The Portland daily press., 1875-11-05
ARMY AND NAVY COURSE.
Reading by Prof. Reade of London.

The second entertainment in IL, Army and
Navy course took place at City Hall last even
ing, it being reading by Prof. j Willoughby
Reade of London The hall was we'll filled and
the reader evidently gave good satisfaction.
Previous to the reading Chambers band gave
very pleasing concert of half an hours dura-
tlon Prof Reade is fine appearing gentle
man OF about 35 years of age, with smooth ACE
and high intelligent forehead and bright,
black eyes. He was appauded as he stepped
upon the stage at a few minutes past eight
o'clock and after leisurely casting his eye
about the hall commenced his first selection
king John and the Abbot of Canterbury
which he read in a most easy and graceful
manner. In fact there was nothing stiff about
any of his reading, and an entire lack of faults
IN his infection, which are so common in pub
lie readers. The second selection was 1.-THE
Victim This more sympathetic piece was
we'll received, and the more tender parts were
handled with good taste. The third selection
Truth in Parenthesis," by Hood, gave good
chance for the Professor to show his facial ex-
preston to advantage, and it is sufficient to say
that he showed himself master of the situation.
~hio PiCSC SOb buO duulcuCo III SUUu uumUF, anu
when the next selection, "Mark Twain at Mia
CARA Falls,' was announced, they were ready
to receive it. In relating this we'll known tale
Prof. Reade seated himself by the table and
one could almost imagine that IN. To- was
there relating the story himself. The next So
lection, "How we brought the news from
Ghent," was entirely different from those pre-
ceding it, and awakened a new interest in the
audience. 1t was description of ride as ex.
citing as Sheridan's, and it was read in very
fine manner. The next selection was from
Dickens, "Hopelessly in Love-" While read
ing it the form of the 'sFat Boy" appeared to
rise up before ths audience as it did before Mr..
rupman and his sweetheart ia the garden.
Without doubt the finest thing OF the evening
was "Karl the Martyr The author of this
really fine composition is not known, and Prof.
Reade has it only in manuscript. 1t is the
story of sturdy blacksmith whose house was
set upon by mad hound, and who in trying to
defend his motheress children received
bite from the enraged beast, which drove HIM
mad To protect the neighbors as well as
himself he went to his shop and forged heavy
chain with which he chained himself to the
floor, where he died after three days of terrible
suffering. 'The Annuity was very comical
and showed Prof. Reade to be good dialect
reader. The entertainment closed with Mark
Twain's "Aurelia's Unfortunate Young Man."
In reading this he assumed the place of the
young woman to the great amusement of the
audience, who applauded loudly throughout
the rendering. Prof. Reade always has his
text before him but is not at all confined to
it, and thus does not delay his audience by
loosing qis place.
The entertainment lasted two hours. A very
pleasant feature of twas the selection by
Chambers band between the readings. The
next entertainment in the course will be the
grand concert by the Boston Philharmonic
Club assisted by Miss Laura Sinner, on the
evening of the 18th inst. An excellent pro.
gramme is arranged for this concert.