, 1922-12-07
BETTY'S LAST Bet
MADE A real HIT
HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR FARCE COMEDY
PRESENTED To CROWDED and
APPRECIATIVE HOUSE

fh[SLNlEU III GhUHDtD ANU
APPRECIATlVE HOUSE
One theatrical attraction at least
has more than lived up to the fervent
advance reservations of its corps of
high-salaried press agents and that is
"Betty's Last Bet" played Monday
night by an all-star cast recruited
from the Junior class of the High
school to a large and enthusiastic
audience at the Strand. In fact so
excellent vas the rendition of this
three-act farce comedy in every way
[ and during every minute from the
rise to the fall of the curtain that a
large percentage of h audience,
who went expecting to see an average
amateur playlet, would be willing to
admit that the advance agents afore-
said failed to do their whole duty.
There were about 500, boys, girls
and grown-ups. in the audience,
which insured the financial success
of this adventure in histrionics on the
part OF the Junior class, a part of
the game which is always given the
deepest attention by professionals.
If other classes decide during the
winter to venture into theatricals,
lt NV llaS L p'llC'i plo-
priety sit placidly by, serene in the
consciousness that they have set a
high mark and that their rivals will
have to "go some" to equal their
endeavors.
"Betty's Last Bet" is, as freely ad-
mitted. merely a farce comedy, but
It is well written, with plenty of pep
md action and plenty OF opportunity
for expression of the emotions, most
ly In this case of a gleeful sort, al
though tragedy lurked in the back
ground when some of the numerous
love affairs seemed sure to go wrong.
For the benefit of the few who
missed this delightful entertainment
the story OF how Betty Darling's PEN
chant for betting got a whole family
INTO a matrimonial tangle which fin
ally proved "All's Well That Ends
Well" after the heroine had lost, Cor
did she win?) her last and most mo-
mentous bet, is about as follows:
Mrs. Darling (Maude Street, finds
herself n widow with four beautiful
daughters rapidly approaching a
manageable age but marooned in a
"hick" town where husband timber
Is scarce and of poor quality. OF
the daughters. Katherine (Beatrice
Cross). Margaret (Mae McNeil)
Dorothy (Miriam Draper). are pin
ing away at home, each nursing a
secret romance, while Elizabeth
I CLeonta Bunten). who is named aft
err n rich aunt, is attending a fash
ionable boarding school in Moo Yawk.
These girls are. of course, nicknamed
and are known respectively AS Kitty,
Peggy. Dolly and Betty.
Everything is moving along in the
usual p~rosaic way in the Darling
household when mother receives
some letters. one from Edgar Darl-
ing emma Johnson, n student of
r archaeology, who is about to depart
for Greece, or maybe Turkey. to at
tend to some neglected digging. and
who says he will drop in and see his
q auntie and cousins and say goodbye,
y this abrupt news leaving mother and
her extremely efficient m~aid-of-all-
, work, Hannah mildred Kuyken.
: dall), completely fla~bbergasted.
: Well. Betty soon breeZes in and
Is received with open arms by her
sisters and with a rather frosty stare
by her mother. She is all dolled NJ
in expensive regalia and gradually
. the sad story of her expulsion from
a ! school because OF some freak bet,
and their disastrous outcome Is told
q to the family. Mother declares hel
a ultimatum. which Is mo more bet
ting" and then action begins IL
earnest in the Darling household.
First Jack Van Loon (Edwart
, QUINN. a big town product who DO
accidentally met and
Betty when she We ..IrfeNta
for speedir~ nailed into coui
y fore - near New YORK list b,
Nj ICING sent home, hobs up une,
pectedly on an auto tour, and seein
Betty. decides to remain for a tim
: and take charge. which he does /
r mastery fashion. In order to do thi
" satisfactorily he is obliged to i'm
personat6 the cousin. Edgar. who's
arrival Is expected any day. Fror
n Betty Mr.. Van Loon hears the awfu
l. story OF poverty. living in a cross
roads town. four girls, no suitabl
fellows and a drab prospect gen
orally.
nj Then the big bet is made, the on
around which the play IL written
The phony Edgar bets Betty thro
kisses th..., he will find suitors an,
-. --qel
her lovelorn sisters. Bortr
I. being a mental rcseryato,
, On u part OF the volunteer mlt.h
: maker The real Edgar turns nm IN
II time aud Is shooed away sevnnrni
Tunes by tb" resourceful Jack who
" buster than a Cranberry mercbant
rounding up and guiding his Intend
en victims. determined to win thai
bet Mt all hazards. wa"
one by n they drop in. accident
any or on purpose, and ono nv ono
l tHey are COnfronfad h,, tL