The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-22

- Thinks the audience at the Salt
Lake theater last night was kept guess
ing at the possible significance Of the
title. In the last act it transpires that
AUGUSTUS Thomas is something of q
scriptural interpreter and has turned
the biblical idea "as n man thinketh,
so he is,' TO his own strange uses In
reality, the title is based on minor
theme Of the drama, which presents the
world-old problem Of the single versus
the double-moral standard. Perhaps the
title was chosen with the well consider
cd purpose of hiding the hackneyed
theme ms long AS possible-that is to
say, until the playwright has chance
to drive home his argument and show
that his ideas and his treatment Of the
subject are fresh and convincing. This
he does with all the charm and power
that we are accustomed to find In the
plays of Augustus Thomas. Those who
remember the impression he made
seven or eight years ago with "The
Witching Hour will he pleased TO
think that in this new drama he has
surpassed even the high mark ne set at
that time.
"Tbe Witching Hour was based on
telepathy and mind-rcading. The pres
ont drama does not go so far afield
into the realms of the unknown, but it
seeks to treat luminously the psycholog
ical phases Of the mind maddened by
jealousy 1t would be difficult to se.
lect more ancient theme for play,
and yet the playwright, while laying
bare the familiar passions and moods,
does this in the light Of modern psychol-
ogy and with due deference TO certain
theories Of his own that have the ring
of truth.
a husband who has been faithIess and
does not deny 1t, goes wrong again after
promises OF reform. His latest escapade
has had Paris for It's scene and is only
revealed six months later at the home OF
Dr. Seel!S, an eminent Hebrew pbysl-
clan. who is n dear friend of Frank Clay
ton and Mrs, Clayton,
Benjamin De Lota, all old sweetheart
of Mrs. Claytons. has returned from
Paris to dangle at her skirts. He tells
her OF Mimi" the artists model, to
whom he introduced Frank Clayton
IN ari. I've ,siFa Un1 ut il,
ond offense. and thlrsting for revenge,
accepts an invitation TO De Lota's room
FOR the purpose Of seeing some works
Of art, She does this hecdlessly, not
realizing the consequences 10 herself
Her husband who had. OF course. ex-
pected her TO forgive and forget does
not expect-again, Of course-to forgive
and forget
BY accident her visit to De Lota s
apartments is revealed TO the husband
! few minutes after she has gone there.
and the husband !nvades the apart
nents. drives out his wife and ,hrashes
De Lota.
When CLAYTON returns home he finds
his wife there and attempts TO drive
Ter out but DR.. Seelig is also at the
Slayton 5Ial, home, attending the little son.
hat the lads life depends on the moth
'r's care. Clayton. therefore. rushcs OF
o his club to live there,
The problem for the good DR.. seelig
n again. and this he does after much
IermonIztnS. The principal obstacle In
he way Of a reconciliation is the terrible |
hought in Clayton's mind that the s.
'ear-old boy he loves better than his |
'wn life NAV not be his son. De Lota |
demonstrates the falsty OF this suspicion |
~ an act OF herolsm, showing that nine |
ears before be was serving years |
entence in a Paris prison
But before the doctor has brought I'm |
De Iota 10 make this confession he has |
lready argued Frank Clayton into for |
1Ving the wife and asking her To come |
o him. This is accomplished by some |
I the typical higher moralites" OF Au- |
'ustus Thomas
The doctor finds Clayton a home sick |
n mind and body. eating his heart out
Manning revenge, worrying about his boy. |
himself TO evil thoughts OF |
he most venomous kind. The doctors |
rgumcnt-and II is here that the play