Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-10
s'TaE MAN IN THE NOON
Outlines of the Lecture by Professor Hughes
of Greenville, s. @.

Outlines of the Lecture by Professor Hughes
of Greenvlle, s. @.
Talladega, July ESPECIAL Correspond
ence.) -Notwithstanding the steady rain
which fell here all day on Tuesday, the
attendance at the assembly hall increas-
ed rather than diminished. At p. m.
Grambs' orchestra gave what might be
termed a "Sousa concert" since all the
selections played, with one exception,
were composed by that general favorite.
At 4:30 Prof. Z. l.. Hughes of Green
vile, S. c., delivered his interesting and
instructive lecture, The Man in the
Moon" illustrating it with blackboard
drawings. In beginning he announced
that much that he had to say would be
pure fiction, but Fiction is often truer
than facts, however paradoxical that
may seem. Whatever seems to be I'M
possible, that is fact; whatever seems
easiest, most susceptible of proof, that is
fiction" That antiquated old parsonage,
the man in the moon, was then handled
In a thoroughly analytical manner The
first question which suggests itself is:
rs there a man in the moon?" Every
body believes there is. Poets, who never
tell stories assure US of this fact, and
lovers have found him. Indeed, one
young lady went so far as to fall in love
with him and sang my Sweetheart's the
Man in the Moon"
Next, how did he get there? Well, per-
of the flying machine, but FELL Icarus-
like, on the moon and has lived there
ever since. Or, perhaps, a sort of pro-
toplastic molecule, broken loose in space,
and finding there congenial SOIL began
to evolute and develop and finally be-
came a man. Or-most beautiful of all
an angel, returning to Heaven after the
war with fallen Lucifer, who stopped
there to keep watch over the earth.
The business of this man in the moon
a., a. 49,
Strange that we are so dull of compre-
hension that we can stand beneath the
starry heavens and have no feelings of
wonder and awe. Not SO the man in the
moon, o, the wonders of creation-how
little we know Of them. We limit the
power of God by limiting space and Gre
alton. The man in the moon knows that
il is illimitable
But the special work of the man in the
| moon is to observe the earth. He sees our
follies, our strifes, ambition struggling,
war grim-visaged, woes, intemperance
and DEATH He sees music, the beauties
of nature and human character, pleas
ures and all the fun of life.
Professor Hughes then gave a very
clever analysis Of humor. It's elements
are surprise, delusion, deception and in
congruity. Sometimes the man in the
| moon grows sad, sometimes indignant,
when he sees all that goes on on earth,
but The sees with hopeful eyes far into the
| future, when all wrong and evil shall be
crushed out and love shall reign supreme.
This unique lecture was interspersed
| with humorous poems and anecdotes and
| contained much useful information
| At $50 the Chautauqua Literary Social
| circle had a very interesting meeting.
| Reports were made by local circles and a
| symposium of last years work given.
Miss Staley rected "Mammy's Lii Baby
| Boy"
At s the Tyrolean Troubadours gave g.
| concert, assisted by Messrs. Ransom and
| Robertson. The troubadours were re-
| ceived with great applause, and both the
| other gentlemen sustained the reputa-
| lions they had made at the first concert.
| Among the arrivals are: Misses Lochle
| Baker, Kymulga; Ruby Looney, Fayette-
! Vile; Ella B. Mallory, Alpine; D. w.
Robertson, Brooklyn, N. Y. j. F. Wat
| son. Alpine; Glover Moore. Oxmoor; Mr..
| and Mrs. Kroell Montevallo; Mrs. Leona
| Joseph Misses Estelles and Rachel
| Joseph, Birmingham Miss Noble West
| moreland, Birmingham; Miss Douglass,
| Birmingham Miss Mcleod, Goodwater;
Edward w. Berry Turkeytown; Miss
| Printup, Rome. Ga; Mrs. D. w. Aldridge
and Miss Julia Ports, Lower Peachtree;
Miss Katie Roark, Hamburg; j. E. Will
kinson, Autaugaville; j. d. Mangum, Au-
| burn; Mrs. B. j. Matthew'S. Miss and
Master Matthews, Miss Merritt, Clanton;
| Miss Camille Brame, Montgomery.