Life — November 8, 1888 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- LIFE: MR. BARNES. HE successful dramatization of a successful novel is an unusual occurrence. The experiment is often made, and the re- sult is usually failure. For the author of a successful novel suc- cessfully to dramatize his own plot is even more unusual, Mr. Gunter, the author of “Mr. Barnes, of New York,” has achieved this rare dis- tinction. The book is not a very serious production, and will never become a classic, but it was written in entertaining vein, and had a popular success. The play does not imperil Shakespeare's laurels, but it is thoroughly interesting and amusing. The action is lively, and the spectator is not allowed to lose interest in the story for an instant. It is simply the telling of the story with the accessories of scenery and costume. To the spectator all this seems very easy, and he is apt to think that he could have done the same thing himself without much trouble. The process is not so easy as it looks, though, and Mr. Gunter’s work has been well done. People who have read the book will, however, be disap- pointed in one thing: Afr. Barnes is not made the promi- nent character that was to have been anticipated from his importance in the story. More than this, the actor who plays the part seems to have failed utterly in catching the idea of the character as it is present to most minds. The Afr, Barnes of the story possessed a distinct and strongly marked individuality; the Afr. Barnes of the play is a negative character wholly lacking in strength. The rest of the cast is excellent. Miss Emily Rigl—than whom few more graceful or attractive actresses ever appear on the New York stage—is thoroughly at home in the part of the Corsican girl. She looks it and acts it. The stage mounting is well done, particularly the out- door scenes, in which the artist manages to reproduce al- most the very atmosphere of the Mediterranean. If an author deserves gratitude for the pleasure he affords, Mr. Gunter should be thanked twice—first for the subjective amusement enjoyed in reading his story, and next for the objective amusement of listening to the story in its dramatic form. Ge ELD BY THE ENEMY” is on the Metropolitan stage again, this time at Palmer’s Theatre. It seems to be held by its friends in high esteem, to judge by its popularity. It is a thoroughly American play, and it is encouraging to see an American play by an American author meet with such pronounced and continued success. Metcalfe. A SUCCESS FROM FAILURES. WOULD hardly want to say that marriage is a fail- remarked the Chicago lawyer, in measured “but if I let my feet be guided by the lamp of the past, I cannot help stating that, in my experience, divorce is a decided succe: And, bowing the inquirer out, he x3 turned to the next heart-broken client. A JOURNEY AHEAD. CAE (to Bobby whose little sister died the night before): And so your little sister is dead, Bobby ? Bossy: Yes, ma‘am. CALLER: And already in Heaven? Boney: Oh, no; she doesn't start till to-morrow after- noon at two o'clock. Miss Vieillefille (impressed by the Captain): AND WHAT bID THE CAPTAIN TEACH YOU AT SUNDAY-SCIIOOL, Toms, DEAR? Tommy: THAT Gop MADE US ALL; BUT T satp I GUESSED HE DIDN'T MAKE YOU, BECAUSE I KNEW YOU HAD BOUGHT A Goop DEAL OF YOURSELF DOWN-TowN, comicbooks.com