The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-08
Nez0s and Comment

In the Contributors Club section of the At
lantic Monthly, which is the one human touch
which leavens that acme Of mental responsibility,
writer conhdes that the most literate
people have a snealing fondness for bad English,
and like to slip into it as they do into old
clothes
THE trouble is" he writes, that one is liable
to say such things done it. and seen it. in
the presence OF a guest who, one supposes, is a
sympathetic spirit: only to spend the following
week wondering whether the guest really did
understand that one knew better"
1t recalls an incident Of the wife OF a certain
normal school president, newly arrived, who was
the guest of honor at a formal dinner given by
the faculty and regents and jokingIy used the
expression: mo thanks I've ct hearty" She
conhded in tears to a friend the following day,
that nobody laughed.
OF course IL one lacks the courage to be
frankly ilnterate, when desired it is always pos
sible to pursue the straight and narrow path Of
rhetorical propriety and be unpopular.
To amateur Thespians is always presented the
difficult choice Of scoring an easy triumph in a
pleasantly worthless farce comedy, or Of at
tempting ambitious production and doing the
best that they can with 1t.
Whether is it better to win cheap ecomiums
with "Charleys Aunt" or hitch your wagon to
star and tackle Hamlet?
The Sacred Heart Academy Players have chos-
en- the difficult partial credit to them for it
and have undertaken to present Muton's
"Comus at the Crpheum next week, as their an
nual production.
To the best of recollection "Comus" has
never been presented in America, at least in
the memory Of the present generation Of theater-
goers. 1t is a masque and not drama, and a
relic Of the days when the Elizabethan drama
ha6 tod hot
ashamed either to attend or participate in It, The
masque was designed to permit them to do this
"Comus" is one of the most famous of all
Mosques, and the Academy Players have tackled
it on a most ambitious scale, with special New
York scenic artists imported costumes, and
more than six months drilling by their indie
fatigable teacher, Rev. Patrick Ramsbottom.
Their courage is deserving OF a real triumph
and If the very worst happens the total loss
will be two Thrift Stamps. In any event it ii
better to watch amateurs fail gloriously at
"Comus" than to see them strut through a ma
chine made comedy after half g. dozen rehear-
sails. And we have a feeling that they won't
fail.
Get out your old volume Of 1.-THE Three Muske-
teers" and read that stirring tale over again
tomorrow, and you will think you are reading the
days war news
Instead of Pershing and Foch and Haig you
will be reading about DArtagnan, Parthos, Athos
and Aramis, but the terrain will be familiar.
These gallant heroes fought through Arniens, and
Armentieres, Lens Bethune Arras and Bapaume.
D'Artagnan on his trip to London to save the
reputation Of Queen Anne, stopped at Chantilly
and Beauvais, the latter village being in the
present war zone. Amiens was his next stop.
These gallant adventurers rode over the same
roads the Allies using now for their supplies
and artillery.
And the spirit Of DArtagnan is still alive. I'm
der the blue uniform OF many q gallant Poilu
or under the English and American khaki, beats
many heart just as stout as that Of Dumas
famous hero.
THE Three Musketeers" have merely changed
their names to Sammy, Tommy and jacques. The
names may be less romantic, but their deeds are
not less heroic