Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-03-26
PubIic Readers.

Ma. EpiToR Since the last visit OF Charles Dick
ens TO this country, an army OF public readers mas
appeared upon cur lecture platform aud attempted
to personate with voice and gesture. the imaginary
characters which the genius of others has made IA
miliar to every household Among those who are
rapidly gaining 10 popular favor. none more fully
sustain the high eneonioms pronounced by tho preas
than one of the daughters Of oar own state, Miss
Ina NJ. Bridgman of Hardwiok.
Miss Bridgmsn has an attractive personal pres
ence She is tall, slender, and graceful She Is per
foetly at ease and makes herself at once at homo
with her audience. There some persons as we
all know, who have the happy faculty Of placing
themselves at once In harmonious relation with
their public while others remain forever cold and
isolated. and un-sympsthetic. Miss Bridgman is
eminenty one of the former class and will carry the
popular enthusiasm with her wherever she goes.
We recently had the pleasure Of seeing this lady in
dramatic entertainment given for the benefit OF
one Of the churches. in IA neghboring town. As she
stood before the audience, dressed with the most
serupuous simplicity in white, even the oopings of
the dress and the ornaments in the hair being plain
white flowers, her lovely dark eyes looking with
kindiness about her aud ner face radiant with good
nature, picture presented Of purity and beau
ty that satisfied every expectation and when the
sentence, whittier thou goest, co." was uttered
in her low, rich tone she was greeted with the
heartiest of welcomes, and the enthusiasm of the
audience was unbounded. Recently it was our good
fortune to be present at social gathering at house
whore Miss Bridgmsn was guest. During the eve
ming she entertained the company by reading
number of selections from the most popular poets.
But the gem of the evening was her "Sleeping
Seem" from Macbeth. Indeed as she stood up be.
fore us. open eyed. yet seeing not, pale with the
deepest feeling, her low rich voice hushed to a SOL
emn whisper, he must have been a captious critic
who denied her power. doubted that she possessed
the highest capacity for dramatic greatness 1t is
not difficult even after single hearing. to pro-
nounoe upon the secret Of Miss Bridgmans success.
She is young, she is beautiful, she is charming in
her ways, and she has one of the most exqusitely
lovely voices ever given woman 1t is voice al
together exceptional. Its purity is perfect; its
quality is without flaw from the lowest tones ev-
en- to those empyrean nights which many dramatic
readers glory in scaling, she has parallel within
our existence. There is not harsh. nor husky
tone in its whole range. All is exquisitely sweet,
all is fresh and beautiful the readers own face,
There can be no question that Miss Bridgman is an
artist of very high accomplishments and almost nm
limited capabilities. Her success is doubly ensured,
and she will prove Of the most popular of Amer
lean readers. with such trio as Mrs. Foss, Miss
Gregory and Miss Bridgman, Vermont may well feel
just pride in being the mother of such noble
daughters and like tho Roman matron, can in truth
exclaim, these my jewels" VERMONT"