The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1916-02-12
1HEDA BARA, AS
"VAN|A" IN
1.-THE SERPENT
Again Shines in Vampire
Role.
Play Deah With Russian
Serfs Beautiful Daughter,
Who, Trod Beneath Heel
of a Duke, Bares Her
Fangs at Mankind.

ANAH la ~ ah 1ubud DdTa
is the beautiful daughter of q
Russian serf. She lives with her
parents in a small cottage close
TO the vast estates Of the Grand
Duke ValOnoff. ValonOff, despite
his title, is nothing more than a
wealthy libertine. His one re
deeming quality is the love he
feels for his son, Prince VaIonoff.
The Grand Duke has practically
forgotten the existence of Ivan
Lazar, until one day when he
bluuders on the Lazar cottage
after he and his followers have
lost their way during a Wild boar
hunt.
The Grand Duke sees for the
first time Vania, who is In love
with Audrey SobI, a young pea
SAINT. Valonoff is enraptured
with her charms and decides that
he will see her again. To fur
ther his purpose he leaves his
gold cigarette case in the serf's
cottage when taking his depar-
ture. The case is found by Ivan,
who, fearing that he will be ac
cused of theft sends Vania to re
turn 1t to it's owner.
The Grand Dukes plans have
worked as he expected. He
greets Vania joyously and makes
ardent love TO her. Following
her seduction, he maintains her
in style and lavishes upon her
every gewRaw that her heart de
slres. The sudden change in sta
ton IS almost beyond the compre
hension of the daughter of the
poverty stricken serf. And yet
she likes her new life. 1t is SO
different from anything she has
known.
Valonoff, ultimately firing Of
Vania, makes no effort to conceal
the fact that his infatuatioD b as
waned. Despite her pleadings,
he casts Vania off, and devotes
bis attention to some new
charmer. 1t is che turning point
in Vania's life. That she ever
would be separated from the
Grand Duke has never been con
ceivable to her. She analyzes
the cause Of her plight, and she
resolves the cause into one word
Vania argues to herself that
the most poisonous serpent is
comparatively harmless unless
molested; trod on, it strikes.
She reasons that she has been
trod on, ground beneath the
heel of Man, and she, too, deter.
mines to bare her fangs. Her
prey is to be all men, not one
Her beauty enables her to come
within easy striking distance of
her victims. And her venom is
potent.
Vania arrives in Paris. The {
war Is 10 progress As she watches
,ne of the long lines Of wounded
soldiers pass by she notices a face
which awakens memories. She
makes inquiry and discovers that
he wounded officer is Prince Va.
onoff, son of-the Grand Duke.
She helps nurse him back to
lealth, and he, too, falls victim
% her charms. ~
Shortly after their marriage !.
he Grand Duke, who IS ignorant
hat the Prince is wed, sends
yord that he IL coming to visit
lis beloved and only son. The =
Prince is called away before his
ather's arrival. Vania greets
be Grand Duke, who does not
ecOgnize her. He makes love to =
ler after she has lured him on.
he Prince returns at the ap y
'olnted hour, known to Vania, 2
nd, finding his wife clasped In
he arms of bis own father, COM b
,its suicide. The last drop of p
enom from 1.-THE Serpent's' q
angs has found, its mark. t
Elks' Theatre, Tuesday, Feb. 10. 3