Daddy Long Legs

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

A pretty play, founded by a clever young American actress upon her own pretty story, and disfigured by a few of the customary faults of the dramatised novel. It sets forth with much freshness and charm the tale of the revolt of Judy, a nameless orphan brought up in a foundling home, harshly mismanaged by an unsympathetic matron on behalf of a set of well meaning but perfunctory Guardians. One of these Guardians a wealthy middle age batchelor, is so struck by the spirit of the girl in her outburst at one of the periodical inspection that he determines to provide secretly for her future, and to fit her by a college education, for some career worthier than the drudgery upon which she is wasted as a pupil-teacher. She is to write periodically to her unknown benefactor, whom she christens "Daddy Long Legs" and whom, of course, she does not recognise when he calls upon his niece - her room mate- at the college, so brightly sketched in the second act. In the third act "Daddy" falls in love with his ward, who refuses him because she thinks that, as a man of family, he would be ashamed of he if he found out the secret of her birth and upbringing. In the fourth act the girl discovers, to her joy the identity of her lover with her unknown benefactor, and the way to an happy ending is tenderly prepared. The sentiment of the character drawing is as wholesome as the humour; and if adequately interpreted the artistic, if occasionally amateurish, romance [...]