The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-19 00:00:00

DRAJANTIC'S T WORDSLEY

On Monday evening last the Wordsley Amateur
Dramatic Club gave a performance in tle Drill
Hall, the proceeds of which will be given towards
the Chancel Fund of Word.ley Church. Notwith-
standing the discouraging atmospheric disturbances,
and the uninviting appearance of the roads, there
was a large audience a:though the front seats were
not occupied so fully as we should liked to have seen
them. The proceedings commenced with a drama,
in two acts, by H. T. Craven, Esq, entitled Hey's
Diversion; and cenclnded with a farce by Martin
Becher, Esq.. entitled tn Possession. The following
is the caste of the drama :—Jeremy Crow, a farmer,
Mr. J. Aston; Ashley Merton, Esq., of the Hall,
Mr. C. Ad Peon; Jasper Pidg -on, a vil!aga carpen-
ter, Mr. 11. Aston; R )land Pidee n, his brother,
Mr. G, Simpson; Eytem, an Exeter lawyer, Mr. B.
F. Mason; Cornelia (Mess Davies), Margaret (Miss
Aston), :daughters of Crow; Ms. Netwell, of the
O an,c,Th a widow, Miss Penrice.—Mr. J. Aston's
"make-up" was perfect, and he sustained the part
iii a highly creditable mermen—Messrs. Ad iison
and Mason ably represeute the 4 respective char-
acters.—Mr. H. Astou s rendering of the village
carpent ,r was everything that could be desired and
the way in which he disaesed of i showed tnat he
had studiously worked it up. He was deservedly
applau mid on several occasions. His acting is free
from stiffness and over assumptioa.—Mr. Simpssn
presented a handsome appearance and treated his
part in a natural and masterly stle.—Miss A.ston's
conception of "Meg" was always true in intention
and never degeneated let° rant, and much credit is
due to her for the abdi y which she displays in th•
enactioe of a not very easy rile. She impersonated
tee ch tracter wit e su2h of pathos, rich and genuine,
that it tunic a stroeg demand upon the sympa,thiss
of the audience. She is an actress of much promise
and proved herself capable of fulfilling the respon-
sibilities wnieh rested upon her, and elicited loui
applause by the intense reslism she impa.te 1 into
the piece. We cannot panegyrize this lady's elo-
cutionary pow re too much, the words being dis-
coaneeted and distinctly uttered, and ;were audible
in every part of the room. We hope, at no distant
period to again see this young lady on the dramas.
tic stage.—aliss Davies WdS not particularly nerv-
ous, but she spoke rather subdued during the first
act She appeared to have carefully studied what
was allotted to her, and on another occasion she
will no doubt be seen to greater advantage.-1),Ii85
Peoria, was not successful in her impersonation.
The character, thoJgh not important, is one in
which she might have made "a hit," had she
brought in o play the tenderness and feeling re-
quisite during her appeal to Ashley Merton for the
restitutiou ot his love. She appeared to have no
idea of expression, and reci.ed in monotone through-
out. She seems to possess a :etentive memory,
and might :elected better in future if she would
practice to modu ate her voice—The ratite cause 1
roars awl roars of hang .ter, and Mr. H. Aston es-
:ablished his claim to a mark ot distinction as a
c euedian. H s unforced demeanour and droll say-
ings tidily unloosed the risible faculties of the
audi,nce, who fie quently demonstrated their appre
ciaiion of his effLirts.—Mr. J. Ince ably pourtrayEd
his lot —The remaining characters were in good
hands. The fo.lowiig is the caste-111r. Rattleton
Ro -tee, Mr. J. Inc..; Simon &Jabber, a man in pos-
sessi in, Mr. H. Aston; Mr. Weazel, a lawyer, eitr.
J. Aston; Major Molpotherly, Mr. J. Compson ; Miss
Pirett Pleas, a lady's Staid, Nli-s Kate Aston.—
Daring tee evening Messrs. tieathcocks orchestral
band eiscoursed a sweet selectiou of music. The
cnrnet solo by Mr. W. Heathcock and a elarion:t
sel by Mr J. tleattcock were much admired, the
last-named gentleman's performatic (a fantasia on
S,otcla airs) b in very brilliant,—Th, playing of
t:.e "Natlotial Anihr-m" brought a very enjoyable
entertainment to a close, and greA praise is tine to
all eonce:ned for their indefatigabie exertions in
providing such a treat.

V

she complained about Mrs. Hill being there he said
if she complained he should make her repent it•
The children had not been permitted to come to her.
and when they saw her they ran off, and said tbsry
are not allowed to speak to a woman like her.
Things went on till a deed of separation in 1883,
when he was to pay her 12s a week. The money
was not pail regularly, and he had beea sued in the
County Court and an order was made against him.
A writ had been issued for £2O 5s 0 I, and there was
now due £2B 17s 61. Her husband was a coal and
sand merchant. He was in partnership with Ws
trother at Coalbournbrook. His brother lived at
Stoucton House, and paid about £7O a year rent.
Her husband lived at Caalbournbrook with a ser-
vant, a A Mts. Hill went in everyday Her hue-
bald employed 10 men and 2 b .ys They had 7
boate and one railway wagon, 5 boat horses, and 2
cart horses. Her husband had never offered her a
h ins since the deed of separation. She saw her
hu band on the 6th inst at Coalbournbrook when
she u* is passing his house. Several persons came
out, including Mrs. Hill, Cross-examined: She
had never refused to go to a home as he had never
offered her one. The children always ran away
from her. She always tried to speak to them, but
they said they were not to speak to a bad woman
like hr. She saw nothing improper bAween her
husband and Mrs, Hill He did not turn her out
of the house, but she was afraid to stay because he
used such bad language. It was her wi.h to go
back if he would provide a proper home
for her. She did not know what her husband was
getti,ig,—By Mr. Clulow : She had used every en-
deavoir to get at her children. She had sent her
children presents but they were sent back to her
covered with ink. She had been to the school to
see ner childree, and on one occasion she was re-
fused by the school-mistress, who said she had ree
ceived ins ructions from Mrs. Hill not to let her
see the chiluren.—Mr. Holberton contended there
was no desertion, tied that the case arose from mis-
construction on Mrs. Wood's part with regard to,
Mrs. Hill. There bad been no evidence to show
why Mrs. Hill should not live at Wood's. There
was no desertion so far as money was concerned, as
he paid Lhe money as long as he had it. There was
nothing against defendant only when the little
outbursts took place about Mrs. Hill. There was no
desertion as they had agreed to live apart by a
deed of seewation since 1883. He urged that it
was net one of those cases contemplated by the
Act of Parliament under which it was taken.—Mr.
Clulow, replying, said the defendaet had only paid
£B, and there was now due £213. It was quite
sufficient if the woman proved that there was not a.
proper home. A. woman was deserted when the
husband brought another woman to live with him
in the house; a wife being entitled to the absolute
company of her husband. There had not been a
single person put into the witness box to prove that
Mrs. Wood was to blame; and he held that he had
Proved e.erytiiing that was essential to enable the
Beech to ina:w an order. The Bench retired to
con,icier their verdic and on returning into Court,
said they made an order for the defendant to pay
15s per week, and the costs, Mr. Clulow's fee was
tt.so allowed.
INNOCEKT OF THE Dovey, King-
swintord, was charged with trespassing on land, at
Wallheath. belonging to Mr, C. Giles, on the 6th
inst. Mr. Holberton prosecuted.—Witnesses were
called who saw the defendant come up to a gate
with two others and pat two dogs through into the
field. On seeing them they ran away.—llefend-
ant said he was innocent of the job. lie had not
done anything at poaching for five years ; he had
had enough of it. They (the witnesses) had come
s we ,r untruths —Previousconvictions for poach-
ing were proved against defendant, and he was fined
103 and costs.—Defendant: It's a shame, and you
know it Powell (one of the witnesses.) He was
then aremoved, loudly declaiming against the in-
justice of the sentence, and denominating Powell
as "a scamping hound."