DRUIDS' FESTIVAL, MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1370, 4 May 1883, Page 2

DRUIDS' FESTIVAL, MASTERTON.

The above festival in connection with tho Stonehenge Lodfje took place with great success at the Theatre Royal lust evening. The theatre was tastefully decorated with flags of all nations, emblems, &c, and along the whole front of.the building (on the outside) Chinese lanterns were busponded, which gave to the neighborhood of the carnival house quite n lively appearance. The Masterton String Band provided tho music, which was excellent, and commenced the evening's proceedings by playing the ''WeddingMarch" in a manner which put tho assembly in good humor, the impim* strains carrying many away in thought to scenes such as were witnessed at our parish church yesterday. Tho first part of the programme was devoted to tableux and dances, in which a band of children took part. In Quadrille, Lancers, and Caledonians their sets were douhle, and the ease and grace with which tli6 sixteen little dancers went through their movements reflected great credit on the skill and patience of their teacher, The Maypole dance by the same number was also creditably performed by them. Notable among the little band were the dresses of little Cupid fully armed, milkmaid, flower girl, vivandierej Greek girl, Merry Andrew, Italian, Turk, Highlander, sailor, cadet, baber, Oliver Cromwell, and Spanish lady. The tableaux wore deoidedly the feature of the evening, The first was the Druids, the scene a forest, in the foreground some children lying on the sward, surrounded by a group of the brotherhood dressed in ancient costume, a chorus was sung, blue fire displayod, giving the whole a very weird and ghostly appearance. Carachous was the subjeot of the next Tableau; this noble King of the Ancient Britons was depicted in chains just taken prisoner by the Romans after'the wars in which he became famous, A.D. 51. He was hemmed in by Roman soldiers in battle armour, grouped in defiant attitudes; but the stately and dignified appearance of the heroic monarch' won for him the aympathioß and admiration of all present, eapeoially.when the scene was heightened by a display of red fire, and the curtain descended amid applause. The concluding Tableau was an omotional subject, and was arranged' after a well:knovvn pathotio poem, "Little Jim," the collier's child. In this the interior of a cottage was the scene, a mother was watching by the bedside of her dying child, the little one's last thought and words wore vary effectively portrayed by a gentleman who recited the poem, and the father arrived home in time to see the spirit of his departed one borne away by-a. band of Angels. As this scene closed the strains of the" Angelus" played on an harmonium gave a 1 very touching finale to the Tableau, The dresses and whole arrangements for the Tableaux were perfect, and reflect great credit on the committee, who went to great expense in procuring them; in this they were ably assisted by. Bro. •Bishop, P.D.P., and Bro. Bates, D.P, Among the adult votaries of Terpsichore, of whom there were'between seventy and eighty couples present, the dresses were many and varied, and when they were all whirling round in the lively Parisians tho scene was a very exhilarating one, the conglomeration of characters giving a grotesque appearance to the assembly, Among the dresses worthy of notice were Queen of the Night, Lady of George IV. Reign, Indian Chief, Oorsican, Naval Officers,' Nigger, Mjlkman, Light Infantry, &c. There was also a good attendance of Firemen, Volunteers, Oddfellows, Foresters, the Druids of course being predominant, Dancing was kept up with great spirit.till 3 o'clock this morning, when the company broke up well satisfied with the first -festival of the Stonehenge Lodge of Druids,