"ENOCH ARDEN."

Temuka Leader, Issue 2394, 3 September 1892, Page 3

"ENOCH ARDEN."

At the Volunteer Hall, Tcmuka, on Thursday evening, Mr J, Knott, who is now visiting the district on a temperance mission, recited Lord Tennyson's pathetic poem " Enoch Arden." The miserable weather effectually prevented anything like a decent attendance, and not above a third of the seats were occupied. Those who brayed the elements, however, have reason to congratulate themselves, for the story, which by the way is a true one, was well told, and excellently illustrated by means of well-painted views, exhibited with a lantern and tbe oxy-hydrpgen light. The illustrative sketches are alone worth seeing—the positions of the figures are natural, the colorß in keeping with the subject, and exhibited so clearly as to show up every detail. A brief outline of the story which Tennyson tells so beautifully in verse may assist those of our readerg $o understand and appreciate the pleasure the felt at its narration by Mr Knott. Some 100 years ago in the Isle of Wight lived three children—Enoch Arden, a fisher lad; Philip Ray, a miller's son; and Annie Lea. All thre«> pjayed together upon the seashore, and as' years" rolled fm the youths both conceived a passion for Annie, and determined to win her for a wife. Enoch's was the more forcible character, and he was the successful suitor, although he had the additional difficulty of haying to, work laboriously and live sparingly that lu? migljt take Annie to a fitting home.' Philip's grief was none the less intense that it had to be borne silently, but he never swerved in loyal devotion to his first love. As time wqrg on three children were born to E.lioch, and to edue'atf? these, in a more advaneCC 1 manner than he h'ac[ been was his earnest thought, For a time he was successful, but ultimately came misfortune, and ftt last, with much reluctance but high hopes, ho t«<?]v ft position as boatswain oh an Indian trade*;, haying first realised realised what little money he could and started his wife in a small store, so that she might be enabled to maintain bet-self and children until his return. Annie, howeyev, Wft'S ?l°t' a successful shopkeeper. Her heart was too tender wjd her nature too honest for huckstering, and daily poverty made inroads upon the hitherto happy homo. Philip Ray had watched from afar the 1 — ■ -

painful position into which his only love had fallen, and most delicately assisted her to educate the children as Enoch would have wished, and, in fact, almost to keep them. Ten years went by and no word had come of Enoch, and then Philip ventured to ask Annie to marry him She pleaded for a little more delay—another year and then a month—but at last she consented, and she and her family removed to Philip's home. Meanwhile Enoch had been cast away with two other companions on some tropical islet. Food they had plenty, but their hearts were pining for other soenes. Enoch's companions died, and for years he lived alone, almost losing his powersyet thinking ever and longing only for a glimpse of his dear wife and children. At last a barque, storm-driven, cast anchor near his beautiful prison, and he was taken off by a boat's crew, and in the course of a few days was able to make his story known. He arrived in England, and made straight for his home—to find it closed. At first he thought his wife was dead, but the landlady at the little public-house, in response to careful enquiries, told him the whole story, not recognising in the weather-beaten, bowed, and grey-haired man the gallant seaman she had known so well. Enoch's resolve was soon made, and firmly adhered to. He, seeing his wife and children in such happy and comfortable circumstances, resolved to efface himself and never to make himself known. So he lived a solitary, broken man, and not until he was upon his deathbed did he reveal his identity. His confidante then was Miriam Lane, the landlady before mentioned, and who had always kindly treated him. To her he told the story, and entrusted her with a lock of the baby's hair, taken from it as it slept in the cradle the day he left home. This was to be a token of his identity, and with it he sent loving words to the dear ones for whom he had sacrificed so much. And so ends the story ; and it is perhaps no wonder that, told in simple and pathetic language, it Bhould have moved the audience to receive from the lesson the lecturer pointed out lessons of self-denial, patience, and reliance. In the course of the evening Mr Whitehead sang "The ship that never returned" and Mr McCaskill " Only to see her face !" The exhibition of a few amusing slides for the benefit of the juniors concluded the performance. It will be seen that Mr Knott is to lecture at Geraldine and district next week. His lecture on " The drink-sellers' text book" is no doubt an eye-opener, showing the abominable adulteration of drink, and his lime-light lantern views are about the best we have ever seen. With good weather he should have full houses.