National Republican., 1873-03-01
AMUSEM ENTS.
4, VI. HellcM,


Nj. BJlew read last evening iu Lincoln hail
before an audience noticeable for Its high char
acter. It was small audience, however, but
generous In Its applausc-lpplause won by Mr.
Bellew In his reading Of "The Yarn Of the
Nancy Bell" "Loye In a Balloon" "The North
cru Farmer" and "ioratlo Sparkins, but all this
In no sense atOned for his blood and thunder
work In the Battle OF Flodden," from "Mar-
mion." II was no doubt terrible battle, but by
no means 80 bad as Nj. Bellew made II out to be.
Of "The Faithful SOul,r Mr.. Belew graciously
| Informed his audience that the piece was Sc
lected TO awaken an interest In her writings In
this country, and that her fathers nom De plume
| Engllshmen, and Of this one IN particular, could
not have broader illustration.
lie introduced her as an author almost wholly
/ unknown In America, and especially In this
| 0onlghted region. lie ought TO have known that
! for years and years Miss Proctors poetry has
been perfectly familiar 70 all children in the
third reader at school. His kindness will not
soon be forgotten. Tho Faithful Soul" was
destined as spirit to expate some great sin for
thousand years before Il could enter Heaven.
81. Michael got wind-not dltiicult thing to get
where Mr. Bellew ls-that the "falthful Sour
had suffered for few minutes most exquisite
torture, and In great compassion he told her to
"pass on TO Heaven. You've heard Mr. BelleW
| read Adelaide ProctOr's poetry for nye minutes,
and that IL equal to thousand years Of any
other KIND OF torture that can be Invented"
Mr.. Bellew assembled to the diZZlest heights OF
the ridiculous In his reading from Henry VIII,
the fall OF WOlSey. Ia return for MI. Beliews
Kindness In Miss ProctOrs case we would inform
him that both Shakespeare and the great cardinal
were cOuntrymen Of his, aud were once human
beings, and go were Cromwell, the Earl OF Sur
rey, and the Duke OF Norfolk, and that none OF
them ever acted or talked In the way he made
them last night. II would have shocked WOlsey
10 have heard Mr.. Bellew mOuthlng "Opes for
heaven" and Cromwell would have beheaded
him on the spot for making him appear ahsO-
lutely weak and silly. As a butchery OF VOL
sey's lament II was something dreadful, and we
are almost glad now that there Ia not place left
In Shakspeare's splendid lines In which to stick
the knife again. We repeat that In some pieces,
especially the purely comic, Mr. Bollcw Is u most
excellent reader.
Tho Theatre Comiuue
had another small but appreclatlye audience last
evening, the programme OF the preceding even
Ing being presented. We were wrong IN stating
In Yesterdays notice Of this place that Mile An;
Meta, the character dancer, had broken one Of
legs. II merely sustained sprain, from which It
Is hoped the young artistic Will recover In time 10
appear next week.
Wallis Opera House.
Mr.. Jenersons Grip attracted an audience
equally as largo as those that have attended dur
lng the week. This afternoon, at the matinee,
his talented sou, Charles Burke jefferson, will
appear In the "Spit1re" and "SpectTe Bride
groom" and In the evening Grip Van Wlnke"
wlll close Mr.. Jenerson's engagement. On Non
trdgedlenne, viii begin her engagement, OPT ming
with .,Guy Mannering," In which she appears as
Meg Merrllles.
Metropolitan Variety Theatre,
as usual, had good, full house last night. To-
night the D'Atalle troupe will glyO another per-
fOTmanC0.
The Laura keenO Troupe.
This afternoon and evening the Laura keene
troupe will give Its literary, dramatic and mu-
steal entertainment at Lincoln hail. II Is rather
unique in Its character, cOnsIsting OF readings,
vocal and instrumental muslo and the repre-
| sentatiOn OF scenes from standard plays. Miss
keene, whose ability as an actress Is generally
acknowledged, is assisted by the young pTima
donna, Miss Clara Stella; the celebrated pianist,
! slgnOT MOrOsln and the well-knOwn actor, Mr..
| @. Allerton. The programme Ia very select
one, and should attract large audience here,
as 1t has done In other cities.