Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-02-05
ADJUSTMENTS
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MISS MARGARET ELLINGTON
(From Pensacola, -(Fla.) JournaD.

A large audience witnessed the pre- sentation of "Kindling" last night when the distinguished actress. Miss Margaret Ellington, appeared for the first time at the Pensacola opera houe. "Krdlins." stands in class by itself ju:t as Miss Ellington, as all emotional actress, has achieved a 1lace all her own in the high art that she has reached.
 The play, based on the tragedy of tenement life, and the modern condi- lions which make this life possible, is a vehicle for the wonderful hi:trionic ability which has made Miss Illingtop ore of the greatest actresses on the American stage today
 But it is more than this. It is a gospel of t. uth-a message of the Di- vine Right of every woman to give to her child that bilthright intended by the Creator when He crowned her with motherhood-the birthright of fresh air, clean living, food for the lody and the soul.
 "Kindling" is not a pleasant play. The man or woman who 7 went to laugh, stayed to learn 5V'To learn something of the tragedy of life /! that lu, ks in the blind alleys of city ways, where there i: not loom enough for little children to be horn into the world, where mother hearts ache with 1 lonsnig for the little lives they know must be born in the filth and sin of the city.
 No, it is not pleasant subject. But it is a vital one. And that is the req son the play and the great actress, as Maggie Schultz, took New York by i sto nl-shook the great city from it's letha,sy with her woman hands, shook it wide awake to one of the greatest evils that is faced in modern life to- day--the menace of ill-born children. Miss Ellington stands alone. No words can make her less or more. Sna has already won her laurel wreath, hut she added one leaf to it's crown in her wonder rendition of "Kindling at the opera house last night.
 But the play is not all tragedy. It has it's lighter phases and it's love story.
 In addition to the gripping, heart compelling story, there is vast quantity of comedy, and the character izations are intelligent and complete to the last detail. Miss Ellington, as Maggie Schultz, the young, ignorant wife of the tenements, who steals in order to secure the money to go into a new land where there are trees and flowers and fresh ait, that her eX- pected child may be born amid su:- roundings that will give it fair chance in life, does not only the best work of her career, but has created a character that will live in the history of the stage, so complete is it in every detail. Unlike great many stars. Miss Ellington believes in surrounding he. self with the best ohtainable com pany
 MT. Duncan in the part of Steve Bates was not po.traying role-he was the role. The young man of the streets, the tenement tough, with his native Irish wit, heritage of a witty mother-played admirably by Miss Lewis. Miss Lewis, as Mrs. Bates. or Batesy, and Mir. Duncan as Steve re, lieved the tension and gave to 1t that touch of comedy without which every play is lacking.
 There is pretty romance running i like golden thread through the fab i ric of the drama, and Sydney Martin 1 eau, as Alice, was very lovable, and 1 Robert Taber, as Dr. Taylor, very much the lover.
 Rafferty, the plain clothes man, played by Frank E. Camp. was one ot the finest portrayals of such a part ever seen on the stage. The paft, never over-acted, was well sustained throughout the two acts in which ne takes so prominent part.
 In presenting Miss Ellington and her