The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-11-11

| - it is not the soul of every woma n
is yet tho soul Of millions Of Mary
Pages sisters. But while there be
| those millions with the soul of Mary
Page, there be few women, indeed,
with her courage.
Mrs. Fiske, in her new play, "The
High Road proved to large and
cultured Salt Lake audience last night
that a woman may outgrow the worst
environ, that she may commit griev-
Gus sin and not only outlive that sin,
but also, and in spite of it, she may
rise to the highest places within the
human comprehension, the stepping
stones Of her progress the gravestones
of her past.
'"rhe High Road is essentially a
constructive piece. Edward Sheldon,
its author, touches the eternal problem
of the double standard, but he touches
1T with breadth seldom if ever writ
ten into a drama. The play reaches
the depths Of the psychological 1t is
a study most profound The full sig
nificance Of all of its clements does not
at once communicate itself to the mind
of the one who sees it; hours after the
doors of the thcater are closed-and
days afterwards, too-the brain strug-
the whole has been arrayed again and
again before tho mind s eye, there
comes the conclusion that "The High
Road - is a wonderful play and that in
Its lines are to be read the unmistake-
able signs of the era which is only now
beginning TO dawn for woman,
woman's woman always, Mrs.
Fiske has in ;tThe High Road" the
sort of play which gives her the means
not only of presenting great idea, but
also the opportunity of driving it home
portrayal OF the chief character in the
piece by Mrs. F'iske was a finished
work OF art is not necessary in Salt
Lake, where Mrs. Fiske is regarded, as
indeed, she is almost universally, as
America foremost actress. The con-
summate skill with which Mrs. Fiske
carries her part in "The High Road"
is even more pronounced than that
which she displayed in other plays in
which she has appeared in this city.
In the Sheldon story, Mrs. Fiske is
Separate and distinct, yet all connected
by thread which is no less than the
thread of a human life itself. The
versatility of the great artist meets
Fiske is the natural figure for that
part. AS the woman whom she per-
sonifies unfolds gradually through q
quarter of a century, Mrs, Fiske ap-
parently unfolds also, so that, with her
marvellous adaptability, she steps from
one period of woman s life into the
4 l.
it were the natural development of the
years and not a make believe at all
First, the audience finds Mary Page,
who, OF course. is Mrs. Fiske. a. 17-year-
old girl on farm In back district OF
New York state. Her surroundings are
word in wretchedness, Her mother IS
dead and her father is the narrowest Of
bigoted men She lives in an environ
ment OF restraint and suppression which
is pitiable to contemplate, Indeed, her
father often resorts TO the horsewhip
when his cruel commands are not swiftly
obeyed.
Comes then into her life at this time
n handsome young man, an artist, tai
ented, rich, and fair Of speech. He gives
her the only books she has ever read of
in her geographical history. she has read
OF Abraham Lincoln The name Of the
artist is Alan Wilson. a part capably
handled by Kenneth Hunter. Ono even
at whose house he has been vacation
day boa rider, Wilson tells her that he Is
going away. He leads her on TO tell OF
she she would like to do. He is sympathetic
The result Is, as the result under similar
often is: that she accom-
panies him TO New York. where he Law
ishes upon her all Of the things which
he thinks a woman desires. Her apart
ments are sumptuously appointed; there
are beautiful paintings and, IN short
every possible luxury that could be sug-
Three years of such a life Mary Page
spends For months her soul has been
cropping for light She finds herself chok-
kind and as considerate as ever he was,
but there is something lacking and she
struggles to divine what 1T is. One day
IL and She begins to take an interest
in the affairs OF the world, especially In
those affairs that affect the poorer
classes. She hears OF strike OF laundry
their conditions of employment and home
life. Day after day the knowledge grows
upon her that She must burst the bonds
do something-she realizes that there is
within her soul striving for expression,
very distressing scene marks her
iob-just a mere JOHN shirt factory
at 81 week, and at this point the audi
ance leaves her tOr elGnIecn years,
amazed at her courage. yet TO be tre-
mendously more amazed by what is to
follow.
Al the end OF eighteen years Mary
Page appears In the office Of the Cover
nor at Albany She has become tho
president OF the women's trade league,
4 bin granting. tho eight, hour day to
thanks to her indefs tigable efforts Three
years she has fought for the passage OF
this measure. and this time she has been
successful. Her presence In the office Of
the governor is due TO the desire of that
ofGcial Winfield Barnes. 10 congratulate
the woman whom he knew as n child in
her country home. The governor had fol- |
lowed hor career as a worker for wom-
ems welfare and had assisted her cause |
In every possible way. As matter OF
facf Barnes loved her.
In that Interview Barnes declared his |
,ove and asked her hand II was right |
and proper and In accordance with her
mistake. She told him 1t was q trial |
j,,t Inasnuch as Il was right she did |
,,ot ninch Barnes. upon hearing the un- |
bappy story. hesita Ted. bu, his hesitation |
Us sI,ortlived for hc loved her for her |
scf and the mistake OF the former Mary |