The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-07-05
Exhibition at the Dominican Convent.

Exhibition at the Dominican Convent.
A charming Entertainment was given last
Thursday evening, by the young ladies Of
st. Mary's Dominican Convent, ON Dryades
street. Father Jeremiah Moynihan, to
whose untiring exertions the foundation Of
this institution 10 due, must be highly gra-
tilted at Witnessing the practical working
Of his enterprise and the good that it il
farmer, who planted for posterity, he sees
the tree of his solicitude covered with fruit
in his own day.
Not having been present at the previous
examination Of the pupils, we can Judge Of
their progress merely by the appearance
made by some Of their number in the two
dramatic performances of the occasion,
was the crowd throughout the hall Of exhi-
bition, and so little disposition was there
to vacate any position once secured, that q
large portion of the first piece was lost to
us from our inability to get near enough
the stage. Through the unfailing courtesy
of Father Moynihan, however, we finally
gained a stand point whence nothing could
be missed.
The delight of the audience was .un-
bounded. 1t consisted principally, doubt
less, of the relatives and friends of the pu-
pills, who would naturally take personal
interest in the proceedings, but we observed
present, at one point, one of the most emil
nent members of our bar, and at another
most distinguished leader in our railroad
enterprises, who both, though unconnected
with the schools, exhibited as much inter-
themselves. Indeed the pieces were ex-
tremely well rendered, especially consider
ing that they were left to the Junior class
of girls, the young ladies of the institution
not appearing on the stage. - -
1t must be admitted that "king Henry
w" was rather q startling undertaking for
young misses of twelve OF thirteen years Of
age. The mere question of costume was
one which we should have given up in
despair. But female ingenuity does not
yield easily on questions of dress. The
costumes were brilliant success. 1t cannot
be denied that the substratum thereof, their
reality and substance, were feminine, but
so bedecked and masked with crowns and
swords, with casques and helmets, nodding
plumes, imitation mail armor, spangles and
silver borders, that any one at all willing
to be good-natured, might have supposed
that men did once dress somewhat in that
way. SO the grand difficulty vanished.
1t was surprising with what 'naturalness
and force these young misses had been
trained to express the sentiments of their |
various parts. There was NO haste, nor stiff
ness. They had evidently been in good
hands and the ease, the deliberateness, |
the self-command acquired in that training |
may be of more future Importance to them,
as an item Of education, than anything they
could have acquired from books in the
same length of time.
It seems unjust to discriminate among
those who do equally well, but we were
unable to catch the names of some of the
best performers, and, therefore, cannot give
them. One of the most important and
popular, characters, however, was the ire
pressible Sir John Falstaf. The delinea-
ton of the character by Miss Koran called
forth great deal of merriment, and es-
her firmly in the good graces of
the audience. Sir John generally confines
his pretensions to captivating the fair sex,
but on this occasion he extended the range
of his popularity. The fierce and fiery
Hotspur was given with great energy and
fidelity by little Miss Emma Doyle. Her
sword was only about eighteen inches long,
It is true, but her vehemence and passion
we're much more nearly up to the mark.
Miss Childress as Douglas, Miss Smith as
he Prince Of Wales, and Miss johnson as
King Henry, were also among those who