Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-05
MEET NEXT WEEK RAISE GOOD sum
oTTUMWA ODD FELLOWS GIVE
BENEFIT ENTERTAINMENT
FOR FRISCO SUFFERERS
Newton Beers Of Boston Gives Drama
tic Lecture on david and Jonathan"
in Grand Opera Householder Items
of Interest to Lodgemen..

From Thursdays Daily.
To make up their share of the
100000 which the l. O. O. F. order
throughout the nation will send to
San Francisco for the relief of the
1000 destitute Odd Fellows in that
earthquake stricken city, and the sur
rounding towns and country, the four
local lodges Of the order will give
about $125.
This amount was raised from the
proceeds Of the lecture given last ev-
ening at the Grand opera house by
Newton Beers of Boston, under the
auspices of the four local lodges Sell
dom if ever was an entertainment
given by fraternal order so we'll
patronized Both the lower floor and
the balcony of the house were filled al
most to the limit Of their seating capa-
cities.
The object of the entertainment
alone justified the patronage, but the
lecture, standing on its own merits,
we'll deserved the house. Mr.. Beers is
undoubtedly an artist In his line Of
work.
His entertainment consisted of CIV
ing in monologue Characterization of
the fraternal play, David and iona
than" Without the scenery, without
the grease paint, taking each part by
himself, Mr.. Beers presented to one,
providing that ones imagination was
in good working order, the complete
play in matchless style.
BY subtle changes of voice and man
ner the speaker indicated that 1t was
Co, yh0 I'M
David, now Jonathan, and on down
through the list Of the fourteen or
more characters that he portrayed.
The story Of the play is intensely in
teresting, and the flashes OF humor
which enliven it, do much to add to
the enjoyment of the entertainment.
Mr.. Beers work in the fourth act, the
mad scane in the cave, was splendid,
and at all times he displayed great
dramatic talent and versatility.
So closely connected is the story Of
the play, and the famous friendship
about which 1t is written with Odd
Fellowship that the performance was
doubly interesting to the members OF
the order who were present.
The Story Of the Play.
The remarkable adventures that sig
nalized the lives Of Saul, of David and
Jonathan, are both thrilling and dra,
matte. Attending their every act.
good or i'll, there is an atmosphere OF
| fAtalism that holds one spell-bound tc
the end. The story begins In the Vale
l.of Elah, where Saul and his army face
the Philistines The derisive insults
and unanswered challenge of Goliath
the Philistine giant, so enraged the
followers Of Saul, their mad King,
that they revolt and clamor for deliv
erance; whereupon David appears as
the champion of the king, Stays the
| monster, and the people rejoicing, ex
alt him, which incites rage and jeal
ousy in the heart of Saul, who, how
ever, promises David riches and one
of his daughters to wed. A feast Of
| victory follows in Hebron. where the
nuptials of the shepherd and princess
are celebrated as Saul has promised
| in which he also plans David's death
His plot miscarries because of the
timely warning given David by Prince
Jonathan, his dearest friend, and the
/ two brothers make covenant of new
err ending friendship, by the stone
| WhGlC JOuu6 IASl 1Cll III UdLll0 SSdIf
before. David and his men-at-arms
now fly to the great wilderness to {
cavern to escape Saul; but. before sc
doing, David goes to the high priest
who blesses him and anoints him king
hereafter. Saul, learning of this, or
ders the massacre of the entire priest
hood and starts in pursuit of David
The fourth night afterward, In a lone
ly cave, the spirits Of the murdered
'innocents," haunt the slumberint
king, and he awakes to find himsel
helpless in the hands of David, wht
spares his life, and both are reconcilet
at last. The battle of Gllboa follows
where Saul and Jonathan are slain
Found by David, they are buried will
great pomp and ceremony, after which
the shepherd is crowned king, Will
these amaranthean rites the stor!
ends. Saul and Jonathan have played
their parts and David dominates thu
scene.