The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1902-07-24
BRAVED THE RAIN AND MUD
Prof. Lanes Lecture Was Heard
by Large Audience.

During the past month or twolnu-
merous feints at heavy rain have
been made, but the rain yesterday
evening about six O'Clock was very
elaborate affair. Late i'm the after
noon the clouds began assembling
in battle array until the heavens
from horizon TO horizon were COW
cred. The wind which at first be-
gan blowing from the north, shifted
10 the east and far in the distance
the deep roll Of thunder could be
heard. There was a smell OF rain
in the air; people hurried for shell
ter; few drops began to descend,
when with an alacrity that was not
exactly in good taste,to say the least 1,
the Implying clouds rushed closer
together and the rain began falling
as though the very bottom had
dropped out. For more than an
hour there was no let up in the pre-
eipitation and there were many pre-
dictions that the Chautauqua enter
tainer, Prof. Chas. Lane, would lee
ture to empty benches. But this
was not TO be. A large crowd braved
the rain and mud to hear this enter
tainment. A great many of the
people went while tha rain was fall
ing in binding sheets. And those
who heard Prof. Lane were doubly
repaid for any hardships or discom-
forts they may have suffered. His
lecture far exceeded the most san
guine expectations Of the audience.
For one hour and thirty minutes he
kept his listeners in ar uproar of
laughter. Some OF his jokes were
literally side splitting. The most of
his jokes and puns were new and
were tolu in the speakers quaint
and original style. He is quite a
fascinating talker and has happy
faculty for catching and hold ne the
attention of his audience. His lee
ture last night was on Talks and
Takers" He said he asked for the
privilege of substituting this lecture
for the one on Analysis of Laugh
ter, :" because of IL being more ap-
propriase for a Chautauqua lecture
Prof. Lane closed his lecture with
a word picture of Southwest Geor-
gia scene that for beauty would de-
fy the brush Of the master artists.
While the crowd was assembling
last night the Wise Orchestra rend-
cred several classical selections of
music. In the absence of the regu-
lar pianist Miss Mary Smith was
called upon TO preside at the instru
ment and her work as at accompan-
ist was quite creditable.e
When the reporter visited the
grounds this afternoon he found a
large crowd present and everybody
seemed to be In happy frame of
mind. The lecture last night
seemed to have bad a salutary effect
upon their feelings and they were
making the best of the situation.
The ground is not as muddy as one
might suppose. With a few hours
of Sunshine the ground will he per
fectly dry again. The majority of
the tents had been ditched around
which prevented the water from
flowing through them. Despite the
rains and the continued threatening
condition of the elements the people
continue to arrive. Each train ar
riving in the city last night brought
quite number OF visitors and this
morning the number was added 10
greatly. About one hundred and
seventy-tlve tents are now up and
orders were placed this afternoon
for twelve more. If the weather
clears up and remains So the num-
ber of tents will yet reach two hum
dred.
The program as carried out today
was considerably abbreviated, but
the numbers that were given were
of sufficient merit TO more than
make up for what was left out.
= - L II