Tolland County press., 1883-02-08

The Congregational ladies' fortnight ly social gathering was held last evening with Mrs. Deacon Buck, at the Street, and although the travelling was very bad, some sixty were present, and one of the best of times enjoyed.
 The Citizens Band desires to thank those who so ably assisted them in their recent entertainment, by taking part upon the stage, and in all other ways, also to the general public for patronage and en- couragement. There IS talk of taking the drama to Monson for presentation, re- quest to that effect havingl como from Monson people.
 List of letters remaining in post office at Stafford Springs, Feb. 8th: Frank Burdick, 0. 0. Cheeney, Bridget Con- stantine, Geo. Gain, Marian G. Chapman, Thos. Fitzpatrick, Patrick Grady, Esther Grover, Maria Hennessey, Pete Congor, l.. B. Mentor, N. W. Persons, Homer T. Randall, Gallup Stafford, Fred. Trobridge, Mary Tuhey, Herman Plug, Heinrich Sel- liz, Jan Levy.
 The young people of Grace church are going to bring out ssEsmeralda'' for their annual entertainment.
 Next Wednesday is. St. Valentines day.
 The Citizens Band made big suc- cess of its entertainment, running it three nights to crowded houses. The play is, as its name implies, a war drama, and lasts. through the period of rebellion, from the first sundering of families by the. call for volunteers, through field, bivouac, and the horrors of Andersonville, finally all ending happily save that. little Willie, the drummer boy, was brutally shot at An dersonville by the villain of the piece, Capt St. Clair, which part was we'll acted by Timothy Desmond. The leading fe- male part, by Miss Cora A. Eaton, was finely acted. The old farmer, Dalton, was idealized by Geo. INV. Eaton, who, with his wife (Emilie L. Fiier1, patriotic. ally gave up their three sons to the ser vice, the hardest sacrifice being the part ing with little. Willie, the, drummer boy, who wanted to go, Lottle.. O 'Halloran giv- ing very good rendering of this part. The elder son is the hero of the play, and this part was taken by 0. F. Beekwith, who gave 8 fine conception of the charac- ter. Frank Taylor played. the part of the second Dalton brother, while Jennie Segar and Maude Ellis respectively were wife and. .schild.. of the elder brother. There were many other parts. D. F. Mullins was a77patriotic Dutch volunteer, Stephen Pease the captain of the volunteer compa- ny, T. J. Mullin, "Pete, , the loyal darkey, Patrick Mccoy was Col. St. Clair, father of Capt. St. Clair, whose long friendship with Farmer Dalton closes abruptly as does his visit to him, when the;news comes of the firing on Fort Sumpter. Gems. Sherman, Mcpherson, and other officers, also Union and Confederate troops were represented on the stage. Some veterans of the war were in the cast, and very natural scenes-of feld-life were enacted. Thrilling events, captures, rescues, battle, etc, filled the play, finally eliminating in Andersonville, misery, starvation, mur- der, then rescue and retribution, the close of the war, reunited families, peace and The comic element came in streaks to break monotony, and inter- spersed were beautiful tableaux, chief be- ing two of thesstates, one the act of seces- sion, the other of reunion, the stage being afame with feminine beauty, .sred flights, and pretty costumes.
 MT. and Mrs. J. D. Parkhurst of Wickford, R. l., are visiting relatives in Stafford. --A.