The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-12-25
Browning Literary Society.
= pod coLLror cnAtEL ox Errspar yIanr.


ne ladies' OF browning Literary Society Of
Western Maryland 3 College, have very
pretty custom of celebrating the last night OF
their stay before tine Holidays by brilliant
entertainment. know not whether they de.
| sign 60 deaden the pain of separation BY hi.
ding il beneath a mountain Of flowers, ribbons,
gay dresses and happy faces, or whether they
wish to throw rosy smile across the saddened
visage OF the old year slowly dying, but this
do know, that the festival is always welcomed
with generous enthusiasm which bespeaks
the firm hold the ladies have upon the hearts
of our people, and the select and appreciative
audience which assembled 70 reward their ef.
forts last night, manifested no diminution of
the kindly esteem they have hitherto so de-
servedly enjoyed. We we're there of course
We always are. Aud, forbearing the usual
remarks about the assembling crowd, the busy
ushers, the gay adornments, the hum of voices
and all the ct ceteras, we come to the point at
once by introducing Miss Lille Brait, Of Ok.
ford Talbot county, who came forward after
the opening chorus TO bid us welcome. Her
essay on Mrs. Browning we are disposed to
call the one gem OF the evening il compelled
to select one. It was strikingly original, and
no less sirikingly beautiful. The analysis of
the gifted ladyfs mind and the eulogy upon
her life were very Just and well expressed,
and tue whole essay was free from the wishy.
washy trash so often found in school. girls
essays. We do not know that we have ever
heard from the young ladies, anything in the
form OF an essay, of equal length, that pleased
US better Did you ever, gentle reader, sit
by the lire OF an evening forming iancies from
the glowing embers; and did your flncies
take the form of large hall brilliantly lighted
and filled with a listening assembly; aud did
you dream that an engaging looking young
lady came forward to read an essay on Fire
side Reyeries;" aud did you imagine that
the essay was beautiful and loudly applaud
ed? If you did, let me tell you the scene
was real, aud Miss Maggie Englar, Of Lin.
wood, Carroll county, was the young lady
Did you ihen, awakened and pleased by the
reality, teelany Heart Longings' to h ar
another! And IL you did. did no, Miss MAY
Devllbiss, OF Liberty, Frederick county, fully
satisfy those "Heart Longings' by treating
OF the subject IN so eloquent manner? We
eau speak Tor ourselves, and We say, surely
she did Aud did you wish then, as we did,
that there was more original aud less selected
/ matter on the programme But do not com
| plain, for we did not Indeed we had no
/ time, the ladies kept our attention so CON.
1 pleiey. There was Miss BrinkerhotT, of
I Gettysburg, Pa. who read 1.-The Bride of
I Malalide, aud so well too that though given
somewhat TO carping we could find nothing to
carp at; and Miss Jennie Wilson, of West.
minister, who rehearsed ''Genevieve,n and
following the current We pronounced il good,
and Miss Emma Wright, Of Westminster who
read 20 Conn0r's Child with emphasis so
just, with intonation so good, with voice so
/ clear, as TO please and entertain every one
| present. and Miss Martha Smith, of Westmin.
| ster, who gave "An Order for n Picture" in
so happy manner, as to bring down the house;
and Miss Jennie Starr, Of Westminster, who
rendered Mother and Poet an exquisite
gem OF Mrs. Browning's casket, very appro.
! priately; and Miss Ada Starr her sister, who
would be "Making an Editor of a good.ior,
nothing little fellow, ms il il were the easiest
thing IN the world, and had not given her
! weeks OF trouble TO prepare it so well. Then
there was also Miss Laura Edie, of Hartford
county, the perfection of "Josiah Aliens
Wife, and, above all, Miss Sallie Grouse, of
| Westminster, to rehearse "Mona's Waters -
We are anxious to say good many nice
things about these two selections and their
rendition. Miss Edie was so drol, so natu.
raj, so inimitabe, that We could not help ad.
| miring Josiah Aliens Wife," tho we never
did before, and Miss Crouse-well, we will
just say that she sustained, possibly increased,
her reputation as o fine declaimer, aud this
is perhaps praise enough. Certain il is, she
thrilled, delighted, and swayed her audience
IN accordance with her own sweet will. She
was unquestionably the star among those who
had selections The Allegory-"War Among
the Roses, besides being novelty was very
well presented. This gained oil who had q
share IN Its development much praise. But
bless us how stupid We are to think we
have thus far said nothing of the beautiful
Vocal Solos by Miss Belle Norment and Miss
Sallie Grouse Who shall estimate the power
of Music to please These were very finely
rendered and full Of beauty. Miss Grouse
was so loudly encored that she was Obliged
to sing her song second time. Of the in.
strumental music, we must forbear to pro.
nounce an opinion as we know nothing about
1t. But We heard great many saw il was
very good indeed Miss Maggie Cole. of
Baltimore, the accomplished music teacher
OF the College, yielded to request and read
the RGcen. Her emphasis was not at all
times Just, perhaps, but her rendering was the
best we have ever heard. We must not omit
to mention the beautiful presents Of the lr.
wing and Webster Societies of young gentle.
men, to the Browning. The Irving presented
SIX volumes OF companion poets, beautifully
bound IN handsome cloth aud gilt, and Bry.
ants Library Of Poetry and Song, all baud
somely illustrated with fine steel engrayinqs.
The present Of the Mebster's was a line edi.
ton of Tennyson in ten volumes. Besides
these the young ladies' received quite a nun.
Der OF line volumes and beautiful tributes of
various kinds from friends in the audience, |
which It was not our privilege to examine
Here we are constrained to put our period |
and lay aside Natures noblest gift, our gray |
goose quill always hoping that we may |
never be sighted when the Browning comes
on the stage. As the ushers lett us without
a programme, we are not sure we have said |
all we wis he'd to say, but if We have made |
any mistakes we are none the less the ladies,
W. A. W.
lpestminster, Dec. ED, 1875.