The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-01

TIE TURNyEnEIN, as will be seen by an adyer
tisement in to-day's NEWS, is to have gala time
this afternoon and evening. The performances vii
commence at 2 P. NJ, when the young Turner'S siI
vault leap, swing, run, wrestle, &C., and show te
an admiring audience that they have not been idle
during the past twelve months. In the evening
at 8 o'clock, all will assemble, young and old, tc
witness dramatic performance, after which the
days festivities will be- closed with dancing.
That the Turner'S are German society il prob.
ably all that the majority Of our readers know on
the subject. Soma few there may be who have
some indefinite idea that the Turner's are an $3.50.
citation Of gymnasts. Beyond this, We fell sure,
nothing is kno IN to. the average non-Germans.
The word 'turner" is generally derived from tur-
nieT (tournament), one Of the best known institu-
ions of chivalry. The founder Of the modern
Turner'S -tsFather JAHN"-one Of the noblest of
men, whom Germany hunors for his patriotism
and love Of liberty, in contemplating the physical
strength and agility developed by those medieval
tournaments, thought that a restoration of this
institution would secure to the youth Of Germany
a return Of that strength Of muscle which made
the old Germans such formidable antagonists to
their ambitious neighbors. But he had his eye
not only upon mere physical Development. He
wss mindful, also, of the old saying,-"siI mems
sana In corpore sumo" that a sound mind could
only be looked for in sound body. The exercises
OF the Turner's embrace every species Of gylnnas.
tic practice: swinging, climbing, fencing, running,
wrestling, ETC., etc.
The Charleston Turnverein has been in opera
ton over fifteen years, and is composed Of three
sections: a gymnastic, q dramatic, and g. musical
tsinging) section. Formerly it had special meet
ings for the furtherance of literary and scientific
culture among its members and they had not un-
frequently very interesting discussions. The war
exercised a baneful influence upon it's operations,
as it did upon every kindred association through
out the country; but the society is hopeful that,
with the increase Of German immigration, it's
ranks will soon be filed more than their pristine
strength.
The play this evening, 'Courtship in Heligo-
land,n promises to be Of more than ordinary in
terest. The following is an outline Of the plot :
Peter Pump, rich fisherman, is desirous Of mar
rying his son sHannes, who is almost idiot, to
Clara, the supposed daughter Of poor fisherman
named Michael Stefens. She however, lis averse
to such q union. steffens owes money to Pump,
who threatens him with the Law, if he does
not consent to the marriage Jack Trolle who, in
his youth, had run away from his parents in
Heligoland, and never been heard Of since, sud-
denly turns up, and with him came sailor.
Trolle designs spending the remainder Of his days
on the island, and learns Of Stefens the un.
pleasant posture Of affairs between himself and
Peter Pump. The young sailor, in the meantime,
falls IN love with the supposed daughter Of stef-
fens, and communicates to his commander, Trone,
that he would like to marry her. Trolle tells him
that this could not be-, without, however, giving
the reason.
Next appears an English nobleman Gord Water.
cock), who has laid wager that he could abduct
The prettiest girl from Heigoland without seying
a word. lit is funny how those English lords
when they get on the Continent, or even on ar
island in the German Ocean, make foolish bets and
never speak word.] John, his lordship's groom
enters into negotiations with Peter Pump, who, al
lured by the offered reward, agrees to assist. The
abduction is 10 take Ilace at night. But Clara &C
cidentally thst night slept at neighbors, and
Jack Trolle slept in her room at her fathers house
They secure him, Of course under the impression
of having the girl, and that very moment comes
the young sailor. The story ends in the declara
tion of Jack Trolle, that the sailor is the son O.
Steffens, whom bis parents had long since though
drowned. Hence, Trolles refusal to his union witt
Clara, his supposed sister. But it soon turns ou
that she is not the daughter of stefens, but dis
tant relative, and that there is therefore, no ba
to their union. The English lord commences I
boxing match with the sailor, and is Of cours'
foored.