Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-31
Columbia.

I Whether it was the art of the play
wright or the impressive presentation OF
the facts even despite the minor chord
of pessimism that ran through it like
note of sadness all the way, THE Man
Who Would Live" William Hurlbuts
new play in four parts" which received
its first presentation to the public at the
Columbia Thcater last evening. had the
power TO hold large and distinguished
audience. including the President and the
Vice President of the United States. In
vrapt attention throughout. The key
note of its theme was sounded in the
very first act. when Wah-Ha-Hee. an
'otiau for whose souls salvation the
good priest, Father Ambrose. had made
VERY other sacrifice. gave up his life at
the cruel thrust of his knife buried IN
iu" back. and without any cause what
ever except the uncertainty and prone
ness to evil of plain old human nature
when unbridled.
The play is an alIesory. we'll construct
cd. and its lesson, if il has one. is that
patriotism and sacrifice for ideal are
vain. Yet withal it is never Sruesome,
hut always interesting and at times
amusing. The author has employed the
rick OF suspended animation. which the
old priest. has learned in the far east,
',rst and ostensbly TO save the life of
Capt Richard Cartwright. revolution
AIRY officer in 11SS. who is beset by MUIR
derous Indians. The thought that the
man buried alive will suffer more tor
ture and terrors than in any other way
appeases the savages, and so Father
ambrose after suspending the animation
Of Capt. Cartwright buries him deeply
in the ground in a metallic casket which
he had carried into the then wilds Of the
Allegheny mountains to be used for his
own last resting place.
The first act serves TO show the intense
patriotism that animates the officer and
his great desire to live that he may see
his new country take her place among the
uatiOns of the world. and to serve her
even with his life, if needs be. In the
second act the scene shifts to the year
1919. to the wealthy home of one of his
descendants. a man who has amassed
great fortune from mines OH the prop
erty which had been granted Capt. Cart
wright in revolutionary DAYS in Leu OF
his pay as an officer. a strike is in prog
rcss- The miners desperate, their
wives and children enduring the panss
even of starvation. But old Mr.. Cart
wright, the mine and mill owner, is OBJ
furate. The men must yield, he never.
At this point the miners attempt to blow
ID a mill. and the blast unearths the
eaden Casket, with the living body OF
Capt. Cartwright still in state of sus-
pended animation. Mr.. CartwrigEt's son.
Dick, and friend who is studying to be
doctor. and who has a pulmotor, sue
reed in restoring the revolutionary cap
tain to consciousness. He has not aged
thusiastic patriot he was 125 years before.
The new inventions. especially the tele-
;Ihone and the aeroplane. amaze him. but
not half so much the commercial
spirit of the nation ne had fought so
valiantly to establish. Under the guild |
ance of Elizabeth. Dicks sweetheart.
sweet and sentimental young woman who
assemblies the sweetheart of the captain
ii more than century before. he visits
the mines and the mills, and is aStounded
at the conditions he finds. so utterly un- |
ike those for which he had fought in the |
early DAYS of his country. He appeals to
his relative to relent and give justice 10
his employees. but in vain. He appeals |
20 Dick the son, but Dick. who has over
heard love passage with his sweetheart, |
boisterously and bitterly refuses. He
then threatens to assert his ownership, |
since his will could not take effect until
his death. and old Mr.. Cartwright coolly |
;rforns him that no court in the country |
would believe his story.
Then. finding that the fair EliZabeth's |
interest in him is one of romance and |
aut OF love- that she loves his spirit and |
not himself. he yields to the suggestion of
Dicks grandmother that he has lived |
past his time" He is alone with Eliza |
beth. the remainder of the family being |
away. when Dick rushes in, hotly pur- |
sued by the miners. who threaten to kill |
him. The thought occurs to the captain |
that by impersonating Dick and giving |
his life to the fury of the mob he can |
place Dick under a debt of honor to carry |
out his wish and intercede for the |
strikers. Catching up Dicks light coat,
ne wraps ii around himself and thus goes |
To his death. The last curtain falls with |
Dick. i'll response TO Elizabeths appeal, |
Nv hat are you going to do with your
life?. vowing ito live it.
Save for a perceptible nervousness in |
the early part of the play. Elliott DeX- |
tr,- gave striking representation of the |
young revolutionary officer, with the
courtly manners of his time-a character |
study pleasing. we'll as impressive. |
Theodore kehrwald was excellent as |
Father Ambrose. even though his cabin |
|acked the crucifX. the great symbol Of |
the missionary priest
Nm appealing characterization was |
that of Elizabeth. by Julie Herne. |
whose charm of personality. easy natu- |
IA ness and ever concealed art made her |
work on" of the beauties of the perform |
anre. Mrs. Stanhope Wheatcroft also !
presented a fine characterization as Mrs. !
Cartwright. modern matron. who did !
not permit her sympathy for the Cypress |
ID to interfere with her pride of family
her ancestor had been Gen. Washington's |
-room-or the satisfactiop she derived |
N seeing her husband pile up his mill |
ions. Ester Banks, too, was impressive |
as Old Mrs. Cartwright. a grandmother of
ninety -four. while Violet Howard provid !
f., Il n great deal of the comedy element as !
pert only child. who was always being |
sent 10 bed but never got there. Edward
! angford was good as Dick. and Hollister
Pratt as the Indian. Others in the cast
included Grace Reals, John Macy, |
Ben. r. Graham an excellent Mr.. Cart
wight: Arthur Bowen and Anne Bridg-
man. who. as the wife of a striker who
did not understand" and came TO see
the boss made of the incident strik-
I0g feature.
The settings We're adequate and the
play was tastefuily presented in other
aspects.
New National