Evening star., 1925-11-23
ETRTo< UoLMES-"FIorence.' =

BURTON HOLMES-"FIorence.'
There was the warmth of personal
friendship in the welcome accorded
Burton Holmes yesterday afternoon
and evening. - he appeared at the
National Theater to open his thirty
third season with n series of five
travelugueS, beginning with ms orlSl-
nal presentation. Seeing Florence,
Crossing from New Nork-a pic
tureSgue but somewhat bumpy Noy-
age-pause was made at the port of
Genoa Ia Supurha Tor a call on CHRIS
tOpher Columbus whose alert and al
most vibrant figure UverlcokS the
port ana waters beyond. and to
glimpse the mariners hoyhood home
nearby. The glory OF the rock heWn
city is Sketchcd in a lev colorful nm
presSiouiStir scenes. closing with u
visit 10 its astonishing cemetery on
the heights where palatial marble
houses life size sculptured figures
duplicatinG distinguished sleepers be
meath the snowy floors, and in many
instances enact in stone the last
scenes uf death. These great works III
glorious Carrara Interested the lee.
turrr into visiting the quarrIes III the
Apuau AlpS-mountains OF SNOW
White mHrhle-ro which was ADDED Il
motion picture understandings Of how
4 motor trIp 10 Florence gave open
ir,- revelation of her scenic charm
with views Of parks and sylvan Nlstas
Followed by preliminary panoramic
study of the Tuscan capital from her
towers. where the chief sights OF the
CITY We're located sharing one aerial
viewpoint with the memory OF where
Calico once looked down ana gslZeH.
I'm identifying other supreme features
.t-.s Il ~. II
tie Flureutlne ca hcdral, the pertec-
iIou of centuries Of labor. and the
nearby campauile. by tIoJto THE
loveliest uf towers the Rapt&trN,
with its worId-famous doors of
hrouZe-thr house Of bant"-jhe
wouder-LolIa. where paSsershy On
the street could com" i'm touch with
the master works Of MichelanGelo and
Benyeuuto Cclllui.
4 visit ,o the PalaZZo Neccnio
showed the aerial prison III iavonarola
ana Ii brOuI" tahlc+ ON the opposite
corner covers the spot where the great
pomniean'S body was burned, after
death hy hanging. There are panO-
rIu.c views Of the outer aspects Of
great gal'eries-thc palace of the
stryZZi and the feudal-Hke pile that
Pitt built. People in piaZaS ANA
market places We're shown in their
everyday phases of life. and following
q motion visit to the military eNer-
clSaS Of lot OF young men APP
naremtly made of rubber there was
group Of scenes depicting Roman
ruins mn unexpected oriental museum
many palaces rising from palms and
Gay flowers. now the homes of world
guests. several of them Americans.
and = last glimpse of the Aruo seen
AZ sunset, by moonlight and at dawn.
ELANCO-"Dancing Mothers"
Polished and revised" for its run
in New York. Edgar SeIwyn'S four-act
play. dancing Mothers" returned
again last night To the scene Of its
premiere. the Belasco.
1t has undergone many minor
changes and one great one. New
faces are in the east. New lines have
been introduced. The theme remains
The same but not the climax. And
Mary Young and John Halliday, To
whom much of its success since its
FIRST showing at the Belasco, April
- 1924. is attributed, are still with 1t.
They are its redeemng feature.
The play is perhaps good drama
II has satire, contrast. coordination
and runs smoothly. 1t is the story Of
neglected mother, who seeks to
open the eyes OF a philandering
father and tlapper daughter by super
Seding her daughter as the dancing
and laughing adored Of Il sheikish
bachelor. So far the play remains the
same.
1t is the ending which has been
changed. Originally, il memory serves
Alright. the audience was left con
WINGED that the mothcr-logically
enough. since She has been subject
ing herself to sacrifices for 20 years
gives up the reaWakened love she has
discovered for this man and devotes
the remainder of her life to her family.
In he ending now evolved, she leaves
-in anci-cIimactic fashton-for a trip
for Europe in company with another
Dancing Mother" to travel on the
same ship as the bachelor sheik. 1t
is sad and deplcrable suggestion.
Originally. the play taught lesson
through the employment of satire.
But the lesson was orthodox. 1t was
the happy ending. 1t also was
logical. Now, the play leaves one
guessing Where one went away with
Il wonderful picture Of womanhood in
1924 idealizing the mother whose
character leads her to a stia greater
sacrifice than hefore-today one goes
away detected and far from pleased
Dancing Mothers has been modern
f,o,1 : "a hpS- office