The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-22

E.tlll 4&f{N <<ttTaNsI OF tue tIedto VI
SlRNNNNAyNNsSsSPSvNEN The student of lit
&s&MSNMMMANSSZSS )erature was there
for the reason that
those upon the programme masters of
style, and their works will not soon be for
gotten. The audience. ensemble, was
fashionable one however. and evening
dress as the rule. The costuming of the
ladies IN the boxes was elegant. The gen.
eral effect was one of beauty. Without an
orchestra to entertain the people until the
curtain should raise. the audience
was nevertheless good nntured during
the rather long wait for the event.
When the curtain rolled up the audience
wondered who would act as master OF cere-
monies. This otfice; as it soon proved. had
fallen TO the lot of Mr.. o. X. johnson. who
valiantly. and gracefully, and with no lit
tie wit. performed his duty. Not trusting
himself to extemporaneOus expression. he
had his remarks in manuscript ana
modlcum of pleasantly directed
at the speakers of the evening. which was
well received, and then gave the audience
some idea of whom the strangers on the
quoted q poem indited to him by his friend
Rudyard KiplinR. The public has only
had one verso of this poem Mr.. Johnson's
remarks were q feature of the programme.
The first author to appear was Mr.; Doug
las Sherley. tho story teller. He was
greeted very cordially. being personally
known to many in the audience, though
very few had ever heard him In the role of
On bile entertainer. He proved his
right to be called suoh from the very
beginning by saying he did not know why
he should be served first Oh the menu card
OF the evening. From this he went into
the narration of humorous stories. directed
at the fOibles of people. He related an In.
ci6 liant ahOy hnx frat hnn 40 n
preciated by the loving mamma OF
simpering girl who as told by the daugh-
ter To him. bought it for Its binding to
match the parlOr center table IN
"Perhaps." was then given with an
elegance and charm that were irresIstib BILE.
The story should not be allowed to remain
'unwrltten" forever. When Mr.. Sherley
tires of repeating this audiences by the
way. never will-he should then commits 1t
TO the art preservative. Its rich and grace
full style, the clear plot and the clever
word picturing have marked the author as
one entitled to high literary RANK. The
story 10 one OF society. original In It's con-
ception as 1t is refreshing IN its picturing
OF the man and woman who lind love for
each other In a very unconventional way.
The story teller finished amid a storm of
applause, and on responding 70 the encore
gracefully accepted q bouquet of flowers
which was handed him from the floor of
the theater. He then read from one of his
works sketch of q garrulous maiden. en-
titled 1.-The Buzz Saw Girl" He captivated
his hearers again by the apt description
of the laxative girl. who runs RAPIDLY
into family secrets in the drain upon
her for material for words. The speakers
powers of mimicry were used to good eff
feet in bringing out the characteristics of
such person. The sketch contained many
subtle analyse of tins type. Mr.. Sherley
was again applauded literally when he
closed.
Tba .aoond on %ba n,ocr,c,,,a xvos Mr
Meredith Nicholson. of. this city. He read
first O sonnet brief, but breathing the
spirit OF poesy. The intellectual quality
was predominant. "Shadow Lines" fol-
lowed. and was we'll received. though the
reading was not perfect. The audiencemuch
more enjoyed the picture In Nv atching the
World Go By" They were we'll prepared
after hearing it to share the feeling of the
Kansas farmers wife. whO the poet said,
had written him on reading the piece of
verse that 1t was correct picture OF her
life. Other selections were given. conclud-
ing with parts OF q more ambitious poem
upon the subject of the Soldiers and
Sailors Monument" The sentiment in this
closing reading. teemed with patriotic
fervor. Thetreatment of the theme showed
the full bent of the writer's powers In @
splendid light. There was. however,
lack of confidence In the rendition of his
lines which marred somewhat their force
and beauty. The fault is one due. perhaps.
TO inexperience in such q role as that which
he was sustaining before so large On audi
ence. Nevertheless. the reception given
the young writer and thinker was highly
complimentary.
General Lew Wallace was greeted with
loud applause as his well known figure and
face appeared from the wing of the stage
He read from his forthcoming work
sketch containing the sermon of Serguis. .
Russian monk. delivered in the year 1852.
in the Sancta Sophia. a celebrated church
in Constantinople. This church was
wonderful work of architecture and the
pride. the reader said, of the Byzantine
world. 1t was indescribably beautiful.
and on the occasion upon which the
eloquent words of the Russian here
tic were delivered. was filled with
such an audience as the world perhaps will
never see again. Here followed q descrip-
tion OF the gray-cOwled MONKS. with raj
ment of untanned skins. with uncovered
necks and barred feet, keeling upon the
stone floor ready to receive the sacrament.
The picture was drawn with the same mas
terful success which mRrka that of the race
In "Ben-Hur" There were two branches
of the church represented among the COM
municants-the Latin and the Greek
ical and bitter controversy to
whether the bread in the holy
rite should be leavened or ur leavened The
controversy arose to such pitch the
sacred elements were about to be offered.
that the monks forgot their priestly char
acter and fell TO lighting In the sanctuary.
The ceiebrant sought TO queil the strife
with signal TO the choir to sing. but it
was IN vain.
Then vision appeared from above, and
Sergins. being q man resembling the earth
ly conception of Christ was taken in the
llluHon for the Savior himself. This he
disciaimed, and then. as if touched
with the divine fire of truth. he
preached to the assembled multitude the
doctrine of tho ..I-ord's Creed of Two
Articles in Nine Words" namely, 81 be-
lieve in God and Jesus Christ His Son.
He denounced the council of bishops who
had not been content with the creed laid
down by the Savior on earth. but had
added to II. The sermon put into the
mouth of the hereto monk was
particularly apt for these days of
ecclesiastical contentious and when the
work is published and read this portion of it
Will undoubtedly meet with much discus
sion. The audience was constantly made
TO feel that the truth rs then preached by
the monk il needed to-day. For his brave
utteraDce Sergius was condemned and put
TO death for heresy. The narration of this
story occupied nearly an hour. but was re-
ceived with profound admiration. The
theme. rs well nv the literary execution,
fully sustained the readers high repura-
tion and sharDaned he Uarnesa nf invera