The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-01-08
waxahachians at wellesley.

,-inted at wellesley college con-
,ains an account OF college play
,ybich was written by Miss Frances
Matthews formerly of Waxahachie.
Miss Harlan Miller. daughter OF
Mr. and Mrs. J. Houston Miller of
,bis city, was made manager Of the
nronerties. The Phi Sigma Masque
society, of which both young ladies
are members, gave the play. The
following account of the Christmas
n,ay is taken from the Wellesley
College News:
"Phi Sigma welcomed many of
her friends on Friday evening. and
saturday afternoon and evening,
Dec. 10 and II, for her traditional
Christmas Masque. Bayberry
candles, laurel wreaths. and small
branches of holly, distributed
among the guests, gave the accus-
toned atmosphere of simplicity as a
group of caroling youths strolled
M to the windows and away sing
ing We Three Kings OFF, Orient
Arc oh Little Town of Rethle-
bem,' and other Christmas tunes.
After Mary Pfeiffer had welcomed
the guests, the masque was present
ed-a Russian Christmas play.
The Light Beyond was written by
Ann Frances Matthews, 1916.
Eleanor c. Tyler, 1916, adapted
the music from Russian Folk songs.
Russian peasant life of the seven
teenth century makes the back
ground for the love story which
must end tragically because of the
political oppression in the country.
Tatyana, beautiful peasant girl,
still young and eager, longs for a
happiness greater than that of her
drowsy mother, and her father and
brother who care for nothing but
sleeping by the great stove, after
hard labor for the great tyranni-
cal over AADOot do Gil dhoWSl
to her prayer, Kelyada, the Christ
mas maiden, comes to bless the
peasant home, in which soon after
wards, Sasha, the revolutionary
poet, seeks shelter from pursuit
from soldiers. Tatyana finds her
happiness at once in the poet. He
returns one evening, while the
whole family sleep on the floor
around the stove, to take Tatyana
away as his wife.
1.-TWO years later, Tatyana and
Sasha stop on their way to Moscow,
where they hope to rouse the peas
ants by the poets song, at the old
peasant home. Extreme hunger and
cold have been creeping steadily
upon the peasants. The old father
Ivan has frozen in the forest. Here
in spite of the efforts of Anastasia,
the masters daughter, to save Sas-
ha, the soldiers discover him, and
carry him off to Siberia, the land
of exile, from where no one returns.
Tatyana, after the first sorrow
passes away, becomes a nun, with
Anastasia, thus finding her quiet
contentment by giving up the great
happiness she had hoped for out in
the world. A betrothal ceremony
the placing of coins on the shout
ders, knees and feet of the bride
elect, by her lover, to be picked up
by the father and the joining Of
hands beneath sword decorated
with zelda berries, added to the
Russian setting. There were Christ
mas festivities and game called
Gold bury The peasants never
lost an opportunity to cross them
selves three times from right to
left at every mention of a holy
name. Superstition, especially con-
nected with death and the spirits OF
ancestors, marked these wretched
peasants Of the 18th century.
The play in itself was beautiful,
as Russian lady in the audience
remarked, because of its legendary
character so we'll carried out. A ma
tional play would certainly have
been impossible for American girls
to attempt. The peasants in their
briobf lynrrhiofc and
blouses, created a background OF
priyation, and ignorant, dull con-
tentment, upon which the lyrical
poet could enter"
Club Women In Recital.
An interesting event of next week