The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-03-24

On the platform of this new institu.
tion there Will be drama which be-
fore rendering has been read, eXpurgat-
ed, abbreviated and passed upon by q
board of trustees connected with this
reformed amusement association. II
there be in a drama sentence sug-
costing evil, il will be stricken out. II
there be in n Shakespearean play q
word with two meanings, a good mean
ing and bad meaning, another word
will be substituted, an honest word
looking only one way. The caterers to
| public taste will have to learn that
Shakespearcan nastiness is no better
than Congrevean nastiness. You say:
"Nho will dare to change by eXpurga-
| ton or abbreviation Shakespearean
| play?" | dare. The board of trustees
| of this reformed amusement associa-
| ton will dare. 1t is no depreciation OF
| a drama, the authorization of 1T. l
| would like to hear 30 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
Authorization 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 Preside in your family circle will
be prohibited from that platform. BY
what law of common sense or of moral
ty does that which is not fit to be seen
or heard by five people become fit to
be seen or heard by 1.50C 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 n sermon by F. 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 en- that platform of the
spectacular will be gentlemen and la
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 n 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-
walton 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 new institu-
ton. of that eXpurgatcd drama, occu-
pied only by these purest Of men and
women, will draw to itself millions of
people who have never been 10 see the
drama more than once or twice 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 the end of it will stand a
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
spcare when he said "All the worlds
n stage and all the men and women
merely players" He got it from ST..
Paul, who, Is centuries before that had
written: I'VE are made n spectacle
unto the world and to angels and to
men" a spectacle in n coliseum fight
ing with wild beasts in an amphit hea-
ter, the galleries full looking down.
Here we destroy lion. Here we Crap
pie with 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
to see il we are faithful and worthy Of
our Christian ancestry, hoping for our
victory, wanting 10 throw us "A garland,
| glorifed children and parents, with
cheer on cheer urging us on. Gallery Of
the martyrs looking down--thc Poly
carps and the Ridlcys and the McKails
and the Thcban legion and the Scotch
| Coyenanters and they of the Brussels
market place and Of Iiedmont--crying
down from the galleries: God gave ms
the victory, and lie will give it you"
Gallery of angels looking down-cheru'
bic, scraphic, ngelic-clapping
their wings at every advantage we gain.
Gallery Of the King, from which there
waves n SCARED hand and from which
there comes a sympathetic voice say