Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-08
The Library Amateur Enter
tafnment.

ever witnessed, and the actors felt encouraged
to try their skill IN other pieces. The want
of q suitable city hall for such performance s
has been long and deeply felt. The necessity
for some sort of an exhibition hall being im-
perative, the Library Association rented the
two rooms formerly occupied by the Advocats
printing Office, took out the partition, put IL
a stage at the east end of the room, and
made small but convenient hall, capable of
seating upwards Of two hundred persons very
comfortably. The seats are arranged in tiers,
one above the other, so that all may have a
chance of seeing everything going on on the
stage. Mr.. Richard Meyer, Sen.. painted a
scene for drop<curtsin in a superb style, and
the accomplished hand and eye of DIR. Barber
painted and arranged the scenery and stage
effects. For a month or two past a company
OF amateurs have been rehearsing the play
founded on Tennyson's great poem, "Enoch
Arden" 1t is arranged in FIVE acts, and is as
interesting in detail as it is lengthy Who
ever has read the poem knows the plot of the
play, but, lest everybody who reads this may
not have read the poem, we viii give short
sketch of the play as rendered on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday evenings of last week.
The play opens with merrymaking on the
coast of Cornwall, on the wedding day of
Enoch Arden and Annie Lee. Everybody 10
lavish in praise for Enoch and for his wife
that is to be. Even his rival in Annie's af-
fections, Philip Ray, reads a letter reciting
Enoch's generosity in giving to poor sailor,
boat, which Enoch himself stood in need of.
The wedding bells ring. and the first scene
closes with the wedding song and chorus.
During the next seven years Esoch and Annie
live happily together, aud three children are
born to bless their marriage, and everything
seems likely to be prosperous for them for all
time, until Enoch falls from mast and breaks
limb. He is sick for long time. Their
competency dwindles down to almost no thing.
At last Enoeh gets an offer of position as
boatswain on the ship "Good Fortune" to
China He accepts the position, and the
farewell is very affecting. After lapse of
ten years, during which time the youngest OF
the three children died, as Enoch did not re-
turn, Philip Ray, who had not ceased to love
Annie, asks her TO become his wife. His en-,
entreaties, joined to those of her dear chill
dren, and the good Or. Grammett, who had
known Enoch and her all their lives, induce
her to give her promise Of marriage within
year. She still elngs to the belief and hope
that Enoch still lives, and opens the Bible to
find sign" whether or not he is among
the living. The text she happens on is.
Under palm tree" She misinterprets the
meaning OF the text and the vision which fol-
lows, and thinks il sign that Enoch is no
more. The vision was Enoch, with long,
white beard, whitened by sorrow and expos
ure, standing under palm tree, with arms
outstretched, looking over the sea, and was
shown to the audience by the lowering of a
part Of the curtain in the background The
fourth act opens with Enoch in the same po-
sition as in the vision, on a tropical island.
where he has been cast by the wreckng of
his ship, for nearly eleven years. He is look
ing out over the ocean, and wondering how
long it will be before he will be rescued
The ship Falmouth being out of water, puts
into the shore of the island, and sends a
boat crew after the precious liquid. They
discover Enoch, and from his appearance
and actions take him for a wild man. He re-
turns -home, goes to the Rose Inn, kept by
Miriam Lane, an old-time friend and ac-
quaintance. He is so altered in appearance
that he is not recognized, and he does not
make himself known. She, in telling the
news Of the town, tells him of his childs
death and Annie's marriage to Philip Ray.
He determines never to let her know of his
return but longs for one more sight of his
beloved wife and children. He goes to
Philip Rays house in the evening, and looks
through the window a. the happy family
His agony at seeing them is almost impossible
to bear, and he nearly breaks his resolve
never to tell them. DR.. Grammett and
Miriam Lane, however, discovered his per-
sonality, and missing Enoeh, followed him to
Philips house, where he was discovered un-
der the window in death swoon. He lives
but few minutes longer, and dies blessing
them all.
The above is very meager account of the
details of the plav, but may serve to make the
play better understood. The following is the
cast Of characters:
Enoch A. Burr.
rmlp Ray. icdonigai
Dr. Ed. "a Lowry
Ben, the Watkins
Old Oscar Lewis.
Gregory
Peter ......Rehard Meyer. Jr
waiter fred. meyer.
49,. 80 - W.
Miriam Lance Emma Waggoner
Esther Arden Della Phelps
Villagers, Sailors, etc.
In the characters of Enoch Arden and
Annie Lee, great passion was required, which
was given to perfection. The performance
the third night was varied by Miss Carrie
Barber's rendition of one of her solos, which
are such favorites with Lancaster audiences,
entitled, :" In the
parting of Enoch and Annie, she threw 80
much torSe into her grief that one would
have imagined it real. The soliloquy on the
desert island, Mr.. Burr rendered in a very af-
fecting style. Will. McGonigal sustained his
reputation for good acting, in his performance
OF the part of Philip Ray. Ed. Lowry. in his
character of DR.. Grammett, was of course
not to be excelled. His "get>up" was first
class, and not the least difficult part OF his
performance was his laugh, which completely
drought down the house." Miriam Lane, as
will be seen, was personated by Miss Emma
Waggoner, young lady from Galena, teacher
of the Grammar department of our public
school, who has found the way into the esteem
Vi All LduCaStcf peOplo Wuo KNOW uer. her
worthless and henpecked husband, Peter
Lane. was impersonated by Richard Meyer,
Jr., in way that was very laughable Mas
ter Fred Meyers rendition of the part of
Walter Arden, was very good in fact, not to
be surpassed by anybody. Miss Della Phelps,
as Esther Arden, as is usual in her public per-
formances, did we'll Rolla Watkins, as Ben.
the Boatswain, of the crew of the Falmouth
spinned his yarn in very entertaining man.
ner, and although Oh Barnacle would say
something once in a while that wouldn't ex>
actly suit Ben, yet he performed his part
with very good grace.
coded "Enoch Arden" Dick Meyer took the
Scroggins, in which he did himself credit. J..
Milton Mills characterized Sir Charles Sey>
mour; Miss Annie Brown, Lady Clara Sey-
mour; and Ed Lowry, the servant Thomas,
all of which parts were well played. During
one of the intervals on the first two evenings,
a class of ten Of Miss Waggoner's pupils gave a
very good calisthe1ic performsce, which was
well received. Nor must we forget to mems
ton the good music furnished BY the string
band, which filed the intervals between
scenes. 10. Barnett welded the violin bow
in his mastery style, and Mr.. and Mrs Charles
Orion played the flute and organ. The three
evenings entertainment netted for the benefit
of the Library Association, $40. When are
we TO have anothere
Rockville Notes.