Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-07-29
LITCHFIELD.

Gus conventions.
Mr.. Theodore Wildman, of New York,
formerly an officer in the 9TH Conn. Vols,
with his wife has been visiting friendsin this
village for a few days past.
DIR. F. II. Wiggin, of New York, arrived
on Saturday and has taken possession of his
residence on South street, for the SIMMER
The doctor has been in Europe for some time
past ard fluids his health much improved by
tie trip.
The ladies are making extensive prepare
tons for the V. l. S. Fair and Festival, this
"wednesday evening, at Armory Hall. The
object is one in which all, both citizens and
visitors, should take lively interest, and we
hope they will encourage the Society by a
liberal patronage.
Among our death notices we give that OF
Mr. Henry Neal, former resident of this vii
lage. Mr.. N. was taken i'll in the cars, while
going from Indianapolis to Idaho, and stopped
al Portland, Oregon, where he died of pneu-
uuonia and was buried there.
Mr.. Joseph News barn, in Bethlehem,
was struck by lightning during the shower OF
Monday evening and entirely destroyed, to-
gethcr with about twenty tons of hay and
some farm utensils. Loss about $500. Barn
insured for 5000 in the Litchfeld Mutual.
-Amors the street diversions of the past
weql. has been a performing bear going
through variety of exercises at the command
OF his master, after the awkward, grotesque
manner of his species. We couldn't help
thinking that it was positively unscriptural
not to offer him single.one OF the irreverent
youngsters who assembled to see his perform
auces.
We are in receipt OF a communication
giving a glowing account of mercantile fish
ing excursion TO Bantam Lake. on Thursday
last. 1t is much to long for our limitedspace;
and the chief point of interest seems to be
that the party got wet. The author goes into
extasy over the success of the Dry Goods
Clerk in his attempts to catch bullhead in an
umbrella. and the beautiful style in which he
handled the oars.
During the heavy shower on Monday
evening, the barn of Mr.. S. G. Beach in rear
OF his block on West street, occupied by Mr..
soelh Pratt, was struck by lightning, tearing up
the shingles on the roof and passing down the
side to the ground. No serious damage was
done, but the village sustained very Narrow
e.cape from disastrous conhagration. The
report that the large sycamore tree in front of
Mr.. Stephen Trowbridge's. on West street,
was also struck, was unfOunded, although the
wind tore a large branch from it.
Summer visitors continue to arrive at the
hotels, as will be seen by the appended list,
and the village presents an unusually lively
appearance:
Lake VieaO-W. W. Winchester and wife,
New Haven w. A. Drown and family, Phil
adelphia; j. +. Tams, New York Miss Mary
Durrie, New Haven John Epson and wife,
New Haven; William w. Doherty, Boston
Ii. G. Fairchild, Bridgeport Chas w.
Henry, Philadelphia; Geo. S. Lord and.
family, Brooklyn; F. +. H. Meyer, New
York; Geo. S Mitchell, Boston.
United States.-J. j. MITCHELL New York.
y, Masie, New York; E. B. Ripley and fami-
ly, Unionville; Mrs. HI. Melville and niece,
New York L. A. Mills, Middlefeld, Conn
4agltsiOn House. F. S. Porter and family,
New Haven; D. G. Collender and wife,
Waterbury.
-PINAFoRE. The Pinafore of Wednesday
evening last, though in some respect very
good, was on the whole failure. Indeed, a
piano fearfuNy out Of tune, and 'Ralph"
utterly Inadequate TO his important part, made
failure inevitable. At the close of Tuesdays
entertainment, Mr. Sherlock stated that he had
done the best he could with his material
This was true. The fact is that in place
with as little general vocal culture as Litch-
field. to attempt the organization of a compa-
ny fit to play Pinafore with fortnight's prac-
tice is to attempt an impossibility. If per-
son were to propose to come here, to organize
al ochestra, and to play one of Beethoven
Symphonies after months training every
body would laugh at him. Vocal training is
not so slow work as instrumental; neithe. is
Piaafore a difficult vocal work. but it is
clearly beyond mere beginners. Mr.. Sherlock
trained far better chorus than we should
have thought possible in so short time
They sang with spirit, acted well, and made
their easier choruses quite effective; but when
the harmony was difficult, or the changes of
Key abrupt, they went out of tune, as mat
= ter OF course.
Still, with good solo parts, the performance
would have been creditable. Here. however,
the crudity of the material was the ruin of the
work. Ralph was the most stupendous
failure we ever saw in any public performance.
Josephine" (who we hear was not well, and
worn out with singing in the chorus) was very
far from good. Captain Corcoran," the best
OF the three, was too inexperienced an actor
and singer to entirely fill his own part fal
less to cover up the deficiencies of others
'Deadeye," "Buttercup" and "Hebe" were
really ADMIRABLE; and Sir Joseph" fairly
done (imprsTing much in the second perform
ance We hear); but, successful as these part.
.unquestionably were, they could not make th,
whole a success.
We ought 70 remark, perhaps, upon tn.
piano. 1t should have been tuned, or th,
play postponed. 1t gave no support to the vo
calists, but simply intensified if it did not &C
casion, the discords they made. The purel,
instrumental parts Of the concert are to thi
day horrible recollection in the ears of al
who heard them. This lack of good pan,
in Amory Hall makes good music there al
most out OF the question. No one will rent
good piano fE use in that place; and, even i
they would, the rent and expenses of movin;
would make it much too expensive for an,
ordinary musical entertainment. If the own
ers of the Hall will put good piano into ii
we believe. they will find it profitable in
vestment, and the public would certainly b
very grateful
The Hall was very well filed on both Pina
fore nights the gross receints hain0 rrobo III