The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-14
SECOND IYCEUM ENTERTAINMENT
A Large Audience Gathers to Hear q De-
Hgbtful Programme.

The Judges Think the Old Maids of More
Benefit Than Bachelors.
The second successful entainment given
by the Elkton Lyceum Association in the
academy building took place on Monday
evening last. A larger audience than the
room could we'll accommodate gathered
at an early hour, and when the time
came to open the programme every avail
able inch of seating and standing room
was occupied. The successful character
of the previous entertainment was the
cause of the large audience last Monday.
With Prof. w. NJ. Foulk in the chair,
the business of the meeting was pro-
ceeded with, at the conclusion of which
the programme of the entertainment
committee was opened by Miss Annie J.
Smith, who rendered in an able manner
VIM. Cullen Bryant's lofty poem "The
flood of years" Lizzie Alexander, a lit
tie miss of about ten summers, then told
in a recitative how forty old bachelors
We're once disposed of at public auction
to as many tender hearted old maids,
each of whom lugged one of their antique
brothers home OH their shoulders. Mr..
Chas. F. Hinchhffe followed next with =
rendition of Bret lIarte's famous poem,
"Society on the Stanislaus," delivered
with much spirit and originality. The
time had then arrived for the debate, and
the question, (Which is the greatest ben
eft to society the Old Maid or the Old
Bachelor" was discussed upon the side
of the affirmative by DIR. Howard Bratton
and F. Mckinsey, and upon the part of
the negative by Geo. r. Ash and Chas.
F. Hinchliffe. Owing to the sudden i'll
ness of Mr.. Hinchliffe during the delivery
of his opening argument much of the
interesting portion of the debate was
forfeited, but the remaining disputants
batted bravely for the two peculiar
specimens of humanity they were called
upon to defend. Mr.. r. G. Thackery,
Miss Helen Gay, and Miss Bessie Miller,
WClC CuOoCh upOh IiiC lSouCo vi
the question. Despite the efforts of the
negative to dismay their opponents by
gentle insinuation against their poetical
platitude and ancient wit, the decision of
the judges was in favor of the affirma-
tive, and at last it has been conclusively
proven that the Old Maid is a greater
benefit to society than the Bachelor. 1t
is now hoped that they will both think
better of the purposes for which they
were created, and emerge from the lone
joys of single blessedness into the COM
such thing occurs the debating society
will already have accomplished a remark
able reform. The question of the even
ing was discussed in pleasant and witty
manner, many sharp points of repartee
being INDUCED in by the disputants. Mr..
Ash and Mr.. Hinchliffe distinguished
themselves by producing a list of his
torical unmarried men whose names
have headed the greatest movements of
the greatest times. This list included
such names as that of Christ, David
Hume Gan irreverent contrast surely)
Ed. Gibbon, Lord McCauley, Sir Francis
Bacon, Sir Isaac Newton, and their illus
trious unmarried contemporaries. The
names of Charlotte Corday, Joan de Arc,
were offered in refutation by the side of
the opposition. And, as the decision
of the judges indicate, the superior
virtues of womanhood were thought
to surpass the unequal merits of
the males. Impartially viewed the ques-
tion was ably discussed by both sides,
but the Wing is strongly inclined to the
belief that, but for Mr.. HIinchliffe's ill
ness, the negative would have more
strongly impressed the judges than did
the affirmative. Throughout the discus
kindly attention and interest. At the
conclusion of the debate Bret Harte's
dialect poem, "Jim," was rendered by IA
member of the society, and a vocal solo
by Miss Clara Scott closed the entertain
ment. The question, ''Sesolved: That
there is more pleasure in Anticipation
than Possession" was chosen for discus
sion at the meeting of Monday evening
November the twenty third. The chief
disputant for the affirmative and negative
will be Mr.. Chas. Smith and Mr.. f. G.
Collins respectively. The members of
the association have uttered many ex-
pressions of gratefulness towards the
citizens of Elkton and vicinity for the
kindly interest they have manifested and
aid they have loaned in the success of the
organization. ....