Probably Kate Terry's sojourn at the Adelphi will be best remembered by her exquisitely tender rendering of the sweet character of Dora in Charles Reade's happy stage version of Tennyson's poem bearing that name.
We all know the touching story telling that--
"With farmer Allan at the farm abode William and Dora; William was his son, And she his niece--"
We remember how the stern old man desired that the cousins should marry, and we know that while Dora would willingly give her heart to William, he is cold to her. We recall his scene with his father and how he said--
"I cannot marry Dora; by my life I will not marry Dora." Then the old man Was wroth, and doubled up his hands, and said:-- "You will not, boy! you dare to answer thus! But in my father's time a father's word was law, And so it shall be now for me."
[Illustration: ELLEN TERRY'S COUNTRY HOME IN KINGSTON VALE.
_Its mistress is at the gate of her charming "Vine Cottage."_
Then we follow William out of the house whose doors are mercilessly closed behind him, see him marry his sweetheart Mary, know that all things fail with him until despair brings him to his death-bed. Now we realise the depth and unselfishness of Dora's love. She goes to the aid of the woman who has really spoilt her life's dream of happiness, and through her dead darling's child endeavours to secure poor stricken Mary's prosperity by a reconciliation with the still angry and always stubborn farmer Allan. Her simple, loving plan succeeds. The child softens the obdurate heart--
"And all at once the old man burst in sobs:-- 'I have been to blame, to blame. I have killed my son. I have killed him--but I loved him, my dear son. May God forgive me! I have been to blame. Kiss me, my children.' Then they clung about The old man's neck, and kissed him many times. And all the man was broken with remorse; And all his love came back a hundredfold; And for three hours he sobb'd o'er William's child, Thinking of William. So those four abode Within one house together; and as years Went forward, Mary took another mate; But Dora lived unmarried to her death."
Yes, we all know the finely conceived and tenderly told story of love, anger, self-effacement, and forgiveness, but I do not think that any of us realised the manifold beauties of Dora's character until it was interpreted to us by Kate Terry. The portrait was painted in the most delicate tints, but beneath the surface of it the pure mind and devoted heart were ever apparent. The impersonation must have been truly satisfying to the poet who always had a longing to see the children of his fancy on the stage.