The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21

handsomely gowned and the men wore the
correct evening dress. AT II o'clock sup
per was served in the spacious dining
room of the hotel. | was told American
girls who visit Panama almost invariably
/ return as the bride of some army officer
Or prominent man! We reached Kingston
early in the evening and went ashore inn
mediately. We spent the evening In the
beautiful palm garden of the Myrtlebank
! hotel, enjoying the music of the " est
| India Regiment band. Although we were
so far from home and listening to music
by a foreign band, we heard many Ia
mliar airs, among them THE Rosary"
which is always beautiful, and when lis
teung to it with such a setting twinlkling
lights everywhere, tall palm trees and
other tropical plants, beautiful lawns
dotted here and there with little tables
and natives darting here and there dis
pensing cooling beverages. When the
band finally played our dear old Dixie"
our enthusiasm was naturally turned
loosel
The following day>-we enjoyed a delight
ful automobile ride to Castleton, the beau
tiful botanical gardens owned by the
jamaican government. Here. we saw spec
linens of every tree and plant that grows
on the island. On the drive we saw some
of the most beautiful scenery of the island
and large groves of banana trees. On
these roads leading out from Kingston
there is a constant stream of native wom-
Ell going to and from market with their
wares, mostly fruits and vegetables They
carry this in large, fiat, round basket
on top of their heads Every woman has
10 work. In places along the route of
our drive we saw native women breaking
rock. For this they are paid by the
government
1t seems the government encourages
4 4. = a.
This rock is used to repair the roads.
There are as a consequence no vagabonds
on this island. | think our country could
learn something from this, don't you? The
children are compelled to attend school
until IA years of age, Another pleasant
thought is--there are no snakes on the
islandi We expect to reach Havana
early Saturday morning. Am glad our ar
rival is booked for morning, as the llar-
bor is beautiful at that hour. While
we are enjoying the trip immensely, Will
be glad to see home and dear ones again.
Mrs. Beechers presentation of Mr..
Percy Maokaye's Jeanne dare to he
given for the benefit of Neighborhood
House the afternoon of February 26 il
creating greater interest perhaps than
any of her interpretations 1t is said
to be her best work, and as the subject
is favorite one, there seems to be
small doubt Of the entertainment draw
ing capacity audience should tile
weather be pleasant
The author, Percy Aiacl1aye, is a grad
tate of Harvard, and although he has
studied much IN Germany and i'm all the
European centers, he is distinctly Amer
lean. and he Is lending all he has to the
effort to elevate and develop the drama
in America. He dreams of time when
| the democrat OF the arts will take its
! true place in general culture where
there will be a courthouse, a postoffice,
a public library. public school and a city
! theatre standing with the others as an
embodiment of a civic activity, and tina
| this civic theatre shall be a place OF
| n nspiration as well as entertainment; a
place where we many guard and foster
'the mystic beauty, the redemptive joy,
the civic pride inherent in American
youth" We are rapidly becoming a
! pleasure seeking people. The door OF
our homes open at night and we pour
out by the tens of thousands and hun
dreds of thousands, seeking some place
of amusement Is it not time TO pay
some heed to what is offered on the
boards of our theatres?
Mr. Mackaye has made real contri-
button TO the modern drama and to
/ Poetic literature in his Jeanne d Arc
| Whatever else we may find in the play,
we are all charmed by that central fis-
urea lovely lonely spirit. encompassed
about with doubt. sinister ambition, dull
puerility and crude brutality.