Show MODERJL MArP9tiAN g3 I Unfavorable Comparison of the Character of the Stage The other night a man went to tho theater who had not been there for years and he couldnt make it out First of all he missed the simple village youth the virtuous hero who was wont to take tho first prize at tho Horticultural society so-ciety or else win the guerdon at quoits or something or other in the rustic revels But worst of all he missed the dear old fashioned villain and although this play had a tremendous villain in it our friend was not impressed with him a bit He sighs thus I came away again sadly disappointed disap-pointed The play was not what I expected ex-pected I shall go no more to the playhouse play-house The palmy days of the drama are over The theater has fallen into the sere and yellow fifth act and there is no health in it The theater has followed the path of literature and tho good old things are I changed I beheld a lot of swell people in evening dress on the stage They spoke quietly to one another very much as people do off the stage and in very much tho same sort of language This is not what I i want when I go to the theater What is tho theatrical villain of today to-day Is he a real good old fashioned ruffian Does he ever drag a helpless maiden from the domiciliary roof of her ancestors by the hair No sir I Does he ever say to the hero Say one word and thou art food for the wolves Does he ever grab the heroine by the wrist drag her down the stage in three long strides slam her down in a big chair bend over her and whisper fiendishly Sdeath maiden but by my soul I love theel I Thou shalt be mine Yield or by heaven Thats all I know of that speech because by heaven Ill is the cue for ho maiden to spring up and throwing the 12 stone villain half way across the stage to say Unhand me ruffian And know that rather than mate with such as thou Id cast myself from yonder yon-der battlement into the foaming flood beneath I And does the villain then say Now by heaven I like thy spirit I love thee all the more for it And does the maiden say Merciful powers protect me I And does the door open and the hero rush in armed with a good blunt broad sword And then do he and tho villain fence up and down the stage sixes eights shoulder blows cut and thrust Oh no These things have given way to swallowtailed coats and high collars and the villain is now as big a swell as any fellow in the show Oh for the good old palmy days of the drama when the broadsword ruled and there was gore I The modern drama is too much like ice cream after a heavy dinner cold and unsatisfying Pearsons Weekly |