THE COURIER.
!
:the passing show:
L
W I LLA GATHER
mo
Wo huvo had tho plenHuro of hearing
that romurknblo young mini, Willy
JJrumcfltor, on hie third Antorican up
ponraneo. A nnrvol of toehniquo, that
btondo follow. Ono wondorB whou nnd
how in hiH short lifctimo ho hiiB found
timo to master tho rceourceB of tho vio
lin bo thoroughly, how ho hoB uttnined
that unitizing certainty of execution and
nccompliehod his astonishing pyrotenh
nicnl olTocte. His technique is little
Bhor, of miraculous, and his tingora
aooiii to accomplish tho impossible.
Such prodigiouB octaves, such liquid
bcuIob, such dazzling harmonics, such
furious and defiant bowing. His method
of attack is almost brutnl. Hois not a
poetic virtuoso., His playing is almost
ontiroly a matter of strength, ondurance
and digital agility, aB Sioveking's too
ofton was, and who will dony that both
of theso brilliant executants lack torn
pcramont? I Bee that Mr. Goodwin's first elabor
ate venture in serious drama is being
treated in Now York with tho considera
tion which it deserves. Everyone is
familiar with the schoolboys' hero,
Nathan Hale, nnd everyone is familiar
with Clydo Fitcb, the dramatist who
wroto "Beau Brummel" when be was
twonty. "Nathan Hale," aB presented
by Mr. Goodwin, 1b a splendidly staged
production; it deserves to, and doubtless
will, succeed. As to the play itself.
"Nathan Hale," like all Clyde Fitch's
later works "Do Grammont "'and "The
Moth and tho Flame," it l.us brilliant
moment?, Hashes of dramatis intensity
almost, but not quite, great enough to
redeem tho whole play. It is full of
good material, clumsily utilized. The
first two acts are poorly constructed and
wasteful in timo and opportunity, con
tributing littlo to the eeriouB motif of
tho piece. Tho first act h laid in tho
Bchoolroom at New London, where
"Nathan Hale" Mr. Goodwin is mak
ing love to hiB oldest pupil, imperson
ated by Maxino Elliott and she is "the
biggest girl" iu very truth, bb heavenly
fair aB ever but grown amazingly
matronly and rather elephantine in the
kittenish pranks of a school girl. Jut
what a lover he is, that impudent come
dian, Mr. Nat C. Goodwin, how tine
and tender, and how incongruously deli
catefor Goodwin, We used to catch
glimpses of it in "The Gilded Fool" and
"An Amorican Citizen," but as this
New England schoolmaster he is a Ro
meo indeed. He keop9 Miss Elliott in
for Bomo imaginary offense when his
other pupilB go out at recess and tells
her, "I wish life were ono long recess,
thut I might koep you in forever." And
sho seemed to think that would bo
rather nice. He catches her arms across
the school desk and murmurs, "My lovo
for you has all the kisses the stare havo
giren the sky since night was mado."
There is eomothiDg as spontaneous
about Goodwin's lovemaking as about
hie humor. Tonderuess, not of the over
dono, Btagoy sort, but quiet and manly,
EoomB to bo a part of him, and this
rakiBh comedian has kopt it strangely
sweet and fresh and ingenuous through
all these riotous years. This pretty
lovo scene is intorruptod by tho tidings
of tho battle of Lexington, Halo an
nounces his determination to enlist and
the act closes.
In tho second act. Hale, at a council of
revolutionary oflicers held at a colonipl
mansion at Harlem Heights, offers to go
into tho British linos and secure tho
plans, bo necessary to the buccgob of tho
Continental army. Miss Elliott, in a
somewhat Btagoy Bcene, played moat
artificially, urges him to rnnounco his
purpose and tolls him that if ho goes, it
will bo at tho cost of hor love.
Tho third act finds Halo in a tavern
occupied by British officers. No soonor
doos the Continental spy ontor, than
tho Britishers obligingly begin to un
fold tboir plane, ono of tho many weak
points which tho dramatist has per
mitted. Halo is dotocted by ono of tho
ofllcors who has Been him in tho school
houso at Now London, and his sweet
heart is sent for that bIio may rcccg"izo
and botray him. She, however, ifl
wamed by the woman who koopo tho
tavern, and Miss Elliott urrivcB at a
highly dramatic moment, denying all
knowledge of Halo and demanding to
boo her lovor, whom she has boon told
lies there wounded. The critical mo
mont Boems safely tided ovor, when
Halo's old negro servant rushes in and
by hiB blubbering affection betrays hia
master to a spy's death. ThiB pitiful be
trayal, by a blundering, well moaning
old eervaot, after all Mies Elliott's forti
tude Ib excellent in its dramatic effect,
and Ib a thoroughly legitimate and ar
tistic device.
In the first scene of the fourth act
Halo, closely guarded in his tent, loarnB
from hiB sweetheart's brother that his
work has savod the Continental army
and inspired every youth iu the land to
deods of glory and patriotism, and that
hia sacrifice haB not been in vain. -MisB
Elliott outers for a scene of farewell in
which not a word is spoken; only a wo
man's anguish ard a woman's tears.
Anguish, alap, which fails to convince
tears which never fall. In the hands'
of a great actress, oven of a truly emo
tional aptreep, it would be a moving
scene. Mies Elliott tried very hard, but
she failed utterly. Sho struggled with
all her physical strength to break
through that icy loveliness of hers, to
make that star like beauty for a mo
ment human and impassioned. She
was neither indifferent nor cheap, only
helplesB.
The tragic ending of tho piece is a
daring and tnastorful stroke of art. Tho
last scone of the play is tho best; bo
good, indeed, that I fear me it will never
bo popular. It takes placo in an applo
orchard, a beautiful scene painted by
Ernest Albert. It is ono of the few in
stances I recall of Bontimont in scocic
offect. Tho dawn brightoris from gray
to red through the leafy apple branches
from one guarded bough the hangman's
rope Bwings in tho rising wind of morn
ing. The sco do opens in silence, with
out a figure on the stage, :ho suggestion
of the rope baa human interest enough
to carry this unconventional treatment.
As the east flushes rose, the birds begin
to sing; then tho sunrise floods the
world with glory and hope, and the
death knell drowns the matin of the
birds. Hales' old pupils steal silently in
and crouch down on the grass under
the apple tree to sco their master die.
The condemned man is led in and takes
his stand under tho gallows tree in tho
young morning. When nBked if he has
anything to Bay. ho lifts his faco to the
Biiurise, and seeming with ono glance to
see all tho glorious strifo with men that
ho will never enter, all tho deeds of
manhood undone, all tboyouth quenched
in a night, ho spoaks his only linos in
that gruesome eccno:
"I regret that I have only ono life to
lose for my country." Tho curtain falls
slowly.
In such a character as this, Mr. Good
win labors under obvious physical dis
advantages. Nathan Hale was but one-and-twenty
when ho died, was a famous
atblote and the handsomest youth in all
tho colonies. Now Mr. Goodwin huB
said a long and sad farewell to forty,
and his "cheok is but a map of days out
worn" at that. But for all that, ho do.
serves hearty commendation for the sin
cerity and good tasto which be displays
in tho part throughout. While Nathan
Hale is by no means Mr. Goodwin's best
impersonation, it demonstrates boyond
question hia power of solf restraint and
a marked ability for serious drama.
Ability, but ecarcoly aptitude, I think.
When I saw him in this drama it did
not occur to me, as it so ofton hap whon
I havo Been him play "Tho Gilded
Fool" or "An American Citizen," that
no other actor could play tho part quite
so woll. Ho played the dramatist's
character as it was written, nnd played
it vigorously and well, but 1 missed tho
strong personal noto which has given
him tho high placo ho holds in his pro
fession. After all, tho best thing ubout
Goodwin is Goodwin, and ho will havo
to go a long way to find anything hot
ter. Ho may mako of himself a serious
actor if ho will, I do not deny it, but I
Bay that God mado him n comedian.
Miss Maximo Elliott steadily improves
as an actress, and yet I almost wish she
would be content just to bo beautifu1.
I remember that them was a timo when
I took a very haughty attitude toward
tho boauty of professional women and
considered it an indox of insipidity.
But I am beginning to find out how lit
tle of it there is in the world, and I take
humbly and gratefully all that comes my
way and I no longer scorn Julia Mar
lowe because sho is so passing fair.
But I am dodging the queston. It iB
necessary to forget Miss Elliott's oyes
for a moment and to say thai "Nathan
Hale" was written for her rather than
for her husband, that she plays the lead
ing part and that she is unequal to it.
I have seen her do somo highly credita
ble acting, but sho does not do it in
"Nathan Hale." In her lighter moments
she is heavy and almost graceless, and in
her emotional climaxes she is as hard as
iron, displaying again and again a crude
ness and self consciousness almost
amateurish. I can only account for this
latter fact by judging that she realizes
that that part is too girlish for her and
fools ill at ease in it. Her lovo scenes
are thoroughly cold even whon they aro
moBt emotional; there is no warmth in
her caresses and no grief in hor tears. It
is a portrayal of frozen passions from
end to end. Miss Elliott is a most
tasteful and picturesque leading woman;
sho is not and never will be a convincing
romantic actrers.
It is unfortunate that for his first ox
tensive effort in serious drama, Mr.
Goodwin should have so uneven a play,
and it is more than unfortunate that
Clyde Fitch, who wrote a great play at
twenty, should never have been able to
repeat himvelf: "And too soon marred
are those too early made."
Pittsbuho, Pa.
ooeMm000MMOMMMHMMM
BOSTON AND ITSELF.
An anonymous Boston correspondent
writes of a postal card to tho artificer
of the "Busy World" department:
You eeem to havo very correct in
stincts, I cannot but notice bow import
ant a part of "thia busy world" Boston
is to you.
There are Hvo cities in tho country
(including Brooklyn) which havo more
people in thorn than Boston has, and an
other (Baltimore) hns almost as many,
but there is no city, not even Now York
which has so many Boston peoplo in it
It must bo that which makes Boston
Bo irrepros?ibly important. Out of hjr
population of hair a million thoro must
bo nearly 400,000 Boston pooplo, the ma
jority of whom sing prniBos to Hoavon
night and morning that thoy aro not as
other folkB are, and that thoy Jive in
Boston, conveniently grouped to sot an
examplo to the world. Quality counts
for a groat deal, and Boston abounds in
quality. It iB a handsome, lively, Belf
conceitod town which takes itsolf
seriously.-E. S. Martin, in Harpor'B
Weekly,
L-BBS-
LOUISA h ItlCKETTS.
Seward, Jan., 18, '0.9.
Editor Club Department:
I send you this morning a few lines,
bearing upon tho proposed bill which is
to be introduced in our legislature for
aid in supporting tho scheme of estab
lishing travelling libraries throughout
our state. Anythirg you can add by
way of emphasising the importance of
this action, will bo productive of good.
Tho Stato Federation of Womonu'
clubs has bocome a most potent factor
in all social and educational movements
of tho day. This !b the direct result of
tho earnest and faithful efforts to give
to women tho broadest training and the
best preparation to fit them for what
ever duty life may bring. Who can
doubt tho benefits that must result from
the united and harmonious action of
thousands of earnest and devoted wom
en who aro pursuing similar courses of
study along tho various lines of educa
tional and philanthropic work? It
moans that this progressive Woman's
Century is but tho beginning of better
things. It means, that tho intent and
purpose iB "not to demand success but
to deserve it." At the present time,
our attention is especially directed
toward the effort which is being made
to secure an appropriation from tho
Stato legislature, to aid in establishing
"travelling libraries." This system has
been so successfully operated in other
states, and has proven such a benefac
tion to the great mass of people who
live distant from educational centers,
that we would urge upon our represen
tatives the necessity of immediate and
favorable action. This we would ask
in behalf of the vast numbers who live
within the borders of our fair state, and
who aro deprived of the bonefits and
pleasure to be derived from having the
best of books as a means for self im
provement. Ignorance is at best a
most extravagant and wasteful condi
tion, and in .view of the economic in
terests which all havo at heart in legis
lative action, this must appeal to every
thoughtrul mind. By placing this sys
tem of "travelling libraries" upon a Bare
financial basis our legislative body will
take one of the moat forward steps of
our boasted nineteenth century.
Elizabeth O. Lanoworthy,
President, N. F. W. C.
Subscribe for Tub Goirie l a year
Tho North Bend Woman's club met
in regular session Saturday, January 14
Mrs. Bessie Roberts kindly furnished a
very affecting vocal solo, for the open
ing. Roll call responded to by quota
tions on broad. Subjects before the
club today were Household Economics
and Child Study. Mrs. Dowling intro-'
duced tho subject with an interesting
article on Broad. Mrs. Hiett's "Bread
of other Countries" was very entertain
ing and instructive, showing that bread
is tho staff of life everywhere, though
some writers aro now trying to persuade
us that it is tho Btaff or death. Mrs.
Maudo Sherman gave many good prac
tical receipts for Band wiches, after which
wo had eamploB of plain and fancy sand
wiches which had boon daintily and
tastefully arranged on tho table. They
wore thoroughly enjoyed by all present.
Mrs. Wolf gave us directiona for making
d.fforont kinds or broad; as sho is a well
known good cook, they can bo depended
upon. Then followed a general discus
Bion and talk about making and baking
allkirdsof bread. Many thought the
whole wheat flour 'made in our home
null preferable to graham flour. A
C)TBtZ kindeWn work from ono
or Hn, BHubeth Harrison's books read
by Mrs. Eiglor was enjoyed by all. An
impromptu talk on "Unnecessary disap-
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