The Washington herald., 1913-10-14
NEW NATIONAL.
ssYear. OF DiscretIon.'' 2

years of Discretion
There is German proyerb to the effect
| that age is no protection against folly.
which is but another way OF stating the
fact that the party to whom it is ap-
piled has not arrived at years Of discre-
ton. And It finds especially apt applica-
| ton when Bay State widow Of nearly
fifty, with q son of manageable age,
takes it into her mind 10 exchange the
quiet life of her little town for the gay
! whirl of society of little old New York
with obligato cocktails, slit skirts, false
hair, balls and parties, late hours, and all
| that sort of thing. Equally apropos is 1t
! in the case OF various ord bachelors. one
over fifty, who hutter about this foolish
little old woman, like moths about the
candle, and do all kinds or more or less
ridiculous acts for the Iove or her pretty
face and winning ways. Well this Is
what happens in Frederic Hatton and
Fanny Locke Hatton's three-act comedy,
Years of Discretion" which had its
Washington premiere at the New National
Theater last night.
To be sure, some few other things also
happen in the course of the developmsnt
of what by courtesy may be called the
plot. There appears, for instance, an
individual who poses as socialist and
suade the wealthy widow into marriage,
but fails. There is likewise an Irish bar
tender-one of the old bachelors-who
in rather stormy fashion seeks to win
her and also is sent about his business.
And then, of course, there is he, the
oldest of the old boys, who finally car
ries on the victory over all rivals. Now
all this would be far more enjoyable
IL 1t were condensed into one act in
stead Of being spread over three acts,
very thin like the butter on lunch-room
sandwiches. The first two acts come
perilously near being frothy in dialogue:
the last act. however. redeems the other
two by its appealing sentiment and de-
hghtful domestic atmosphere. The whole
story is carried along to the entire sat
isfaction of any audience by the splendid
company to whom Its presentation Is
intrusted.
,Efie Shannon, she of the lissom figure
and winsome face, appears as Mrs. Far
rell Howard, the widow on social diss!-
patton bent, and the contrast between
her demure apparel when first she en-
tiers and the superb gowns with which
she adorns herself later on is no greater
than the contrast between her efferves-
cent carriage while engaged in her frolic
and her final subsistence into the aecus-
toned quiet of home. She has an ad-
mlrable foil in Herbert Kelcey as
Christopher Dallas, the man TO whom she
surrenders in the end. There are few
actors more satisfying than Mr.. Relcey.
In carriage, in method, in expression, he
never falls short of just the correct quail
ity. He gives just the right touch to the
old beau who finds his ideal in the wom-
an whose years approach his own and
who has no longing but for the calm and
even current OF home life. Alice Putnam
as Mrs. Margaret Brinton, the Massa-
chusetts widows New York hostess, is
an agreeable campanion picture, and her
courtship with Louis Massen as John
Strong. another one Of the bachelors, is
one of the pleasing incidents Of the per-
normance. ~
John Flood gives fine setting to the
part of Michael Doyle, the widows Irish ]
wooer, and Robert McWade, jr., excels |
in the character of Amos Thomas. the
would-be dominating arbiter of the
widows future. Grant Mitchell as Far
rell Howard. jr., the widows son; that
sterling old actor, E. NJ. Holland, as
Metz, Mrs. Brinton's servant, and Ca
milla Dalberg as Anna Merkel, the
widows French maid, complete the
cast.
As in all productions under Mr. Be-
lasco's careful and discriminating super
vision, the accessories in this instance |
leave no room for anything but the high !
est praise. The settings of the first two |
acts were elegant in all details, and |
nothing more beautiful than the garden |
scene of the last act has been seen on !!
the Washington stage. The gowns worn |
by Miss Shannon and Miss Putnam are |
the acme of style richness and good
Taste.