The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-24
Topeka Chautauqua Reaches the
Final Day..
Probable That Another Will Be
Held Next Year.
MANY GOOD THINGS.
Programme for Afternoon and
Night Promise Much.
DIR. Dawson of Lond4n Proved
Somewhat Disappointing.

Today marks the close of the Chau-
tauqua assembly at Garfield park. The
program will close with a lecture by
J. Lorenzo Zwickey at $3.50 this even
ing. on THE Philosoph yof the Beau
| tiful.' This afternoon DR.. d. F. Fox
of Chicago gives his lecture, "a Neg
lected Cavalier" Meistersingers
quartet begin both programs with a
| concert. In these last hours of the
assembly there Is much talk favorable
TO another similar assembly next
year. Considering the fact that this
is the first attempt, the ChautauQua
mas been most successful even If it did
not pay out as well as might be hoped.
Good talent has made up the pro-
grams and for the most part the
crowds have been very satisfactory.
it will soon be known what action Will
De taken looking to next year and if
1t is decided to try again, work on the
plans will commence lat once
This morning the regular lectures
by Dr.. Patten, Mrs. McCarter, and
Miss Haggart were given. Mrs. McCar-
terS last lecture on the poets was per-
haps the best of her course. She took
for the subject of her remarks James
nature, scope and purpose of Mr.. Ri
ley's verse and left her hearers with a
new appreciation of this Indiana sing
er. "kiley's productions can hardly
be called poetry" says Mrs. McCarter,
but his verse lies nearer the htsa RI
than that of any other writer of the
day." A number of selections were Civ
en- by Mrs. McCarter to show the nu-
NOR, love and sympathy of the man
who sang of the lowly and neglected
phases of life.
The much heralded Dr. VIM. ].
Dawson OF London lectured last even
ing after a very brief concert by
Meistersinger's Quartette. He was to
have spoken on Robert Louis Steven
SON. but changed the subject to Sir
Walter Raleigh. The speaker as
sumed a position like a corner Ioafer
and began with his twangy voice to
elucidate his subject. Some brother a
little over half way back Immediately
informed the speaker that nothing
could be heard out his way, which was
true. The speaker was not alone to
blame for this for there was consid-
cradle portion of the audience who
had never attended anything tanner
than husking bee and could not keep
quiet. What was worse, they would
not go elsewhere with their noise. To
add to the clamor numerous boys and
gfrls-who were fully as sensible as
their parents with whom they came
persisted In making music upon the
wires surrounding the auditorium.
For a time it looked as If the Tower
or Babel would pass out of use as a
figure of speech but gradually things
settled QOWn Until almost CWO-th1rdS
OF the audience could hear plainly.
After the interruption, the speaker
increased his volume a little and at
times could be heard all over the
house. Mr.. Dawson can hardly be
called an orator. He has a stage pres
ence like a Teddy Bear and his jokes
are little too much of the slow Eng
lish type. But for all this his lecture
was Interesting to a good portion of
the audience because of the fine bits
of history which he introduced in
speaking Of the life of this truly re-
markable man ana the times in which
he lived-the reign of Queen Eliza
beth. There were some excellent
descriptions of things which a man
who is a native of England as DIR.
Dawson is could know much about
and make most interesting.
After the lecture. Richie the ma
gician, entertained the assembly with
his tricks of legerdemain. This was
the children's treat as we'll as amusing
to the crowd at large.
About $50 last evening a pole sup
porting the trolley wire adjoining the
grounds fell down, delaying traffic a
little. 1t was impossible to determine
what caused 1t to fall unless a horse
which was l1itched to it pulled it over
The pole was rotten and could easily
have fallen of it's own weight.