Mr. CHARLES HAWTREY as _James Smith_ was irresistible in most of the old ways and a few new ones. The play would have gone poorly without him, in spite of the piquancy of Miss JOAN BARRY as a flapper, the fourth and final recipient of his chaste bounty. Miss JESSIE BATEMAN as _Mrs. James Smith_ had no chance till just at the end with the turning of the worm. To the part of _Lucille Early_--the _Earlys_, as a couple, were designed to contrast with the _Smiths_, the wife in this case spending the money which the husband hadn't got--Miss ATHENE SEYLER, who was meant for better things, gave a certain distinction, but perhaps "pressed" a little too much. Mr. JAMES CAREW, who played _Edward Early_, was conspicuous as the sole male representative of the American language in this American play. The fleeting visions that we had of Miss MONA HARRISON as a refractory and venal cook excited general approval. The three _protegees_ of _James Smith_ were only faintly distinguishable in their rather crude banality. The fun of the farce differed from that of most farces in depending less upon situations than upon dialogue. The First Act, with the situations still to come, was the best. I have not had the good fortune to read Miss EDGINGTON'S novel, but one might be permitted to assume, from the excellence of much of the wit, that, whatever the play may in other respects have lacked of subtlety or refinement, such defect was no fault of hers. What Mr. CHARLES HAWTREY himself thought of it all I cannot say, but the play did not begin to compare, either for irony or singleness of motive, with the last two in which he figured, _The Naughty Wife_ and _Home and Beauty._ He clearly enjoyed his own part, but it was rather noticeable that in his brief speech at the fall of the curtain he confined himself to a personal acknowledgment of the public's sympathy with him in his illness and their loyalty throughout his career, and made no reference to the play or its authors. O.S. * * * * * A SUPER-SURPRISE. I have not seen the stalking By a rabbit of a bear, Nor yet an oyster walking Sedately up the stair; But a marvel as amazing Inspires these doggerel rhymes, For I've read a leader praising The PREMIER in _The Times_. * * * * * A HOUSE-WARMING. "Considerable damage was done by fire at ---- Cottage on Wednesday evening. The stairs, part of the floor, doors, furniture, etc., were destroyed. ---- presided at the piano, and Mrs. ---- presided over the refreshments. 'God save the King' was sung at the close of the enjoyable day."--_Local Paper_. * * * * * The Labour "Council of Action" have kindly stated that they are "content to leave the French Government to the French people." They are however reserving the right to leave the British Government to the Bolshevists. * * * * *