OTAKI THEATRE.

Otaki Mail, 8 February 1922, Page 3

OTAKI THEATRE.

“THE IDOL DANCER.” TO-NIGHT. On Romunco Island, in the tropical seas, the white idol dancer is known to her adopted father as “Mary,” but there is mixed in her blood many a wild strain. Mary worships a wooden god, dances before it with all the strength and grace of her splendid youth, and she persists in wearing the fanciful costume of the natives, scorning the calico wrapper oil’ered her by tho Reverend Feter —it smells of the mission. First attack on her heart is that of a shiftless beachcomber, Dan McGuire, a dull and sotted youth of natural beauty. Then, comes -Walter Ivincald to visit the mission in search of health. He succumbs to Mary’s plainly revealed charms of person, his feeble pulse warmed by the mere sight of her. She plays sullen to Dan against sickly Walter with a skill that is born rather than acquired. The sudden collapse of Walter brings both Mary and Dan to his bedside. His exquisite resignation and Christian spirit deeply affects tho two young heretics. The beautiful young idol dancer throws her wooden god into tho sea. Walter consigns his curse to the same watery grave, rises in spirit to a regeneration and becomes a man. He is away from the settlement with the natives fishing when ho hears the sullen boom of a great wooden drum warning of danger. A band of miscreants are burning the houses and carrying off tho women. He returns and rescues them only to find Waltcr in the last throes of death from his exertions in beating the giant drum during the attack. Walter's death sanctifies the love between Dan and the Idol Dancer, and they arc united in a Christian marriage.