"TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS."

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 58

"TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS."

By C. M.

"Tx'elawny" did not take on in Sydney. Some say the crinoline dressing spoilt the play. Others maintain that this was the only charm that held it together. Another points out how the ignorant public must miss the subtle touches of the play, the uninstracted cannot know that old men really did say " cheers " for chairs and obleeged" for obliged. Consequently they will look on such facts as mysterious eccentricities ' lending no flavour to the play itself.

I think there must have -been a strangelysore feeling in some hearts at each burst of laughter the audience gave as one after another the ornate crinolines wobbled in. For some of those present had lived and loved and wedded in the sixties, and to them the crinoline and the hair nets came full of the tenderest associations. They could not laugh at what had been to them a symbol of reverence. They could not realise that the others were laughing only at the costumes, not ,. at the dear women that, had once -worn these ridiculous garments. For men have a fund of sentiment--ality deep down in their hearts. Says » male character in that clever new novel, "Concerning Isabel Carnaby":- "Nothing would induce me to wear boots with elastic sides. I .think they' are "extremely uncomfortable and imhealthy, and unbecoming,; nevertheless I never catch sight of those worn by my mother with-, out being conscious of a wave of tender amusement ; and for. her sake al] women who walk through life in elastic-sided boots are in a measure sacred to me."

But in " Trelawny " the dress is not all — you breathe the very atmosphere of the sixties. .We see, for instance, the youngheroine seizing her first opportunity to leave the dangerous stage life, in contradistinction to the modern ditto seizing her first opportunity to embrace it. Also, there is the flavour of filial respect all over the drama, redolent of the days when the e'rteis raved and stormed and the young people were silent — differing from these later days when it is the young people who storm and the parents that have to sit quiet. These, likewise, were the times when faithfulness was in fashion, and girls sang things like "Ever of thee." Rose Trelawny sings it, and what is more, believes ifc. The birl of to-day sings songs as absurd, but she laughs at them openly. Pei'haps she laughs at them rather more than she means, for friendship she swears by rather than love. But Rose lived in the days when love was a sentiment,- a thing of tears and sighs and little bits of poetry in ladies' albums — the days when a lover's mqustache (but .they wore whiskers?) was more important than his ideas or his morals.

Another true.- touch is that of the young actor with .his, box full of plays that no manager will accept. They are too mucli like real life ! That again is fact. The ever revivable " Caste " inaugurated the series of simple human plays which have since degenerated into breakfast table scenes and too much baby en the stage. But though they have degenerated, they effected a, much, needed reform, when the public was heartily sick of the turgid and bombastic, but did not realise for a time thab it could really take a- pleasure in something higher and simpler. It is rather a pretty touch, but more suited for a novel than a play, which makes Rose Trelawny a poor actress till her love for Arthur C4ower becomes a reality. Then. Love lends her touch to Genius, and Rose's dramatic talents take a sudden leap in splendour. A£ the same time she loses her power of depicting the bombastic and < exaggerated scenes which then possessed tho stage, so that to the ordinary mind she has lost her capability of acting, so first her salary is decreased then she loses her position altogether ; and ifc is only when the young actor's comedy of the new school is assisted on the stage by Arthur Gower's eccentric grandfather that Rose has her chance to show what she can now do.

But the play stops here just at the rehearsal of • the comedy which is to be the first of. the new school. History tells-us t-haif this new school did succeed, but we are left in uncertainty whether Rose, who tried to turn,, lady fo pleare "(Arthur, and, Arthur, who ' tned to turn actor to pJease Rose, became lady and gentleman in the dreadful upper-crusb* calm of Gower House or actor 1 and actress in the genial " Bohemian atmosphere of the Pantheon greenroom.

NASEBY AS A SANATORIUM FOR CONSUMPTION.

Naseby is a small township in Central Otago, And has been rightly termed the Sanatorium, of New Zealand. It is 2000 feet above sea level, and has a clear, still, dry atmosphere. The subsoil is of a gravelly nature. The town ia within eight miles of the railway station of Ranfurly. At least 80 per cent, of the cases of chest disease have improved — many of them having completely recovered. Patients come from all parts of New Zealand to he benefited by tho climate. There is a Tesident ' doctor. Superior accommodation can be obtained at Mrs Smith's Boarding Establishment. The number of cases treated in Nqseby is considerable, and in many instances complete cures have been effected.

TUSSICURA, for COUGHS and COLD 3, saves years of suffering. Mr A. CLOUGH, of Gimmerburn, writes as follows: — I must congratulate you on the excellence of your Cough. Compound, TUSSICURA. I have tried many .remedies, but neither myself nor family have experienced so much benefit as from yours. Kindly, send me another bottle by return mail. Wishing you success.

— A. large orphan ass'lum in St. Petersburg is supported by the tax on playing cards.

— Aurelia (anxiously): "Have you seen George this evening, papa? He promised to call." Papa : " Yes, he did call, and I entertained him for an hour before you came downstairs." Aurclia: '"You entertained him, papa?" Papa : " Yes. I gave him a list of all the new dresses you had last year, and the cost of each. I never saw a man more interested, yet lie left very hue