Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-10
PAPIER-MACHE HERO.
SAWDUST HEROINE
Dumdum Villain, War, Guns, Secret
Marriage-Fustian Drama in "Thc
Story of the Rosary"

Some folks like caviar, some corRea reeS and
cabbage. Some take to chicken livers en- bro
chette. others again to wlenerwurst Certain
gentlemen prefer domestic pilsner to creme
vvette. why squabble about faster Many
certainly will like "The Story of the Rosary"
which opened at the Lyric Theatre last night.
"The Story of the Rosary is a melodrama
filled with saccharne emotion. stuffed straw
characters, brummagem herolsms, sham battles
and what not. Melodrama of the old-fashioned,
tried and tested variety. a half dozen fat gem
tlemcn in the audience clapped vociferously each
time the tOrmented heror dropped a tear
imprinted kiss; few dried herring wept their
last salt tears. We thought of the novels of
Charlotte NJ. Braeme Laura Jean Llbbey and
Charles Garvis, of Eliza crossing the ice in
"Uncle Toms Cabin" the woes of Nellie, the
Beautiful Cloak Model" and the agonized de-
sires of 100000 women as described by the elo-
quent pen OF Cheta Rhilde Window. Nothing in
life ever happens it is described by the Hall
Corcllls Marie Gaines owen Davises, Little
Sister" authoresses swashbucker melodra-
matists Of morals, wars, emotions or economics.
Hyperbole-that's the word High-falutin, ram
bunctious, rip-snorting gun often gets the
cores.
Harken to Allen Dale, who recently left his
Job: "The sublime sensation OF going to the
theatre had returned to me- The Story of the
Rosary in it's simplicity, its sincerity and its
careful adherence to tradtion-the iron-clad
tradition of meodrama-got me-" The cele-
brated author of "a Marriage Below Zero"
so entranced so captivated, enthralled, he
did not for once daintlIy shake a few drops from
the phIal Of acerbty and venom, with which
he usually tnctured his toasts to so many
cellent plays. Mr. Dale praised THE Story of
the Rosary" as does the press agent. Yet we
cannot.
OH yes. If you want tho thrill of loop-the-
loop. Jack Rose cocktail or three, peep into
a Victoria Cross novel, hasheesh pill
dinner of sauer krout, neither shall we object.
II you wish to witness the rampant romance OF
a princess, the only daughter of a ruined aris-
tocrat," beloved by two captains OF the Red
Dragons. cousins, fast but false friends" the
one actuated by jealousy and envy (hst the
sibilant voice of the press agentD. one OF whom
wins the princess and marries her at mid
night in a church, then goes TO war; only to
be arrested, and later sent forth TO lead the
battle, then we can recommend you to 60 to
see "The Story OF the Rosary"
The stage settings are "scrumptious" There's
a real production OF a stained glass church
window. There's an old priest who prays in
falsetto. There's a mother superior who stag
gers and swoons and remembers an ancient
love affair. There's heroic chap-played by
the author, Walter Howard-who was fired from
the army because of, well, the press agent
acknowledges it malady known as drunken
ness" and who brings TO the convent-immured
wife the news OF her husbands death. There's
the wife about TO take the veil when, "as ten
DERBY, devout words leaving her lips her
husband approaches and folds her in his arms"
Sweet sweet!
This sort of thing is without the realm of
serious dramatic criticism, even are the
works of Charles Garvlce, Bertha Clay and
Nick Carter II you like this sort OF thing.
go Z i'll II Is not drama II can't be cOnsid-
cred seriously, old chap. youh know! 1t i'm
presses, startles. makes you jump with gun ex-
plosions, and II you're a dried herring you