Litchfield enquirer., 1874-02-26
New Preston.


 The Dramatics announced for the 18th,
 came of with honor. All did well, but
 we thought ''Francine'' and Constance, 2
 worthy of especial praise. The pieces performed were of higher order than most of those which we have had here of late, less noisy and boisterous and some of the audience may have experienced a little disappointment on that account. But is it better to feed simply a rude and vul- gar taste or to furnish entertainments that shall educate and improve by incidentally suggesting and impressing some moral lesson and taxing and quickening the in- tellect somewhat?
 Surprise parties are still in vogue among us. A very pleasant one occurred on Thursday evening. at Mrs. Geo. Boards ley's. Judea lent helping hand and the occasion was greatly enjoyed by all pres ent. 8
 MT. Charles Beardsley, on Wednes- day evening, gave farewell party to a Urge number of friends. He leaves soon for Newtown, where he has purchased a aoett-acatered farm. He takes with hlm the best wishes of many friends His last party will not soon be forgotten.
 Mir. G. c. Hitchcock who as you are aware, has been for some time laid aside from business by sickness, has got far along on the way back to health. The writer, on Tuesday, as his guest, in com pany with few others, ate Turkey with him and was glad to see him almost him. self again.
 MT. Geo. W. Bolles died very sud- denly on the morning of the 18th inst and his funeral was attended on the following Sabbath.
 The two sewing Societies are four ishing. One met at the Parsonage on the afternoon and evening of the 18th, and "got off quilt" The social element in these meetings is charming. The other society met on Wednesday at Mir. Burn hams.
 Thus, you see, there is no lack of varied entertainment here. Other Dra- matics are promised for the future. and other parties doubtless will be held. In social life we are doing quite well. The Iyceum furnishes weekly an intellectual feast. Its next question for debate being, not the inevitable negro who has dropped from American politics, but the inevitable woman. "Should she have the right of suffrage 9 I am inclined to think the right will soon be granted, if for no other reason, for the sake of peace a
 Business here is not over brisk. No new buildings are to be erected this sea- son so far as we know. The Shepaug R. R. has not yet proved our temporal saliva tion, and weIare beginning to fear it::never will. X.
 We were highly entertained on Thurs day evening, February IF, at Union Hall by dramatic entertainment, given by the New Preston Lyceum and Dramatic It consisted of two plays entitled ''Grist to the Mill" and ssWon at Last" These dramas were we'll acted by the members of the association, assisted by some of the young ladies of the village, and they deserve great credit for their really fine performance. The Hall was we'll filled and the audience were we'll pleased with the entertainment. By are- port given at the Lyceum, we understand that the receipts of the entertainment, to about thirty dollars. We hope that the association will favor the public with another dramatic ente rtain- ment soon.
 We understand that MT. Charles Beeman has purchased the scenery which has recently been painted by Wood vile artists. We hope to be able to display this scenery in a new public hall which, we are informed, is to be erected. in this place. LEX.
 New Preston has been a scene of dis sipation this winter. The evenings of our young people have been mostly occq- pied in attending parties, sewing socie- ties, rehearsals for dramatic entertain ments, Sc. We had one of these enter tainments at Union Hall, short time since. Those who have participated in of lis kind, are probably aware that it requires much time and worry, es- pecially if there is not a proper supply of We labored under great As the hall is without a stage, we had to manufacture tempora- " one, and as it contains no seats, worth mentioning, we had to procure set of this kind of furniture of our friends. For this trouble, we were rewarded by full house, and judging from the appearance of the audience, we think we gave satis- faction. On summing up we find we have lost few pounds-of flesh I mean-and after the expenses were paid, we have quite sum remaining in the treasury. Which is of the most value; flesh and blood, or greenbacks? There seem to be various opinions about it. As we cannot afford to rent Unlon Hall for our next en- tainment, it will be given at Lyceum Hall. By crowding little, this room can be made to accommodate nearly as many as the other hall The only obiec- tion is that the room is only T feet high, and our scenery-of which we have recent ly purchased a new set-will not show off to advantage. Probably, in the future, a suitable room can be obtained for enter tainments of this kind, for MT. Frank Brown is contemplating the building of new hall. The frame work and some oth- CT materials have been offered gratis. Mir. Brown will visit Norwalk this week