RASTER AND MAN.

Evening Star, Issue 8613, 5 September 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

RASTER AND MAN.

As tbe recent straggle between capital and labor is still fresh in the minds of moat people, the initial production of Mr Bland Holt’s dramatic season bos some extremely interesting phases. One scene in particular is an absolute representation of the revolt of the working man against what he considers the inj astioe of his employers ; and physical force is brought into requisition, with the consequence that a “middle-man” very nearly suffers a cruel death. The plot of the piece, as given by the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald,’ whose notice, by the Way, was » most enthusiastic one, is somewhat as follows; Hester Thombnry is the schoolmistress of a village in a manufacturing district of Lancashire, and she is tbe particular admiration of three men. Oae of the suitors for her hand is Jack Walton, a young engineer, and the inventor of certain patents. Another lover is Robert Carlton, an ironmaster, tbe ostensible owner of a large establishment. He only proposes marriage to the girl when he finds out that she is theiegitimate heiress to the estate on which he lives. Hester’s third lover is the deformed, misshapen, outwardly hard Humphrey Logan familiarly called “Humpy” and has set hie heart on the sweet village schoolmistress. She is tbe only woman who can tarn his heart to gentleness. She can make of him what she will. But Hester turns her attention to the engineer. It follows that “Humpy” Logan, being thwarted in his love, turns to thoughts of revenge. He is foreman of the Carlton works, and he is Robert Carlton’e right hand. By a chain of circumstances, which is cleverly contrived, the attempted murder of Carlton is fixed on the innocent Jack Walton, who is sent to the convict prison of Dartmouth. Humphrey Logan’s evil nature having once got the uppermost hold on him, his passions lead him blindfold on. Not content with hunting down Jack Walton and Hester (now Walton’s wife), Logan has been mainly instrumental in locking out the workmen of the Carlton foundry. The men are starving for want of food and thirsting for revenge. The furnace fires are still in full blast, when on a bitterly cold night Logan is hounded oat to meet destruction. The fnrnace door is open, the fierce fire is scorching in its heat, blinding in its intensity; the rabid men are about to hurl ‘ Humpy” Logan to destruction, when Jack Waiton appears and resenea him. It is a powerful and moving scene, worked up to admirably. The escaped convict has saved his enemy. It is only natural that Logan should shield the man who has been imprisoned on his false evidence. Logan ie saved from the fnrnace; Walton is rescued from the police. The gathering together of the various threads which are necessary to the proper conclusion of tbe play is accomplished with much dexterity. A last act is usually weak, bat the final act of ‘ Master and Man’ is decidedly interesting. The repentance and reparation of Humphrey Logan are perfectly natural. The downfall of the arch-villain, Robert Carlton, is sure and complete, while the establishment of the virtue and prosperity of hero and heroine leaves nothing to be desired.