The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-07-06
THE C%HAUTAUQUA.
Lectures by Mrs. Lease and Mrs. French
Sheldon -Notes and Comm euts.

CeleDTateu ny tuo CitiLouS VI LIE pidCc az
the Chautauqua grounds in listening to
Mary E. Lease discourse calamity
and to Mrs. French. Sheldon tell about
Ter achievements in Africa. Both women
are highly gifted in nerve and address
and are capable Of entertaining a pretty
large crowd. The stores in the city
closed up business Mt noon and the peo-
pie who did not 60 to the Flandrau
g. A. r. encampment, quite gener-
ally went to the lake. About 1900 pee
Pile were gathered in the auditorium in
the afternoon to bear the noted populist
and were first entertained by the Hud-
son K. P. band and Miss Linebarger, of
Chicago, with her cornet.
Mrs. Lease regretted that the contract
for her lecture prevented her giving an
Grafton suitable to tie day and It's men,
cries, and no doubt the audience did too
for if she has anything good to say of
this country and people many would be
glad to know it and near what it is. Her
argument had little logical coherency
from beginning TO end, the first half
dealing ~ platltuCes of history to show
that the world "do move onward in
thought and civilization and will con-
tinue to DO SO whether popallsm sur
vive or mott, and the second half OF her
lecture was devoted to q rich roast of
Johnny Bull, mi lionaires and churches
Any ordinary reader has seen
the same things-platitudes and roasts-
in populist magazines and newspapers Il
thousand times IN The past five years,
and had it not been told i'll Mrs. Leases
matchless delivery and gesture, would
have been fiat indeed. She takes the
position, OF a Christian socialist and her
ideas are taken largely from Prof. Her.
ron's teachings, but are not given with
the logical force and charity of that
Christian gentleman's reasoning. Her
preaching Of yesterday afternoon was
much in the same style, and We come to
the conclusion that Mrs. Leases forte as
a pubic speaker is OF the political
stump, where the tactics of the demo-
gogue are Of more avail. AS an original
thinker she is a failure. AS an agitator
Of passion and prejudice she is an artist.
Her stately and sometimes almost trag-
ic bearing, her rich, powerful voice and
mastery Of defamation, enable her to
carry weak or unmindful minds ~irreslst-
ably along with her, and no matter how
bald the statements she makes, her per-
feet seif-assumption appears 10 give it
plausibility. "
The evening concerts, both Saturday
and Sunday, were greatly enriched by
the singing Of Marie Louise Chambers,
the numbers by the Vermilllon orchestra
and the cornet solos of Miss Linebarger.
These need to be heard to be apprecia.
ted.
Mrs. French Sheldon is a heroic and
lively little lady, an entertaining nara.
tor and told IN a delightful way of her
expedition into Africa and explorations
in a thousand miles journey. From one
30 thoroughly conversant with interior
Africa, the listener would have liked to
have learned more Of Africa and the
Africans, but the charming little lady
had SO much Of interest to tell about
herself and told it in such a complacent
way that q could not deny her the
pleasure OF it, nor blame her for being
proud of it. 1t was a daring feat to take
200 untutored savages under her sole
command and lead them through 1900
miles Of mountain and jungle, and
swarming hordes OF unknown savage
men, But she accomplished it by tact
and bravery and the loss Of only a single
man, bringing back with her many rich
trophies OF her prowess. One OF these
she exhibited-a jeweled girdle-valued
at $4,000 and presented to her by the
queen of Madagascar. She also exhibit
ted other rare jewels and fabrics of She
Hoovas and the Africans Of the CONT
nent. Mrs. French Sheldon continues
her lectures this evening.
CHAUTAUQUA NOTES.
The Assembly Sunday school yester.
day was presided over by Supt. Mo.
Clenon, and Mrs. A. E. Thompson was
secretary. The school numbered about
200.
The sacred concert last evening or.
ganized by Prof. Lee Kratz was a great
success in variety and excellence. Prof.
Kratz speaks very highly OF the way the
chorus and other singers are taking hold
Of the work this year.
Prof. Kratz, director Of the Summer
schools left on the 4th for Sioux City,
thence to Buffalo, N. Y, to attend the
National Educational association meet
ing and especially a meeting Of the
council OF that body Of which he is q
member.
Departures this morning from Chsu.