El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-04

, about a series of episodes which are
apparently OF no interest to the actors
and which also appear to bear little
relation TO each other.
In fact, it is a matter Of doubt
whether Brother Daniel, who is called
the Drone, because he has been try
ing to invent a fan-bellOws for Is
years has "a great head on him" as
is stated in the last act, or whether
he is an idiotic simpleton, as is ably
shown in those preceding. In any
event it is OF no consequence.
The players, laborinE uphill against
the thick North country brogue, laid
on with heavy hand certain amount
of local color. It was all to no pur-
pose, for from start to finish, The
Drone" proved to be listless anaemic
and cOlorless play, which it is pre-
dicted will hardly survive the print
ing Of this letter.
"RutherfOrd and Son.
The second successful play to be pro-
dueed this week was rutherford and
Son." which had its premiere at the
Little theater on Tuesday night
rutherford and Son" deals with old
4 new light. Githa SOwerby, its author
has shown marked talent for charac-
terization in penning its lines.
John rutherford a man of stone.
huge intellect and of massive physical
build, has won his way through the
ranks of toilers to the pinnacle of sue
a
business as massive and unrelenting as
himself for which, and with which, he
lives continually. His one dissipation
his one pleasure in life-has been the
contemplation Of that day when his son
shall take up the reins and drive on
to ever greater success.
Like many another father who has
devoted himself 10 the pursuit of for
tune at the expense of the companion
ship of those about him, he finds that
when that day arrives. his heirs train
ing and incIinatiOnS are widely aYerse
to the restrictions of business. In this
case, the boy has married below his
station. thereby mourning his fathers
displeasure and making the way he
has to travel, dOubly hard.
As an ante-cIimax the bow deserts
his wife and child, leaving them to the
care of the hostile father. It is here
that the woman proves her metal. She
drives a bargain with the old man to
provide a home for her and her child
for 10 years on condition that after 10
years she shall give uD her son to take
the place of the husband who has fed
Old Rutherford. disappointed in his
boy, builds his hopes upon the grand
child with eagerness. Leaning across
the table he says:
And after that he is to be mine, to
train. to directE
Yes" replies the baby's mother che
is to be yours to train and to direct
after he has been under my tutelage
for 10 years. But in 10 years you win
be old. You can't break him then"
Rutherford looks long and keenly at
his sons wife He realizes the justice
Of this remark. She has OutWitted him
and in consequence she is a woman to
be respected.
by Norman McKinneu. is In the spirit
of the play. Remarkable performances
are also given by the other members
of the cast, who kept their roles in a
subordinate key and harmOnized with
Miss Sowerby's acteriZation
throughout.
which had its premiere on Tuesday,
was The Argyle case" at the Criterion.
by Harriette Ford, Harvey J O'Higgins
and William J. Burns. the famous de-
tective
Inasmuch as "The Argyle Case was
a detective play, the name of detective
Burns as one of the cO-authOrs lent
added luster to the piece Mr. Burns
was also kind enough to display his
sleek presence before the curtain OF
the Criterion and address the audi
ence at some length upon the merits of
the piece.
The Argyle Case" may be said to be
a detective play of the old order. with
plots and cOunterplOts. blood and sub
terfuge, through which a detective OF
the Sherlock Holmes type m1raculOusly
digs up obscure clues and works them
to a rather astonishing conclusion with
wholly unbelievable perspicacity. The
story starts with murder and involves
plot to counterfeit the coin of the
realm.
Robert billiard, whom Mr.. Burns