New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-02


Jack Scott ..................C Charles Ruggies
Gertrude Meyer. Grace Valentine
sarah Smith. culver
Katherine Virgins. ..-..... Frances Slosson
Dorothy Williams. -..-...... -Alce rack
George Stuart. ......... Franklin Underwood
Mrs. Smallcy ...... ......... Julia 3runs
Mrs Meyer. ............ Lillian Eillott
Rolling. Observation-Disclosures. Ellicot.
Mrs Ierro'd x Scott.......... Edith Barker
Josephine Scott. ......-... Geraldine Blair
Chicago. Dec 3l.-Jerrold r. Scott, in
Mr. Jack Laits new play. Help Wanted.
now being received with great favor at
the Cort Theatre here. was successful
New York business man. He had offices
in a downtown slyscraper and clerks anu
assistants galore \ man of middle age
with a wife In his palace uptown and
son old enough TO be taken into the hrnh'
he was what is called exceedingly Wei
preserved. He wore "A pearl-gray derby
with d black band. gray spats and violets.
When he rose from his desk to go out
to luncheon he drew his cutaway coat
closely about his waist by buttoning only
the lower button, threw out his chest
and. picking up his bamboo stick walked
forth with a considerable air.
One Of the stenographers who had
worked in many Offices and seen good
deal Of the business world spoke of him
as that old Romeo" Such, indeed, ne
was. but IL must not be taken for granted
therefore. that ne was merely absurd lie
was a man Of force and tact and intelll-
gencc. with the cleverness and good taste
(and the actor who plays this part III
New York will do well to observe how
skilfully Mr.. Henry Kolker contrives TO
convey this impression always to APP
pear distinguished and graceful, what
ever villanous business was afoot. In
deed. he was silly old sensualist rather
than q conscious villain. ana in his cloud
OF vanity doubtless often deceived him
self He could be generous and disin-
terested-if a woman didn't interest him
and give a widow work as stenographer
al twice the salary she deserved. Ana
in his overtures TO the favorites he TOOK
into his private Office he was inVarlaoY
thoughtful. fathery and kind.
To this polished ogre of citys down
town, this wolf in the skyscraper forest
came Gertrude Meyer, a little girl just
on. OF business college and looking ioi
her first job. She was about as wise as
a gumdrop. And she had been hunting
for work for weeks.
Several others came in answer to the
same advertisement, and there is a fresh
and amusing scene as the old Romeo SITS
at the desk and the applicants are ushered
in. one by one. There is sharp-faced
young person. In rather mannish ciothes'
very brisk and aggressive, who left her
last place because the firm failed Ana
the one before? The police arrested her
employer. And before that? The buidlnS
tumbled down. Quickly she is waved
away. the business man having no desire
10 invite catastrophe. There is the tearlui
widow. and then the slangy young au-
venturess-the last sort Scott Is lookins
for The wise" young woman perceiVes
this at once. and with a derisive Good
night, departs IN the best of humor. Inc
efficient stenographer, who characterized
Scott as that old Romeo" few mo-
men,s after meeting him. he engaged, but
put her in the outer offices Gertrude the
wide-eyed babe. who in her first piece OF
dictation made my foster-son my
faster SON" who wondered whether there
were two 'r's' in tariff. and didn't kno"
what tariff" meant. anyway, because she
didn't know much about politics her
he promptly installed in his inner once
as his private secretary.
The efficient. good-fellow girl, coming
i'm and looking over Gertrude's shoulder
as she struggles with her employers hrst
letter. SAYS: "Oh. You write the Munsey
system"
81 write it," said the little girl, rue
fully. but ! can't read IL"
The exposition OF character and sItua-
ton and the progress of the action up
IN the climax at the end of the second
act when the son, who has fallen In love
with Gertrude and proposed TO her'
breaks into the office just in time to rescue
her from his father. are simple crisp and
direct. amusing and exciting. The two
scenes of the last actin effect it is really
two acts-in which we are introduced 10
Gertrude's mother-a tenement-house
German. whose mercenary point of view
while il may be true TO life, is inconsist-
eut with the idea induced in the audi
er.ce's mind by the likable qualities OF
the daughter-and finally led 10 happy
ending. are less effective, and scarcely
more than a drawing together of loose
ends. rather long drawn out.
Taken as a whole. however. the play is
decidedly entertaining and will doubtless
e,o a similar welcome when il Is pro
duced I'm New York. The situations
hroupht about in the most matter OF fact
way by the pouring OF girls into what
vss once a mans world-more startling
and romantic than any Of the old
fashioned fictions OF kings in chariots and
roadside NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. innumerable
themes for the novelist and play writer.
Mr. Iait has taken one of the more obvi-
ous contrssts-the young girl brought for
,be orst time in close association with a
man of force and ability, who "doesnt
have ia wait for his pay envelope on sat
urdav night" who seems 10 have every
ching and 10 be able 10 do anything-and
handIcd II Interestingly. The piece Is un-
usually we'll acted. Miss Grace Valentine.
"a .be little stenographer. plays In a SUD-
dued kew. as untheatrical as II IS appro-
nria,a-tbere are hundreds OF ignorant.
i,LahIe little girls just like her In city
a. whore many women are employed.
And the finish and authority of Mr..
Henry Kolkcr's characterization give his
"old Romeo" a certain piquant distinction
10, ordinarily found I'm the stage business
-, y,uanous or otherwise. Mr.. Charles
Richman has been suggested Tor the part
u,,,en "Help Wanted" is produced in New
york The author OF the piece is a CHI
co,o newspaper man.