The Detroit times., 1914-11-24
pEIRolI OPERA HOUSE.

OF its weeks engagement IN the be-
troit Opera house. Monday night
The Better Way" is, TO use
much oyerworked Word. typical oil
certain phases OF American llie Np-
teal because much Of It's story can
be read pieCemeal in the newspapers
of the country day after day JUST
clip from your favorite journal the
utterances OF social-worker on the
labor problem, the report oil a sehsa-
tiopaI riyorce suit and the account
of some rich malefactors return
from prison tn-a life of comparative
poyertv. and yuu have Mr.. Waiter
= nlav In the ray. The skillful blend
4 ing OF incident, deliniation or char-
acter and finished stagecratt oelohs
TO the author. "
! Charlotte Walker, who in private
life is Mrs Walter fills the leadlhs
role. and her eXquisitely mouuiateu
voice. winning personality ana re-
markable emotional capacity enaple
her 10 score a notable success IN a
diflcuIt part Round after round OF
anpIause greeted her work In the
fourth act. TO which she responded
bv thanking the audience and eA-
pjaining that MY husband ism
here to make q speech.
The staging OF the production was
carried out under Mr.. Walters per
sonal direction and some OF the el'
fects are remarkable. The settlhs
of the first act, with the smoking
chimneys OF a steel town nesting IN
the Allegehney hills as back
4 a. sYu u1t rAaliGflH
1.-The Better Way is in four acts
and an epilouge, The hrst act us
closes the exterior OF laoorer
boarding house, conducted by JACK
Stanley and his wife, Anna, In
town near Pittsburgh. Anna per-
suades Jack 10 invest the few thou
sands which they have saved by
wears of unremitting toll and SELF
denial in the invention OF Polish
boy. who has discovered a way Tor
eheapening the production OF steel.
lack fears to take the chance. pre-
ferring 10 spend the amount In a
little home, but Anna fires him with
THE desire to one day own mills Oh
his own.
The next act takes place in the
library or the Stanley home in Pitts
burgh. The invention has succeeded
and Jack is now a millionaire. But
while he has been going forward, his
wife has remained the same plain
girl OF the steel town. He becomes
dissatisfied and finds another wo-
man. OF a conscienceless type who
plots to strip him OF his fortune. He
plans a divorce and places private
detectives in HIS home In the at
tempt 10 obtain the necessary evil
dence-
The third act is in Jacks apart
ment in New York. Anna comes 10
him and aided by the Polish boy at
tempts, unsuccessfully, TO save him
from himself
The fourth act Is laid in the AL
legehney county divorce court, where
a horde OF perjured witnesses swear
away Anna's character in an attempt
TO obtain absolute divorce for her
husband. She makes no defence un-
til informed by the court that the
granting OF the decree means the
loss OF her little SON. Then she con-
founds her accusers, causes her hus-
band TO repudiate the plot, and
brings about the indictment of those
concerned for conspiracy.
In the epilogue is shown the re-
union OF Jack and Anna after the
former has completed a prison SEN
tence OF seven years.
Byron Beasley. as Jack, Is a At
ting second to Miss Walker, and V&x-
ginia Ainsworth, as the "other wo-
man." is responsible for a fine bit
OF acting. George Stuart Christie
gives an admirable performance as
the Polish boy. and Walter Wilson.
as the upright Judge, runs true TO
type. John Arthur as the Bohemian
coachman and correspondent, proves
himself a finished artist