THE THUMP CARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4548, 18 October 1875, Page 3

THE THUMP CARD.

A drama under this title, the work of Mr. George Darrell, wiU be produced this evening at the Theatre Royal. It met with great success in America and New South Wales, and by the Dunedin papers it was mentioned in terms of the highest favor on the occasion of its production, drawing crowded houses for several nights. Ab an author as well as an actor Mr. DarreU, quite a young man, gives promise of a most hopeful career. "The. Trump Card," which he is to introduce to the Wellington playgoers to night, is said to be superior even to some plays of his which have already been produced at the Theatre Koyal, and from a description of the plot which has been published, it will be seen that it abounds in incident and good material for the modern playright. The scene is laid in New York, and the plot may be briefly described as follows : —George Heathcote, a wen-to-do lawyer, is surrounded in his home by his wife (Eliza), her son (John Burgess), a nephew (Richard Heathcote), and a niece (Kate Neville). The nephew and niece are mutually attached, and the stepson (Burgess) is also in love with Kate, and in enmity with Richard. The latter is wUd and dissipated, and working on these faults, Rurgess darkens his Btepfather's mind against Richard. Burgess robs his. stepfather, and implicates Richard, who is expelled the house. The old man revokes his will, executing one in favor of Burgess and Kate. To gain the money Burgess poisons the old man, and again ingeniously fixes the crime on Richard. The first act closes on a very effective tableauRichard, under arrest for murder, registering his oath to track the murderers of his uncle to their doom. Subsequently Burgess discovers that the codicil which his stepfather had written had been destroyed almost as soon as ratified, and he had, therefore, steeped, his hands in blood for nought. Kate now succeeded to the property, and Burgess again renews his protestations of love. Failing in this, he determines to poison her, the money reverting to his mother and himself at Kate's death. Meanwhile, Richard has escaped from prison, and is, under disguise, endeavoring to clear himself and discover the real murderer of his uncle. An accidental rencontre with one Fowler, an old clerk of George Heathcote's, and a discarded accomplice of Burgess, enables him to gain proofs of Burgess's guilt, and, armed with these, he determines to confront his enemy. Fresh complications arise. Fowler disappears, and Richard narrowly escapes recapture, but, aided by Kate, he secures his freedom, and the second act ends with one of the most effective situations we have ever witnessed. In the third act we find Burgess determined to make all sure, and strike for the whole stake at once. At a grand reunion given in honor of Kate's birthday he seizes an opportunity of tampering with a tonic which the girl was in the habit of taking; Richard enters at the moment, surprises him in the act, and the fox is unearthed at last. The doctor declares his patient, Miss Neville, to be suffering from slow poison, and Richard accuses Burgess of administering the Bame; also, of having kiUed his uncle by the same means. This Burgess denies, and Richard has no proof; but Fowler turns up at the nick of time, and confesses to having witnessed the act.