New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-04

d
As the imps Of chance hold highest
carnival in the land of the theatre, IT
is but natural that a pack of cards
should be their emblem. During the
last two seasons we have had "A Pair
of Skies" and "A Full House" and last
night we received a Three OF Hearts.
The first two were farces. and the imps
Jumped straight into the box once
where the shckels are still pouring IN
in seemingly unlimited abundance.
"Three of Hearts" is crook play,
and the interest shown by last nights
audience after the dull first act was
over NAV very we'll mean that the imps
again are favorable.
Miss Morton's play. while built on
somewhat old-fashioned lines. shows
considerable sense Of dramatic ehec-
tiyeness. II does not set out to beep
the audience in the dark, as did IT'S pred
ecessor, Taking Chances but lays
The cards at once upon the table IN iGIl
view of the audience. We know at the
beginning that Harry Hamilton IS
r,Ithcr a baron nor thief, ana we
know that the thief is Dick Comstock.
The interest arises from the fact that
most of the characters are IN the DARK
and in our delight at seeing them get
in and out of trouble, while we slt bach
and know lust exactly where the trou-
bic is. There were times, IT is true,
when the thread OF the story got INTO
somewhat OF a snarl, and the manners
and WAYS of the characters were often
a little peculiar, seeing that many or
tbem belonged TO the highest social
circlcs vet. on the whole, the enter
tainment was an excellent one. In ad,
Gition. Mr.. Nash, as the good hearted
broker who played ducks and brakes
with the police, gave an lnc!siVe ana
humorous portrayal.
Harry Hamilton, a broker OF unlimlt.-
cd fortune, has seen young girl
Grace hawthorne. al "Arsene Lupin" IN
a Paris theatre. He has heard her say
that she admired the thief and he also
falls in love with her. Later he meets
nor in America and through an eN-cOn-
vict. who is now his secretary, he learns
that Dick Comstock, the son OF a wo-
man whom he knows, has stolen num-
her Of pieces OF jewelry. Dick Is IN
love with the girl, and Hamilton de-
cides TO fight him for her. Haggerty,
the New York chief Of detectives, Is al
ter Dick, and introduces a woman de-
tectiye to a dance where Dick is. DICK
steals the detectives brooch, the police
break in but Hamilton. with the assist
ance OF his secretary, gets possession
Of the brooch and fools Haggerty;
Here the plot becomes so complicated
that TO understand it one must see the
play. II suffices TO say that the sur
nrises come thick and fast. and that IN
The end Hamilton wins his girl, and
nacks off Dick 10 Texas where he IS 10
try TO make "a man OF hlmseI'. nag
eerty. who is in on the game con
hives with Hamilton, but as he must
arrest somebody arrests Hamilton 5
Japanese valet, who agrees to go 10
iaIl for ten days upon his master prom
ising 10 give him two thousand dollars
George Nash. of course. bears the
burden OF the plav upon his shoulders
and those broad shoulders know their
business. There IS ~ his enactment
dash, humor. and authority William
DeyereuN. as Williams. the eN-conVlct'
cives a bit Of eXauisitely finished act
ing. and makes Of his part the most
sympathetic aud polished performance
Of the evening. G. NJ. Tskahash. as