South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-15

NEW YORK. Dec. Whatever
one may think OF Roads Of Des-
tiny" the latest production from
the pen Of Charming Pollock, It
must be said at once that this weird
melOdrama affords TO Florence Reed
a great opportunity to convince
Broadway that she Is n versatile
and accomplished emotional actress.
II is announced on the program
that Roads 20 Destiny" was "sug-
gested" 70 Mr.. Pollock by o. Henry's
story OF the same title. There IS lack
ing from the play. however that hn-
ished craftsmanship which is so in
separately associated with the name
OF O. Henry Not that the play is
any more crude than the average
melodrama. II simply fails 20
measure up 20 as high n dramatic
standard as Il would have TO attain
10 De comparable with the original
story
Nevertheless. Roads OF Destiny"
IS an entertaining play, with plenty
OF thrills and II is presented by a
we'll balanced cast Of real actors and
actresses whose individual excel
lencies serve 20 add 20 rather than
detract from the powerful interpre-
tatiOn which Miss Reed gives 10 the
role or the heroine.
The story opens IN the "parlor"
OF Nebraska farmhouse. Lewis
Marsh. a tall. ungainly farmer. is
about 20 commit suicide because the
girl he loves favors his handsOmer,
more gifted brother The brother
divines Lewis intention and takes
away the pistol which was 10 have
been the weapon OF death. Left alone
on a darkened stage the brother
has a vision IN which the voice of
Fate answers his challenge that he
viii run his own life I'm defiance Of
whatever may be written 90 his ac-
counts In the books Of estiny. Fate
tells him that the pistol he has
taken from his brother viii bring
death 20 some one who loves him,
and that only over the dead body
or this adnirer viii love come to
him.
Introduced by this prologue. David
Marsh appears I'm the FIRST act as the
central figure In "a rough Eroup Of
Alaska miners frcirhters and "un
horn" gamblers His sweetheart Of
Nebraska days with her father. has
accompanied him 20 the Alaska
mines. and he is deeply loved hy
Rose LeClaire. who turns roulette
wheel I'm the resort OF Spider
Lewis ON the eve OF his departure
for The states Rose fixes spiders
trick wheel So, that David wins q
large stake. Then she confesses 90
the young man that she loves him.
and heseeches him to take her with
him Tie remains true n his OLD
sweetheart and spider overhears
one Of the scenes hstween David and
Rose David has taken with him the
little DearI handled pistol which DE
had seized from his brother. This IS
lost I'm Spiders saloon and with 30
The gambler kills the girl who loved
David leaving the boy free 90 win
his own true sweetheart Horror
stricken David SAYS why didn't
take the road % the East, when
1eft home2 To the East where
thinrs like this cannot happen %
In the second act we see what
would have happened had David
taken the road 90 tae East. In place
~ the rough minors saloon the
scene is laid in a Long Island man
sion the summer place OF Crantland
Lewis. David has iust perfected
wonderful invention financed by
Lewis and LITTLE dinner is oeing
given 20 celebrate the siening Of a
manufacturing contract But David.
whose true sweetheart again is in
the picture is loved by a society
version az The gamblers girl appear
inc this time as Rosetta Clare. To
develops that Lewis loves Rosetta
and BECAUSE she refuses 90 yield 20
him ne viii not permit the manu-