The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-05-06

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Iii were not too late would like to say
some nice things about the last anniversary
Of the Webster Society, and ] have oilen
wanted TO compliment my sisters OF the Brown
ing for the less pretending, but certainly. en-
pertaining and profitable, exercises OF their
anniversaries. II is not now n iit time TO
dwell upon these, but surely with the Ninth
Anniversary of the Irving, Friday, night
| April 18th, so fresh in our memory, may Dc
pardoped &c say something of it,, and at
tempt to show the young gentlemen that u We
| can not equal their eloquence we can at least
appreciate II, aud TO appreciate Is only one
step short Of TO perform, have been told.
| shall proceed to do this, altho' have no
hope Of doing it nearly as well MS Miss NJ. b.
s. always does. went to the hall on Friday
evening, and had no trouble in finding good
seat, for the audience was not large though II
was very select The Webster and the Brown
ing were there before met is leap year,
hence mention the gentlemen irst--and the
Irving WINS soon marching up the aisle too and
taking seats upon the stage. The Amphions
were there Of course-what would we do
without them land played fine overture by
way Of opening the exercises. Mr.. Wilson
X Gushing, the young president OF the Irving
then advanced aud babe us welcome. He
went on TO set forth the advantages Of such
societies. He had collected many facts and
had arranged them in very palatable man
ner 80 that his remarks were very interesting.
Mr.. Edwin Devilbiss, Of Liberty, Nd, read
"The Legend Of he Organ Builder very &C.
ceptably. He was followed by Mr.. I. j.
Wilson, Of townsville, who acclaimed "T'he
Ciotcn's Story" with emphasis so just and
gestures SO appropriate as to win universal
30 naplotsnn tk,.,..kt La sha haa
Of the readings and defamation, and agree
dressing as a clown. Mr.. b. d. Downey, Of
Liberty, after only weeks notice, am told,
read Saxe's "EdTiy Rising and in very
happy manner and with good affect "The
Main Chance an Grafton by Mr. G. Il.
Cushing, altho' plentifully interlarded with
quotations from the poets, was strikngly
original and listened TO with attention and
applause. Parts Of il were comic and very
amusing. Little Willie Hoppe, acclaimed in
his usual felicitous style "Atfer The Battle. "
At times he was touchingly pathetic. All the
while the Amphions were filling up the inter
walls OF time between the exercises with their
''harpng symphonies" and after one of these
following Willie Hoppe, cane the browning
glory of the svening-the anniversary Grafton
by Mr.. Preston s. Devilbiss, Of Liberty,
Frederick county, Md. His theme was "The
Paradise Of Letters" and his Grafton, for so
yoang mind, was mastery The passages
Of beauty and fights of eloquence in it-and
they were very numerous well appre.
ciated by his hearers and loudly applauded.
| have heard several fine orations from Mr..
Deyilbiss, but none to equal this. And, now,
Messrs. Editors, having, hope, shown the
fallacy OF the popular opinion that lady has
only the one adjective, nice, to express her
pleasure, and having gone through the pro-
gramme, with the simple recapituation that
the anniversary was highly entertaining and
profitable, and certainly very creditable to the
young gentlemen Of the Irving, III drop the
curtain here, emitting oil mention Of applause,
cards, flowers, cakes, &c.
Westminster, Nay cd, 1876.