The Newtown bee., 1896-01-17
Litcbfield County News.
NEW PRESTON.
A MUSICAL EVENT.

The principal event here, last week,
 was the public rehearsal of the singing
 class on Wednesday evening at the Vil-
 lage church, which closed the term of
 the school for this season which has
 held weekly sessions for three months
 under the leadership and instruction of
 Albert W. Skilton of Watertown. The
 church was quite we'll filled with an ap-
 preciative audience, and we judge by
 remarks made since that very many
 present were most agreeably surprised
 and pleased with the program and the
 instruction the class has received at
 MT SkiltOn's hands. To mention the
 entire program of exercises on Wednes-
 day evening might be uaeless but many
 of the renditions were heartily encored
 and in several instances repeated. ''The
 Whip-poor-will" was among the first
 numbers, and the solo part was most
 finely sung by Miss Laura Burnham.
 Swing my Baby, swing" was sweetly
 sung by seven little girls with dolls in
 their arms and the second verse was
 sung by Miss Fanny Renfrew in so
 pleasing a manner she was forced by
 the audience to repeat it. "Zion Awake, :"
 duet, was nicely sung by Miss Myra
 Cable and Thomas Renfrew. At the
 commencement of the second part of the
 program Mrs Dr Denslow of Marble dale was invited by MT Skilton to sing any selection she chose which she did
 in her usual taking manner and was
 again called immediately to the front
 ''The veil of night descends," 8 male quartet, was then finely rendered by
 Messrs Shelton, Cogswell, TomIinson and Hopkins. "The Cats in the Fid- dle," comical nonsenical, ditty was then sung by the full class. ''Der's Possum in the woodpile'' was another darkey song rendered by the entire class in a pleasing manner. Mrs Denslow
 was again called by the leader to add still further to the entertainment which she did by reciting two selections from her large repertoire in most satisfacto- ry manner. 'Annie Laurie,'' trio. was next sung, Mrs F. J. Hosford taking the air and supported by Misses Nellie Ford of Marbledale and Laura Burnham of this village. We considered this the finest selection of the evening, because it was so finely rendered. Mrs Hosford, l IS to be, and was, congratulated, on the skill and perfeetness with which she | executed her difficult part in this song, while the voices of the others blended 1 in the finest harmony. "A | very bad cold" was another quartet se- l lection admirably rendered by Mrs Hos ford and Miss Burnham and Messrs Sherman and Howard Cogswell. Just before the singing of the last selection America" by the full class, Mir Skilton took the time to thank the class for their efforts in attending the sessions during he term and the application all had giv- ,n to the lessons and exercises. He tlso thanked the party who had finan- ,ially raised sufficient here to warrant dr Skilton in organizing the school, sherman Cogswell. He extended to the 'rganist of the class, Mrs F. J. Hosford, lis hearty thanks for her most satis- I actory services. He did not forget the 8 exton but thanked him for his work in t aying ready and lighted each night of I ae sessions comfortable room and ac- t As soon as the remarks f f Mr Skilton were finished Hon H. o.
 verill was on his feet and declared in a eat and witty speech that he thought IT Skilton deserved the greatest amount thanks for accepting the call to New reston and the zeal he had truly shown a,
 leading the entire class to such a E Iccessful termination and he condensed v. 8 expressions of satisfaction at the to ose in the form of motion to the au- ence to thus publicly express their
 attitude to Mr Skilton for what he had sMe M me for the singers here and in this lo- Hl nA lity this season. The motion being Iickly seconded the entire audience to ose in indorsement of Senator Averill's F otion. Thus closed the term Of Mr
 ilton's engagement here for this sea- = D as musical instructor but such has z en the result of his work, it is S difficnit to predict that Ut 8 future te na. not far distant h years, he win ii