The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-15
OPEN MEETING OF THE
FORTNIGHTLY CLUB.

No more successful or delightful "open
meeting has been held in this city or
state than was that given by the Provi-
dence Fortnishtly club at the home OF
Mrs. George b Boyden. on Harvard ave.
nue.. yesterday afternoon
Besides the club members a large num-
ber of guests or the club were present
Among these were Mrs Susan A. Rallou
OF Woonsocket. president OF the Rhode
Island state Federation of Women's 8
clubs
Also Mrs Albert Bushee. president OF
the Round Table club OF Attleboro and
Mrs. Fred Mason, the secretary OF the
same; Mrs. Sykes of Hartford Among
the club women aud other guests OF this
city were Miss Nellie B. Pearce. Miss
Grace Atkins, Mrs. George A. Kilton.
Mrs. Edward l.. Johnson. Mrs. Frank r.
Pearce, Mrs. Henry Perkins Mrs. Fred
Booth. Mrs. r.. w. Foster Mrs. Thomas
w. Adrch. Mrs. William A. Morgan
Mrs. byron Whitford, Mrs. Frsnceilo Jill-
son. Mrs. Susan Rawson. Mrs Charles
Newhall. Mrs. William Whipple. Mrs.
George Il. Hubbard and many Others
The literary Interest or the afternoon
centered I'm q lecture, The testers" by
Miss Susan 4. Dodge. the well known
shakesperean scholar and reader or this
city
Miss Dodge was gracefully introduced
to the eNpectant company by the vice
president OF the club. Mrs. Harry H.
Gregory, in the absence OF Mrs Louis
l.. Angen the president.
Miss Dodge's lecture concerned itself
with the court merry makers or clowns OF
Shakespeare with which most persons are
familiar.
In introducing her theme she gave some
OF the reasons FOR the existence OF the
testers of Shakespeare. and. after reading
that familiar extract from Henry " be-
ginning, Unhappy law lie down. uneasy
lies the head that wears q crown" she
said: In those few words we unques-
UouRbly md the need of the rollieking
boisterous clown. or Jester. i'm the bur
densome court life OF ages now gone.
This merry role OF jesters'S witty
devices. 90 tighten the cares Of state
came early In The uses Of the court FAR
far back In traditional days when lac
was hut OUTLAW. when kings felt Obliged
90 keep ever about their royal persons
body guard to protect their lives. aud
when the office Of the kings faster was
needed 90 intermediate between tho
tempting viands of the banquet table and
the royal palate
In these troublous times the kings
sought diversion from their approximations
ana fears IN the funny men or men ~
merry ieSts. who by their Wit and humor
bcguiled them and let them breathe erst.
while their freedom -fir
Following these siSrls ~ introdusribn
and explanation Miss D0dsc dwell in
most elpuucnt spdo oCharming wavsutpoat
TIE origin. history ana personal appeay-
ancc OF the court testers from The very
remot period. whpu they were first IN
troducrd fIfr .1m Hs. f3ifFd IE
Passing then. 10 az Intimate tissuripr
ton ot the testers. the speaker introduced
VIII SCrnEEin. the faunus Jester of the
court NJ Henry Nlll'a who afterwards
beVsma the lester ~ Queen Eiizah htfh's
reign. That brilliant grouH 81 testers
Who came in under The Tudor DYNASTY and
ended with the Stuarte viz VIII Somefs
Master Hevwuod Tarieton. Archibald
Armstrong and Nilisrew wsfe each DO
hphtfuiiv Describes and fliustra ted with
iutcrpretative readings
The grave digging scene IN Hamlet. in
PRODUCING tho grewsone testers there
was delightfully."- given. while the dryness