The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-06-04
day will be given over to baseball
and athletic sports on the prison
green.
MEMORIAL DAY

Av44Av1 ~2ANA<AA In
One Long to be Remembered at the New Prison.
Back to the Farm" Presented in
the Auditorium
All nature seemed to join in the
determination to make Memorial
day of 1914 one of the happiest and
most memorable in the historty of
the Minnesota state prison. It was
a day made to order; day of days,
and one full of surprises and joyful
incidents.
The clear. bright and balmy sun
lit atmosphere never seemed more
invigoring than when the inmates
marched out of the cell halls at a. m.
keeping step to the music furn-
ished by Herr Schmidt's musicians;
and when the over six hundred men
were assembled on the immense
lawn and break ranks" sounded,
one could not help but feel the thrill
of a new born enthusiasm as he
grasped the hands and heard the
voices of factory mates who had
been in enforced silence for weeks
past.
Until eleven o'clock the time was
spent in general 'gabfest" inter-
spersed of course, by exhibitions Of
many kinds of dancing. a song or
two. and concert music by the band.
Then dinner was served-an extra
menu which all enjoyed; after which
came the first surprise of the day
show in the Auditorium, enacted
by the students of the Agricultural
Extension Division of the Minnesota
State University: entitled, Back to
the Farm"
Prior to the opening of the per-
formance, Warden Wolfer announc-
ed that talking would be permitted
with those in ajoining seats, priyi.
lege which was appreciated.
The performance was very pleas
ing, and the play well enacted by the
young men and women impersonat-
ing the various characters. The
theme was well handled by the
author and tended to prove the ad-
vantages accrulng to the college
bred, scientific farmer. The cast of
characters was as follows.
The Cast
Charles Merrill. farmer of the old school
Spencer Cleland
Merton Merrill hic CON Arfhur MuucL
Mrs. Merrill. the farmers thrifty wife-
------------ Webster
Rose Meade School Mam.------A Alice M. Hillman
Gust Anderson. Hired man. Merrill Shumway
Reuben Allen. Neighbor- James M. Curran
MIR. Asheley. Lawyer and Real Estate man,
X. Anderson
Robert Powell. Senior at law Harlow ]. Hanson
Marjorie Langdon society girl Ethel Willis
Hulda. Maid of all work Bede
Students in the College of Agriculture.
ACT /. Exterior of the Merrill Home,
mid-autumn, 1906.
ACT 2. Fraternity Ball, years later.
ACT 8. Merton's Study at the Merrill
Farm, Q years later.
The play was given under the
personal direction of Miss Estelle
Cook of Minneapolis, and all the
characters wese portrayed in COM
mendable manner. AS Rose Meade,
the school Marm," Miss Alice M.
Hillman was particularly clever; as
was Miss Agnus Webster as Mrs
Merrill" and Ethel Willis as Mar
jory Langdon,'' Reta Bede as
"Hulda'' the Swede servant, demon
strated the fact that she is comdi-
enc of exceptional merit and kept
the audience in roar all the time
she was on the stage.
All the male characters were clev-
erly taken, Messrs. Shumway, An
derson, Curran, Munck, Cleland and
Hanson appearing to splendid ad
vantage.
After the performance, the War
den again addressed the inmates as
referred to in another column; and.
filled with the enthusiasm which the
days enjoyment and his words had
inspired each man went to his cell
at 2 p. M. gratified and thankful that
if we must be in prison. it is our
good fortune to be incarcerated in
one where humanity is considered
and where men are treated as men.
AT THE OLD PRISON
How the Inmates Enjoyed Decoration Day at
the Parent Institution
By Beaw Esprita
Memorial Day, was celebrated at
the old prison most enjoyably. In
the early morning a short moving
picture exhibition was given in the
chapel hall. with Mr.. 4. w. at the
piano. The day was too fine, how
ever, for indoor amusement. and the
Deputy Warden soon had the men
marshaled in the prison park, where