The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-01
CHRISTMAS At BARLOW.
vhs Fiosssce Ei@ess ce@pasy- chsisfmss Carols
and kassss- sseiai Eaiey.eat.

BARLOW, FLA, December %.
A Happy New Y. ar to you, Mr.. NEW.
man, a very happy and prosperous New
Year Ito yourself and your family,
may you live long in this fair land OF
flowers. fruits, vegetables, and all the
other good things of life, in abundance
and perfection. Our people are feastine
ON not only these, but wild turkey, duck
venison and much small game. In my
Florida experience have never known
such abundance of Christmas cheer az
this season. Everybody has been SC
engrossed with holiday business that
even the Sub-Tropical, the all-absorbing
idea, has had to drop out temporarily.
The trees at the Baptist and Methodist
Churches drooped beneath the weight of
| Christmas tokens, and the ship at the
| Presbyterian Church bore a heavy cargo
Of the same precious freight. On Thurs
| day evening there was a fine audience
at the opera house to see Florence Ell
| more and company in .The Hunchback, IS
and your correspondent was most agree
| ably surprised. As Julia, Miss
Elmore is evidently quite in
her element, and rendered the
impassioned scenes with ease and nat
uralness, neither ranting nor tearing her
passion to tatters. IL 1 was n dramatic
critic ON some great daily, would say
that Miss Elmore has a great future in
the emotional line, h-she perseveres,
but there are small details, that would
interfere very seriously with her success
quite natural and graceful in every
movement, when she loses her identity,
but, when standing in repose, she has an
awkward habit of the arms and hands,
which suggests the idea that she fears
their touch may soil her dress. Her
costunniiiS was fire. and would pass any
where On the stage. Oliver Hagan as
Master Walter was excellent. He gave
finished portrayal of the Hunchback,
and his enunciation of the text was an
absolute pleasure. His make up was
very good, and, altogether. his delinea-
tion was most satisfactory. Miss Bay
ard as Helen did the best she could
"AtAa tiiot Ahost oh6AosSAuA tstoAs pot
those auburn curls and green satin dress
grew monotonOus, though both were
lovely in themselves. Mr.. j. j. Collins
as that poor stick, Master Modus, spoiled
all the comedy business by losing his
temper, and calling one Of the audience
names. AS it was near Christmas, the
children were out to see the show. and
in their enjoyment of j. w. Tully's ter
ribly exaggerated FathOm the young
sters laughed loud and long, and one of
them so far forgot himself that he quit
his char, boy fashion. and fairly howled,
Jumping up and down in furor Of de-
light. To add to this racket, the boy
Immediately behind him, used the
empty chair to emphasize his applause
Of both amateur and professional come
dian, and, in conjunction with the APP
plause Of the other boys, there WAS such
a racket that, right in the climax of his
great scene with Helen, Modus fiared
up, withdrew from her embrace, and
addressed that fellow with voice like
a jackass," in a harsh way, that threw
a damper over the entire audience.
Right here, Miss Bayard passed grace
fully through a most trying ordeal.
We felt that, while the noise was very
annoying, it was the outcome Of such
genuine enjoyment the gentleman had
made a mistake. In the audience were
a number of highly cultured, critical peo-
pie, both ladies and gentlemen, whose
rl.av iuxa
of poor Nodus, but they Were disposed
to let the juveniles enjoy themselves in
their own boisterous fashion.
On Friday night they played Lady
Clancarty" to a smaller but much better
behaved audience. On Saturday night
they advertised "Caste," that beautiful
play by Robertson, and, fortunately, the
audience was microscopic. Just three
years ago the Barlow Opera House was
opened by a party OF amateurs in
Caste" as follows: Hon. Geo. DAlroy,
Mr.. b. b. Tatum; Capt. Hautree, Mr..
Tom l.. Wilson; Eccles, Mr.. Will JEFF
colt; Sam Gerridge, Mr.. Joe H. Hum
phries; Dixon, Mr.. Cliff Morrison; Mar
quise st. Maur, Miss Cora Hough; Polly
Eccles, Miss Jessie Morrison; Esther
Eccles, your correspondent. Naturally,
we were very anxious to see it profess
sionally done, though most Of US had
seen il ON the metropolitan stage.
Judging from her Helen we expected
Miss Bayard to make a charming Polly,
and looked to Miss Elmore and Mr..
Haoan for very superior Esther and
George. Fancy our disappointment
when Miss Elmore appeared as Polly.
which is as utterly beyond her as Esther
was out of Miss Bayard's reach. In
short, to speak mildly, their attempt was
disgraceful-not one of them knew their
part-and would have discouraged
amateurs at a first rehearsal. would
not have recognized Caste after the
first scene between ID Alroy and Hautree,
which was very good. Dramatic COM
panies should remember that even the
new towns in Florida are inhabited by
people from the older civilizations. and
the greater part Of their audiences are
likely to be composed of q refined and
critical class Of people, in whose judg-
ment, an occasioaal change OF costume
during period Of several years, or even
weeks, is necessary to hold true
''mirror up to nature" Miss Elmore
and her support are not in need of talent
80 much discrimination and industry.
Thoroughly disgusted. we left at the be-
ginning Of the third act, and went to