Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-04
DAMAGED GOODS"
Cast Of Characters.

Henriette ... ArIeen Hackett
Nine Dupont. Isabelle Winlocke
Nurse ..... Maude Dickerson
| Student .....-..-.- George Hanson
! Loches ---.----..----- Thomas Irwin
Woman .-..-...- Anna Ashley
Man ID. Walsh
/ Girl ....... Desiree Semphel
Doctor-"Before giving your con-
sent to the marriage you inquired as
to the financial ability of the young
man to support your daughter proper
ly?"
Loches. father OF Henriette. wife of
Dupont-"To be sure"
Doctor-"You investigated his so
cial standing?"
Loches-"I did.
Doctor-"His moral character"
Loches-"Yes.'
Doctor-"But you ignored the most
vital question of all-that of his
health. did you not?"
Loches-"Yes, but / never thought
of that"
Doctor-'.None of them do"
Damaged Goods" a play from the
pen OF Eugene Brieux, a Frenchman,
is frank and forceful sermon on
syphilis. the purpose of which is to
demonstrate the necessity. in the in
terest OF the future OF the human fam
lily. for removing the veil of mystery
and silence and loathsomeness sur
rounding a disease that has probably
visited more destruction than any other
upon mankind and womankind. treat
ing it scientifically and making its
transmission through marriage a
criminal offense.
Young Dupont, despite the warn
ing of his doctor to defer his marriage
at least four years, in order to per
nit of a course of treatment that
promised a complete elimination OF
the scourge from his body, six months
after the discovery that he is affected
with the disease, leads Henriette
Loches to the altar. Dupont. OF high
social, moral, financial and profession
al standing, is accepted as a young
man perfect of mind and body.
\ child is born to the Duponts. OF
the doctor called to attend
the babe when 1t develops suspicious
symptoms of having contracted the
germ carried by the father tells the
horrible truth. At first there is an I
effort to keep It from the young
mother, but eventually she comes to /
know. Loches, father of Mrs. Dupont, /
Is q deputy in the French chamber.
His first impulse is to destroy his SON
n-law, and he SO expresses himself to
The specialist who failed in the effort
20 avert the disaster that had befallen
he young couple and their offspring.
The specialist refuses to give a GER
ificate to serve as grounds for q di-
'orce. He moralizes on the scandal
and disgrace to the family, for . the
acts would have to come out in open
,ourt. Loches, when assured that the
Infection. through proper medical at
ention, can be eradicated from his
laughter. her husband and their child,
Ind that the next baby would be free
II disease. relents. and aids in the re-
of the broken home.
The play is in three acts, and the
acts are presented with amazing
1t is the first invasion
II the theatre with this disease as a
ext, but the subject is instructively
landed and can't help but do good
Lmong the masses. It's a shocking
.wakener II points the danger signal,
me that few men seriously heed
those who escape the consequences of
heir folly deserve no more sympathy
han those who suffer, the author ar
ues. for those who come through I'M
ullied are simply luckier than their
elbow sinners.
A uniformally excellent company
las seen in the play at the Illinois
heatre last night. The audience was
ot as large as IL should have been.
he play was warmly received, and
he majority OF those OF the audience
pparently approved the sermon
,rieux is preaching.
Married folk who stay happy mar
led, are always of intense interest to