The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-09-28
A Choice Entertainment.

Mrs. Juniatta Banks Ewing gave
one of the most choice entertain
ments in the town Hall on Tuesday
evening the people of this vicinity
have enjoyed for quite while. The
life and times of the unfortunate
Mary, Queen of Scots was her sub
.ject and right nobly she handled
her theme. Rev. ID. Z. Shaw, after
a short prayer introduced Mrs.
Ewing who opened the evenings
entertainment by singing the Scotch
songs, "Mary of Argyle" and that
most ancient ballad "Barbary
Allen" Miss Mary F. Gillespie
playing accompaniment on the piano.
Mrs. Ewing has a very sweet voice
which has been carefully cultivated.
After this prelude of song the
reading commenced with brief
sketch of the early Scotch kings
when the heroic exploits of Wallace
and Bruce filled such an eventful
page in song and story of Scotch
history. The most noted sites ofthe
exploits in the lives of these heroes
of romance and history were shown
on the canvass as the narrative pro-
ceeded commencing with Linlithgow
Palace. Thirteen of these scenes
comprising among them several of
the old castles which wereapparently
as rude and strong in their structure
as the times and people who appear
ed upon the stage to make Scotch
history at that period among whom
was the sternest character of them
all, the old Covenanter, John Knox,
who looked out on the audience from
the canvass with the same hard
unbending face which denounced
the luckless Queen of the Scots.
The audience had a ten minutes
rest after the stern old preacher
withdrew, who could nearly wreck
the pulpit in his rage in denouncing
the papacy and all that failed to
square with his hard religious lines.
The second part opened with Mrs.
Ewing singing "Auld Robin Gray"
and "There's Nae Luck about the
Haus" 'Bonnie Sweet Bessie the
Bride o'Dundee' was sung by Miss
Rhoda V. Wilson who was in fine
voice and filled the Hall with rich
volume of melody which caused the
audience to encore the singer who
responded with a lively ditty.
A rehearsal of the most eventful
and trying period of Queen Mary's
tragic life was past in review by the
lecturer punctuated by stereopticon
as the old castles and other noted
places in Scotland were thrown on
the canvas, closing the melancholy
story with the "Headman's AXen
and "Mary's Tomb" The MARIA
tive of the worlds beautiful women,
(and Mary Queen of Scots stood
second to none) is written in blood.
Why Shakespeare probably
answers the question,
IldIlly, my IldHlc Is WOilldH.
The delightful evening entertain
ment closed with that divine old
Scotch song, sung in chorus, "Auld
Lang Syne," which stands close to
the sublime anthem, Old Hundred.
The Hall was filed with an ap-
preciative audience of the most
cultivated people of the neighbor-
hood, whose encomiums and thanks
were well earned and as freely ex-
pressed, for the intellectual treat
given by the gifted lecturer. The
proceeds were given for the benefit
of the West Nottingham Church.
The stage was tastefully decorated
with thistles the national flower of
Scotland and Mrs. Ewing and Miss
Wilson wore national colors,
ribbons, red and yellow.
Mrs. Ewing will give her illustrated
reading of Mary, Queen of Scots in Port
Deposit this evening for the benefit of
the Kings Daughters.