The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-07-07
Four Ladies Were Out For the
Splendid Award.
An Audience Highly Pleased
With the Selections.
from Thursdays Daily.

! grom Thursdays Daily.
Mrs. F. B. Wells won the silver med
| ii at the decamatory contest held last
evening bv the North Mankato w. c..
r. u. in the Centenary Methodist
church The decision gave the assem-
blage no surprise, though there was some
Ioubt, previously to the announcement
| If the verdict, whether the prize would
| fall to her or to Mrs. William Fields.
The Judges gave Mrs Fields honorable
MENTION which she certainly deserved.
Owing to other attractions in the city,
and perhaps also to the fact that the
intended holding of the contest last eve
ming was not as widely known as it
might have been, there was not large
attend, were all repaid for coming, and
the reports that they give their friends
will without doubt result in larger
patronage, should the W. C. T. U. la
dies of the north side see fit to hold an
other entertainment in the city at any
time in the near future.
Mrs. Will Tidland, superintendent of
the contest, announced the opening num-
Der shortly after eight o'clock, and the
choir of six voices sang beautiful Sc
lection appropriate to the occasion.
These six were Misses Alma and Martha
Wachtler, Mrs T. A. Sherk, Mrs. VIII
Tidland, George Tidland and f. B. Wells.
Mrs. T. j. Sherk, the first of the six
contestants, then rendered her declama
ton, "The Widow and Her Only Son."
recital of pathetic and intensely in
teresting tale. Mrs. Sherk held the close
attention of her hearers from first to
last, every word uttered having a force
full effect. The liquor traffic received
liberal need of condemnation.
The defamation of the next speaker,
Mrs. j. p Reed, entitled "The Univer
sal Boon,' was a strong Philippe, not
on liquor, but on tobacco, and was full
of impressive irony.
organ by Mrs. Tidland.
Next followed pretty solo by Miss
Alma Wachtler, accompanied at the
The winning Grafton of the evening,
''Ihe Duel of the Eye rendered by
Mrs. F. B. Wells, was one whose main
strength lay in its striking uniqueness,
combined with the speakers realistic
delivery A mortal combat of nervous
force, communicated mainly through the
eye, between two Indian chiefs, was
not merely related but almost displayed
to the audience.
Mrs. Dan Kelly relieved the minds of
the hearers from the strain of serious
thought, that the previous speakers had
cital "Women on the Strike"
F. B. Wells next rendered delight
| full solo, with organ accompaniment
by Miss Alma Wachtler Either Miss
| Wachtler or Mrs. Tidland accompanied
every vocal performance of the program
| Mrs. William Fields, whose declama-
ton was so highly appreciated, that
many had an idea that the prize might
be hers, recited a selection directly in
| line with w. c. 7. L. work, what Mat
tiers 1t to Your" powerful arraign-
ment of alcoholic drink.
A solo by Miss Martha Wachtler
followed up line of thought similar
to that of the foregoing recital, being
also condemnation of drink.
The next and last Grafton of the eve
ming by Mrs. n A. Hayden, ''Yec, I'm
Guilty" also portrayed in vivid colors
the ruin wrought by the temptations, of
the flowing bowl"
The judges, Mrs. w. E. Barker, Judge
w. n. Plymat and w. A. Funk, now
retired to make up their decision. Dur
ing their absence a Sunshine" song was
prettily given by six little girls, Elsie
Lehman, Marietta Sherk, Idyl White,
Blanche White, Bessie White and Ana
Kirk.
Mrs. VIII Tidand recited 'Simon's
Vife's Mudder Lay Sick Nit De Feber,'
occasioning no little mirth.
The decision was now rendered, and
after singing in concert the w. c. I.
[. hymn, the assemblage dispersed.