New-York tribune., 1912-01-30

gducation Association, which has arranged
this Thackeray celebration, is to send
teachers to these people in their mountain
homes They could not go to public schools,
even If there were any. because the ois-
tances are so great and travel is so difficult
over those mountain roads. And they are
so grateful to the teachers!
They are splendid people. even II they
are ignorant as you can tell from their
history. 1t is one continued story Of de-
nand for Justice. They came TO this coun-
try TO escape unjust rule in England. They
fought I'm the War for Independence against
the unjust rule of England. but they did
not wish to separate from the mother
country. Then, when the United States did
become independent, these brave noun
taineers defended IL on the south and west
from the Spanish, French and Indians, who
sought TO destroy IT, They fought again
for the Union in the Civil War One hum
dred and eighty thousand Of them saved
the mountains for the North And even Yet
they protest row and then against the
'rnoonshine' laws They cannot see the
Justice in q law which allows one man TO
make -four of his corn but forbids the next
one 10. make hot water Of his. These are
tie people from whom came Andrew jack
son. 'Stonewalr Jackson, and even Abra-
ham Lincoln was the son of one OF them
And to-day-well, just 10 show what nap
pens when they do get chance-you may
read a story told by Thomas Nelson Page
printed in our programme. He says:
One Of the most distinguished citizens OF
New York--a man of national reputation as
az orator and a lawyer-Was a nlouhtdli
boy from the eastern corner OF Iehhesseo'
nd rrba IL he was one Ol IlItftu Sbli's
His father never learned TO write untll
after he was married and his mother never
armed TO write but. mark me. TINS Inter
acy did not necessarily mean ignorance
IL was only that they had not had the op-
portunity. That father was heutenant IN
the federal army during the war. ana aIter-
Msrj fle reared fifteen sons in the fastnesses
OF the Appalachian range. -
Now sjrs talk about conservation, mere
is something worth conserving. conserve
the American strain in the Appalachian
range by bearing to them the ilght ol
knowledge and giving them the advantage
of education.
The 69th Regiment Armory will present
a fine appearance during the festival
The gorgeous decorations placed on the
gallery for Car4inal Farley's welcome
have been left the)e by a benevolent COM
mittee TO shine down upon the gay scenes
on the main noor The Temple Garden
and the fountain Court of Thackeray
have been reproduced by skilled artists
and through them will fit several hum
1dred Thackeray heroes and heroines in
gorgeous costumes. y Some are faithful
renroductions Of famo6s pictures or stage
costumes of Becky Sharp, Colonel New
come and the rest.
Others are old art treasures, but the
most interesting of ALL perhaps. is one OF
embroidered green velvet. trimmed with
lace, which has yellowed with age. This
gown was worn by Mrs. James X. Polk
while she was mistress of the White
House. way back in the 40's. and is now
owned by a patriotic little woman or
Tennessee. who read of the pageant in the
papers and sent this heirloom to help the
good work along.
e Fercy MacKaye has written prologue
(which will be read by Ben Greet at the
sopening performance this afternoon.
sThe programme includes Little Billee.'
Thackeray's Nursery Rhymes" and The
Rose and the Ring" ST Gaudens. a per-
forming horse, will appear also by re-
quest OF the children"
AT the evening performance Charles
Forrest Moore will give the formal trib-
ute 10 Thackeray There will be scenes
from The Newcomes," with Miss Kath-
leen Lyon as Ethel and Lewis Thornton
as Give; from "Pendennis,' with b. Mere
dith Langstaff as Arthur: from Henry
Esmond| IN which Miss Amy Hill will be
Beatrice and Robert Niles Henry Esmond;
and from Vanity Fair with the part
OF Becky shared by Mrs. G. V. B. Gordon
= ard Miss Marie Cowenhoven. Other
scenes and several OF Thackeray's songs
are also on the programme. which will be