The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-08-25
TALKED FORA MEDAL
Nina Davis Wins Oratorial Con-
test at Garden City.
From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Garden City folks last evening had
topic of great local interest to converse
upon, the silver medal oratorical con-
test, held in the Christian church of
the village, under the auspices of the
Garden City w. c. T. U. There was
large attendance, and as price was
charged for admission, a neat little sum
was turned into the treasury of the To-
cal union.
The lucky winner of the medal was
Miss Nina Davis, fourteen years old,
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Davis
of Rapidan. This little girl reeited a
pathetic poem of Blossom" a child
whose terrible experience with her faith
er, a victim of drink, constituted the
thread of the narrative. The father
finally kills the girl. Miss Davis rem
dered the selection with voice and GEES
ture that brought out the pathos in a
feeling of the entire audience. There
was no criticism of the decision of the
judges, but hearty round of applause.
Nevertheless, the judges afterwards de-
clared that their task of deciding be-
tween the speakers was very hard one,
and that several of the others were
very close to the winner.
Seven other girls contested. Miss Anna
Parker, aged sixteen, rendered beau
tiful temperance piece in blank verse.
Miss Martha Miller, fifteen years old,
entertained the audience exceedingly
with a numerous poem, "The. Farmers
Geese" Miss Sadie Starlight, aged
eighteen, recited another temperance
poem. Another contestant was Miss
Lois Mills, aged fourteen. Temperance
was again the leading thought in a Sc
lection of poetry given by Miss Merle
Richardson. A fourteen year old girl
by the name of Miss Rogers recited
selection in which the humorous and
pathetic were artistically blended. This
was entitled, Fritz, Dutch boy who
got to liking beer, much to the alarm
of his father and the amusement of his
mother, Katrina, who declared that
peer don't hurt nobody" Nevertheless,
the father gave up his own drink to
save the boy. Miss Florence Scott re-
cited another poem in denunciation of
the flowing bowl.
While the judges were retired, max
ing up their decision, Miss Eva Thomas,
a young lady of nineteen, gave piece
about country church meeting. There
was considerable contention on the sub
| ect of the women voting, but, after the
latter had left the meeting, and the ne
cessity of theirpresence wdas keenly left,
the question of the propriety of grant
ing them the same rights as the men had
was settled once and for all time.
The program also included number
of splendid musical parts. Several Sc
lections were rendered by quartet
consisting of Harry f. Woods of Lake
Crystal, Edward w. Washburn of Yer
non Center, George John of Garden City
and another gentleman. Among the
songs by the quartette, those that ex-
cited the greatest appreciation were
"There, Little Girl, Don't Cry" and
'Iennie Jane" Mr. John and Mr. Woods
also sang a duet, Mrs. John accom-
panying at the organ.
The entertainment was conducted by
Mrs. Charles John, a prominent mem
Der and worker of the Garden City w
C. T. U. Mrs. H. E. Woods of Lake
Crystal was one of the judges. The
other two judges were gentlemen.
The Garden City w. c. I. Z. is quite
a factor in the social life of that com
munity. Three years ago the organiza
ton took quite a part in driving away
the "blind pigs" that were in operation
there.