The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-02-06 00:00:00

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT_ AT THE CORN

EXCHANGE.

Those who attended the recent annual meeting in
connection with the Dtrchester School of Art ban
not, perhaps, forgotten the gist of the financial report
then presented. Like many other institutions in our
mid* the management was hampered by debt, and
pathetic appeals were made by various modernism for
wanton. In • short time the school will go into its
fins new home, and the officers earnestly hops their
peaces will not IN disturbed when safe within the doors
of the Museum by such trivial worldly stuff as money
ber the want of it an i that their consciences will not
experience any of those sharp twinges oftentimes or
mimed by the knowledge of debts unpaid. When
safe in the new school the committee hope, by means
of an Mowed number el pupil*, who, no doubt, will
enrol their names, to pay their way with ease;
therefore they do hope they will be able to enter the
doors with clear Mole and • clean balance sheet.
To assist in this much to-be desired object lira H.
lesiettEve an entertainment at the Cora Exchange
Tuesday sight, c tosisting of recitetions and music.
;L..
Mr.. Everett is a host in herself, but she was on this
comeloo assisted by her two nieces, Miss Olivia
Berens and Miss Winifred Berens. To relieve the
entertainment Mr. Boyton Smith and Dr. George
kindly gave their services.
Mrs. Everett has worked most strenuously to make
the affair a sumer and profiteele to the School of Art
(a which she is • student), and we are delighted to
say it wee completely sumessful, both artistically
end financially—the Corn Exchange being nearly
fulL
Among those present were :—Major G moral and
Mrs. Henning, Mr., hies., and Miss Fetherstonbaugh,
Colonel and Mies Marshall, Mrs. and the Mimes
Blackstone Williams, Lieut. Haines, Miss limitable,
Mr. and Mrs. Coombe, Mrs. nevem Mr.. Dyaroad,
Mrs. Gan& Miss Pearce, Dr. and ides. Homey, lire.
Giles Symonds, Mr. Henry Symonds, Miss Pantos,
Mrs. Coombs, Mr. H. Hodges, Mr. Dunford, Captain
and the Mimes Manse), Miss Coombe, Rev. W.
and Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. and the Misses Symonds
(idosocktm), Mr. and Mrs. Hui-table, Mr. and Mrs.
A. Pope, Miss Green, Miss Lock, Mr. and Mrs. A.
Lock, Mr. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. F.ddison, the
Mayer and Miss Greening, Mims Piny, Mr. and Mrs.
G. Andzews, Mr. and Mrs. Jillard. lira. Fits Roy,
and friends, Mrs. Hardy, Mr. and Mrs. Tanabe%
and Mrs. Furmidge, Mrs. and Miss B. W. Williams,
Mr. and Mrs. H. Ling. Mr. Great, Mrs. Wright, Mr.
lalg Miss Loader d pupils, and Mr., Mrs.,
lend
ftratilk an
ingdoe.
A handsome stage had been fitted up, and, having
regard to the sternal fitness of things, the furniture
and fittings ware of such • nature as to pieties the
most intense esthete. What could be more sppro-
prises for • School of (High) Art Entertaloomotl
Omar Wilde would have gone lot, the most effusive
of his raptures over the neutral tints—colours
Impossible to describe except by Gilbert's eloquently
expressive phrase, " Greenery—yallery." Still, every.
'kW was in good taste, and, on the curtain being
raised, Mrs. Everett was greeted with booty applause,
which may be interpreted as • welcome to the lady,
mid is • mark of the appreciation and pleasure of the
audience at such a pretty stage being provided.
The first pine was • recitation by Mrs. Everett—
"The Old Grenadier's Story," by Thorabury. It was
• pathetic, little prom, in which the old Yeomen
mounts the death of a poor drummer boy, • meek.
hearted little fellow who, before the fight, had pleaded
for the Old 43rd to show him the way to die, and who.
at the CION, was found dead with his band in one of
his comrades. Mrs. Everett recited it with her well.
known expressive voice and adios and infused into
It the ten pathos. The Misses Berms then sang
a pretty little song, "The Fishers," the words by Mrs.
Berens. They were loudly applauded. Mrs. Everett
then recited Mrs. Proctor's quaint poem, "The
Story of • Faithful Soul." The groundwork of this
poem would, to the ears of :mime Protestants,
jar considerably, but it was explained to be founded
on an old French legend. The story, however, was
very beautiful, and the few ban of Meadelesohn's "But
the Lord is mindful of His Own," which Mr. Boyton
Smith pls,yel at the closer, were introduced very oppor.
' The Hole in the Carpet," an anonymous
composition of a brighter character, was next recited
by Mrs. Everett and created much amusement. It is
a homely ploos, written, so Mrs. Everett informed bee
audience, for • mother's meeting, but the moral is
good at all times. It was nothing but the story of •
" family jar," but it was Intended to show
how easily the border line between • " die.
clumion" and a genuine quarrel is passed. The Misses
Berens text enacted the second scene of Act
L of "The Merchant of Venice)," in which Miss
Olivia Berens was Portia and Miss Winifred Benne
Nerism. The young ladles, the oldest of whom can
mareely be 13 year, of age, have been trained most
carefully; their enunciation is almost perfect. and
they give their lines with an Laurance sad • distinct-
ness which many • professional actress would envy.
The well known dialogue in which Portia's lovers are
so unscrupulously criticised wee given in • charming
manner. Mies Olivia Berens was excellent. the
manner is which she sommed up the viols anti the
virtues of her several suitors being remarkably
clever. Poor Monsieur Le 800 I He would have
been decidely taken down bad he hurl her pronounce
her eloquent verdict on his charms " Ond made him
and therefore let him pale f tit • man." Mies Winifred
Is the leas important character of Nerissa wee also ex-
tremely good. Master Everett ma le his debut as the
servant, end rendered big small part correctly. At
the close the applause ot the audience was of the
heartiest character, and the young performers well
earned the recoil. Mrs. Event! recited Mork Twain's
weilknown humorous accomt of" How be sow the
sun rise," or rather not rise. This was followed by a
From* piece" La Leithire at le Pot an felt," which
was the old story of the milkmaid counting her chickens
before they were batched. It was recited by Miss
Winifred Boron in character very cleverly. The
Wood Put of the Programme opened with the scene
from King Jnho, "Robert and Arthur, " which was
recited with much dramatic eff rat by Mrs. Everett.
Then followed • scene from Sheridan's comedy I
" School • for Scarlet" in which Lady Teazle
wee represented by Miss Olivia and Sir Peter
Smile by Miss Winifred Berens. Their make-up was
excolleot, especially Sir Peter, who prevented a capital
miniature of the ancient knight It was • most
ammiteg some, was well acted, and the young ladies
again received be rrty applause. Next tame • pathetic
coot by G. R. Sims ("Dag tnet"), entitled " The Last
"- which was recital by Mrs. Ever' tt most
impressively. Two Anomie to • °ries followed, entitled
"Flesh" read the "Bald-healed Man" The first
narrated the touching death of • noble old fi,-e Lennie
horse, and the other en amusing ranee between a
=.°?lOti• jun/tile and • baldheaded man. A scene
ltomeo sad Juliet," by the Mi's's Berens, was
next even. It was • some from the second Act, in
which the mares (Miss Winifred Berens) returns to
Juliet (Miss Olivia Berens) with Udine, of it„,nee,
breathier& and her oil bosses asweary with her jaunt
As the nurse, the °meg actress reflected the utmost
credit on her "(roach," if we in ty safely use the term.
We can speak of this some in the nem terms of
unqualified approv .1 as the previous ones The last
piece was Mrs. Everett's recital of "Briery Villa.," a
side-splitting amount of a dreadful catastrophe,
00001liald a most enjoyable entertainment, and for .
which all concerned deserved the creased Tweet.
Zepsoially are thanks due to Mrs. Everett for her
efforts. which were of no light character.
Mr. Boyton Smith and Dr. George also &serve
thanks for their kindness in giving their valuable
emir performanoes tending in no small degree to the
estjormot of the evening. They played the following -