The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-01-24
TALES OF OTHER LANDS
Charming Word Pictures by F.
Hopkinson Smith at Dr..
Herris Church.

1t was a very pleasant tour, that which
Mr.. f. Hopkinson Smith invited the aud
fence at the First Presbyterian Church to
take with him last evening. With a grace
full wave of his hand, a few welcoming
words, he carried them far away from our
cold wind and winter SHOWS to the warm
sunny South.
His first stopping place was in Spain.
and here he unfolded TO his hearers his
plan of travel. Beside being a most de-
lightful reader. Mr.. Smith is an excellent
artist, and last night he made his palette
and brush accompaniment to the relation
of his travel in Europe and Mexico.
He made his easel the background
which reflected many charming pictures,
and called forth many amusing remiul-
scluses.
Opening his white umbrella and sketch
book in Spain, he told how the later,
innocently enough, came near being the
means of putting him behind prison bars,
and his final triumph over his keepers. Mr..
Smith then closed his umbrella, opened II
again, and loi Amsterdam, with its
dykes, canals n scruuulous cleanliness
was revealed to his hearers view, and
the curiosity and genialty of the Dutch
men were commented upon.
LOVELY VENICE.
But to Venice, Mr.. Smith paid his
highest homage. To him. he said. her
beautiful skies. her canals. her happy-go-
lucky people, whose motto seems to be
never to do today what can be put off
until tomorrow, had no rival. He paid
high tribute to a fisherman, who, while
his animal spirits carried him away, was
still one of the truest gentlemen and
most h~ospitable hosts Mr.. Smith had
ever met. and the reader nevsr, he said,
drank a bumper, but what the happy
1sherman's memory was recalled.
IN MEXICo.
Leaving lovely Venice. Mr.. Smith lead
| his audiente to Mexico. Here his anecdote
led one into recesses here readers seldom
| creep. He told OF a visit to a church
where he watched, silently, a priest re-
ceiving the confessions which the peni-
tents laid at his feet. Finally. the reader
| said, he felt some disturbing element and
turning, saw a repulsive creature whose
look and mien told of some unholy crime
which troubled his conscience and which
he was drawing near TO tue confessional
To lay at the fathers feet. Finally,
the wretch drew near. and the Mr..
Smith drew a graphic picture of the
| upon which the light fell, in comparison
to the miserable face and mien of the
| penitent, The wretch whispered some
thing in the fathers ear; his calm look
sudd emily changed to one of horror, and
revealed to the unseen observer that a
terrible crime had been confessed.
Shortly after, Mr.. Smith said, the GRIM
inal was captured, and the reader COM
mented on the fact that thus, incident
ally, many law-breakers are traced and
brought to justice while seeking only
temporal mercy and forgiveness at the
feet of the holy fathers, whose lips are
forever sealed.
But the most beautiful picture which
Mr.. Smith drew. was a word painting OF
Dore's wonderful ''Tne Neopnyte." AS
he led one through the young priests
sanctum, as he told his story, the
woman's face in the background became
more prominent, and the W. seemed tc
ecno the sad story.
Mr.. Smith is Il delightful reader. His
voice is robust, clear and agreeable. His
stories are full of sentiment, buG never
descend to the sentimental, aud he fully
came up to the expectations which ont
had of the author Of the charming story
"Colonel Carter of CartersyilIe."
The second iu the Star Course which
Mr.. Smith inaugurated, will be given mex
Monday evening, when Mr.. Fred. Elmer
son Brooks will read.