Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-07-17

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day program came in series Of i'm.
presentations intimately connected
with the present war. Besides be.
ling prince of impersonators, Mr.
Ratio is a first-c.ass dramatic
reader, and his representations OF
leading characters in the great wal
tragedy was accompanied by charac.
teristic speeches from the imper-
sonated which made the presentation
/ VERY realistic. It was an effective
combination of photograph and cine.
|matograph.
First, King Peter OF Serbia ap'
1peared in a historic speech connect
ed with Servia"s break with Austria
Hungary. King Albert of Belgium
followed with an appeal to England
for support against the ruthless in
vader. Then George v. of England
answered with instructions to the
British ambassador in Belgium. Then
came President Poincare of France,
whose touching address welcomed
the United States as an ally in the
cause of democracy against autoc-
racy Before the eyes of the audi
ence Mr.. Ratio assumed the face
and speech of George Washington,
who repeated the speech he made up
on accepting command of the army.
In many respects the impersona-
ltion of Abraham Lincoln was the
most dramatic. When Lincoln ap-
peared he repeated a speech made
by him upon the occasion of GER
tain lynching, in which speech the
great president appealed to all to
support the constitution.
The representations came to a
wonderful climax with the appear
ance on the stage of Uncle Sam with
Columbia standing by his side. Miss
McGill, superintendent of Junior
1Chautauqua, took the part of CO.
lumbia in a pretty and graceful man
Iner. These tableaux were received
with breathless interest and stirred
spontaneous and hearty applause.
Mr.. Ratio closed his entertainment
with appreciative words concerning
the Kendall Young library and with
ian appeal to all to stand by the gov
eminent in the present war-which,
very dramatically, he called Gods
war-and to aid by just and prop
err economy that would eliminate
waste from public entertainment as
well as from private life. 1t was
one Of the finest programs of its
kind the Freeman-Tribune has seen.
Sunday was Kryl's day at Chau-
tauqua, and the unique. cornetist and
his band held the stage afternoon
and evening. Kryl's band this year
lis composed of four comets, three
|trombones, three horns, eight clari-
nets, one saxophone, oboe, flute, pic
olo,, two baritones two tubas, one
string bass, three drums and four
lsets Of metal pipes, besides the usual
traps accompanying many brass
bands. The personnel is almost en-
tirely new this year, and only one
Hungarian is in the company. The
music greatly pleased the audiences
(which, in spite of heavy rains, COM
pletely filled the tent. The pro-
grams were both classical and pop
ular enough to create universal sat
lisfaction. Each program concluded
with the singing of the national an
them by the audience.
A very satisfactory vesper service
was held Sunday afternoon at the
close of the Kryl programme best
of such services ever held in Web
ster City. Mr.. Weatherwax led the
lsinging, Miss McGill was at the pi-
ano, Mr.. Mcdonald conducted the
service and Superintendent Kelly Of
our local schools gave the vesper adj
dress. Fully thCee-fourths Of the
vast audience stayed to Vesper. Mr..
Kelly was, at his best. The big aud
fence cheered again and again his
picture of peace and war and his
prophecy that our local boys would
help break the Hindenburg line.
The close of the program last
night presented a notable scene. The
hundreds of automobiles parked by
the curbing in the streets around
Chautauqua square began to move.
Their lights flashed like fireflies.
Slowly the crowd drifted out into the
streets, quiet, orderly, with the self
possession characteristic Of concourses
of American people. Gradually the
multitude dispersed, the big tent was
deserted, lights went out, and Kryls
music had become a pleasant, haunt
ing memory.
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