Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-17

Three Hens, Misses Randolph. Taylor
and Martin.
Ten Fancy Cocks. Messrs. Breed. Curtis.
Watson. Reid, Tuttle. Cotter. Gillis,
Thurber and Marston.
Six Toads Messrs. Carter, jackson,
Morrison, Fawcett, Hogarth and Sill
vers.
Three Chicks, May Noble. Addle Frank
and Lily Treiman.
Geese. Rabbits, a Butterfly and a
Spider.
And SO the Cock came 10 learn that the
sun could rise without his song. Poor
man has been taught that lesson again
and again. since first the ego stirred In
his nature. No man of spirit or worth
but what began his journey obsessed with
the notion. and no one ever came to be
of real service In the world until he had
mad the shock that awakened him, and he
came to know There must always be a
nightingale In the forest. and In the soul
faith that lives, $50 however oft It's
slain" And the Hen Pheasant, too,
learned that womans destiny is plain as
mans; IL she is to be his companion. she
must aid him In his work, not seek to
come before II. This is the allegory OF
'Chantecler." Along with its telling we
are shown by the same means the flick
leness of popular favor, the hypocrisy
and sham that makes up fashionable life.
and the Insincerity Of much on which the
dealist is apt to build his faith. Rostand
tells us nothing new, but he has set II
before US in a novel garb. and with
such punctilious precision that we must
enjoy the process, even when his irony
is most directly piercing. And his irony
loses nothing because 1t Is yelled with
the beauty Of poetry. Alas, for those
who can not see themselves mirrored and
mimlcked in the barnyard population
Rostand has animated for the purposes
Of his preachment!- 80 Esd
Mauue Adams enlers joyously into the
spirit with Rostand: she can not sink
herself In the role. but she does bring
to 1t the joy OF life and light that is her
own, the charm of Maude Adams own
personality that has made her beloved by
millions. While yet Chantecler believes
Il is his song that makes the sun rise,
he sings that song with swelling ferver,
Other things in life are incidental, II is
only the morning song that counts. Lord
of the barnyard. his authority is exer-
cised In fairness and gentleness, but
firmly and with dignity. And as his ex-
perience aecumulates. and he comes to
know OF other and equally important
things, he takes his training bravely, be-
cause he can not be convinced that his
work is unimportant, even though 1t be
not all he thought II was. Throughout
the progress of the play. a constant shift
Of emotions and impressions prevail, but
shining clearly through 1t all is Chante-
clers faith in himself. When he appears
at the Guinea Hens garden party. after
all the other cocks have been announced
by various descriptive titles, he says
quietly to the bird at the door, AN
nounce the Cockl" So in simple dignity,
with absolute faith in his own power
convinced that he alone brings the day
to his valley, Chantecler goes on to his
disbursement. Then he will not abandon
his work. for he has "in the soul the faith
that lives, however oft It's slain"
Miss Adams is mistress of an imagina-
ton that can create and visualize the
imagery of the poets lines, and she spares
no point in her Interpretation of the
work. When she comes before the cur.
tain and speaks the little prelude that
invites the mind to give over its usua
habit OF thought and enter willingly into
the life of the barnyard, she seems shy
and one might almost think II was hel
first time before the curtain. When sh,
comes again. just at close Of day. the
guardian lord Of that barnyard she de
scribed. 1t is with confidence. but not a.
a domlneering master; Chantecler doe
not boast. Her light laugh is merry, ha
expressions Of purpose are those of Ger
tainty, and when Chantecler tells tn,
secret OF his song 10 the Hen Pheasan.
L is with an enthusiasm that all but con
vinces that wild and wary fowl. although
she knows to the contrary. 1t matter
not that we see Maude Adams through
it all; she can no longer disguise herself
by merely assuming a character In