davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-04-13

thetic notice, and that is precisely what
this aspires to be.
There is little enough to criticise IN Mr..
Moses volume; it sutfices to remark That
the work is carefully done, that the plays
are well chosen and the labor of collect
ing biographical and photographed data
is successfully accomplished. This preface
SUNS up briefly the currents of nineteenth
century drama in England and the texts
range from the Tirginius of James Sheri-
dan Knowles to Dunsany's Gods Of the
Mountain. 1t is almost worth while
plouching through the dreary lo"GHenrS
of Rickelieu and London Assurance to
break through finally to the masterpieces
of the past twenty-five or thirty years;
The Importance Of Being Earnest, The
SHrcr Bor and Riders TO the Sea.
Each of the plays is introduced by
compact life of the author with eop'ous
extracts from the chief critics.
There are probably no two critics who
would agree on the selection of plays, and
of course every one has his own ideas as
TO what ought and what ought not to be
included. But it must first be remembered
that in this case Mr.. Moses was not free to
choose precisely what he wanted, and there
will doubtless be those who will blame
him for not including Barrie and Shaw.
I suggest that in the next edition Mr..
Moses insert two pages, the first OF which
reads: CANDIDA. by Bernard Shaw. Here
should follow this excellent play, but
owing to" &C.; the second, "The
Admirable Criehton, by Sir james Barrie
Here should follow" &c. Then hr.
Moses should truthfully state why the
authors have prevented his using their
PLAYS. Mr.. Moses tells US that copyright
difficulties stood in the way; alas, they did!
REPRESENTATIVE BRITISH DRAMAS,
VICTORIAN AND MODERN. Edited,
with an introduction to each play, by
MoNTRosE J. MOSES. Boston: Little,
Brown & Co. "a.
The sun., 1919-04-13
Nv BARRETT H. CLARK.
THE GENTLE WIFE, BY Rita

THE GENTLE WIFE, py MIA
l Wellman, recently produced in New
York city, received high praise from
number of critics, including men of such
divergent points of view as Clayton Ham
ilton and George Jean Nathan, who rarely
agree on the merits Of any play.
1 did not see the production and l am
able to judge the play solely on the basis
of the printed text. A play is written to
be acted, and often the reader loses some
thing Of the effect which the dramatist in
tended. But not very often. We can judge
the basic merits of almost all plays from
the text, and a play that will not bear
reading is usually, though not always, not
worth seeing.
However, in the present case am called
upon to judge The Gentle Wife as
printed play.
The drama is an endeavor to show how
a Gentle woman, married to Jew, comes
to realize the impossibiity Of living with
him. The essential incompatibility of the
pair is demonstrated during long visit
with the husbands relatives. A good
theme and a good idea. In the hands of
Maurice Donnay the situation and the
characters were made significant; lie
Retour de Jerusalem is a masterpiece.
The Gentle WJe is not.
To begin with, it is based upon an i'm
possible hypothesis. We are asked to
believe that a woman who has lived for
three months and been married for three
weeks to a Jew has no suspicion of the
fact that he is Jew. Second, the wife
when confronted with Dayid's family, Of
whom she knew nothing, beholds Potash
and Perlmutter troupe so absurd that she
The sun., 1919-04-13
The Best British Plays
By BARRETT H. CLARK.

OUCH work as Representative British
~ Dramas, Victorian and Modern,
edited by Montrose J. Moses, must surely
be largely labor of love. The scholar,
the editor of texts, the compiler, the re-
search worker in this country has no
academic honors to look forward to, no
decorations 10 which to aspire, and GER
tainly no vast royalties with which to buy
automobiles. The reward that such writer
as Mr.. Moses can hope for, outside the sat
isfaction of having done a good piece Of
work, is perhaps a favorable and sympa-
The sun., 1919-04-13
Dramatic Technique

losophical. l am still sceptical, not of
this work in particular, but of all the
Guides to, Holc to'S, and the rest. | am
not yet sure that the conscious study of
the technique of any art can do more
than increase the number of mediocre
artists, that the great artist will invarl-
ably break your most rigid rule; that the
formula and the convention exist only
upon the sufferance of the man who Will
upset them when he sees fit. The con-
ventions of art, as see them are little
more than the inerustations of time on
the work of the supreme artists. They
are ike the conventions of society: suf
ficient for all practical PURPOSES but
of no consequence when the right person
sets them at naught.
Guide books and analyses are for you
and me. They are substantial and com
Portable aids 70 the underlings, but no
moro.
THE TECHNIQUE OF THE DRAMA. BY
GEORGE PIERCE BAKER. HoughtOn Milflin
Company. 1878.
The sun., 1919-04-13
"The Gentle Wife"

can scarcely grasp the situation. Her
mother-in-law thus addresses David:
"David, 1 suppose / should spank you.
Acr, vat a surprise for us all! To go and
get yourself wife! Veil, we're is shef
Verc is de new Meeses Davisf'
Well. so far as the 'idea" of the play
is concerned, it counts for nothing after
this scene in the first act.
imagine Miss Wellman wished to show
that in the heart of the Jew is an inbred
fidelity toward and love of his family, and
that when it comes TO a choice between
wife and family the family comes first.
The end of the play would seem to indl-
cate this 1t is a defensible thesis and
would make a good play; hut if the dra-
matist,s idea is merely to show us how a
refined Gentle woman rebels at being
forced to associate with a ridiculous and
vulgar lower middle class Hebrew family.
then the play is not worth while.
We are forced to conclude: (1) That
Nadia, the wife, would have known that
David was a Jew; (2) or if she did not,
David would have concealed the fact as
long as possible and never allowed his
family to interfere; (3) or, finally, that
the character of David is not consistent:
Nadia would never have lived with him,
or at least married him, had his inbred
love of the family been so strong.
In other words, in The Gentle Wife we
have the sort of play in which the dra-
matist deems it necessary to load the dice.
Things happen, it seems, as result merely
of the curtains rising and stop when it
falls, and not because they must happen.
Why in Heavens name do so many dra-
matists tamper with tie evidence before
them and manufacture unnecessary n.y.
pothesesf Such play, far from proving
anything, serves only to emphasize the
absurdly abnormal.
Once again 1 am disappointed. 1 had
hoped for an authentic study of the jew
ish temperament. I do not ask for de-
fence of the Jew, or an apology, l want
picture painting and judg-
ment." But when see play in which
the presumably normal Gentle is pitted
against or at least contrasted with the nor
NAL Jew, insist that the characters be
true to life. To demonstrate the ineom-
pat:bility of West End avenue and Har-
lem is to demonstrate nothing.
l am thus moved because 7 had expected
a great deal from this play. 1 believe
Miss Wellman was in earnest / know she
had good idea; am only regretful that
she developed it not according to human
life. but according to what she believed to
be the exigencies of Broadway.
IF Miss Wellman will consent to forget
Broadway and write from her knowledge
Of human beings, am convinced she will
The sun., 1919-04-13

find that Broadway is not so difficult to
assault as she imagined. look forward
to her rext attempt.
THE GENTLE WIFE. BY RITA WELL
MAN. Moffat. Yard & Co. $135.
The sun., 1919-04-13

tnlS space 10 con-
vince you, if | can,
that an unusual
human experience
lies ready to your
hand. Readers of
books become dulled
by the repetitious
call to look here
upon this wonder
full thing and look
there upon. that
marvel of the type
foundry. L KNOW,
because | am one of the
readers. 1t is what may
be called the high fire.
quency drOne of the ad-
vertisers. 1t lulls, itdOes
not shOck-even pleas
antly. How may | con-
vinceyouthat agenuine,
moving experience, as
different as the great
moments of life arefrom
the humdrum of life,
awaits you in a book
just published? Amid
the clam0r of the ads in
this paper, all shouting
to the eye, so to speak,
how should you remember
this, more than any any
other? And yet, if simple
English, simply used, can
convince you, you should not
turn this page without a
feeling of curiosity about the
uovel that is called THE
SECRET CITY. Hugh
Walpole wrote it. He is a
young Englishman at the
very top of his art. THE
SECRET CITY is a tale Of
Petrograd. 1t has just been
published by George II.
Doran Company. tits useless
to amass adjectives about
it. That is easy. The thing
l would like to have you feel
and remember is that here ON
every side of you, in bookshops
throughout the city, is the means
of a new and memorable expe-
rience for every man and woman
who reads. THE SECRET CITY
is not Petrograd. 1t is the dark
forest of the hearts of men"
There is romance in the very
thought that you may or may
not be persuaded by me to open
the door of this strange world
that Walpole creates. Take up
the book and the magic ID
upon you. But will you? Are
you eager for new experiences of
life? do not urge you. say
merely that If you do read THE
SECRET CITY it will blot out
the world you live in for days and
will remain with you as a rich
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

worthy. Teller up in one Of the cot
tages al the sanatorium. All beat un.
something fierce they say"
@Up In WhereTs almost shouted
Barnes. starting up.
The nan explained where the cot
tages were situated.
Seems he was to leave By auto
early this mornin'. and they didn't
know anything was wrong till Joe
Keep-he's driving a car Mr.. Norton
has for rent-till Joe'd been settin' out
in front for nearly half an hour. The
mans wife was waitin' fer him up at
the main buIldin' and she got so tired
waitin' that she sent one Of the clerks
down to see what was keeping her
husband. Well, sir. him and Joe
couldn't wake the feiIer. so they climb
in an open winder. an by gosh, Joe
says Il was terrible. The feller was
layin' on the bed. feet an hands tied
and gagged. and blood from head to
foot. He was Unconscious. Joe says,
an'-my God. how his wife took on !
joe says he couldn't stand II. so he
snook out. shakin' like a leaf"
isis the man deadT" cried
Barnes, aghast.
Nope Seems like it's nothing seri-
Gus: just beat up. that's all. Terrible
cuts on his head and"
"What time did all this happenT
"Doc Smith fggers 1t was long about
midnight, judgin' by the way the blood
co'gulated.'
"Dld they get away with muchl"
Haven't heard. Seems as though
the burglar-must ha' been m0re'n one
of 'em, l say--wasn't satisfied with
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

full Of Joy and enchanfment for
Barnes. He actually debased himself
By wishing that the Rusheraft COM
pany might find It imperative to 90 on
rehearsing for weeks in that dim. en-
ehanted temple.
He sat for hours in one Of the most
uncomfortable seats he had ever
known. devourlng with hungry eyes
the shadowy. interested face so close
to his own-and never tired.
On the afternoon Of the dress re-
hearsal he led her. after an hour OF
almost insuppOrtable repression. to
the rear Of the auditorium. Dropping
luzo the seat beside her he blurted
out. almost In anguish:
II can't stand It any lnger. I can
not be near you without--why. IL
well. II Is more than l can struggle
against. that's all. You've either got
TO send me away altogether or-or-
let me love you without restraint. |
tell you l can't go on as l am now.
You know I love you. don't you? You
know worship you. Don't be fright
ened. / Just had TO tell you today.
should have gone mad If | had tried
ts keep It up any longer" He waited
breathlessly for her to speak. She sat
silent and rigid. looking straight he
fore her. ais 1t hopelessr he went
on at last, huskily. 'Must I ask your
forgiveness for my presumption and
and go away from youl"
She turned to him and laid her hand
upon his arm.
"Am l not like other womenf Why
should I forgive you for loving meG
Doesn't every woman want to be
loved? No, no, my friend Wait !
A moment ago | was so weak and
trembly that | thought I-oh, was
afraid for myself. Now / am quite
calm and sensible. See how well l
have myself in hand? l do not
tremble, | am strong. We may now
discuss ourselves calmly, sensibly.
OH What are you dolngl"
Il too am strong" he whispered. II
am sure OF my ground now, and am
not afraid"
He had ciasped the hand that rest
ed on his sleeve and, as he pressed It
TO his heart. his other arm stole over
her shoulders and drew her close to
his triumphant body For an instant
she resisted, and then relaxed into
complete submission. Her head sank
upon his shoulder.
"Ohr" she sighed, and there was
wonder, Joy-even perplexity, in the
tremul0us sigh of capltulatlon. "Oh,"
came softly from her parted lips again
at the end Of the first long, passionate
kiss.
Continued next Saturday,
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

Nicholas butfed IN at this unf0r-
tunate juncture. lie made the mis-
take OF his life Ugo jumped back into
his room. In less than a second he
was out again. he landed squarely on
Nicholas back as the fellow turned to
escape. ! saw the steel fash. Poor
old Nick went down in a heap, letting
Qua a horrible yell. Ugo dragged him
into the room and dashed back into
bis own. A moment later he came out
again. yelling for help. There was
only one thing left for me to do and
that was to get out on the roof If pos
slble and wait for things to quiet
down. got out through a trap door
and stayed there for an hour or so.
swell, to shorten the story. I final
" took chance and slid down to the
caves where | managed to find the
lluib Of a tree big enough to support
me-iust as If the Lord had ordered ii
put there for my special benefit.
was soon on the ground, and that
meant safety for me. ! had heard Ugo
tell the others that Nicholas said the
man who stabbed him was yours truly.
Can you beat III
sAnd now comes the maddenlng part
Of the whole business. He said that
the crown jewels were gone The thief
was running downstairs when he stag
gered to the door. II we are to find
the crown jewels, my friend, we will
first have 10 find Prince Ugo. He has
them."
Il don't belleve . word Of this
yarn" said Barnes fatty. "You have
the Jewels and"
sI.ook here, Mr.. Barnes, I'm not 60
ing to double-eross you again. That's
all over. | want to get that scurvy
dog who knitted poor old Nick. If you
can give me lead, I'll try to run
Prince Ugo down. And II l do. wen
get the jewels"
ever You amuse me, Sprouse."
swell. / can't do any more than
give my promise. my solemn oath, or
something like that. can't give a
bond. you know. I swear TO You that
n lay hands on that stun. ! win de
liver It to you. Might just as. well
trust me as Ugo."
''elet 10 the ear" said Barnes sud
denly. He had decided to take a
chance with the resourceful, indie
fatigable rascal. There was something
convincing about Sprouse's version OF
the affair at Green Fancy.
Barnes told him that he knew Of
Prince ugo's fight. Sprouse looked
fhoughtful for a long time.
$50 O'Dowd knows that really was
after the swag, ehi He believes got
mr.
Il suppose 50"
'-rhe only one who thinks I'm abso-
iaiely innocent Is Ugo. Of course and
Mrs. Van Dyke. That's good"
spronso smaeked his lips. 1--WE got a
pretty fair idea where can find .Afr.
Loeb. II win take a little tIme-a
couple Of days, perhaps--hut sooner
Or later he'll turn up Ia close prox-
imlty to the beautiful baroness"
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13
Sergeant TastO Gives. Up
Hope Of Early Trip Home

Sergeant Arthur +. TaFto, who is
still over there, writes as follows.
Things in the way of going home do
not look very bright now and from now
on IN not going to say when I'm eopl,,
ing home, as one never knows II seems
that We will have to stay here until
the Third army gets home and yoH
know that will be some time.
Warren Welhofn a Salem hoy, Was
in to see me a few days ago whilo I
was in Paris and SO didn : get TO see
him. / spent three days in Paris 1t is
n wonderful city. The YSM. G. A. is
very active there and they take yon
around and show you the interesting
places. I took the boat trip down The
Seine and passed under "a bridges. =
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

cAAPrER XIX.


4 Trip by Night and : Late Arrival.
shortly after sundown that eve
Ming. the nusleroft company evacu-
ntad Hnrt's Tavern. They were de
iayea BY the Irritating and. to Mr..
Maahcroft. objectionable behavior OF
tuo olIlcious gentlemen. lately arrived.
who insisted politely but firmly on
pfylng into the past present and fu-
lufe history OF the several members Of
the organization, including the new
fsbaeker"
Barnes had devised very clever
plan for getting Miss Cameron away
from the tavern Without attracting IN
due attention. She was to leave In
lone Of the automobiles that he had en-
eAaad 10 convey The players TO
crnwnduic. whore they were 20
s'ahow" In ease OF detention or in.
aalfy, she was 70 pose AZ stage-
struck young woman who had OBJ
talned a place with the company at
ihe last moment through his influence.
when the hour came for the depar-
iafe froln Harris Tavern he deliberate
y engaged The two secret service men
Ia conversation In the laproom. Miss
Hamfron left the house BY the reaT
sioof and Was safely easeonced IN Pc
tef.s automobile long before he shook
hanHs with the "rhl.ealchersr and
dashed out 10 join her. Tommy Gny's
ear. occupied by the four players. was
meflng away from the door as he
npfang In beside her aud slammed the
dHaf.
Peters eifoFta 20 stay behind Tom
zaz|s venerable but surprisingly ener-
Ea|Ie car we're the cause Of mahy a
- ; and sauslaer from the couple who
ea| behind hini IN the bounding car.
IIH had orders 20 keen back of Tommy
II. never 10 Iose slight ef his iall light.
Arr Jon lhefel7 he whispered.
fe& Isnss Il iolls. running away
ne ihIsf + Husl he wonderfully ex.
citing 10 he = srliaiHal. always dodg-
las ana'
I'll Esza iiEaeazins may have
faF.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

crackin' him over the head. He stuck
the point of a knife or something into
him-just little way, Joe says--in
more'n a dozen places. What sayT
81 didn't say anything"
II thought you did. Well, II hear
anything more I'll let you know"
Barnes listened at the door until he
heard the waiter clattering down the
stairway, and then went swiftly down
the hall to No. 30. Mr.. Prosser was
sleeping just as soundly and as re-
soundIngly as al midnight
'By gad" he muttered, half-aloud.
Everything was as clear as day to him
now. Boltlng Into his own room, he
closed the door. and stood stockstill
for many minutes, trying to picture
the scene In the cottage.
He found a letter In his box when
he went downstairs. after stufing the
tin box deep into his pocket. Before
he slit the envelope he knew that
SprOuse was the writer. The message
was brief.
"After due consideration feel that
Il would be mistake for you to aban-
don your present duties at this time
Il might be misunderstood. Stick to
the company until something better
turns up. With this thought in view !
withdraw the two days limit men
toned recently to you, and extend the
time to one week. Yours very truly,
~. II. WILSON"
"Gad, the fellow thinks of every.
thing" said Barnes to himself. "He
Is positively uncanny."
He read between the lines, and saw
there a distinct warning. Il had moi
occurred to him that his plan 10 leave
for New York that day with Miss Cam
eron might be attended by disastrous
results.
But the iewelsY What Of them? He
could not 20 gallIvaating about the
country with half million dollars
worth Of precious stones in his posses
sion.
He spent the early part OF the fore.
noon In wandering nervously about
the hotel--upstalrs aad down. The
jewels were locked In his pack up
stairs. He went up to his room hall
a dozen times and almost instantly
walked down again. after satisfying
himself that the pack had not beer
rlfed.
For the next three days and night:
rehearsals were ii full swing. with
scarcely a moments les-up. And SC
the time crept by. up TO the night Of
the performance. Miss Cameron re
manned In lEnorance Of the close prox
unity OF the jewels. and the police Of
Crowndale remained In even densei
Ignorance as to the whereabouts Of
the man who robbed Dir. Hasselweir
Of an his spare cash and an excellent
gold watch.
No time was LOST BY the countess N
getting word to her eompatriots n
New York. Barnes posted a dozen let
ters for her; each eeniained the It'd
ings Of her safety aad the ASSURANCE
that she wenld soon follow IN person
! s4she,ea 4A=e.. .fsra a.,d ntvtsfz urnrs
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

"Our big dances are n scream. n
Is done by card system. each man
holding one card. with one. fwo.'
or three on It. The " director
blows whistle and you start on
with one In two minutes the whis-
tie blows agai and two steps in
Ito be truthful. madly rushes to
beat the other fellow, for first
come, first served , After another
two minutes. three gets his inning.
and then We rest for two minutes.
Il have a pair Of tan shoes that
plainly show where every hob nail
has been placed"
The f.M-C.A. girls also run open
house on Sunday afternoon. with
plenty OF refreshments and an Or
chestra. Then there IS a huge thea
tre and movies. free 10 all; bill
lard rooms. game rooms and so
eials and all sorts Of evening
amusemenfs. During the day the
men are in the hills on tram rides
or donkey rides.
Yet. In the first quiet moment
the boys begin again on their n
Eoriie tnpic-the wives. sweet
hearts and mothers at home
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

Initl
tain roads. Ten o'clock would find
them at the Grand Palace hotel. none
the worse for wear, provided the al
ways put Il parentheticallyl they lived
to tell the tale The Luggage had
gone ON ahead OF them earlier In the
day.
Soon after ten o'clock they entered
the town OF Crowndale and drew up
before the unattracllye portals OF the
Grand Palace hotel. An arc lamp
swinging above the entrance shed a
pitlless llglu upop the drcary. Godfor-
saken hostelry with the lronlc name.
Miss Cameron vas warmly con
selous Of the thrill that had come Into
her blood when he carried her VI the
stairs IN his powerful arms, disdalnlng
the oirer Of assistance from the sud
denly infatuated Tommy Gray.
"Rehcarsal at eleven sharp" an
nounced RushcrofI. 'Letterperfect,
every one Of you No guessing. by
the way. MIss-er-'non my soul,
don't believe | got yeur name@
sIonrs.~ said the new member,
shamelessly.
Barnes went down to the ilngy
lobby. A single. half-hearted electric
bulb shed It's feeble light on the desk,
IN front Of which stood maa regis
ierlng under the sleepy eye Of the
ulght clerk.
Barnes was turning away when 4
familiar voice assalled him.
NhIrline, he looked into the face Of
man who stood almost a. his elbow
the sharp. impasslve face Of Mr.
Sprouse.
Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-13

But II the Limousine had possessed
a thousand ears they would have been
rendered useless In the stormy racket
made by Peters mutfler aud the thun-
derous roar of the exhaust as the car
got under way.
Sixty miles lay between them and
Crowndale. Tommy Gray guaranteed
that the distance could be covered In
three hours, even over the vile noun