Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-12-29

attendance is remarkable for this feat
ure.
| The theatre is one Of the remarkable
institutions here. 1t will compare favor
ably with any theatre in cities OF 10000
| inhabitants It's color study is green
and gold. and its capacity about 1900,
with boxes for the governor. surgeon
and different officers of the staff who
with their families attend some Of the
three entertainments which are. given
each week. The drop curtain and
scenery of the stage are works of art.
Here are given band concerts, three
times week. when music from Verdi,
Offenbach. Mozart. Gluck and Gilbert
and Sullivan, as we'll as occasional rag
time items and patriotic airs, are inter-
spersed. The orchestra string and
wood with a little brass as trombone
ard cornet. are judiciously grouped and
efficiently led.
| Daily open air concerts are given in
summer from a beautiful band stand on
the Mall.
| Tte library is an excellent one, con-
tanning not only the usual liberal sup
ply Of current and popular fiction, his
| tory, and biography and a good line Of
classics as marked the literary period
of Addison and Steel and Hazlett, with
| all the current newspapers, as New
York. Baltimore. Washington, and
Philadelphia dailies and magazines,
periodicals, etc.
The green houses and Conservatives
are most beautiful and full Of rare tri-
umphs of botanical skill.
oil
attractions, the men appreciate the tone
and method of the system which,. gov
erns and controls tie whole of k. The
Governor Gen. Joseph S. Smitlly is an
old soldier risen from the ranks Alert.
kind. intelligent and instinctEely a
friend of the old veterans. hi meets
them on arrival with a welcomd simple
as it is genuine, warm as it is Ggnified,
and calculated to inspire confidence and
contentment. He said to me and about
twenty others who had just been ad-
mltteo, This is your home, YOU own it.
| You are under obligations te'no official
! mere, except to obey the rules Come
20 me # anything goes wrong, with
your food. your clothing, four bed or
your treatment from any official. lam
your servant and frend."f
The popularity of the fGovernor is
SHOWN every time he comes into the
theater, or the grounds. by the applause
when he enters his box, or the way in
which some old soldier will approach
! MIN in the grounds. He never rebuffs
anyone and will listen to the most ig-
norant or vulgar as quickly and as long
as to one of his staff.
| All OF the officers are kind. natiant
well-mannered and attentive to their
duties.
! 10 sit in the sum-, to tell over tho old
stories. to read the papers, books and
iiasazlhes. TO eat good meal to at
tend church or the theatre, to visit the
pattieships. or Norfolk. Newport News
hampton, to see good game of ball q,
ollilards, to battle or walk, or ride or
nunt up old comrades, is the way to bo
nappy here. And every one of us th,nL
Goa FOR such aSgovernment and such .
Home. '0e'i d
virginia having gone "dry" bas
aooed much to the comfort and b.n
ness OF this place, as the governor +,
forms me there is absolutely no intox,
cation here, whereas formerly 10 ,ad
constant restraints placed on the
drinkers to protect them from robbery
and abuse. -oooery
Very truly yours,
| LEWIS KEYSER-