Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-18
BLINDNESS OF
VIRTUE" SCORES


Explaining the mystery of woman
hood and strong argument for warn
| ing girls of the dangers that besei
them, and showing the trouble thai
may arise from permitting a daughter
to emerge from girlhood into woman
hood without the knowledge 1f waai
| it means, THE Blindness of Virtue,
being presented at the Payton
Theatre this week by the Payton
stock company. is an excellent and
forceful lesson that all fathers
mothers, daughters and ministers
should see.
The play treats of the sex danger in
a plain and convincing manner, leaV-
ing little to the Imagination of the
audience. 1t is undoubtedly the best
play of the present-day drama, with
this problem as its foundation.
The plot of the piece deals with the
daughter of vicar, who is reared in
ignorance of the truth Through
the misfortune of another girl OF the
parish the vicar is aroused to The
duty that he and his wife owe to the
daughter to protect her from the PHI
falls that have ensnared the I'M
fortunate girl. He demands that his
wife tell the daughter the important
truth. She puts 1t off, and the follow
ing morning the vicar finds his child
in the room of young man who has
been sent to him to be taught and
who is branded by his father as a
failure and under suspicion. The
vicar has promised to believe in the
boy, but at the crucial moment he
fails. and accuses his charge Of
breaking faith with him and dis
nonoring his daughter
The boy tells him the truth-that he
and the wears daughter are in love,
and that she came to his room only
to ask him how he had enjoyed mis-
trip to town, and that he had tried
to send her from him. but she would
not go, not realizing the comprorlis-
ing position that she had placed her.
self in, although no wrong had been
done. The vicar doesn't believe him,
thinking that his wife had told the
girl the truth"
When the vicar questions his wife
he finds that she has failed in her
duty. The daughter, in innocence of
the trouble that has come into the
house, tells her father of her love for
the boy, and of her early morning visit
to his room, and the vicar learns his
mistake In accusing his charge of
v
den" the boy comes through the win
dow, gets u revolver and is about to
leave. when stopped by the vicar. who
tells him that he has learned the truth
and that he trusts the boy.
The mother then goes for a walk
with the girl and tells her the truth,
and as the curtain falls the boy" and
girl" soon to be wed, embrace as
father and mother happy in the
knowledge that tragedy has not en-
tered their home. give their blessings.
The play was well cast and staged.
Miss Marian Swayne, in the role of
Effie, daughter of the vicar, quickly
won her way into the hearts of the
with her excellent acting. AS
Hon. Archie Graham, the boy, Walter
p. Richardson was an immediate sue
cess. Lee Sterrett, an old favorite OF
theatre-goers, was admirably
cast as Rev. Harry Pemberton, the
vicar. Others in the cast, all of whom
deserve praise for the good work, are:
Miss Eleanor Miller, as Mrs. Pember
ton; Miss Olive West, as Cookie; Miss
Frances Young. in the role OF
Mrs. Clemmins; Miss Mabel Harris. in
the difficult part of Mary Ann, the
other girl. and Joseph Girard. as Col
Inns, the gardener
Not all the honors of the evening go
to the members of the company, how
ever, las Baby Gladys" a five-year-
old singer and dancer, who entertained
before the rise of the first curtain OF
the play, probably won the lion S share
of applause, not due entirely to the
fact that she was Il baby, but 20 her
really clever singing, toe dancing and |
of the Sailors Horn
pipe"
That the production Will prove a |
drawing card is unquestionable. for 1t |
has merit and is well presented, but |
the true reason is the lesson |
1t imparts TO father, mother, daughter |
and clergymen.