Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1898 — A Great Entertainment. [ARTICLE]

A Great Entertainment.

The Citizens’ Hand Concert a Grand . The “Musicale?’ by the Citizens’ Cornet Band held at the Opera House last evening, was a complete success, in every particular, and well merited the admiration, so plainly expressed, by the enthusiastic audience.- The stage presented a lovely out door scene, and formed a splendid backing, for the twenty four manly fellows, who so ably managed the entertainment. While the piano, with its draperies of silk and smilax, and its vases of hot house blossoms so little resembled itself, that, except, for its well known voice, it would not have been recognized. The music was all of the usual high grade variety and although the program was long, and was made three times its length, by the encores, no one seemed tired, or willing to let a single performance pass, without calling back the performer. The music by the band, was well rendered, in all its various selehtions and accompaniments. The cornet soloes, especially the one by Alonzo Healy, who is only six years old, were received with great enthusiasm. The vocal soloes by Miss Pearl Hollister, Mrs. English and Frank Hardy, and the piano solo, by Mrs. Delos Thompson, were well up to the standard, always furnished by these soloists, in rendition, while the selections, were unusually happy. The encores to these, were clamorous and irresistable. The reading “The Raven” by Rev. C. D. Jeffries was well worth the visit to opera house alone. The explanation given of that wild and eerie poem, and after that, the splendid dramatic rendering of the selection together with the complete adaptability of the speaker to the thought, made it a performance long to be remembered. He was recalled, and gave a selection from Shakespere in response. The Policeman’s Chorus” in which the burly red haired Irishmen, with their clubs and stars, excited the admiration and fears of the four Irish lasses, was in cantata form, and called out the loudest demonstration from the audience. The drill in this, was especially fine. The grand “Good Nigßt” by the entire band, sent the crowd home, happy, at a very late hour. The attendance was enormous.