The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-08-19
ChAUTAUQUA IS OVER.
A Delightful and Instructive Week.
Contract Closed for Another
Chautduqua Next Year.

Inc lJO9 Chautauqud closed with the
program of Sunday evening. and after
the first disappointment over the failure
OF Latollette to speak on the opening
day had worn off, the enthusiasm of those
in attendance increased with each
session, and some who were denouncing
the Chautauqua the first of the week
were boosting hard for it another year,
and were willing to make personal
pledge to secure the Redpath- -Vawter
System to return to Leon next year,
and this matter was definitely settled
J on Thursday evening, when, after
| President W. G. Stempel of the Leon
Commercial Club had announced tha5
in order to secure Chautauqua for
next year it would be necessary to
pledge the advance sale of at least
nine hundred season tickets, and that
the Commercial Club was willing to
make the guarantee providing others
would assist by agreeing to stand a
pro rata loss in case the advance sale
did not reach this number and seventy
five persons announced that they
would stand back of the Commercial
Club, so contract was made for the
1910 Chautauqua, the dates to be about
the same as this year.
For time Wednesday it looked as if
we would have a chance to hear LaFol-
lette after all, as he passed through
Leon on the noon train enroute to Mt.
Ayr where he was on the program for
Wednesday afternoon. 1t was necessary
for him to travel in an auto from Togo
to Mt. Ayr as there were no train
connections, and it was arranged for
LaFollette to come to Leon by auto
the same evening. But we were again
disappointed. Senator LaFollette had
come direct from Washington and was
so exhausted when he reached Mt. AYR
that he was hardly able to speak that
afternoon, and after his address he was
attended by DR.. S. Bailey, who ordered
him to bed, and absolutely refused to
allow him to make the trip to Leon on
account of his physical condition. But
the evening was pleasantly spent with
the concert program of the Cole Steele
Entertainers, and Adrian M. Newens
who had given his monologue ga Mes
sage from Mars" which delighted all
who heard him, kindly occupied the
platform for an hour. Newens is all
right. He is one of the best in his line
and kept the audience in good humor
from start to finish, presenting his
points in such manner that all could
understand them, and mixed with
enough humor to prevent his talk be-
coming dry.
Thursday afternoon Mr.. Burton
Thatcher gave concert recital. He is
singer who has a magnificent voice
which haa been we'll trained, and while
his music was greatly enjoyed by the
musicians in the audience it would
have pleased the big majority much
better had he not confined himself to
what is termed classical music. The
address Of the afternoon was by Mrs.
LaSalle Corbell Pickett, widow of
general Pickett. She is typical south
ern lady, of fine personal appearance
and told the story of the "Battle of
Gettysburg in highly interesting
manner. She vividly described the
terrible scenes of this great battle
where men were moved down like
blades of grass before sickle, and in a
tclear concise manner, told of the move
ments of the troops, and vividly de-
scribed that heroic charge of Gen.
Pickett and his men in which they were
all but wiped out of existence. There
are number of old veterans in this
county who participated in the Battle
of Gettysburg, and her address was in
tensely interesting to them, and was
listened to with rapt attention by the
large audience, who voted her address
as one of the good things of the Chau-
tauqua. At the close of her address
Mrs. Pickett said she would like to
shake hands with all the old soldiers
present and many crowded to the plat
form to greet her. Thursday evening
Burton Thatcher again sang and the
balance of the evening consisted of
amusing tricks in magic and ventrilo-
quism by Hal Merton, who is . past
MASTER OF his profession, and did his
work we'll, his tricks being especially
interesting to the younger portion Of
the audience, although the entire
audience was pleased.
Friday afternoon the Royal Hungarian
Orchestra made their first appearance
and were we'll received, it being the
third time they have appeared in this
city. The speaker was Congressman
Chas. B. Landis, of Indiana, who spoke
on "Our Merchant Marine" He is we'll
posted on the subject and has given it
much study and while he is q splendid
talker he had chosen subject which
was hardly popular one with his
audience, for a subsidized merchant
marine is one of the greatest humbugs
which was ever tried to be foisted up
on the American people. It savors too
much OF graft. In the evening the
attraction was a musical program by
the Royal Hungarian Orchestra, or as
they should be dubbed the Dago scrap
pers. That they can play good music
no one will deny, but our people are
getting tired of being called upon to
witness their Internal quarreling. At
the afternoon performance the wife Of
the leader, Mrs. Lipski, did not appear,
having had fight at Osceola that morn
ing with some Of the members and re-
fused to come to Leon, but showed up on
the evening train. During the first half
OF their program it was plain to belseen
that they were quarreling among them-
selves and during the intermission
when they retired behind the platform
while manager Ellison was making the
announcements they continued their
loud and foul monthed talk which
finally ended by one Of them, tho fellow
who played the bass viol striking his
/ dAnphter Mrc TipsL; %bo ca1o ,,:,1:~:.k I