The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-03-05
AMUSEM ENTS.
Doings Of the Week.

Tho presentation Of "She Stoops to Conquer"
by the Harmony Club on last Tuesday was per
haps the finest amateur entertainment ever given
in Ottawa. Not SINCE the. days Of the old "Thes.
pians," certainly, has its equal been seen, since
when, indeed, no entertainment BY amateurs has
approached 1t in point of merit The choice Of
the play was happy one-a play OF the bright
est and wiltirst Of hues and Of the funniest stu
stiOns, crowned BY tho most wholesome Of
morals, and one thoroughly popular. The pre-
sentation was excellent, and found favor with
the audience at once, The heroine Mss Ha,N
:astis by Miss Lura Nash, was splendid piece
Of work. She thoroughly appreciated the part,
had evidently studied II we'll, and acted 1t with
bewitching grace and spirit that many profes.
sional Heading lady" OF high standing would
envy. Her next friend" Miss He,ille, in the
person Of Miss Fannie BEEN, WAS also inc
character ana acted with great good taste and
judgment. Miss MOllie Osmsn as Mrs, Hand
castle the fussy mother, looking after the inter
ests of her spoilt child, ana trying to keep Mis-,
Neril<'s fortune In the family was" as the he
publie0n suggests, excellent. She was more;
she was superb in this role, and won the praises
everyone" Geo. Sweet, rs HardoastS, was rs
good as ever. Mr.. Sweet Is In the right place In
comedy and his work in the last two entertain
ments has been excellent. The young men
parts, Go. Hast;nss Emerson Norgan) and
Young HarIow Geo. Trmble), though the most
difficult Of the male cast, we're capitally acted.
Some Of Trimble's touches In the scene with Miss
Hardeostk were equal TO Fred. Wren's best
strokes; while Morgan's Hastings was a charac.
ter he can be proud Of Lotc Perkins II certainly
one Of the finest amateur comedians we have in
Ottawa, and on this occasion he not only re-
tanned all Of his old raurels but added new ones
formed with all his traditional vlvacity; while Dr.
Z. s. Hobert as Sir Marion and Jessie Macarthur
as Mad were equal to all the necessities. The
tap. room scene in the first act, showing Noah
Perkins Landlord, Herb Kilby and Theron Bush.
nell as inmates, was one Of the funniest Of
scenes, and Perkins with his killing makeup
and broad English brogue quite took the cake"
In another scene Klby, as Dsgory, and Bush
nell, as Roger Juggling In the punch bowl, scored
decided hits. In all respects the performance
was excellent and considering that as amateurs
the WetnDtIS Ol lut cast were hlutd ana pulOtu
by none Of the stage traditions Of the play and
could know nothing OF what the profession term
the business" of the piece, it was remarkable
The audience was very large and
1t was not our good fortune to DC listener at
the High School Entertainment entitled "Mem.
cries Of the War" on last Friday evening, but
we are assured by number Of delighted listen.
ers that IL was most interesting. The recolec.
tons of T.. A. Nattinger, "ALdcrsonville," and
Of Mai. John II. Widmer, "a Day on the skir.
mish Line" were told Is only men can tell SHch
stories who speak FROM actual experience, aided
by clear memories and a fonduess for the sub.
ject; and supplemen,ing these-the most smbi-
tious features Of the programme--with the
'revellle" and "taps" by Capt. Fuchs, short
and appropriate Introductory by ID. 4. Snow,
selection read by Prof. BoltwOod, and patriotic
songs by the excellent choir Of Christ church,
aud the evening was naoc q most enjoyable one.