The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-23


10 change the miliou Of tho drama. That
Is fortunate. It's interests are altogether
French The story of an artists family
In the art circles OF Paris occupies the
four acts. The first act shows studio
In which the adorins girl pupils OF an
artist sit at his feet. 1t shows also the affec-
ton which the man now 81 the usual age
somewhere between 80 and is--is na-
ginning to feel for the most talented ard
the most charming OF his pupils. rs
growing affection for this girl is very
dclicstely indicated in altogether Gallo
fashion. lie rcfrains from kissing her
when he sslutcs the rest Of his pupils IN
this way when they are celebrating the
acceptance Of one of his pictures at the
Salon
This s,vne u; Partisan s;s..eT IKE -;
the key of the play. In the second and
third acts the home of the artist was the
scene of his struggles to win place N
the Academy. The wire pulling and in
trguc of which French playwrights AM
roveusts are fond OF treating in all stories
II French literary and artistic life, arc
incidentally revealed. 1t does not take
more than the second half OF this act
10 show the jealousy OF the wife who re-
sonts the visits uf the student to her hus-
bands home. once the man has depar cd
she even forbids the girl to enter the
house. But there Is time for the painters
deals IA mect tho Girl n second lime
lie svmpa thiz,s with her in this second
sct In fine third he l. I'm love with her
and meeting her cland.stinely in sl,ch
well knoyn ART centres as tho Iouvra
lie su,ni,,t. M. Entbcr
. 30 ulSTessed u the senior painter 'N
ne gFls lhuile'eh.e 'hat ne cannon ra'
nr RAJ bi nf
YOUNG man. VINO ~ forever i''e lot meais
now tnat ne Is making loNe 10 the attrac-
i've M"o' o"ttr. IN VAN ne declares
thht ne cannon HNe "Ithout tHis young
woman OF whoih MS son oy the strength
OF nus youth mas roboed MN lie D.
means the unhappiness when ms separa-
ZION must nrine Nun fatner ana son are
larry ptted against eSch olner as rivals
WIN tne Hotner epuaiy opposed 70 each
OF tnen ana ABOVE an 10 the Young woman
VINO mas mus upset ner domestic IRE she
writing a letler 20 summon me young
woman h'o her presence when 'he thlFu
~ enus' ,
inere SUITE co"soia.ioh Tor the
ndih'er IN the e,ectlon 10 me nonors oil
tne Acauen.' men nls w',e ni'as that
s..s .,,, an ,"e,e no rsason wny her son
snUu'u not tahe ior Ms wire .ne alto-
81. 80 10 s so.s p1'so'
the glow OF artistic and domestic hap
piness Poor Little Thing comes to its
end. 1t is fragile and French. and as IL is
fortunately not spoiled by any attempts
at adaptatio the work Of Jules Lemaitre
10 to be enjoyed in what Is practically its
original estate.
The significance of such story does
not disspate in small playhouse like
the BandboX and If Lamaitre's play is to
he acted anywhere this is probably the
place for It's diyulgence to a strange pub-
lie There is not much of the customary
dramatic interest in the works that Ie-
maitre wrote for the stage He had al
ways contempt for the well ma de play.
and that principle was indeed the most
positive OF any of his dramatic theories
The rest of them were rather negative
lie was the antithesis OF the incorrigiblc
Sarcey, who stood for lust the PRINCIPLES
that Lemaitre in his critical writings
most abhorred
Poor Little Thing" is characteristics
NJ the writer's theories II contains some
amusing revelations of character COR
tain phases OF artistic life which must
have been very satricaIlv presented in
the original text. and there is certain
dclicacv i'm the rclations of Some of Inc
characters But of vitality behind Tho
footlirhts thero is NOT - tr,co '''
T,,, u. -, a.. ,,...