Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-24
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH "a.

THE DRAMA Alta LUNATTC ASYLUM
stage set with flowers, theatrical costumes,
bright footghts, an orchestra filling tue air
with happy strains, and the peals OF laughter
from the audience, all seemed strange at the
lunatic asylum Friday night, when we remeu-
bered that the audience were Insane people,
and perhaps the last people that the outside
world would thlpk of providing theatrical en-
tertainment for. Apart to one side were some
visitors: from the town, but We question Whetb-
er they enjoyed it a bit more than those tor
whose entertainment it Was provided. The
company is composed of amateurs, all the ladies
being IRON the city, while among the gentle
men are some Of the patients. The play was
the Loan of Lover, lbc!udlug two 'arst
appearances "a very young, and charmlog
Eruestine and capital old oWize- Win
Peter Spike, entirely too handsome 1or Tue
phlegma!ic Germau,.a clever Gertrude, ana
sodieriy looking loyer In Captain aiDislort'
The rendition was heartily enj oycd, aud as the
patients fled out to the strains OF music with
happy faces each division In charge Of an at
tendant, one couldn't help reaectiog on the
great change made by enlightened mrdS 10
the manag sment Of these institutions. On what
theatrical people call ''of nights a company
of Ethiopian minstrels, composed wholly OF To-
mates of the asylum, give performances OIL
which the humor is fully equal to profession
al troupe These amusements have been pro-
vided for the patients at this institution lot
long time, and We doubt " neither there's an asy,
lum In this country farther, it SO far, advanced
in this mode of ministry to the happiness ano
to the cure Of the patients. -Stuunton Imd.
A PYRoTEcHN1C STORY. is hard to con-
vince woman, says the Savannah News.
A Wilkinson county man carried home some
fireworks for his son and heir, and his Wl1e un-
dertook to superintend the display. Inc nus
band protested that he would fix the tricks. but
sarcastic remark from the partner OF his joys,
to the effect that some men thought they Knew
everything, silenced him. The woman then
proceeded to slow her son how it was done She
FIRST seized Roman candle and grmly proceed
ed to ignite it. The fuse was damp, and to IA
cilitate matters tie woman famed the spark into
life by blowing on it. The response of the can
die was too sudden to contemplate. The front
hair and eye brows off the adventurous female
disappeared as if by magic, and the candle fell
into the collection of fireworks, and proceedtd
to fire itself off with great exactness ignlting the
other project!es. A casual skyrocket SKINNED
along the grass, causing the family cat to ascend
the nearest tree with great violence, while fiery
serpent took refuge in the husbands bosom.
The author Of all this trouble, discovering thst
her clothes were on fire, sailed around the house
with us much earnestness as the liveliest pyro-
technic and it was some moments before the
frightened husband could arrest her wild career.
Later the son and heir found under the
house with the back of his jacket burned out
The woman is now an invalid, and the man
writes to q friend that he never had moro en-
joyable New Year.