four days one person in every ten
of Brattleboro's 5000 has spent a great
part of his time clothed in the costumes
of colonial New England. Out in Island
park they have been giving a pageant of
the towns history. A baseball grand
stand holds the spectators; the Connec-
tiuct River sweeps each side as an au-
toHldtlc IRE Buaru ana a protection
against voluntary deadheads and great,
sheer Mount Wantastiquet across the
river serves for backdrop. Indians fish
in the stream and then land to fea st
and dance The Deerfield captives the
early settlers of the village, William
Brattle drawing the site of the town
from the equivalent lands" Ethan
Allen and the Green Mountain boys, life
in the days of the famous water cure
q hoo
across the fiat green of Island park in
the persons of seven hundred townspeo-
pie.
And just to while away alternate af-
ternoons and evenings. these people have
been acting the century old comedy in
the dancing pavilion at the park. While
the 10 people of the cast have been ex-
hibiting themselves upon the stage, the
rest of the principals in the pageant
have come to the improvised theatre and
sat among the audience dressed in their
colonial costumes. A solemn old doctor
astonishes you at first by showing a
soft, od-fashioned beaver hat above his
overcoat. But while you are laying it to
"provincialism," he discoses to view the
pantaoons and soft roll collar of 1900.
Through all the audience flare snow
white wigs and towering headdresses of
puffs and waves. Society" is there in
the hoops and crinolines and bustles of
early American femininity. kindly
New England dowager wrggles uncom-
fortably as she tries to sit on something
more than the edge OF her chair, and
whispers, How did they ever wear
emf"
All this in a summer dance hall that
graces its walls with the sign: "Objec-
tionaple dances not allowed on this
floor" Not a few hasty moralists must
have quickly contrasted the minuet OF
the fourth act with the prescribed "tur-
key-trot" and sighed for the good old
days"
All the same Royal Tyler had little
moral advantage over the dance step OF
modern musical comedy The committee
in charge OF the play quickly proved II
by cutting plentiful slices out of the
over-frank dialogue and bidding Jessamy
| tell Jonathan in a whisper the sort OF
women that lived at "Holy Ground
Royal Tyler himself proved 1t when he
made in 1.-THE Contrast" a sort OF Yam
kee "School for Scandal" For Jonathan
| and Colonel Manly stand forth as rough
diamonds against the paste lustre OF Mr.
Dimple, lately returned from London,
and his servant. Jessamy.
"The Contrast" Is for all the world a
pale sort Of Sheridan with flush here
| and, there OF the racy. Indigenous hui
NOR that spells American comedy now
adays The story is little more thar
the usual tale OF a philandering rake and
| fop. and his downfall before virtue. But
| II has touches Of Characterization, pol.
ished wit and sturdy humor that make
| II a surprisingly fine comedy for tn,
first effort OF so young country.