The Portland daily press., 1886-05-06
Church of the Messiah Fair.

The Sunday Schoolof the Church of the Messi-
ali are holding a fair at the vestry of their church,
corner of Congress and India streets, and every
body interested in the useful, ornamental, beauti-
full and curious should not fail to give them call.
The tables are laden with everything that busy
fingers can fashion or fertile brain suggest. Din
ner and supper are served at ID and o'clock,
respectively, and the apparent enjoyment of those
fortunate enough to partake, show that it is fully
up to the standard of excellence for which the
ladies of this church famed, and only the mod
est tax of % cents is charged.
The art room is well worth a visit from all who
enjoy everything ancient and curious. The col
lection of Mrs. B. A. Heseltine alone would prove
of sufficient interest but supplemented as it is by
paintings embroideries and brie-a-brac of all
kinds, makes it one of the most interesting and
complete exhibitions ever given in the city. A
drinking cup from Manila attracts much atten-
ton, and the manner of use is very curious.
Many gods of different countries are here, and
curiosities from almost every country in the
known world. The ivory carving is particularly
fine and there are many different specimens.
Paintings are quite numerous, and show that tn e
room deserves the name of art gallery. Mrs. G.
A. Waterhouse, Miss Ella Douglass, Miss Lottie
Kicker and many others display specimens of
their skill The department of needle-work is by
no means neglected. One of the most noticeable
pieces of needle-work is a magnificent Chinese
quilt The ground work is a rich red, and the en-
broidery of flowers and birds is beyond descrip-
tion and must be seen to be appreciated. Very
near to this quilt is the one made by the Ladies'
Aid Society and presented to Mrs NJ c. Crosley,
and ably does it bear comparison. 1t is made in
uniform colors of peacock blue and cardinal, and
every square is ornamented with different flowers
and the work is exquistely done. Almost every
style of embroidery is exhibited. Arrasene, rib
bon work, kensington, and one piece which bears
an innumerable number Of stitches, and is really
a good fac-simile of Turkish embroidery. 1t was
made and loaned by Mrs. Fred Kendall and is
only one of a number of the pieces exhibited by
her If the children only receive the patronage
they deserve, it will be all that can be wished for.
1t is very noticeable what an amount of tact our
church people exhibit in their efforts to present
pleasing entertainments to the public, and that
produced last evening was specially deserving of
praise on account of its novelty. piano duet
was the first number, by Misses Thomas and Wa
dell, and was skillfully accomplished This was
followed by tableau entitled "Faith, Hope and
Charity in which three misses, dressed i'll white,
presented pretty appearance. Then came vo-
cal duet by Mrs. Jennie and Nellie Mclean; q
recitation by Miss Lottie Bruce, in which she dis
played much appropriate feeling; and piano solo
by Miss Mamie Durgin, rendered in graceful
| and artistic manner, showing herself to be a
promising pianist. This was followed by the
| event of the evening" working tableau, in which
| halfdozen ladies and gentlemen, in peculiar oc-
equations, began gradually to increase their
speed until they were moving at very great ra-
pidity, when their appearance was exceedingly
provocative of laughter The reading of an Irish
dialect bit of witty prose by Mr.. Frank Cushing,
and tableau entitled Scores and the Seasons y
completed the entertainment.
1t was, as a whole, pleasing affair, and another
large audience should avail themselves of the OPP
portunity of witnessing an entirely new pro-
gramme, though of the same general character
this evening.