Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-11-22
entertainment
BY JUNIOR LATIN
DEPT. PLEASES

The Junior High School auditori-
UNI was packed last night when a
splendid entertainment was staged
under the auspices of the Latin de-
partment and under the general SUI
pervision of Mrs. Alice Osgood. The
main feature of the entertainment
was the six-reel motion picture,
THE Last Days of Pompeii."
The stage was beautifully decor
ated with evergreen, interviewer on
lattices and adorned with artificial
roses and rose buds. Two arches
were placed at the ends of the stage
and trellises were placed at the
sides of the windows. At the front
of the stage loops OF crepe paper
completed the artistic scene of an
old fashioned rose garden, which
was certainly a great credit to the
pupils who designed it.
The program was given as follows:
Chorus, (a) Santa Lucia: CD Adeste
Fideles; =, moving picture. New
Wine from Old Bottles" 3, Dance
of the Godesses;" A, Dawn; b. The
Hours; c, Night: 4. motion picture,
THE Last Days of Pompeii.'
The dance of the Godesses which
was staged under the direction of
Miss Margaret Smith. dancing in
structress, was a huge success and
was appreciated greatly by the audi
ence. Those taking part were as
follows: Dawn, Hope Bradley: The
Hours, Marie Robar, Iria Delisle,
Sybil Wolman, Florence Vein, Cath
crime Thompson. Barbara johnson,
Doris Sterling. Phyllis Sterling, Rose
Miller, Hilda Zommoa Helen Nivi-
son and Thelma Roderick; Night,
Madeline Parks.
1.-THE Last Days of Pompeii," as
screened at Turin and near Vesu-
vius, Italy, was intensely interesting
from both a historical and educa-
tional viewpoint. From the first love
scene to the climax of events when
old Vesuvius pours forth its belch-
ing fires, the interest of the audience
was held at the keenest pitch. The
cast of characters Is as follows;
Glaucus, a wealthy Athenian noble
man; lone, a beautiful Greek maiden.
sweetheart of Glaucus: Arbaces, an
Egyptian, high priest of the Temple
of Isis; Apaecides, brother of lone.
papil OF Arbaces; Nydia, blind
Ttessalonian fiower-girl.
Glaucus, an Athenian noble living
in Pompeii, falls in love with the
beautiful lone. Her brother. Apae-
cides, asyoung man of religious ma
ture, is the pupil of an Egyptian
priest, of Isis, Arbaces.
Arbaces nourished an intense but
unworthy effection of lone and plots
the downfall of his rival, Glaucus.
Nydia, a blind girl, lives with the
keepers of tavern which is frequent
ed by gladiators and low characters
generally. Being roughly handled and
abused, she is rescued by Glaucus and
loves him in secret. At the instiga-
ton of the plotting Egyptian priest
Arbaces, she gives love potion to
Glaucus which, in fact. contains a
drug which is to rob him of his san
ity. This drug is brewed by witch
who dwells in the cave on the side of
Vesuvius.
Meanwhile Apacides has detected the
trickery of Arbaccs' supposed miracles
and is prepared to denounce the Egyp-
tian. Fearing Apaecides' exposures,
the Egyptian murders him. At that
instant the insane Glaucus appears,
and the cunning Egyptian seizes the
glibbering mailman and loudly calls
for aid. accusing him of the murder.
Glaucus is condemned to die in the
arena.
The great day Of the games finally
arrives and the mighty stands are
crowded with people I'm holiday attire.
Nydia. who has guessed the truth and
who has been locked up by Arbaces' to
prevent her from telling tales, makes
her escape. She hurries to the home
of Sallust, Glaucus' bosom friend.
The great spectacle is at it's height.
The people have howled themselves
hoarse with delight at the gladiatorial
contests. Now they are yelling i'm
pationetly "Glaucus to the lions! Glau-
Gus to the lions" Glaucus is thrust
into the arena, and the lions freed
from their pens. just as SalIust and
Nydia arrive with proof of his inno-
cence.
At that instant the skies darken. and
there shoots into the sky a shaft of
hellish light. Hot cinders and boiling
lava begin to descend upon the town,
The people are crazed with fright and,
panicstricken, vainly seek safety. The
city is doomed. The catastrophe re-
stores the demented Glaucus to reason.
Through the Stygian darkness Nydia,
the blind girl, who needs no light to
find her way. leads him to the house
Of lone. On the way they see Arbaces
crushed by a pillar of his own church.
Then Nydia leads lone and her lover
to the seashore, and when they are
safe aboard a vessel, walks into the
waters of the bay. Her love task end
ed. the blind girl finds eternal rest and
peace.