"Heart o' th' Heather", which opens its second week at the Plymouth this evening, is a clean wholesome comedy of Scottish life with the estimable George MacFarlane in the role of a rollicking soldier of fortune. Although he has had considerable experience on the concert stage, Mr. MacFarlane is comparatively new to the drama, his role of the "Laird" in Trilby, seen here last fall, being his first venture in that line. As yet he has attained no great degree of merit as an actor, but his personality is so pleasing that one is inclined to overlook his histrionic short-comings.

In this new play Mr. MacFarlane has for a vehicle a sweet but somewhat flimsy structure, mingling comedy with old style melodrama. The scene is laid in Scotland in the early nineteenth century and the costumes worn are quaint and attractive.

The plot deals with the adventures of Tom Stewert, who for the sake of his friend, Dick Lockhart, plays the part of a long lost son. The developments are at all times obvious. Tom falls in love with a charming seamstress of good family, is besieged by a scheming adventuress, dashes heroically off on his horse to divert the officers of the law who are in pursuit of Dick, and returns to win his "heart o' th' heather."

Throughout the play and interwoven with the plot are several Scottish ballads which Mr. MacFarlane sings in a most admirable way. His voice is pleasantly mellow in tone; one almost wishes he would sing some more.

In the role of Janet Kirkaldy, Miss Gilda Leary is sweetly attractive as the seamstress. Miss Viola Gillette is a convincing Mistress Musgrove, and Mr. Barlowe Borland, as Geordic, plays the low comedy part of a Scottish simpleton in a highly laughable manner. The Christic Mucklebacket of Miss Eleanor Daniels, the Sir John Murray of Mr. Jack McGraw, and the Lady Murray of Miss Gilda Leary are all adequate characterizations. Walter Connolly is a competent Dick Lockhart and the minor parts are suitably cast.

"Heart o' th' Heather" may not be a lasting success, but it should give pleasure to those who are fond of the quaint and wholesome atmosphere of a Scotch comedy.