Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-12-06
Correspondence IF the Beacon

December 3, 1894.
Editors of BEACoN:-So seldom do we
see anything in your columns prof ssing
Ia tell what is going on in Charlotte Hall
district, that word or two tending to close
up the breach, may not be amiss. The
protracted silence that has existed between
this n.ighborhood and the ever welcome
BEACON reminds us of De Quincey's i'm
perturbably sileat man who entered an inn,
took his seat at a table, mutteTing to the
waiter, who approached him: Egg"
10 the inquiry: How would, your wor-
ship have them cooked" he made NO reply,
but sat looking straight ahead of him.
After twenty minutes of silence. during
which the servant leaned over him snxious
To catch the fiintest whisper of this
curious stranger, the latter arose abruptly
aid took an unceremonious departure,
much to the wnnderment of the whole es
adjustment. Twenty years later, the same
individual entered the same hnstelry, sat
at the same table, and when approached ty
| and exclaimei: "Poached"
! Those who did not attend the Dramatic
| Entertainment given by the Washington
&c Stnnewall Society of Charlotte Hall
/ School on the evening OF November the
| eth, missed rare treat The programme
| consisted of scenes from the most refined
and refining of Shakspeare's plays, The
Merchant of Venice; a reading by MaioI
Thomas; vocal music, and comedy en-
titled: "A Box Of Monkeys" Much real
histrionic talent was displayed, indeed as
much as il has been our 10; 10 witness
from amateurs. The members of the So
ciety who are stuGents of the school, were
assisted by the ladies of Charlotte Hail.
The characters of the Merchant of Venice
were arrayed in gorgeous costumes, and
when grouped upon the stage in the final
scene, the famous Court scene, made a
strikingly picturesque display. Mr. III. NJ.
Bell AZ Shylock, and Miss Maria Briscoe
as fair Portia, won golden opinions from all
who listened &c. the perfect elocution and
action with which they filled their respec
tive parts They had evidently studied
profitably Hamlet's lecture TO the players:
"Speak the speech, pray you, trippingly on
the tongue &c" Miss Frances Briscoe
made a winsome Nerissa; Z. A. Mcpherson
transformed himself into the dignified
Duke OF Venice. equal TO the trying &C.
| o.o,op. w w wara wac avarv inch a N
| Antonio; Bessanio himself would have fel,
fiaitered by the ease and strength with
which J. X. +. Reeves assumed the role OF
friend TO Antonio; Gratiano was we'll re.
presented by D Thomas, whilst NJ Thorne
served the Court well in the capacity oi
Clerk L. h. I.eake and J. 4. Lyon took
the parts Of Satanic and Salarino. We
feel that we have not said half OF what
those who participated in this play, de
serve. We think il good sign that The
young gentlemen of this, our county High
School, are being made acqusinted thu:
early with the genius and thought o.
ShakespeaIe's mighty lines 1t recall:
Cicero's Observation-Disclosures cum bonis.
Major Thomas next entertained IN,
audience with a graphic rendition Of" How
the Old Horse won the Bet" elicitinI
round after rnund of applause; We all r
GIT the surroundings and imagined our
selves ON the race course, tossing high on
ready caps in air.
The Comedy: "A Box Monkeys" com
p'eted the programme. We would Ike L
give you the plot of this play. but space vii
nnt hermit. II was SD full If fnn. that yoI
would have thought veritable box o