Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-04

AAoeS oouSldS WlgSln READ 10 US sum-
mer residents and scores Of perma-
nent jewellers In the sister towns, her
dramatization of that popular story.
She explained that it could be played
In any church, preferably one with
permanent wing pews. Il want to iron
out the manuscript little" she add
ed, and then perhaps we will try It
= out in the old church on the hill in
which the scene of the story Is laid.
We will play 1t. with some of you dear
people in the cast"
We all laughed. you needn't
laugh" was her rejoinder. Il have
already picked the members of the
cast"
OF course we were individually sur
prised. week later, when we were
shown her cast of characters for the
play, and were told that the manu-
script for our parts would be deliver
ed to us as soon as her secretary
could type it. Protests, excuses or
pleadings that we never before had
figured in drama were useless. Kate
Douglas Wiggin had a delightfully."-
sweet way of winning neighbors to
her way Of thinking when summer
programmes in the Quillcote COM
munity house or the old church were
in process of making. So the eight
| women and the one man whom she
had cast for the nine characters in
the church play made haste to learn
their lines and began the rehearsals.
The author was to read the prelude,
the interlude and the lines of dismiss
al of the characters as they were to
"go back to the book" Her talented
| sister, Miss Nora Archibald Smith.
| helped in the ooaching, and looked
after other duties that go with work
ing off an amateur drama.
There were to be no curtain, no
properties. other than a few tin pals
| washcloths, a lantern, tack-ham-
mer. a small piece of carpeting, sup
posedly for covering the pulpit pat
| form. All else required for the play.
the usual interior fittings of the
| church supplied. The costumes were
secured after numerous motor trips
to country homes where dresses OF
, half century ago were packed away
| in lavender or moth balls.
What fun we had in those rehears-
ais, What fears we couldn't meas
ure up to the authors ideas ana
| ideals. What patience was shown oy
these two devoted sisters in their en-
couragement of the PLAYERS. LET'S
try that once more" Mara, lace
the audience a-little more in that de-
claration." Jane, just little more
! hustle as you come up the aisie;
dustin, suppose you stand trine
| nearer Nancy when you are making
that appealc' These and many sim
| liar suggestions came from the front
pew as the rehearsals progressed
Then came the evening when, Win
| come fear and trembling, we entered
the little improvised dressing room 10
await the conclusion or the opening
organ medly Of old time hyms. WIN
| the familiar strains OF Slloam oo
casionally interviewer. Inc wa .i,s
! strokes of the old bell in the steeple'
&c outhurst of applause as the re-
nowned author, so becomingly attireu
and so gracefully acknowledging .he
recention. passed up the aisle. A oe-
liqhtf,lllv informal welcoming talk by
ber then the reading Of the preiuoe
which gave the setting 10 the SUI
,ho,,t n he enacted for the first time
before an audience. The church was
,,,ora than crowded. damned IS the
word which more nearly describes II.
zach new provides six sittings. Inc
audience was good enough 10 PERM
seventh person to be seated. Neeu :
less to dwell on the success that ,nis
little church playlet-sermonette 'no Nv.
clergy choose to term it-acilleneu r On
that August evening. OF tne l,ia ,,,rcb
neti+ions it had in the same churcn
and the thousands Of other cnurches
throuphout the country. GU We
oil ca lovely" was Kate DouglasNls
ein's final message to US as, AFTER tne
reception, the handshakes ana w
eoodbves she waved back 10 US IN tt,n
f,ar motor as the driver started Ine
nrowded car toward Salmon FAILS
and the Quillcote home. 49,, ar-
; II was necessary to repeat lhe
fornance twice-one evening" u = =
afternoon-that week IN oruet 70 -.
isfv those who had clamored loI ''C m
cts. The audiences We're i,aue al,
1oroelv of summer tourists IRON! a.
n l'i tba Maine coast between orr
Beach and the Rockland BreakWatet
Poland Spring and other iniano les
sorts also sent their full quotas any
oirls and boys from the summer
ean,ns came down in hayracks VI
victor vehicles. The story OF the mrs.
performance. supplemented ny 'ht
full text of the play, with privilege OF
nresentation in other churches. WaS
sold "a national publication. Iners
we're no doubters as to the proplIc,,
, ! ne playins a love story In cuulci,
. So sweet and wholesome was II; WV
the moral Of right living SO pialnlS
and delicately pictured, that II me,
with universal praise from the MOS
devout churchgoers.
Four summers in succession we
plaved it. each season twice or three
times in a single week, in order u
meet the demand from summer tour
lists. Many predicted that the pres
entation Of 1.-THE Old Peabody Few
. would become an annual event in th'
. old church. like the Passion Play a
Oberammergau. But death in TIT
. family Of the author caused a change
of plans. The next summer the alb
sence of two members of the cas-
prevented reproduction. This veal
to meet the financial needs of thu
church and other community organ
izations an attempt was made Il
bring about a repetition of the play
Mrs. Riggs, the author, was i'll IL
England. but she had sent her gooC
wishes and hoped that the plan woult
be carried out. Her sister consented
to do the reading. The date set 70
the performance was Aug. o. Twt
changes had to be made in the cast
: one member, Mrs. Algeron S. Dyer
having died and another member o
the original nine being unable to b.
here.
A first rehearsal had been held a
the time announced for another. Thel
came news that the condition of TIL