New-York tribune., 1910-12-07
A WESSEX COMEDY
The MeIIStoCk QuIre-Oorset
Amateurs.
Dorchester. November IL.

| local celebrities. The Dorchester DSpaV
ing and Dramatic Society was one OF the
unknown literary institutions OF Ehsiais
| SO long as il was enacting ShaRespeai
| nIays and the old English comedies 1''
/ Iight was set on a hill as soon as it pro-
d.1eed versions of THE Trumpet MAJOR
and Far from the Madding Crowd" auo
thereby rendered tribute TO the genius "
the modest author and poet OF Max t1dCe-
When a third novel was dgamatlzed pS
Mr.. Evans the corporation Of the somno-
lent old town suddenly remembered lhd'
William Barnes. antiquary ana poet
whose statue stood outside the parish
church. was not the only literary ceieo-
rity of Dorsetsfire. The gift of the free
dom of the town was thrust upon MI
Hardy In spite Of his dislike OF puOiiOi''
and ceremonial functions heh '"0
civic functionaries had identified thei"-
/ seI,es with the Casterbridge of what the
candid author described as his dream
land. the amateur actors enabled MIN 70
renew his youth by witnessing Inc
MeIlstock Quirs.'
A long mile outside Dorchester lies
/ X.
the Weatherbury of Far from the dau-
ding Crowd" There are three clusters
OF cottages, Stinsford and the two BOOK
| hamptons. in one of which the noVehsI
was born. The parish school OF Under
the Greenwood Tree is near the churcn'
and beyond it is Yalbury Wood, Where
! the lovers went nutting- The parson $
| house and the tranter's cottase can be
| identified and Hardy tombstones de-
cfphered in the churchyard- 1t IS at
once the scene of the Mellstock church
1ninstrelsy and of Thomas HARDY $
earnest outlook on the ironies of life and
the glamour of romance. 1t was the win
dow through which he saw Wessex-
Knapwater House of the first story,
| desperate Remedies, is in spacious
park near by. and not far away is Tai
bothays. the dairy farm where Tess met
! Angel Glare, with the ford where the
| nfIkmaids were carried over the brook
MeIlstock was Jude Fawley's birthplace,
| and the Fiddler of the Reels also lived
! rnere. The road branching off by the
/ schoolhouse leads across EgdOn Heath
10 Rainbarrow and MistOver Knap Of
! THE Return Of the Native and few
miles away is the death scene of that
! man of character. the Mayor of Caster
| bridge" This master of fiction has never
! been weary of his native heath. and in
/ his home at Max Gate he is still on the
edge OF il.
! Everything was done al the Town
! Hall in a neighborly spirit last night.
and with as little formality and osten-
tation as possible. There were friendly
and unaffected talks about the WesseX
novels by the Mayor and the president Of
the debating and dramatic society. and
when the casket had been presented MIR
Hardy gossiped pleasantly about the
past, present and future of Dorchester
and instead of expressing a serious view
! of his art and fame was disposed to
| apologize for the liberties which he had
| taken with the history Of his native
1 town When the audience had filed out
/ of the Town Hall and filed the upper
room OF the Corn Exchange there was
/ a quick transition from grave TO gay
When the curtain rose after an ener-
getfc outburst from the orchestra, there
were the choristers of Mellstock MAX
/ ing their rounds on snowy Christmas
/ Eve and singing carols 10 the accom-
panirnent Of their own fddles. they
| had done when Hardy was d schoolboy
at Upper Bockhampton and there was q
| gallery for the musicians in unrestored
! Stinsford Church.
| There was full muster OF the min
streIs of Under the Greenwood Tree
/ on the stage. with their lanterns and
expressive dialect Reuben Dewey was
/ the leader with the raciest homespun
speech, and Thomas Leaf. without head
and shivering with every gust of emo
, ton, was the unconscious comedian.
Granf'er Williams represented the old
est traditions of the Quire. and Cobbler
| Penny. Blacksmith Bowman. 1nnkeeper
! Mail Parish Clerk Spinl1s and impress
sionable Dick" Dewey helped to make
I'D the combination of musical talent.
They were grotesque in their old-fash-
/ ioned hats and Sunday-best suits and
they sang with frantic ardor the same
carols which Thomas Hardy had heard
in childhood. Fancy Day, when sere-
naded. appeared in white to thank them
svveetIy and incidentally to firt with the
tranter's son: the parson substituted
vicarage feast for the oldtime "crumb
and drap'' in the galleries, and Church
warden Sinner affronted the musicians
with insoIent spleen The humOr was
rough and the talk was trenchant and
the bypay was unforced. natural and
Jolly.
In the second act the substitution OF
organ for orchestra was the subject of a
high conference between the parson and
the musicians, and there were quaint
glimpses of poke bonnets and beaver
hats in the costumes of villagers and
of the games and dances of school chill
| dren. This was followed by a scene in
the schoolmistress' sitting room, with
the tranter's son and the parson alter
nately assisting her in arranging pict-
ures and furniture, and with that schem
ing witch. Elizabeth. giving sage coun-
sci for outmanpuvring Church Warden
Sinner and overcoming Geoffrey Days
| objections to the match The play was
| brought TO an end in Walbury Wood
when the church organ had been played
for the first time and the rejected min
| strels had stayed away from service and
! consoled themselves with bread and