The Washington herald., 1914-10-12
ToDAY's PHOTO DRAMA.

| Why II Is that the proVerolal stage
william is usuaIly pictured as smooth
tongued city fellow? Are city fellows,
man for man. less honorable and straight
forward than the country fellows? Are
there any sound reasons for picturing
the conventional scoundrel as city
bred man?
In Country Innocence" a pathetic
human-interest story, we have the Williams
pictured as men from the city. Why?
That question answers itself in the final
denouement OF the story. 1t Is not that
the city man is less honorable than the
country man; rather are conditions re-
sponsible for his playing the cad at Ger
tain times A city mans presence in the
country is a temporary one. He has
thrown OF the cares Of the business
world. He is like a boy playing truant
and being just a man, it Is not impossible
to imagine him finding amusement in
trifing with an innocent, unsophsticated
lass. But this unintentional looseness
sometimes evidenced by the sophisticated
man of the city results in sorrow and
tragedy.
The present play is a plea against con-
ditions which allow for such looseness,
which place the country girl in danger
Of being made the victim of a too agile
tongue. That crimes OF immortality viii
always be paid for either in blood or re-
morse is also strikingly pointed out. The
climax is a dreadful one, but the girl in
question is saved from the sorrowful
fate which overlook her Cnother.
Country Innocence" which was writ
ten by Stuart Patton, will be released by
the Imp Company next Monday.
The story opens with Jim and Winnie
as sweethearts. Jim Is hunter. Neither
he nor the girl know the great cities
Wandering through the woods one day.
Winnie meets David Graham, a city gen.
tleman. Pursuing the unconventional
ways Of the woods, Graham enters into
conversation with the girl and is soon
struck by her innocence and beauty.
Winnie, on the other hand, is impressed
with Graham's fine manners. We soon
find them seeking pleasant tete-a-tetes
alone in the woods. Jim discovers this
and attempts. in his rough way. to in
terfere. Winnie resents this, much to b.
establishment. When Jim presses his
point she breaks OF her engagement
Later, Graham persuades Winnie to go
with him TO the city.
A year passes. Winnie returns, broken
In spirit, dishonored. and with child
in her arms. Jim takes her in and. out
Of pity, marries her before she dies, in
order to give a name to the child.
Years pass. The child grows to beau
tiful young womanhood. Dick Carson.
time Jim, her foster father. is blinded.
while hunting in the woods. by gun
accident.
We now turn to Graham. who has mar
ried in the meantime With his son Ed
mund, he leaves the city. to spend the
summer at his home in the hills. Ed
mund's first meeting with Dick is in the
hills Edmund informs Dick that he Is
trespassing upon the grounds belonging
to his father. Dick refuses to listen. Ed
mund seeks the aid of his father to force
the intruder on. 1t is while he is on this
mission that Edmund first meets the CIR!
and, like his father before him, he takes
a fancy to her: and Dick, like Jim. in
structs Edmund to keep away from the
girl. Following this, there is a fight be-
tween the two boys. Dick tells the girl
that she must refuse to speak to the
stranger again. Winnie, like her mother
before her, declares that she will do, as
she pleases-
Fearing for the girls safety. Dick Wis
its the home OF Graham and tells the
father Of the circumstances. The father
laughs. His remark Boys will be boys |
is the only satisfaction he will give DICK
threatens. Graham, fearing for his own
safety, has bear traps set around HIS /
home.
Later, we find Winnie. the younger in
fatuated with Edmund. with Edmund II
is simply a case Of passing amusement;
with Winnie II seems serious. Edmund |
tells Winnie of the city. OF the streets, |
which are paved with gold. as It were |
History has a queer way Of repeating |
itself, for Winnie finally consents to nc-
company Edmund in an elopement.
That night the girl leaves note for |
her foster father, telling Of he- action. |
ant namilg the man she Is going away
with. Dick is present when the old man
discovers the note. Dick reads il aloud |
The old man asks him to repeat the name
again. "Graham'-the old man insists
that Dick lead him to the house. Face
to face with the older Graham, he in
forms him that his own son has run
away with his daughter that The slopinS |