The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-04-08

Bethe1-Entertainment by the Crew of
the Teutonia-Address of Miss Willard,
the Temperance Advocate, etc.
NEW ORLEANS, March is, 1882.
Ny DEAR FLoY:
One of the pleasantest evenings Of the
past week was spent at the Bethel where
the crew of the Teutonia gave one of the
most enjoyable concerts of the season.
OF course, my dear, you have heard of
the Bethel, and the noble work that Dr..
Witherspoon is accomplishing in behalf
Of the sea-faring men, so it is needless to
give you detailed history of the work,
its origin, etc. For some years past the
good Chaplain has been persevering in
the laudable effort to elevate the sailors
and Undue them more and more with
lofty feelings of true manhood and all
that constitutes the higher life, besides
affording them the comfort and solace of
a home and encouraging an appreciation
of social enjoyment in its unadulterated
sense.
As soon as ship reaches this port, the
entire crew are sure of kindly reception
from friends of the Bethel, and board
ing house under the immediate supervi-
sion of DIR. Witherspoon and conducted
in such a manner as to suggest the
good cheer of pleasant home, it may
H. %bo 10 tn fHoro
Best of all, a reading-room, well stored
| with choice books and all the leading
papers and periodicals., adjoins the
Bethel, and no more elevated amusement
could be furnished them than this
communion with the mighty minds Of
the present and of ages past. l have
often thought that seamen ought to be
very scholarly and we'll informed, for
they have such an abundance of time to
improve their minds and acquire knowl-
edge. All the bnsy forces of life which
fill up the being of men who work in the
thick of the worlds din and whirl, are
in great measure shut away from them.
The whirr and the clash of the worlds
great machinery does not disturb them,
as they sail far away upon the blue
waters Of the sea, where, when nature is
calm, a sweet peace seems brooding over
the face of the earth and the cares and
pettiness of the town life are laid away
until another port at least, is reached.
Sea-faring men are proverbially the
jolliest and best-natured in the world,
and the cause is palpable enough. Who
can recount as many pleasant incidents,
and laughable anecdotes as the merry
old Captains one meets now and then :
And then, the bonhonaie, the hail-fellow-
wcll-met address that almost invariably
characterizes them!
Those who attend the concert at the
Bethel last Monday night could not fail
to he impressed with the intelligence of
some of the men composing the crew of
the Teutonia. They surely had not been
idle out upon the great deep, if we might
Judge by their numerous recitations,
speeches and songs. The good Chaplain
was said to have been little scandalized
by the clog dancing which formed one
feature of the entertainment to the
infinite amusement of the spectators, to
whom it was a novel exhibition. Some
how, whenever the dancing began, he
was no longer visible, and it was query
in the minds Of many how he disappeared
so suddeniys He told us afterwards
that dancing was interdicted, as well as
Negro stump-speeches aud ninstrelsy,
but that the Teutonia was such fue
ship lie allowed that crew greater lati-
tude.
1t was too comical to see the would be
grace of some of the sailor-a actors, when
bouquets were thrown at their feet-fit
tributes of the appreciation Of the
audience. Evidently those simple men
had not been very frequent recipients of
tue homage of the fair sex and these
little testimonials were almost too much
for their equilibrium.
When the gallant Captain took the
stand and made few graceful remarks,
he was honored by miniature bouquet
which elected the mirth of all present
The manner in which he received the
boutoaniere-for it was little more-was
inimitable, and as markedly a contrast
to that of the subordinate officers, as was
his little nosegay to their huge bouquets.
The great feature of the evening was
the address of Miss Willard and her
sweet womanly appeal for the temper
ance reform. Some of the songs they
sang we're calculated to educe very
strong words from her, for they sang, as
sailors will sing, about the bottle
making them awful jolly" etc, so that
| Miss Willard was forced to request them
in her gentle, winning way, to give ear
| to her, a temperance woman, " though
they were such jolly dogs with their
| BOTTLE" and accept her words of warning
| and tender Interest in all soberness and
| seriousness. This they could not fail to
do, from the very beginning of her
beautiful talk. She fairly captivated
them all, by her charm and grace ol
manner, as well as her strong, deep
words of wisdom, and the second mate
received from her so much inspiration. as
to address to her a day or two afterwards
some very delectable verses. 1t is to be