The Portland daily press., 1871-10-09

TIE UNION SERGEANT. The second oar.
formarce of this great military drama drew a
very large audience at City Hail on Saturday
evening. This drama possesses many points
OF similarity to the Drummer Boy, and some
OF the scenes are nearly identical Opening
at quiet farm house in New England, upon
FAMILY group gathered together at the fire.
side discussing the probabilities and possbli-
Ties OF the approaching struggle between the
n 9TH and South, it traces some of the priLci-
pal SCIENCES and events of the great rebellion,
including the mob at Baltimore, the battle OF
Gettysburg, the Union prisoners in Belle Isle
prison, the evacUa alton OF Richmond ana the
| inal surrender of Lee at Appomattox. 1t
will readily be seen from this brief synopsis
that a drama of this character, lntersper' ed
with songs, tableaux and humorous incidents,
cannot fail to be exceedingly interesting to all
classes OF the community. Notwithstanding
the very large number of characters included
in the drama, there are really but three that
rise to any degree of prominence. The most
important character in the play is nominaly
that OF Frank Weston, the Union Sergeant
and to properly impersonate this characer re-
quires an actor of considerable talent and ex-
perienCe, as some of the scenes afford fine
opportunity for display of the melodramatic
school of acting. The character OF Sim Scud-
der, the live Yankee, is the second in impor-
lance, and it is admir- ably sustained by Mr..
Billy Fisher, who received great applause in
certain scenes of the drama. The third i'm
portant character is that of Jake, the colored
servant, which is very finely impersonated by
Master James II. ODounell who enters thor
oughly into the spirit of the character, and re-
ceived at each performance the well merited
tokens OF applause. We have before alluded
to the splendid music by the orchestra from
the Portland Band, and also to the fiue vocal
music by DR.. Fernald and his assistants. We
will only add that the singing of 'The Faded
Coat of Blue by Miss Alice earle is one Of
the most attractive features of the entertain
ment, and receives the heartest demopstra-
tons of applause. The worthy object of the
performance is too well known to be again re-
ferred to, and we sincerely hope that our citi-
zens will crowd the hall each evening, and
thereby contribute literally to the support OF
the widows and orphans of our deceased sol
diers.
MEIdODlSI MASS COMMUNICATIONS SLate
Convention, which has excited much interest
among our Methodist brethren, will commence
tomorrow and continue two days. 1t will be
attended by many able men .Irom the New
Engand and other States, and will, we have no
doubt exercise an important influence upon
the noble objects Of this Jealous religious de-
nomination. The varied interests involved in
its religious economy are to be discussed, and
their more widespread usefulness urged, and
in that discussion will be developed the powers
of reasoning of men who for years past have
been educated in the schools of close argument
and deduction from logical premises. The
meetings, therefore, will possess extraordinary
interest to all lovers of intellectual effort,
whether they belong to this or that deuomina-
ton. They will be held in the Chestnut street
Church, and we look for full pews in that
capacious audience room during the sessions.
A programme of the exercises from day to
day will be issued tomorrow morning, SO thai
these who cannot attend all the meetings NAV
make their selections. We repeat we have no
doubt the Convention will exercise good in
f1uence and be largely pro motive of the relig-
iOus advancement of this worthy Brotherhood.
THEATRE.-At the matinee Saturday after
noon quite large audience was present, and
the familiar drama of Uncle Toms Cabin was
very finely presented. Miss Fanny Herring
as Topsy created quite a sensation, her make
up being decidedly original, and her imper-
sonation of the character perfectly inimitable
In the evening large audience was in attend
ance and the performance was satisfactorily in
every respect The French Spy is quite popu-
lar with a certain class of theatre-go ers, and
its presentation on this occasion was fully up
to the standard In the drama of Michael
Erie, Mr.. J. c. Myers pleased the audience by
his impersonation of Michael, the Maniac.
This evening the new sensational drama of
Victory, or the Battle of Right and Wrong,
will be presented. This drama will no doub
prove the great hit Of the season. Miss Fanny
Herring will sustain the dual character of
Olive, of the merry heart, and Eddie, the cabin
boy, while Mr.. j. I'll. Hunt'ey will appear as
Jaggers, clerk to Aaron May, and afterwards
as Fangs, the Mutineer. The old flag of the
Enterprise, which she wore at her mast head
at the time of her engagement and capture of
the Boxer, on Sept. 49, 1S13 will be used dur
ing the play.
METHODIST CONVENTIONAL mass Metho-