The San Francisco call., 1913-10-06
MISS WALKER A SWEET JUNE|
|She Scores In Mountain Play at Columbia|

scenic beauty, wholesome humor
and some realistic gun play combines
!, to make The Trail Of the Lonesome
Pine one of the most effective and
sweetest plays that has been staged
on the boards at the Columbia for
many months. Maudlin sentiment has
no place in this Eugene Walter mas
terpiece, which began two weeks
engagement last night
With Charlotte Walker in her orig
inal role of June. the romantic but il
iiterate mountain girl. '"The Trail OF
the Lonesome Pine goes through with
q dash Miss Walker interprets her
rather difficult role to perfection She
is as sweet as new blown rose and
She makes one feel that here is genius
and more than ordinary talent
Our big city likes The Trail of the
Lonesome Pine. and it heartily ap-
proves of Miss Walker A capacity
house demonstrated this fact last
night
With the rising of the curtain in the
nrst act June-picturesque June-is
leaning against her beloved pine, talk
ing to 1t. And the pine, she says in
her mountain dialect, is speaking to
her. It tells her fairy stories and it
acts as a medium for the voice of her
dead sister
John Hale, the young mining en-
gineer, forceful and a true son of the
north, comes along He is looking for
coal lands. June recognizes in this
foreigner" kindred soul. They enact
a pretty love scene. which almost ends
in tragedy when her father, Devil
Judd Tolliver, arrives with a big gun
pointed at the pocket In HaIe's shirt.
June saves the latter's life That
makes them friends.
The second act shows the culmina-
tion of Junes burning desire TO go
out into the world and learn things
She is down at the gap attending
school As yet she has had no time to
cast off her mountain mannerfsms or
to polish her native tongue. Things
begin to go wrong about this time.
Hale's properties are involved and the
Tollivers and the Fallins are about to
renew their bloody feuds. Also folks
are saying that Hale has no intention
Of wedding June. the mountain girl.
June doesn't quite understand.
With rush things begin to happen
in the third act, which is most rnelo-
dramatic. The cabin scene is true to
life. There are dried onions and dried
peppers falling from the beams, add
ing nice touch of domesticity. The
warning factions swarm everywhere.
Rifles pop in the distance. Hale's
friend. Berkeley, is shot in the head.
He is brought into the cabin by Judd
Tolliver, and June is the angel nurse.
Hale. as chief of the rural police, at
tempts to arrest Dave Tolliver, Junes
cousin and suitor. who is the would be
assassin. June tells him that If he
does he will never see her again. He
is torn between love and duty. The
wounded Berkeley rises UP long
enough to lie and tell Hale that Dave
Toiliver did not fire the shot This
clears the atmosphere in fine shape.
The audience which has been dabbing
at eyes and clinching hands, sits back
with a sigh of relief.
The play closes with the marriage
of June and Hale under the lonesome
pine The feudists are either dead
or dispersed June has "larned"
few things. She is cultured suffi-
ciently to be good enough for John
Hale, played without flaw by George
Bancroft. AS the curtain falls Miss
Walker and her company are greeted
with an outburst OF enthusiasm. And
no wonder The play is refreshing
and good and beautifully acted
Frederick Forester takes the role
of Bob Berkeley. Hale's friend, with
George woodward as Uncle Billy. NJ.
8. Hart is Judd Tolliver. He assumes
his role with much credit. Others in
the cast whose work is par excel
lence includes Lillian Dix, Willard
Robertson, Alice Martin and Cyrus
Wood.