The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-02-05
GEORGE s. ALCORN
A Silent Voice,

SllenI voice.
EDITOR HERALD:-This beautiful
one act play, by Laurence Alma
Tadema, and which first appeared
in Harper's Magazine for August
1896, will be presented next Friday
night, Feb. II, at the Institute, by
some of our best amateur talent, fol
the benefit of Tennessee's room al
Mt. Vernon. AS literary treat, ii
will be rare one. The fact that it
has been selected by so competent a
literateur as Mrs. E. s. Fowler, and
will be enacted under her super
vision, is enough in itself to justify
literary Columbia in expecting
something good. Special permission
has been obtained from the author
in her far away st. Petersburg home
to enact the play here, and Messrs
Harper Bros. have also kindly
waived their copyright for the oc-
casiOn.
The object of this entertainment
is purely patriotic and one which
should be dear to the hearts of all
Tennesseans. AS is well known, the
Mt. Vernon Ladies' Association, has
rescured the home of Washington
from decay and given it to the
Union, as it was when the great
American died, as perpetual
heritage to liberty loving genera
tions. This society is governed by a
Regent from the country at large
and Vice-Regent from each State
in the Union. We are proud tC
claim Tennessee's Vice-Regent as {
talented product of our own Maury
County, and through her gentle in
tluence, Tennessee has done her full
share in honoring the home of the
first great American. In looking
over the last report of the Regent,
notice that the nine registered
Jersies contributed by Maury Coun-
ty breeders are one of the chief at
fractions and most profitable in
vestments at the Mecca on the
Potomac. But more is required OF
US and we must not fail to responC
and lay our tribute, though but d
leaf on the shrine of immortality
for, as Tennessee has never faileC
when liberty itself was at stake, she
cannot now fail to honor the memory
of it.
And so, on Friday night, Feb. II
this little play will be enacted, fol
the benefit of TeDnessee's room al
Mt. Vernon, followed by shorI
vocal concert, the two combining tC
make a literary and musical trea
rarely witnessed in more pretentious
cities. AS the play was laid in thu
fifteenth century, the costumes will
be new and interesting, and all of il
a histrionic lesson of an age gone by
Harper Bros. thought so much o
the play that they had it illustrated
by Abbey, a member Of the ROya
Academy of Artists, and perhaps the
best in the world in technique
and life-like delineations, and tn,
costumes will be patterned closely
from these beautiful illustrations
The songs have been set to music by
Miss Crawford, the talented musica
instructress at the Institute, making
a beautiful effect with the charming
sOftness and sweetness of the play
itself. And the play? 1t is beauti
full and one that has burst up pur
and sweet and refreshing through
the sod of century of dramatic neg
lect to remind us that art is no
dead. At times it sounds as if tn
great English master of drama wa
touching the chords himself, ant
then it melts away in sweetness
which is truly Keats, until, lik
Keats to his nightingale, as | finisl
it am tempted to say:
"Thou vast not born for death, immol
tai bird,
AS hungry generations tread the
down;
Tho voice hear this passing night wa
heard,
III ancient days by emperor an
clown.
Perhaps the self same song that found
path
Through the sad heart of Ruth, whe
sick for home
She stood in tears amid the alien corn.
Adieu! Adieu thy plaintive anthel
fades
Past the near meadows, over the sti
stream
Up the hillside; and now tits burie
deep
In the next valley glades:
Was it vision or a waking dream?
Fled is that music-do | wake or sleep
JNO. TROTwooD MOORE.