Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-06-03
Sketch OF the WatertOwn Shake
spearean Club Read at. the Annual
Banquet Thursday Evening,
nay 21St, 1885.

society, or club, where we might meet on,
evening each week during the coming
winter and SPEND the time in study; ant
intersperse with that some pleasan
recreation; the plan seemed feasible, ane
ways and means were discussed; it re-
suited in the establishing of the Shakes
rearean Reading Club, with the rules
and regulations of which you are all sc
well conversant that repetition here is
unnecessary. Quoting from the aunal,
OF that first year now before me, I read:
Socially and mentally the Club has been
a success, and when tonight we extend
to each ether the right hand Of fellowship
and in eur parting words and thoughts,
bid adieu to the object which has brought
us.so frequently together. in the words
Of Thomas Moore, we shall
"As travellers oft look back Of eve,
When eastward darklV going;
To gaze upon that light they leave
Still faint behind them glowing
So, when the close of pleasures day
AZ BlOOm uhLu near consigned US,
We turn to catch one fading ray
OF JOY that's left behind u.s.
1.-THE harmony and good feeling which
has ever prevailed in our midst, has
stamped pleasant impression upon the
inner walls of the soul that will Iinger in
our memories until time ploughs its
burrows deep into our features, and the
silvered locks of second childhood clam.
Der DER our weary brow. Such recol-
lection as these are the precious Jewels
which are set in our lives, and when we
look back upon past which has been
studded with these diamonds Of existence
there is an infinite delight in claiming
their ownership. Our lives are made I'D
OF little things, and when we can gather
them IN at the harvest time, and find
that the little joys and comforts will far
outweigh the petty annoyances, then we
can say and feel that our lives have net
been failures" Much more I could
quote that would, think, be pleasant to
hear, but | do not wish to detain YOU
too long. Tonight we are six years old,
and all, | am sure, can echo the senti-
ment tonight that was expressed at the
close of the first season.
The Shakespearean Club has grown TO
be one OF the recognized institutions of
our city, something [ find the people
who are not members speak of with
pride to non-residents. We have all
felt pride i'll our society, and have
watched the continued interest shown
by each individual member with pleasure.
and telt glad of the success that has
crowned our first efforts.
Thursday evening, October Ie. 1884.
the secretary called meeting for the
purpose OF recognizing the Club for the
season of 1SS4-85; sixteen responded 70
the summons, and the officers elected to
serve during the season were: w. A.
oadtler, President; Mrs. J. B. Murphy,
Vice President; Mary E. Chadwick,
Secretary; Committee on Selection of
Plays, Misses Pauline [. Voss and Rose
hogan, Messrs. j. G Conway and A. E.
Anderson. Our membership may be
divided into two classes this season: the
active working members, who are Mrs.
Murphy, Mrs. Wright, Misses Pauline
Voss, Lizzie Davis Rose and Ella Rooan.
Ida Sprague, Maggie Norton, Emma
McMabon, Mary and Nettie CbadwicE
Messrs. NJ. IL. Gaebler, A. E. Anderson,
}. b. Murphy, w. A. Sadtler, G. R. Field
and DIR. Rack; the second class are our
honorary and honored members, whom
we ever gladly welcome whenever health
or business will permit them to attend a
meeting; the presence of any or all is
ever like gladly caught ray of sunshine:
they are Mr.. and Mrs, Whiting. Mr.. and
Mrs. M. b. Schwab, Miss Minnie Voss.
Messrs. Terbreuggen, Conway. Flavin
| and Woodard. We have had % meetings
with the customary vacation of two weeks
at the hollday season; we have read six
plays-hve tragedies and one comedy:
we read the play of Julius Cesar first:
this was followed by "Othello," "Romeo
and Juliet" "Much Ado About No
thing "Cariolanus' and "King Lear"
While we have not read as many PLAYS
as during previous seasons, think our
winters reading has been quite as pro-
titable. The attendance has been yery
regular; still the prize as banner member
must be awarded to our worthy president,
he being the only one who has not
missed one meeting. Each season has
wrought some change in our membership,
and although our number was limited to
20, during these six years we have had
A members-twenty ladies and twenty
four gentlemen; of all that number we
know of but two deaths, and they did
not occur until after their removal from
our city. fear I have already wearied
you, and will only add my farewell
until another season-when [ hope to
meet you all again; may the summer
holidays be very full of profit and pleas
ure to you all; what more fitting words of
farewell than Byron wrote:
Farewell! if ever fondest prayer
For Others veal availed on high,
Mine will not be lost in air,
But watt thy names beyond the sky.
My soul nor deigns. nor dares complain,
Though grief and passion there rebel;
only know we meet for good,
only feel, Farewell, Farewell
MARY E. CHADWICK.
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