The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-03-23

comes too late.
On the platform of this new institu-
ton there Will be a drama which be-
fore rendering has been read, expurgat-
ed, abbreviated and passed upon by a
board of trustees connected with this
reformed amusement association. If
there be in a drama sentence sug-
gesting evil, it will be stricken out. If
there be in a Shakespearean play a
word with two meanings, good mean
ing and bad meaning, another word
will be substituted, an honest word
looking only one way. The caterers to
public taste viii have to learn that
Shakespearean nastiness is no better
than Congrevean nastiness. You say:
who will dare to change by eXpurga-
ton or abbreviation a Shakespearean
play?" / dare. The board of trustees
of this reformed amusement assOcia-
ton will dare. 1t is no depreciation of
a drama. the abbreviation of it.
would like to hear 80 or 40 pages of
Millions Paradise Lost" read at one
time. but / should be very sorry to
hear the whole book read at one sitting.
Abbreviation Is not depreciation.
On the platform of this new institu-
ton this spectacular, under the care OF
the very best men and women in the
community there shall be nothing wit
messed that would be unfit for a par
lor Any attitude, any look, any word
that would offend you seated at your
own fireside in your family circle will
be prohibited from that platform. BY
what law of common sense or of moral
ity does that which is not fit to be seen
or heard by five people become fit to
be seen or heard by 1.5OO people? On
the platform of that spectacular all
the scenes of the drama will be as
chaste as was ever lecture by Edward
Everett or a sermon by +. W. Robert
son. On the platform shall come only
such men and women as you would
welcome to your homes. / do not make
the requisition that they be professors
of religion. There are professors of
religion that [ would not want in my
parlOr or kitchen or coal cellar. 1t is
not what we profess, but what we are.
All who come On that platform of the
spectacular will be gentlemen and la
dies in the ordinary acceptatiOn of
those terms, persons whom you would
invite to sit al your table and whom
you would introduce to your children
and with whom you would not be COM
promised if you were seen passing
down Pennsylvania avenue or Broad
way with them.
On that platform there shall be no
carOuser no inebriate, no cyprian, no
foe of good morals, masculine or femi-
nine. 1t is often said we have no right
to criticise the private morals of public
entertainers. Well. do as you please
with other institutions, on the plat
form of this institution we shall have
only good men and good women in the
ordinary social sense of goodness. Just
as soon as the platform of the spec
tacular is fully and fairly established
many a genius who hitherto has sup
pressed the dramatic element in his
nature because he could not find the
realm in which to exercise it will step
over on the platform, and giants of the
drama. their name known the world
over, who have been toiling for the ele-
vatiOn of the drama, will step over on
that platfOrm-such women as Char
lotte Cushman of the past. such men as
Joseph jefferson of the present.
The platform of that nav institu-
ton, of that eXpurgated drama, Occu-
pied only by these purest of men and
women, Will draw to itself millions of
people who have never been to see the
drama more than once or tN ice in their
lives, or never saw it at all.
As to the drama of your life and
mine. it will soon end. There will be
no encore to bring us back. At the be"
ginning of that drama of life stood "a
cradle, at he end of it will stand
grave. The first act, welcome. The last
act, farewell. The intermediate acts,
banquet and battle, professions, bridal
and funeral, songs and tears, laughter
and groans.
1t was not original with Shake
Speare when he said: "All the worlds
a stage ana all the men and womer
merely players" He got it from st
Paul. who. - centuries before that had
written: I'VE are made a spectacle
unto the world and to angels and to
men" y spectacle in a coliseum fight
ing with wild beasts in an amphithea
ter, the galleries full, looking down.
Here we destroy lion. Here we crap
pie with 4 gladiator. When we fall, |
devils shout. When we rise, angels |
sing. A spectacle before gallery above |
gallery, gallery above gallery. Gallery |
of our departed kindred looking down |
10 see if we are faithful and worthy of |
our Christian ancestry, hoping for our
victory, wanting to throw us garland, |
gloritied children and parents, with |
cheer on cheer urging us on. Gallery of |
the martyrs looking down-the Poly |
,arps and the Ridleys and the McKails |
and the Theban legion and the Scotch |
Covenanters and they of the Brussels
market place and of Piedmunt-crying |
down from the galleries: God gave us
he victory. and He will give it you"
Gallery of angels looking down-cheru.
bic, seraphic, changelic-clappiny |
their wings at every advantage we gain.
Gallery of the King, from which there
waves a SCARED hand and from which
here comes a sympathetic voice say
ng: 'Be thou faithful unto death,
and 1 will give thee a crown of life"
Oh- the spectacle in which you and are
he actors! Oh, the piled up galleries
ooking down!
Scene: The last day. Stage: The
rocking earth. Enter: Dukes, lords.
Kings, beggars, clowns. No sword. No
insel. No crown. For footliShts:
The kindling flames of a world. For or
,hestra: The trumpets that awake the
lead. For applause: The clapping
ioods of the sea. For curtain: The
Ieavens rolled together as scroll. For
ragedy: THE Doom of the Profiigate."
Cor the last scene of the fifth act: