Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-07-14
Famous Ben Greet Players Appear
in "The Comedy Of Errors
They Did not Tear Down
the Flag!
CHANCELLOR GEO. H. BRADFORD
Rogers and Grilley, Gov. Robt. B.
Glenn, Ex-senator Frank J.
Cannon, Etc.
CHANCELLOR GEO. H. BRADFORD

Saturday at Chautauqua was a
crescendo of success. The afternoon
program began with Miss Hinton's
clever representations in dialect
which, afternoon and evening, paw
ed with laughter the way for the ia
nous Ben Greet Players who in the
evening produced Shakespeare
roaring farce, "The Comedy of Err
rors.' The program drew great
crowds, and at the evening hour the
tent was filled to overlooking.
Miss Hinton appeared as enter
tainer in company with Professor
Mordelia, the latter playing unique
ly the plebian accordion and the pi-
ano, the former impersonating the
wide wide world of dialect. The au-
dience enjoyed Mordelia's stunts on
his instrument. Especially at night
did the people applaud his trick
playing of the piano. Miss Hinton
was the first of this years perform
ers who really captured the audi
ence. In her, impersonation came
to its own. Scotch, Hebrew, the
London costermonger and the New
York newsboy, English, Italian and
Scandinavian-all these dialects,
and more too, Miss Hinton made to
live at Chautauqua. Her Italian dia-
1ect story of the Base Ball Fan
was so appreciated in the afternoon
that by request she repeated it for
the evening audience. So complete
ly had Miss Hinton won her crowd
at night that, although the people
had come on purpose to see the Ben
Greet players, she might have "pre-
luded" all the evening without SER
ious objection. Miss Hinton will be
more than welcome another year.
The afternoon lecture was by
Chancellor George H. Bradford of
Oklahoma University. He chose the
Enthusiastically Chautauquan sub
ject, "The Future of America" His
physique and voice and personality,
together with his theme, conspired
to make his lecture interesting and
inspirational. The old fashioned
spirit of Chautauqua enthusiasm
and uplift inspired the lecture. He
won his audience with a tribute to
William Mckinley as a Christian
statesman. He registered his pro-
test against the coming to this coun-
try of certain types of foreigners,
wherein he and Mary Antin would
possibly clash. A couple of typical
American poor boy stories brought
tears to the audience, and in strong
manly phrases he set forth Ameri-
can ideals before the youth of his
audience. His heartfelt appeal to
the young men made what may be
hoped to be lasting impression on
the youth present. The lecturer
sketched the difference between the
European ideal for youth and the
ideal which mostly obtains in Amer
lea. In Europe they say to youth,
Learn trade. Become an appren-
tice. Learn to do some one thing
well. Apprentice yourself in order
that you may become master" But
In the United States we are telling
our youth to go to college, to gain
education which will fit them to do
and to become many things. And so
the door of opportunity is open wide
to the youth of this land, and they
may become what they will. In con-
boys were urged not to close
these doors of opportunity by a sin
gle unguarded act
Close upon fifteen hundred tickets
were taken at Chautauqua gate Sat-
lrday evening.
The big thing on the program
was "The Comedy of Errors" by
he Ben Greet Players. To all who
know the history of drama it was a
most significant performance. The
stage looked bare and unpromising
o modern theatre patrons accustom-
ID to gorge the eye with elaborate
tage settings and fairy-like seen
Try. Saturday night everything de-
'ended upon the acting, nothing up
N the scenery. Two ancient-look-
ng stools, but little used during thej
lay, were. all the stage property
hat was different from what had '
erved Miss Hinton in her imper-
onations. Otherwise the stage was {
are and unadorned. But even thus, +,
he stage Saturday night WAC a1nncf