Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-02
Eighth Annual Commencement of the
UrSuline Academy.

| The exhibition at the College on last
| Thursday was the Eighth Annual Com
mencement of the Ursuline Academy, and
| was attended by large concourse of people.
The programme varied somewhat from the
| usual course of such exercises, in that it was
| not confined to the mere literary routine of
usual exhibitions, but gave an opportunity
| to the friends of the pupils and the institu-
ton to judge of the musical attainmcnts of
| the students and the progress made by them
under the guidance of Mother Rose; and the
results were most gratifying. After the US
ual Entrance March on the piano, performed
by Misses May McFadden, Mamie Dining,
Lou Dining and Kitty White, cave Marie"
Trio, by the Misses Rosie Feldmann and
Mamie and Lou DINING, was sung with
good effect. All three of these young ladies
sing beautifully, and give evidence Of most
careful training. This was followed by the
chief feature of the Musical Department,
being a comic opera i'm three acts, wherein
the same young ladies and Miss May Nc
Fadden, assisted by nearly a score of beauti-
full younger pupils, took part, and acquitted
themselves well. The following little history
gives the salient features of the play:
THE BELLS OF CORNENILLE.
Henri, Marquis of Bonneville, who has been
since childhood, owing to civil war, an exile,
returns to his ancestral home on the occa-
sion of the great annual fair which is being
celebrated in the village that receives its
name from his chateau. 1t Is one of the old
fashioned Norman villages OF the seventeenth
century.
The First Act represents an assemblage of
village gossips discussing scandal and small
talk. Serpolette, cross between Fanchon
and Boulette, is the topic of conversation
among the bellies of Bonneville. She comes
i'm just i'm time to turn the tables on the 9TH
ers, and changes their taunts into expressions
of rage. Gaspard, an old miser, wishes to
marry his niece, Germaine, to the principal
magistrate of the district, the Bali. This |
arrangement does not suit Germaine, nor a
young fisherman, named Jean GrenicheuX, |
who pretends that he saved her life from
drowning on a certain occasion. To escape |
from the power of old Gaspard, Germaine |
takes advantage Of the privileges of the fair,
and becomes the servant Of the Marquis:
Her example is followed by GrenicheuX and
Serpolette.
The Second Act of the Bells of Bonneville
who have made the Castle of Bonneville so
long an object of dread. Henri determines
to find out the real character of these ghostly
appearances, and discovers that it is all the |
work of the old miser, who has concealed his
in the chateau. The discovery
drives Gaspard crazy, especially when he
hears the bells of the chateau ringing for the
first time since the flight of the old Marquis.
The Third Act represents the grand fete
given in honor of the return of Henri to his
ancestral home; Serpoette arrives as Mar
as some papers, found in the cha
teau, indicate that she is the lost helress.
The miser, however, recovers his reason, and
shows that Germaine is the true Marchion-
ess. duet between her and Henri, results
in the reconciliation of all the parties, bring
ing the romantic story to close.
Between the acts, and at intervals, Misses
Rosa Buder and Maggie Walsh, who gradu-
ated on the occasion, delivered essays which
we're able compositions, replete with fine
sentiments and elevated thoughts, showing
hat the moral and literary training of their
pupils receives careful attention on the part
If the Sisters.
Little Miss Lulu Keenan, then read a poem,
after which Misses F. Regain and 7. INNER
performed on the piano. This was followed
" "Les Joies d'Arcadia," composed and
performed on the piano by Miss May Nc
Fadden, and which was received with a
torm of applause, recalling the fair perform
r. "The Gipsey Countess by the same young
adv and Miss Feldmann, though not on the
was repeated at the special re-
luest of friends, and earned for the young
aides great applause. The exercises closed
~ Farewell Song, Distribution Of Premi-
inns, and address by Rev. Father Cooney.
The proceedings were most entertaining
throughout, and the applause bestowed on
he fair performers must have been encour-
ging to both teachers and pupils, as it gives
evidence that relatives and friends duly ap-
,reciate their endeavors and success.
In the parlors and library of the Convent,
he finest specimens of embroidery, and all
,inds of fancy needleworH, and also wax
work., were exhibited, giving evidence of the
progress of pupils in this department; and
he throngs of ladies crowding around the
lifferent tables and articles, and their oft |
leard EXPLANATIONS of approval, and their
at the articles exhibited, gave
he strongest evidence Of the great success II
btained. 1t is to be hoped that parents and
guardians having charge of the education of
Eildren will avail themselves of the oppor-
unities within their reach, to secure the as
istance of the good Sisters in the education
# their children. Elk.