ST. BATHANS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 169, 31 May 1872, Page 3

ST. BATHANS.

~ .. -, ~ May 26. - A,grand entertainment in aid .of the funds ,of the." National " School came off here on Friday night last, and in spite of very unpropitious feather, the house was crowded to overflowing. At half-crown tickets the, nett proceeds amounted to . £ls, a most extraordinary result for the population. . ~1 mentioned in my last that the Catholics of this place are about having a school of their own, but that they are on that account not a whit .Jess inclined to aid their neighbors they have given evidence . by their numerous attendance at this entertainment. . The chair was taken by Mr. M'Phail, who, in a very few and appropriate .words, introduced the subject of the evening's ■amusement,. the leading feature of which was the farce of " Box and Cox.'" Mr.'Pyle,junr., as "Cox," the hatter, and Mr. M'Cormick as -'Box," the printer, were . very successful jn their several parts ; while Mr. Wilkes, as " Mrs. Bouncer," was spoken of by good judges as not to be excelled,.even on a. London stage. Miss Jamiesoii presided at the piano, and by her masterly performance delignted the audience from beginning to ending. The singing, too, was very good. . Mr. Wilkes gave the song of t; The .Broken hearted- Milkman" in good style. Mrs. M'Phail. was loudly and, indeed, deservedly encored in the songs " Wouldn't You Like to Know " and •' Erin, my Country." The other singers were Messrs. Murray, Brown, Watson,-and Kelty, and deserve more than a passing notice : but time presses and the mail is about to leave. Mr. M'Namara's reading of c; Paddy. O'Kafferty's Sea Voyage " was very natural, so much so, that a gentleman in the body of tho house declared it to be " just the same as a man might narrate his adventures to a friend in the street," which I consider is about the best compliment the reader could be paid. '. I am glad to learn that this was only the first of many entertainments to come. . Another first-class piece is now in active preparation, with new scenery and an entirely new programme, and I understand that .Mrs. M'Phail

has Jvindlyxconsented ..toi again. There are other ladies, .too, resilingamongst us who are known to be jjood vocalists, -and who, ;I ami sure,: would add much to the general pleasure created by such, entertainments if they could be to"ii'alte*a lead--ing part in them.. Let them do so. and no longer keep, their lights under a f ~,,.,.