V. THE LIGHT THAT FAILED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2678, 12 July 1905, Page 74

V. THE LIGHT THAT FAILED.

By Fea Diatolo

(For Special Subject Weak.)

! Dear Dot, — I am taking for my subject, "The Light That Failed, ' a dramatisation 'by George Fleming of Eudysrd Kipling's wellknown story. The play was pioduced hcie by one of Mr J. C. Williamson's companies, headed by Mr Cuyler Hastings and Miss May Chsvalier, and a splendid interpretation of the piece was given. The drama deals with the love of Dick Heldar, a pamter of rare power, for Maisie, a, fellow artist, of less ability. In the first act we see a war correspondents' camp, where Dick is wounded, md in his delirium cries unceasingly for '"Maisi-e!" On his return to England he seekis llsisie, and endeavours to win her for his wife. She, however, imagining thafc she is a great iirtist, will not listen to him, and challenges him io paint a rival picture, "Melancholia." Dick takes for his model a girl Broke) whom he has found fainting in the street, but who is utterly without gratitude. While he is painting hia picture, Dick's eyesight b?gins to fail — the result of the wound received in the war, accelerated by the past life he has been lending sines his rejection by Maisie. Bessie Broke tries her wiles on Gilbert Tcrpenhow, Dick's chum. Becoming aware of this, Dick expels her fiom the place ; and, mad with rage and burning with a desire for revenge, Bes-sie plungti? a, knife into Ihe "Melancholia," which had just had the finishing touches put to it, completely ruining the picture. Dick, however, does not see the ruin done to his work, for while writing a letter to Maisie he suddenly becomes completely blind. A pathetic scene follows. Dick calls in his fellow artists io admire hi 3 mcture, and they, afraid of paining him, do not tell him of its ruin, but offer him congratulations. When Majsie learns of Dick's blindness she suddenly discovers that her love for him is greater than her desire for fame, and she reiurns to him. Dick does not at first care to accept her self-sacrifice, as he terms it, for he is now blind. Maisie, however, will not be sent away, and the curtain is rung down on a happy tableau— Maisie in Dick's arms. '

A pathetic side issue to the play is the hopeless love of the "Red-haired Girl, Ktaisie's chum, for Dick. This character is a very lovable one — more so, perhaps, than that of Maisie, whose selfishness in the first scenes of the play makes on.c feel inclined io shake her, as I heard a lady in the audience say. Another splendid character is "Torp," Dick's warm-hearted chum.

Now, Dot, before I close this letter I would like to wish the D.L.F. Page every success, and long may it flourish. Once again I greet you, comrades all, and say farewell till Old Writers' Week. Kia ora.