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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1881)
. ' ' ;:. .'; ; :, . .. .v ...... .. - T II K II E S P V. H I A N ST V I) 13 N T. !i tQhnvtlUmij. THE DRAMA IN lim WJS8T. W II UN Bishop Berkeley wrote "West. ward tin Star of Empire takes its wiiy," lie might have added Hint thedram :itie star which rose in splendor in Slinks pore's time litis pursued the same course until it now stands out glorious in the clear skv of tlie western empire. That class of drama succeeds best upon the stage of the United States, which has for its prominent feature the exhibition of an American type of character. It may bo our southern friend Col. Mulberry Sellers, or his eastern relative Judge Broad well Sloto or tho stalwart Buffalo Bill of the western frontier. Some caricature ol American life, or American character meet the most hear ty approval ol the mass of theatre-goers in oui country. The western people are fond of amusement and the irrowth of the drama has been much less slow among them than among the denizens of the East. As an illustration of his, the fol lowing anecdote related by George Hon die Hill, known to the public as "Yankee Hill," is very apt, at least it shown that New Yorkers are not all accustomed to the usages of the play goers of the prefcont tiny. This actor oncu showed in a town in western New York where no theatrical performance had ever been given. The audience assembled with the women on one side of the hall, the men on the other, just as Iheyused to sit in church and all through theplay, all observed the most solemn silence, there was no applause, no laughtei, not even a smile; Hill did all in his power to break the ice but it was no use, and the curtain fell amid an oppressive si lencn; worn out and mortified at his want of success, Hill in passing through a public room of his hotel was stopped by a tall countryman who remarked thai be htiil been at the play that evening. "Were 3'ii." said Mill, "you 111111 have been juoatly entertained." "Well I was. 1 toll you what it ih now, my mouth is all sore n straining to keen my face Miaight, and and if it hadn't boon for the women I'd a laughed right out in in the meeting. " I'laj writers have not been produced m-i.v largely by the We.,tein Slates but smne of the production of western authors have been dramatized and played with go. id effect. "Ah Sin," the joint produc tion, of Bret Ilarte and Mark Twain drew large and appreciative audiences al though critics assert ilia I its only merit ions feature is the trial before .Judge L311CI1 in the last act. Those who have heard of Jo. JofJcrson in "Hip Van Winkle" or Ada Gray in her fiery polity al of "The Creole" or seen Miss ( lavoii in the "Two Oi.,uis" ns she .simulates suffering in a way to move the stout hearted; those who have been thrilled by deep gutural utterances of Lnworonoo Barrett In his "Cassius" or en tranced by the rhythmic utterance, poetic delivery and diction of The Harnhaidl, such we may say will not need to be as sumed that dramatic talent and histnrlon ic artarenot wanting in the Drama in the West. D. II. W. .In. QUOTATIONS F110M PAUL AND VIIIOINIE. Viiituk. Virtue is an effort which we make for the good of others and with the intention of pleasing God. Bknekactoii. He, who from the noil which he cultivates, draws forth one ad ditional sheaf of corn, serves mankind more than he who presents them witli a a book. Woman. There is in the gay graces of woman a ch.irm that dispels the dark phantoms of rellection, Upon her face sits soft attraction and tender confidence. What joy is not hightcned in which she slimes? What brow is not unbent by her smiles? What anger can resist her tears? Lovk. It must be admitted that to the fond dreams of iIiIb restless and ardent pasainu, mankind are indebted for a great number of arts and sciences, while its dis appointments have given birth to phil osophy, which teaches us to bear the evils ol life with resignation. Thus, nature having made love the general link which binds all beings, has rendered it the first spring of society, Hie first incitement to knowledge as well as pleasure. SoiJTUDi:. After having enjoyed and lost the Hire felicity of living with a con genial mind, the state of life which ap. pears the least wretched is that as soli tude. It is remarkable that all those na tions which have been rendered unhappy by their political opinions, their man ners, or their forms of government, have produced numerous classes of citizens altogether devoted to solitude and celiba cy. J-iITIHIatuiik Iitcratuio, my dear son, is the gift of heaven, a ray of that wisdom which governs the universe, and which man, inspired by celestial intelligence, has drawn down to earth. Like the sun, it enlightens, it warms with a divine flume, and seems in some sort, like the element of fire, to bend all nature to our use. By the aid of literature wo bring around us all things, all places, men and times. By its aid we calm the passions, suppress vice, and excite virtue. Litera ture is the (laughtei of heaven, who has descended upon earth to charm and to .-oft' n all human c iK These dramas were prelormed with such an air of reality that you might liavo fan cied yourself transported to the plains of Syria or of Palestine. We were not tin. furnished with either decorations, liglits or an orchestra suitable to the roprcsenta tion. The scene was generally played in an opening of the forest, where such parts of the wood as were penetrable foi mod around us numerous arcades of foliage, beneath which we were sheltered from the heat during the whole day ; but when the sun descended toward the horizon, its rays, broken upon the trunks of tho trees diverged ainong'tlie shadows of the forest in strong lines of light, which produced the most sublime effect. Somotimcs the whole of Us broad disk appeared at the end of an avenue, spreading one dazzling mass of brightness. The foliage of the trees, illuminated from beneath by itt saf fron beams, glowed with the lustre of the topaz and the emerald. Their brown and mossy trunks appeared transformed into columns of antique bronze; and the birds which had retired in silence to their leafy shades to pass the night, surprised to see the radiance of a second morning, hailed the star of day with innumerable carols. I'OKTItY HUN MAI). 1 stood upon tho ocean's briny Bhoro, And with a frayllo mod I wroto upon tho mind, "Agnes, I lovo tliool" Tliu mad waves rolled by and Wotted out tliu fair Impression. Krall rcedl Oruol wavoi Treacherous neat I'll I runt theo no more; Hut with a giant hand I'll pluck From Norway's frozen shore Her tallest pine, and dtp tliu top Into tho crater of Vesuvius; And upon the high and burnished huioon I'll write "Agnes, I lovo theo I" And I'd llko to see any Dog-goned wave wash that out. .Irion. Subject of debate hi an Arkansas agri cultural society : "Was Samson as strong as a bunch ot red onions." "IOmply is the Ciadle, Baby's G mo," is the latest serio-idiotic song. It will prob ably bo followed by "Empty is the Bottle Papa's Full." JVtwv. "There are two boating associations bore," wrote a .Japanese student homo, "called Yale and Harvard. When it rains, the members read books." Ex. (Prof.) How long does it take to hatch eggs. (Pupil In physiology.) 104 fuhr. (Prof.) What does that nieanV (Pupil) I don't know, but I suppose it means fair days. Ex- Man, says Victor Hugo, was the con undrum of the eighteenth century; woman is the conundrum of tho nine teenth century. An Anierlcnn editor adds: "We can't guess her, but we'll never give her up no never." Central Collegia 1 1
