Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-19
CHAPTER III.
The Concert in the Town Hal

.
1t was the evening of New Years
day, 1856. The leading people, in
fact nearly all the people of the three
villages forming the town of Eastbor-
ough, were assembled in the town hall
at Eastborough Centre. The evening
was pleasant and this fact had contrib
nted to draw together the largest audi
once ever assembled in that hail. Not
only was every seat taken, but the
aisles were also crowded, while many
of the younger citizens had been lifted
up to eligible positions in the wide win
dow seats of the dozen great windows
on three sides of the large hall.
The large attendance was also due
in part to the fact4that a new and orig
inal musical composition by Mr.Strout,
the singing-master would be sung for
the first time III public. Again, it had
been whispered up at Hills grocery at
Mason's Corner that the young city fell
low who was boarding at Deacon Ma
sons was going to be present, and this
rumor led to a greatly increased at
tendance from that village.
The audience was a typical one of
such communities at that period;
horny. handed farmers with long shay
gy boards and unkempt hair, dressed
in ill-fitting black suits; matfonly look
ing farmers wives in their Sunday
best; rosy-cheeked daughters full OF
fun and vivacity and chattering like
rnagpies; tall, lank, awkward, bashfui
sons and rod-haired, black-haired, and
tow-headed urcilins of both sexes, the
latter awaiting the events of the even
ing with the wild authorizations that are
J,xrf 40
Z of q circus
The members of the chorus were
seated on the large platform. the girls
being on the right and the fellows or
the left. A loud hum of conversation
arose from the audience and chorus, {
constant turning over and rafting o
programs gave cheerful and animal
ed appearance to the scene. the cen
tire door at the rear of the platform
was opened and all eyes were turned
{ in that direction. the chorus TWISTING
sstheir necks or turning half round il
their seats.
Professor Strout entered and wal
greeted with a loud burst of apolause
He wore dress suit that he had niret
in Boston. and there was a large whit,
rose in the lapel of his coat. He wa
pianist. who wore llandsome wine
colored silk dress that had been mad
for the occasion by the best dressmak
er in Cottonton. AS she took he
place at the piano and ran her flneer
over the keys, she. too. came in for
liberal round of applause. Professo
Strout bowed to the audience. the,
turning his back upon them he stoo
T, nj,
and waiting the advent of the tow
committee. Everv eve in the anaienc
was fixed upon the Droeram 1t cor
tanned the Information that the frs
number was an openinr chorus eriit
led. 'Welcome to the Town Conr,i
tee" written and comrosed by profes
scr Ohadiab Strnut and SING for th
first time with great success at the las
annual concert
The door at the rear of the platforI
was opeued again and Deacon Abrs
ham Mason, the Rev Caleb Howe. an
Mr.. Benoni Hill. the members of tn
town committee on sinoing school, el
tered. Dn"con Mason was accomnanie
by Quincy Adan's Sawyer, and all eve
were fastened ON the cnune as the
took their seats at the RIGHT of III
nlatform. the Rev Howe and Mr.. Hi
being seated on the left.
Quincy Adams Sawyer in appearance
and dress was a marked contrast
the stout, hardy, and rugged youn
farmers of Eastborough. He ha
dark hair, dark eyes. and small blao
mustach'e curled at the ends. His foo
was rallid. but there was look of d
termination in the firmly set low, res
Este mouth. and sharp eye. Fe Wore
6nrk suit with Prince Albert Goa
T-cn one arm hing an overcoat {
lirht-cclored cloth. He wore lier
brown kid Gloves I'D IN ono bond ca
ried li~Nt,colored Kcss''th hat.
rs soon as the committee and the
ereet 'Iad tsl-en their seats Profess
sftrort tapped upon his music star
With his baton and the members OF Il
Dastborough Sineing Society arose
their feet with that total disregard
uniformity and unanimity of motto
"a