The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-04

ITO say that Ready Money" at the
SAT- Lake theater is good would be
truism-ready money Is good any
where. The lure OF lucre has been the
predominating passion OF ages. the god
OF the miser, the hope OF the gambler
the curse of the spendthrift and now
the tool of the playwright; It has swayed
nations, made and marred history won
love- concealed treason, treachery and
dishonor, and now, under the skiIlful
manipulation of a master OF stagecraft,
Is the plot of an interesting comedy.
Ready Money" was presented last
night at the Salt Lake theater to Il mod
erately filed house. The performance IS
quiet throughout, but there is not an
Idle or uninterestng moment The fun
Is all wholesome and there IS not a line
that cannot be remembered with pleas
ure.
Stephen Baird a popular member OF a
select coterle Of exclusive New York soc-
ETY.. finds himself on New Years eve
penniless and apparently without any
prospects OF any Immediate amellora ton
OF his depleted fortune, His friends In
rite him to banquet to see the old rear
out. but he prefers solitude and quiet
contemplation TO the merry making of
his more fortunate and successful asso-
ciates While alone. Jackson Ives, re-
Gently ACQUIRED acquaintance. enters and
offers TO lend him a large fortune. stating
however, that the money, is bogus. vet
impossible OF detection. as Il is "even bet
ter than the kind that Uncle Sam
makes AS Ives says, you don't have
TO spend money If YOU have it-money
slstIbly to magnet. Baird accepts the
money TO see If there Is any truth in
what Ives has said. He flashes his
newly-acquired roll on his friends. with
wealth dazzles their eyes. and Baird at
once becomes man OF vast intellect and
business acumen. A natural Inference is
drawn. that the mine which he has been
trying to exploit in Arizona has suddenly
struck an immensely rich vein, and one
and all they rushed TO get in on the
for the privilege of buying stock In the
meanwhile, the government secret serv-
Ice agents close in on Jackson Ives, and
he Is Obliged to throw all his counter
teiting Daraphernalia In the river to de-
stroy the evidence against him. He re-
turns to Baird's home and is tracked
there by the government agents, A few
tense moments are passed, while the
money is almost within plain sight OF the
detectives. yet plausibly and craftiv
hidden beyond their reach; The climax
that they have the goods on them.' ar
rest Baird and Ives. They two spend an
uncomfortable night in jail, but are dis
following day destroy the last remaining
evidence against them-the money itself.
Baird finds himself the possessor Of more
Than s6o.ooo In checks which he feels
obllEa ted to return, as gold really had
not been found on his property. and with
only a few more hours before II would
he necessary TO turn over his mine 10
the unScrupulous owner OF an adjoining
property who had advanced him money
on his note. But as all good plays should.
the hero wins out in his mine as well as
in his love. and the villain repents OF the
evil OF his ways and resolves to sin no
more.
The acting Is almost above rcproach
and 10 give credit 10 any special member
OF the cast would be 10 slight the rest.
Robert Ober. g Stephen Baird. plays the
eading role as though the part had been
expressly created for him, Douglas J.
Wood, as Jackson Ives. has a strong part
and plays II we'll The other members
are equally good, and though the fem-
ninc portion OF the cast have only minor
roles. they present them adequately,
Some Of the latest styles in gowns are
worn, aud though no bizarre or extreme
costumes are shown. the dresses are very
pretty and effective.