The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-03-24

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. II
there be in Il drama a sentence sug-
| costing evil, it will be stricken out. II
there be in a Shakespearean play a
word with two meanings, a good mean
ing and q bad meaning, another word
will be substituted, an honest word
| looking only one way. The caterers TO
public taste will have to learn tina
Shakespearean nastiness is no better
than Congrevean nastiness. You say:
who will dare to change by expurga'
ton or Authorization a Shakespearear
play?" l 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.
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
Tor. Any attitude, any look, any word
that would offend you seated at your
own ireside in your family circle viii
be prohibited from that platform. ny
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 1900 people? On
the platform Of that spectacular all
the scenes of the drama will be as
chaste as was ever a 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 en- that platform of the
spectacular will be gentlemen and ia
dies in the ordinary acceptation OF
those terms, persons whom you would
: invite to sit at 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 Of Broad
| way with them.
On that platform there shall be nc
carouser, no inebriate, no cyprian, NJ
= foe of good morals, masculine or fem
=. nine. 1t is often said we have no RICH
t to criticise the private morals of publ
entertainers. Well, do as you pleas
Z with other institutions, on the plat
form of this institution we shall hav
o only good men and good women in III
- ordinary social sense of goodness. Jus
as soon as the platform of the spec
+ tacular is fully and fairly establishe
G many n genius who hitherto has SUI
d pressed the dramatic element in hi
e nature because he could not find III
? realm in which to exercise it will ste
# over Oh the platform, and giants of h
? drama. their name known the worl
n over, who have been toiling for the elt
G walton of the drama, will step over o
d that platform-such women as Chal
g lotte Cushman of the past, such men a
e Joseph Jefferson of the present.
= The platform of that nav institr
c ton, of that eXpurgated drama, occl
Y. pied only by these purest of men an
e women, will draw to itself millions {
P, people who have never been to see til
s. drama more than nee or ~ ice in the
Is lives, or never saw it at all.
IS As to the drama of your life an
o mine, it will soon end. There will |
.e no encore to bring us back. At the b,
1t ginning of that drama of life stood
cradle, at the end of it will stand
G grave. The first act, welcome. The la
~ act. farewell. The intermediate act
banquet and battle, professions, bridi
e. and funeral, songs and tears, laught'
Y and groans.
s. 1t was not original with Shak
IL speare when he said: "All the world
n a stage ana all the men and womt
to merely players" He got it from S
ic Paul, who, 10 centuries before that hi
10 written: 1--WE are made a spectac
unto the world and to angels and
IN men," y spectacle in a coliseum figh
ing with wild beasts in an amphithe
lr ter, the galleries full, looking dow
IN Here we destroy a lion. Here we gra
pie with q gladiator. When we ia
e. devils shout. When we rise, ange
is sing. a spectacle before gallery abo
Ike gallery. gallery above gallery. Gale.
1t of our departed kindred looking dow
he to see if we are faithful and worthy
G. our Christian ancestry, hoping for o
Id victory, wanting to throw us a garlan
re glorified children and parents, wi
re cheer on cheer urging us on. Gallery
h. the martyrs looking down-the Pol
er carps and the Ridleys and the McKa
n and the Theban legion and the Scot
u Covenanters and they of the Bruss'
at market place and of Piedmont-cryi
down from the galleries: God gave
of the victory. and He will give it YOU
nd Gallery of angels looking down-chel
tic bic, seraphic, archangelic-clappi
NE their wings al every advantage we ga
nd Gallery of the King, from which thu
waves q SCARED hand and from VIII
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