SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 238, 22 August 1872, Page 8

SWITZERS.

' (From our own Gop'espQndent)

On Wednesday evening the enter iiainment for the benefit of the school funds came off. The unprecedented snow storm had cast a dam per on everyone, and there was little hope but that | it would prove an utter failure; but. when the time came, and the. bellman > went round, an , agreeable surprise ! awaited the amateiirs. Instead, of performing, to -empty- benches there- jvas a firsfc-rate attendance, and everything went off splendidly. The- proceeds at the door by tickets, &c, were. between £15 and £16^ besides which. tKere were many tickets sold to partjes who were unable io, attend, and .it is thought the gipss \ 4 eeejpts. will not fall short' of, £18 — quite - a 1 decent assistance" -to'-the school funds. • The proceedings ' were inaugurated by the following prologue^ delivered and written for the occasion. by,, Mr. ,George Bailey :—,.,< ■ •• ': A prologue's waritecl, c and aprolbgii? mej^s.' jA-kind of preface, oftentimes ; iri'r^vfti'gr— 1 • •-: "• •'' " '■'Tb'giiffm;^ tiWeW ;To ex*lfein>perhap^' now #o intend to-uaej

The funds obtained, or, else to introduce ifiPh«{Sla^StßWf^oth w^rtfi^ Sims'; 1 and so^ r.Jwfer#»*tyj[ wdl brie% itj^to shw«rl A • ,(W^at raany^hetfen^^quljtaljreJidy'knbV) ' To w;nafgooctenii4he cash you spend w ill go. ' * Our school as x«t Is^ftll'mdebV' ' '' ' "'' - i So, wefraake this'a^ptekl . „ > , .Tothesjeal-i '' > ,■ , 1 , ', t Yqu,muat;feelr .-j >■-..,> .'To didd to its'funds and to further its weal. An£ po^rJ'HtteU^jQUWWfithingof jthe plaj. , W[nidi we intend to repreßeo,t, taidaj-^ ' To-night; I mean ; >»t fi^t\J'll .give tiief c name ]']'',' By which it's kno'wn'and handed dbwnito ■ , fame. •■ - i . • ' '■ /Tis .called stop, the-.-title should be short, and teipe, „ ■ And yet this one is difficult' to put in verse; At'atiyrate it's hard to gie/fc it intb'mine, Unless I niake a' pause, and lengthen out the line. , . . The name of- a 'play often bears some affinity - > ' To the principal, actor who takes a part in it, he , Gives it his name, Or, .what's much the same, A name that' at once in few words will . . .portray ! f The principal feature that's shown in the ' P la yWill Shakespeare thiTß named " Othello the Moor," The "Merchant of Venice," and half a score more ; And to-night you will find, if the programme but read you will, Our piece is the "Fascinating Individual." Gustavu3 Adolphus'Fitzmortimer, then, You'll please to consider the most charming of men. As io ouWard attractions, in boudoir or kitchen , There is none that can make himself half so bewitching. Maria, a beautiful widow, his heart Has enslaved, and smote sorely with Cupid's sharp dart ; .__ But Fitzmortimer's uncle has sent his command That Adolphus should come down and offer his hand To a lovely brunette ne's ne'er seen in his life, And immediately make? Julia Walton his wife. He dare .not refuse, 'T would be of no use, Besides, it would spoil the' plot of the play; And further than that, I've no scruple to say, That if he should find poor Gustavu? unwilling, His uncle would 1 soon cut him off with a shilling. So he makes his debut, for he finds that he must ; But instead of attracting, he tries to disgust. This object to many absurdities carries him ; But Julia's in love with a Captain — and marries him ; While his own heart' 3 desire, The charming Maria, Just in the nick of time calls on her friend, Julia Walton (and now we're approaching the end.) While she's talking -to Julia, her secreta confiding, Adolphus, ashamed, in the same room is hiding. At length she beholds him, Bates him and scolds him ; He pleads and implores, Declares he adores, . And vows that he'd suffer most exquisite bliss If she'd only instanter consent to be his. She could not say no, So they stand in a row, And make a tableau, And while the drop fails, Axlolphus bows — so. The laughable farce, " The Fascinating Individual," was then performed — Miss Nugent taking the part of Maria, and exhibiting very considerable dramatic talent; Miss Alice Williams appeared also to advantage in the ..character of Julia Walton. Both young ladies were very tastily dressed in suitable costume, and as neither of them had ever appeared on the stage before, great credit is due to them for the pains they must have tahen to render . their parts with such effect. Among the gentlemen amateurs, Mr. Brodrick took the leading character, G-ustavus Adolphus. Fitzmortimer, and acquitted himsejf well through a long and arduous task — his earnest appeals to Maria frequently "bringing do»vn the house." Mr. B. Burns, as Old Walton, threw himself thoroughly into the part, and admirably acquitted himself. Captain Thompion ,was represented by Mr. King, who was no .whit, behind the others in the care 1 he. had bestowed upon his part. Mr. : W. H. Davidson took. the minor character of Boots-r-a, part which unfortunately did not admit of any great display of dramatic talent. The audience showed their* appreciation by repeated bursts of- applause. . Then followed a local sonar, written by Mr. "George Bailey, sung by Mr. King. Other ,songs, by, Mrs. Moffit and Mr. Cavnie, were both „ nicely sung — the former being greeted with an encore. The afterpiece was "B. 8.," in which, in , addition to some of the previous per^ i former^ Messrs. Sqlig, Cooper, and O'Ke'efe took parts.. , .-This piece, had been performed before in this district, bnt it none ib& less brought forth continuous roars 1 of- laughter- <-in fact lhe whole' entertainment was so well received '. that it was announced I( fhat it woyld be repeated in lour weefes, with a. new afterpiece. •-•*.•■ .- •-* ■- * ; There . is little- to repibtfr iivmining matters, ..owing to. the work, beiag so much retarded ., by \ the ' severity of.!ithe winter., Afe.- tbe. Black Horse ohtim' it stated they^a ve f got,,on.staff;-itb£t'.will- ' ruu,ha^lfjan. i oiin«e to i^he...4iQh^ owibsU^. jgp^dep£h o/'vYa^dir't,^.^^ has been s iajm^sfc^m^fo^^^chviip^jgidt t>Augh. M lit somehow Happens that wnen^^.a^

t its best sojtts<tun.toward ByßUtß y ßU t tjakes •J«M i <S«W«> Amoj6 to»Jnow n jfc. splendj^ pump in, and a mining' meager that* I am tpjid ia t(^.tboi;ougl]4y-.pi'a^)i<Mirman, and if .«t>,ah6ro^»lit*fe AonW that tit? owners will be speedily j&i&fiiped for jj.fi ,their losses.: <sr .-• i .". - > - '' p>-* f ""-The- "liea?*'y' i ßt6i'M;>n i d ; ' snow-drifts je^d^jhejpung^iji^njaal, which did not "arrive " t^T^PVJday, at two r p.m., initead,of- q?h#s\Jai,niigM 'The mailJ mab' #ports U; tW "fhe, coach dlii not reach Beaumont tiUmidnlght, on ThuliSand" that Tie "started at "once, ajid* pi^shed^^L without stopping except for his; pinner tillj he/ reaped ibeW' The snow is so deep on the cuttings that it is marvellous n6w he eyjer, got in. Great praise is due to him for his pluck and undaunted energy. . Aslteuthe In> veroargill mailsj we hscve heard nothing of them, and it is probable we shall get none this iweeks . Waikaka mails, ditto. ( The. weather has now oleared up, and the snow, commenced to thaw.