Punch (91.1886)

September 11, 1886.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 121

THE HORSE-PLAY AT? DRURY LANE.

Of course Horses will "draw," but as Messrs. Haeris and
Pettitt's a Run oj Luch ig an ingeniousiy.00nstrueted melodrama
of a certain popular type, and capitally played all round, it would
be a sufficiently exciting play, were the real live horses, including
the chief actor Daisy, eliminated from the performance. It might

he improved were some of
the dialogue curtailed in
Y-aM. the scenes between the

brotb.er|^

Mil ^ ^tli^^^j^^^^^^^. virtue is charmingly repre-
^ / J\ TOwBir^CT^^^^^ sent^d by^MssALMA Mu^-

%iC _ ' ' ''^S^^W^^^^k^ strictlyhastraight path, is

i%y powerfully represented by
y handsome Miss Sophie
Daisy in danger somewhere m the! neigh- Eyre, whose hopefully peni-
bourhood of St. J-hn's W-d, naturally takes tent confession is that she
refuge in the Eyre Arms. ^ ^ has „ sinneQ and sofiered »

And the story ?—"Well—Daisy is a trainer's daughter and betrothed
to Harry Copsley. George Selby, a fast young man, has conceived
a fierce passion for Daisy, and is in with a bad set, represented by
Messrs. Cartwright and Nicholls, who think they can arrange a
sort of Eliza-Armstrong sensation in a quiet way, which will effectu-
ally compromise George and Daisy. In this they fail because George
hasn't taken enough champagne to obfuscate his sense of honour,
and also because Miss Eyre, as Loosey Byefield, once Captain
Trevor's victim, now his deadly enemy, becomes (Alma) " Murray's
Guide," and assists her to escape. The mechanism of this scene, as
indeed of all the scenes throughout the piece, reflects the greatest
credit on Mr. Henry Emden's and the authors' inventive resources.
Loosey and Daisy have scarcely got two steps from the house, when
they are stopped by wicked Mrs. WMmore, who so upsets Daisy
that she falls on the ground. The wicked Captain appears, who
would make short work of Loosey, but for the arrival of George
Selby and the timely fall of the Curtain. . ,

In the Third Act we are introduced to the exterior of Squire

Squire Overtwentystone. A Country Seat and Holdings.

Selby's country house on the morning of " The last Meet." The Pom-
pous fat Squire, whom we may call Squire Overtwentystone, is such
an undefeated and irrepressible Nimrod that he keeps up the sport
far into the month of June, or even later, if foliage be any criterion
°f the time of year. Perhaps Squire Overtwentystone, alids Daniel
Lambert, Junior, may be of opinion that a good run with a July fox
will not only be the very thing to reduce his fat, but also marvellously
aPpropriate to the dog-days.

Even hunting in summer-time must have an end, and so, clearly
much against his will. Squire Daniel Lambert Overtwentystone has
consented to this being "The Last Meet," which is attended by
Haeet Nicholls in pink,
but on foot, the Huntsman,
the Whips with a few strag-
gling hounds, a super or
two mounted, and also in
pink, as representing the
county gentry and members
of the hunt, and a small
boy in Eton collars and
jacket, who is evidently a
youthful enthusiast, as ho
has come out with the first
saddle he could find, which
happens to be a military
one, with a peak before and
behind, rather than not
come out at all.

On the occasion when we
had the honour of being-
present at "The Last Meet,"
the Squire's Niece (Miss
Compton) was in such a
hurry to be off and away,
that she allowed herself to
be pitched up anyhow into First appearance of Miss Maypole Selby, the
the saddle, where she Squire's Niece, in the Aunt-Mary-onette
alighted like a badly-packed show given at George Selby's Chambers,
bundle of clothes, but was N.B.-Pnrate Parties attended,
either saved from falling over on the off-side by her presence of
mind and presence of pummel, or by her cousin George, or whoever
had helped her up, catching hold of her legs on the near-side, which,
however, was hidden from my view.
Squire Overtwentystone, however, representative of the County
Quantity rather than "the Quality,"
modestly preferred going off the stage,
and after mounting well out of sight,
behind the leafiest screen the side-scenes
or "wings" could offer, reappeared on
a horse which was apparently so little
up to his weight that it required the
assistance of two grooms on foot to sup-
port him in his saddle, and even then
the hearty old Gentleman gave such a
decided lurch to one side, when his
horse turned the corner of a profile tree
rather sharply, as nearly brought him
off at a right angle but for the assistance
of his faithful grooms.

After witnessing such a daring feat of
horsemanship on the part of the reckless
old Squire, we were not in the least
surprised to see him—having probably
in the interim dismissed his grooms on
reaching the turnpike road—brought
back, helpless, on a gate which he must
have been trying to open all alone, and
so tumbled off. Thinking that he is at
Mr. Harry Nicholls in pink his last gasp, he _ acknowledges Harry
and tops. Tip of nose slightly Copsley to be his legitimate son, of
pink also. Suggestion forco- which fact he had only been made aware
loured Advertisement, " The a quarter of an hour before the acci-
Pink 'Un! " dent by Harry Copsley himself, who

showed him an Act of Parliament especially made and provided by
Messrs. Haeeis and Pettttt to meet this particular case, and also a
few letters about nothing in particular, but effective as things at
which the Heavy Squire in an fe ^ UJ1M?

outburst of emotional agitation R L Jl L> >> WI f\]
could convulsively clutch be-
fore exclaiming, "My son!
My son! "

However, Old Overtwenty-
stone's constitution is so mag-
nificent that he rallies in time
for Goodwood, where, his size
not in the least diminished by
his recent illness, he plunges
on his other legitimate son's
horse Daisy, (named after the
heroine) backs the winner,
makes a fortune, sees the "Heads! We win!"

happy couple united, confounds the knavish tricks of Messrs.
Nichoixs and Caetweight, and perhaps makes up his inmd
(though he doesn't say so) never to go out hunting again without

voi. xci.

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