Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1877-08-02
Riding the Crest of the Wave at Pine


House.
The wave of tho drama-the wave o
pleasure-the wave Of hospitality-th
wave of good cheer! This is the wave
upon whose crest we rode triumphant.
for two days and nights during the pas
week. Pine House was alive with Mr.
r. P. Henry, his pupils, his amateurs
his musicians. 1. was delightful, intel
lectual, gay, tippy, Summcrish. ol
Thursday night camo the School Exhi
bition. Beautiful stage OH the spacious
platform of tho depot building. Side
closed i'll with bagging. Comfortable
benches al / chairs. Brilliant lights ant
tasteful stage decorations. Three million
people present, cold men and maidens
young men and children" beauty, gal
lantry, fashion. Old peoplc-time-strick
en- Hatchcrs, Swearingens, Etheredges
Kirksays, Marshes, &c,-who we know
had not left their homes ut night in
thousand years. Horses, chariots, bug
gies, extra trains, negroes, dogs, melons
Teaches, grapes, flowers, ice cream, lem
onIde. Lively and witty charades. EX
ulisite tableaux. Stirring rccitations
And last but not least, that inimitable
satire upon shoddy high life in Ne"
York entitled "Our Best Society" il
which young Millers and Wises ano
Kirkseys and Smiths and 11arrises ano
Longs and Lees and Iveys and Hords
and Meachums and Swcaringens and
Lofts played as if they had been accus
toned to tho stage all their brief lives
A perfect success; indeed wonderful
success! Everybody delighted beyond
measure!
And then two days of dolce far 'atcnte
waiting for Saturday night and AR,
mand." And when it came, how beau
tiful it was! Mr.. 3. G. Etheredge in the
title role-young and handsome, and
playing his intensely beautiful and in
tellectual part with combined tender
ness and manliness truly admirable
Miss Lizzie Kirksey, as " Blanche" the
true and high-souled heroine-lovely in
person, graceful in movement, and
evincing the most Intelligent and woman
ly appreciation Of her noble and impas-
stoned role. Miss Lizzie Sease, bright
and pretty brunette of sixteen summers
transformed into dame Babette" an
old and wrinkled French peasant-in
many respects the most difficult part,
but rendered with naturalness quiet
and uuizzical humor, and an originality
of manner, that betokened very uncom
mon intelligence and aptitude. Mr.. r..
P. Henry as the Duke de Richelicu-a
crafty courtier, bold, subtle, unscrupu-
lous, with but one soft spot in his heart
love for his aushtcr-p!ayed by Mr..
Henry with felicity absolutely worthy
of the legitimate stage. Mr.. Luther
Sheppard, as Louis XIV, 4 weak and
licentious monarch; Mr.. Sheppard has a
handsome presence, voice not only OF
rare power, but Of rare beauty, and made
the very utmost Of a very ungracious
role. Mr.. L. G. Crouch, another very
handsome young person transformed
into the aged aud de"repid Duke D'Antin,
man of sorrow aud appointment,
devoting his life - schemes Of revenge
upon the betra, er of l:is dauGh!cr-an
other ungracinus role very iinc.J played
Mr.. Joe Kirksry, as E" | Sage" shrewd
and witty ouachc Of the Duke D. 'Antin-
the comic character uf the drama-giriN
by Mr.. Kirkscy with great deal of
humor and mock wisdom. Miss Pet
Harris. little girl of -, as Jaquclinc,"
a young peasant maiden-as bright and
smart and ready as if she had been
trained by Lester Wallack. Master
JoScy Lee, handsome boy of l3, as
"Victor" the page-a perfect courtier in
mniaturc-m manly aid graceful and
knightly as young troubadour. And
peasant maidens, and peasant youths,
and soldiers, and suards-all young, and
gay, and full oy intelligent animation
And the bright may-pole scene! And
lame Babctte courtcSying to the king!
And Tic tender and mourn.ul scene Of
Blanche on the bier! And the revelation
of Richelieu as the father of Blahche!
And the breaking Of the sword by Ar
mand And the final reunion and em-
brace of Armand ard blanche! Beau
tiful, emotional, intellectual!
And then the band! What arc their
r:mes? Young Armand Ethercdge. aud
Mr.. John Cahill, &nd Mr.. Langdon Miles,
and Mr.. Ben Hughes and sometimes Mr..
Frank Bettis and Mr.. John Miles They
played charmingly, aud we veneratc
them. We vencrate all the children Of
music. We would tcuderly embrace Il
dwarf that played on cornstalk fiddle!
But the high wave has cbbed, and we
have fallen Of the brilliant crest into the
flat and heavy waters Of the -Aduerttser
office. Such is life! On the wave to-
day; in the bog tomorrow! We lccl,
however, that this wave will again come
to flood time. And then-especially if
it flows towards Pine House-we shall
again leap upon the crest and be there!