The Washington times., 1913-03-25

n library table.
Husband was reading the
evening paper, and wifey was hemmins
some dainty lingerie.
DO you love me as much az you
did when We were married. inquired
the wife.
YES" grunted hubby, from the
depths Of the sporting page.
Silence reigned at either side OF the
library table for the space of ten
minutes. then the question was re-
peated.
Yes srunted the husband again,
deep In the intricacies of Ty Cobb's bat
ting average.
Presently the little woman began to
sniff, quite softly at first. then more
audible, and the smothered Sniff
finally broke into unmistakable and ap-
parently uncomfortable sobs.
What the Dickens Is the matter"
asked the husband. looking up from hi,
paper;
ting here an evening. and you haven't
love for me has died. Oh. I'm SO un-
happy! I wish could die. i don't
van, va, to live unless: you love me. and
Yes. I DO love you. love you more
than life itself. Now let me get back
to my paper" exclaimed the husband.
This In the mental attitude. Of most
married people after the glamour Of the
state Of mind Of young Theodore Knapp
in the opening scene Of THE Love
Leash" which was played for the first
time on any stage last evening In the
Columbia Theater.
Theodore had been fed on too much
love. When his wife was not busily
engaged in taking his emotional tenn
perature. his mother was coddling him,
and telling him how much he was loved
Now, love Is q wonderful thing: 1t 10
Rhapsodists and poets tell us that love
10 an essential emotion. without which
life would not be worth living. But
this must not be taken in too frequent
or too heavy doses. Like eating a quail
day for thirty days. 1t has a cloying
effect on ones appetite. and steady
were. and makes them long for a
change in diet. The Love Leash
brings out this idea in q manner that
il interesting. but illogical.
Mr. and Mrs. Knapp are just average
young married people. but young Mrs:
sweetheart Of the honeymoon period.
This her husband objects to, and states
his objection strongly to their best
friend. one Bruce Walton. the family
lawyer The wife overhears the con-
fession that the fond and almost con-
are cloying to his appetite. and she con-
ceives q plan to give him his freedom.
She suggests a TRIAL divorce. to which
her husband consents, and the docu-
ment which emancipates Knapp from
his wife's adorins attentions for a year
is drawn up quite legally by Bruce.
Then comes a little play at cross-pur-
poses. Mrs. Knapp, In order to have
some interest In life. now that she
has voluntarily separated herself from
her sn husband; t;d:n take. up ySu9s And And
upon his career. making him the social
vogue In q few weeks, incidentally In
vestins 10000 In the effort. There IS
a young female novelist, of fiirtatious
disposition. and pretty enough to make
any man. married or single, lose his
head. at least temporarily.
This very sophisticated young person.
Leila Lawford by name. proceeds to
angle after Knapp In quite an obvious
fashion, not 50 much because she cares
potential material for leading char
acter in a novel she Is about to write
There Is a compromising scene In the
studio Of the young and temperamental
in which Knapp and Leila are
found In. each others. arms by the
young wife. and in which the husband
Is led to believe that his wife is in
love with Bruce. a poor. steady. mid
dle-aged and thoroughly tanned family
friend. whose only thought Is 20 bring
order out OF the domestic chaos OF the
Knapp family.
The last act shows a state of affairs
IN the family which seems hopelessly
tangled, but things end happily for
those most closely concerned. and the
goes down upon a happy do
nestle scene In which the man who for
merry complained Of the tightness with
which the love leash had been drawn,
puts his neck back into the moose again.
and sits smilingly In front Of the fire
while his mother kisses him on one
cheek. and his wife on the other.
Everybody knows that he liked 1t
lfter all: that the adoring love Of his
he time. and that what he had thought
Inbearable was what he really wanted
Ind needed. At the time. he had COM
planned OF a surfeit of love. It had prob |
IDLY been too much mince pie or too
many strong cigars. He had merely
liza gnosed his complaint incorrectly
! do not think II fair to attempt to |
,riticise the work of the actors on the |
irst night Of a new production. there |
ore I viii merely say that they rep |
'esent people OF n type who vera beau |
iful clothes, live In beautiful houses. |
md act as ordinarily well-to-do people |
Ict Miss Filkins, who essays the part |
# Mrs. Knapp has drawn a tempcra- |
capricious and impulsive wo- |
nan, but last night she showed very