The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-21
THE OXFORD ORPHANS.
Little One From Great Old CharnS
Give Creditable performance
At Metropolitan Hall.

A fair-sized audience turned out last
night to listen to the performance OF
the class from the oxford Orphanage
at Metropolitan Hail. more, indeed,
than attended the theatrical play HUI
man Hearts at the Academy
l. Although the children sang and re-
cited in a manner that was highly to
their credit and which indicated the
careful training they had evidently re-
ceiyed. it We're idle to SAY !tl1at the
greater partso the pleasure of at
tending the performance does not FOL
li6w from 7stfe appeal of the pleasing
personalities of the children them
selves as the Visible results of 2 beau
tiful charity Of State-wide- reputation.
Nor does this imply any lack OF
merit in the class, but refers simply
to the touching sight of happiness
where it might not have been, suggest
ed i'm the little girls, white frocked'
dainty of carriage and poised in de-
meanor, and the four handsome chaps
who add the masculine element. IN
the brief intermissionS, while they sat
in a long row across the stage, the
company was a picture of Self-rliant
content AS they punched together for
the choruses, the little tots in fHMlt,
the larger boys and girls behind, tRy
showed in the concrete the work of
the institution they represent A clean
er, fresher, brighter group of children
could not have been selected any
where.
AS to the program proper it was
intrnsicall worth the price of adms-
sion The child voices We're remark
able for precision. and for purity.
Above ALL the singing was natural.
There was none of that harsh and
painful reaching of young voices after
notes beyond their power. The selec-
tons were admirably fitted to bring
out the best there was in the per-
formers and to plel1se those who list
ened.
The rotations too, were good to
those who like recitations. Particu-
larly did Mr. Walter Shepherd get
what there was to be found in "Mr.
Brown had his hair cut" and manly
little Mr. Edgar Powell did his stunts
with a friendly air of doing his whole
duty ''in that state of life" which was
deliciously suggestive of the old-time
Friday afternoons at school when the
teacher excused all except the star
performer from speaking his piece
because a visitor had OPPORTUNITY ar
rived.
The singing, though, was the real
merit of the evening, and that was re-
markable. The burlesque-which in
song was nevertheless serious-the
Singing Lesson, by Mamie Dixon
and Walter Shepherd, was admirably
done. the song, go My Heart Goes
Pit-a-Pat'' was of a cuteness and the
Boating Song by Grace Ransom and
Kathleen Bright-fittle girls about as
big as Hop-o-my- Thumb-was truly
astonishing for the elegance of its
finish. That little Grace Ransom
later san Crossing the Bar in man
ner that would have done justice to a
sentimentally inclined bird. She gives
out music without effort that is en-
tirely true and of a liquid sweetness.
The above are but glimpses at a
program that was full of good things,
all done with dash and conscientious
ness.
The class of the Oxford Orphans
| has for several years toured the
State, meeting with growing favor foi
| the excellence of their performances
themselves, as we'll as on account OF
| the general love in which the insti-
tuition to which it belongs is held
throughout the State. 1T was the Ok
| ford Orphanage, founded by that old
enthusiast, John H. Mills, who saw the
| light when no one else believed it ex-
| listed, which paved the way for the
great Orphan work which has since
frightened SO many hearts too soon
aquaint with desolation and given to
! the State SO many citizens of worth