The Washington herald., 1913-12-09
THE BELASCO.
"BouSht and Paid For"

The spectacle of pretty and virtuous
woman holding her self-respect above
everything else she possesses is always
an appealing sight. and one which wins
Cur applause whether we meet It in life
or watch it across the footlights, which
accounts for the enthusiastic reception
gwen the return engagement Of George
Rroadhursts American domestic drama,
Bought and Paid For" at the Belasco
Theater last night.
When successful New York financier,
one Robert Stafford. confesses his love
Tor \ little telephone girl OF more than
the average refinement, and declares 10
her that he is confident of winning her
love after their marriage, since she is
not sure of It before, one feels sure that
no can, and is in 20 way surprised that
ne does. The girl is given every luxury
- wealth and position, but her happiness
Is marred by her husbands weakness
Tor wine. Returning home one night
aaudlin and brutalized by drink he de-
nands absolute possession Of her, as of
mis- other chattels bought and paid
Tor"
In revulsion OF delicate pride and self
respect the young wife refuses to be de-
GRADED, and is conquered by force. The
following morning when he comes to
her, penitent and ashamed, she asks him
10 promise to forsake the one barrier to
their happiness, which promise he refuses
TO make with the result that the girl
leaves him as empty-handed as she came,
going back to earning her living in a de-
partment store at 81 per week.
In the end they are reunited, partially
through the power of love and loneli-
ness, and partially by the Intervention of
the girls sister and brother-in-law, who
h1W
separation, and thus one passes through
a domestic tangle of great dramatic in
tensity to a most happy and satisfying
denouen1ent.
Aside from its problematic appeal
Bought and Paid For has a persistent
comedy element. which is delightfully."-
refreshing; nicely balancing the tense
ness Of the more serious situations.
Miss Helen Macbeth has this season
the role Of Virginia Blaine, the telephone
girl, a characterization which she
achieved last evening with that direct
ness and simplicity which are the ear
marks of technical smoothness and the
chief elements of winsomeness and
charm. She was convincing in her stand
for the maintenance of her self-respect.
and deserves especial praise for the sup
pressed intensity with which she handled
the melodramatic parting scene Of the
third act
Frank Mills impersonated Robert Stam-
ford. the millionaire husband and occa-
sional drunkard, with consistency and
virility, winning ones pity for his one
weakness and admiration for his strength
of character which made it possible for
him to eventually overcome it.
The persistent comedy element was
made irresistible by Francis X COulan,
as James Gilley. the pin-head stripping
clerk, and Marion Lord, the older and
less refined sister of Mrs. Robert Staf-
ford. Both were admirable, as were also
Marie Hardi, as milady's French maid,
and MakOto Inokuchi as Oku, a Japa-
nese servant, each introducing a variety
of strongly differentiated modern char
acter types.
William A. Brady has set the present
production of the Broadhurst serio-comic
play with the same lavishness which
environed it when it was presented here
at the Belasco Theater last season, with
Julia Dean in the heroine part.
JULIA CHANDLER MANI.