Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-14

country she also even dipped, just to
mace before crowded house full of
neople, Tuesday evening at the City
hall. what she called her lecture,
DYo,, Americans" Yes, it was daring
alright. But she did it and made up
laugh, She showed us funny things
about ourselves that If they had
heen expressed wee bit different,
might have caused perhaps an er-er
-pause before the laughter. But the
way Ada Ward said 1t left no chance
for doubt-an American sense of
hunnor just can't help but bob up,
when 1t is ticlzled that way.
Lectures on most of the subjects
that one expects to hear nowadays
are a cinch to report so of course
the bold reporter had no qualms on
Tuesday night when the assignment
was handed out. But what reporter
with but a small store of imagination
and a, small store of adjectives and
The like, can put into print an en-
ergetic, 100 per cent. English woman
who can mimic, who can make you
cbuckle, giggle, laugh and catch your
breath for more laughs and who can
make you sigh and all the rest Of the
sensations that lead up to a catch in
vour throat and an, aggrevating
mostness in your eye? Isn't any
use. That's good alibi. you say,
10 get out from writing the story?
A bright blue velvet gown appeared
between the green curtains and pres
entity it evolved itself into a small
woman. She came out. bowed de-
murely and seated herself on the edge
of the chair and listened with closest
attention to Rev. II. H. Brown, who
gave a few words of Introduction.
When he declared some one had re-
marked that the "intellectuals" were
present because lecture was on the
program, Ada Ward hauled her chair
considerably nearer and proceeded to
look the audience over.
Then she was introduced and still
she proceeded to look demure. She
waited until Rev. Mr.. Brown, who
Immediately left the stage. appeared
at the door on the floor and then she
addressed him, "Mr. Chairman" and
the audience in turn. There was a
IHltlSll w Sous DC-
termination right off the reel.
It was her first view of America
that she chose to open her talk with.
Enthusiasm was written in every geS-
ture and expressed with every word.
But she fastened to add that that was
not the first time she had met You
Americans" for it was in 1915 she met
American boys who were fighting.
And the way she described her man
ncr of getting into war work brought
many laughs from her audience. She
wanted to be a Joan of Arc. Yes. and
ride a horse-a white horse. If she
could but ride white horse at the
head of the British troops then she
would lead them right on to victory
and right into Berlin. She said the
voice she expected to come from
heaven did not come that way. but it
came over the telephone. SO many of
us, waiting for the voice from heaven.
aften times find that it is right around
the corner.
The telephone call informed her that
they wanted her to be ready by the
next Saturday, that day being Monday.
10 go to France. They were getting up
an entertainment course. They already
had a soloist, violinist. magician
and they wanted Ada Ward and her
blackboard to do comic stunt. The
way she described it could be easily
seen that she considered that some
what different from the call she eX-
pected. But she went to France.
At various points in her story Tues
day evening Ada Ward illustrated her
lecture with crayon drawings on the
blackboard beside her. A soldier who
was completely swathed in bandages
so that but one eye showed. she drew.
1t was a picture of the boy who was
brought to an entertainment when she
lectured in France. But that eye
which did show, she explained. was
good and bright and it was SO bright
that he could and did wink it at her.
Then she drew likeness of Red
Cross nurse. A pretty tribute she
paid them. Always clean and sweet,
gracious and charming. The nurses
received six proposals a day and
sometimes seven. and she accepted
them all. The she drew a sketch of
an American doctor who was there in
the English camp. He performed mir
aclcs upon the soldier who was so
handagcd. He took one of the soldier S
ribs and made lower jaw to replace
the one which was blown away. He
grated bits of skin from the boys
body onto his face. But the boy dis
covered that he could not grow a
moustache. So that doctor took some
OF the boys skin from the back of
his neck and grated it onto the boys
lip and the finest moustache was the
result.
The humor and the pathos all were
caught by this remarkable little WON :,
n and. what is moro wonderful still.
she can tell others about it as she
secs ii.
And then she came to America.
The welcome of the baggagemen
was Ada Wards first impression of
Our country. In England one has to
worry all the time about the baggage.
But she said it seemed so wonderful
to put her burdens onto someone
else's shoulders. The baggageman
took her burdens and his welcome
was so hearty that when she next
saw her poor little English trunk 1t
was a ruin. When in Rome do as
Rome does she said and when In
America, buy an American trunk.
After seeing the great big Amer
lean engines on the railroad lines.
she says she does not wonder that
the American boys called the English