Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-14
New National.

| Youth has its fling so constantly that
presentation Of life in its autumn moods
is surely entitled to the share of attention
| it receives in Years Of Discretion" 1t
is comedy, yet with all its play Of col
ors it is not without the suggestion OF
winters impending chill The hero. after
expressing the dashing dudain Of time
that animates the Tom Moore ballad,
Believe Me, If All Those Endearing
Young Charms" drifts dangerously near
to a philosophic resignation to Shakes
peare's Seventh Age of man.
| They are indeed endearing young charms
| which Miss Shannon reveals as the wom-
| an who. at the age of forty-eight desires
| to live her life as romance and not as
duty. Her first appearance conveys COM
plete assurance that when she subsides
from the frivolities which form the In
| terest of the play she will be comely and
lovable, even though questionable. But
the radiance of Mrs. Farrell Howard )
charms is tribute to the arts of cosmetic
and costume, which claims more admira-
| ton than the capitulation to comfort,
| which is the nearest the play comes to
having "a moral" AS Miss Shannon
represents the character of Mrs. Howard,
her resentment Of fashion is due rather
| to tightness of shoes and corsets than to
an awakening sense of distaste Tor sham,
which leaves the play distinctly without
any real moral. But it gives opportunity
| for a fetching series Of scenes in which
daintily hosed feet are made to do very
! responsible share Of the acting. In spite
| of the protests of her agreeable though a
bit gawky son, well played by Mr.. Grant
| Mitchell, there Is nothing to reprehend in
the determination Of Mrs. Howard to re-
sist the influence of time. The triumph
of armchair and slippers is not complete
until each OF the nliddle-aged lovers Is
sure of the others affection. And then
the philosophy, obscure and unclassic, but
convincing, asserts itself: Whats the
| use of running for street car after you
have caught it?'
The plot is Of the 'belt line variety. 1t
puts you off in the last act where You
got on in the first. From middle age Q
swift and exhilarating excursion into
youth is made and the return to middle
age is the more serenely satisfying be-
cause pleasant company has been found
on the way.
| Mr. Herbert Kelley has the role of
Christopher Dallas, the lover, who con-
tributes the age of fifty-two to this whim-
steal little problem in the mathematics of
sentiment. His performance expresses
characteristic sincerity and good taste.
Dallas is one of four sutOrs who con-
tributes various shades of tenperamental
color to the autumn scene. Michael
Doyle is an Irishman whom Mr.. John
Flood makes genuine of heart as he is
light of speech. John Strong is a man OF
the world and Mr.. Louis Massen does all
that is expected in making him a passive
and dignified figure, Amos Thomas Is a
parlor socialist and fortune-hunter
whose impudent self-esteem is developed
into first-rate comedy by MIR. Robert Nc
Wade. jr.
1t is only a small part that falls to the
share of E. NJ. Holland-that of the but
ler Yet it CLOVIS with genial prominence
when giving expression to certain in
genuous reflections on matrimony as a
general proposition.
Three handsome stage settings embel-
lished by some wonderfully striking light
effects attest the handiwork of David Be-
lasco as the producer. The stage setting
OF the final act representing garden is
one of extraordinary beauty and exercises
no small influence in bringing the quaint
love story to a conclusion of idyllic Quie-
tude