6
TUB SCBANTON TBIB DUE "WEDNESDAY 3KBNING, tABCH 18, M9ttV
EISTEDDFOD WAS ft
Many Spirited Contests Under the fltispices of
Robert Morris Lodge.
THE 6REIT CHORAL GOMPETITIOM
- .
Was Woo by the Philharmonics, of the
West Side Miss Sarah A. Jones
Won The Tribune Prize Story Win
ners of Prizes in the Other Contests.
Robert Morri lodge. No. C8, Order of
Ivorites. conducted the finest eistedd
fod ever held in this city at the Froth
lngham theuter yesterday. With invit
ing weather, an unexcelled piuRramme
mid hustling managers the eisteddfod
was a success several days before its
advent. In local eisteddfodic circles,
perhaps, the event was not appreciated
as greatly as it was in distant parts,
where news of the event had been sent.
The literary competitions show that
the Interest- in the eisteddfod was as
widespread as the habitation of the
Welsh. Contributions were received
from every section of the Riobe except
South Africa and China, where the eis
teddfod is . not appreciated. Kohort
Morris lodge numbers about L'80 mem
bers. It was organized a little over a.
year and a half ago. and at the present
time the organization is the most con
servative and flourishing1 lodge on the
West Side. An entire lloor of rooms in
a substantial brick building In the cen
tral purt of Hyde Park is now controlled
by tho lodge, and In this building there
are parlors and every convenience to
reasonable chili life.
Yesterday's eisteddfod was taken care
of by the follow lug prominent members
of the lodge, who formed the manag
ing committee: John J. Da vies, chair
man: K. E. Robathan. David Prltchuid,
W. It. Lt-wls, J. II. I'hillips, K. D. Jones.
Charles K. Daniels, treasurer; David
J. Davis, secretary.
There were three sessions yesterday,
In the morning, afternoon and evening.
The president of the morning Hussion
was S. Kurd Kd wards, of Pottsvllle,
and Professor tleorge Howell was con
ductor. In the afternoon William Con
nell was president, and A. J. Colborn
conductor. The president of the even
ing session was Hon. II. M. Kdwarda.
The adjudicators of the eisteddfod
were: On music, David Davis, Cincin
nati, O. : ou poetry, Hon. 11. M. Ed
wards, Scranton; on recitations. Pro
fessor L. J. Richards. iScranton School
of oratory and Elocution, Hem n ton; on
short story. Llvy S. Hie-hard, Scranton;
on essny, Ben If. Pratt. Scranton; ac
companist. Walter Davis, Scranton.
The competition between the choirs
which created more interest than prob
ably any other one feature of the eis
teddfod, took place at the evening ses
sion, anil was won by the Philharmonics
of the West Side.
mormm; session.
Number of sharp Competitions Aroused
(ireat Interest Among Spectators.
The crisp air outside made the Froth
Inirham'M Interior more comfortable and
with, a sylvan scene on the stage be
fore them and a world of melody float
ing about the audience at the morning
session were at once comfortable and
pleased when the big eisteddfod opened.
Professor George liowcll, superintend
ent of public schools, as conductor of
the morning's programme, presented
the president of the session, S. Burci
1M wards, president of the Cambro
American society, of Pottsvllle.
Mr. Kd wards In accepting the honor
briefly thanked the managers of the
eisteddfod. He said that the eistedd
fod is as Influential a it was of yore.
Jt Is an institution of the Welsh people
and Is social In its nature. It is also
a patriotic Institution, said Mr. 'Ed
wards. Ha-urged the competitors to
abide by the decision of the adjudica
tor. Aner chiudou gun y belrdd'" (ad
dresses by the bards), were called for.
There was but one response. Thomas
Jehu, of the North End, was the speak
er. THE FIRST COMPETITION.
The first competition of the eistedd
fod was on the bnritone boIo. There
were eleven entries, but only four
passed the preliminary outposts. The
election was "The Sailor's Song," The
singers were: W. W. Watkins, of
Peekville; Llewellyn Jones, of Bellevue;
Duvld Stevans, of the West Side; and
William Kvans, of the West Side. Mr.
Watkins sang first and was accom
panied by his wife. Mr. -Kvans fol
lowed with Miss Norma Williams as
accompanist. Mr. Stevans was third,
with Miss. Williams as accompanist.
Mr. Jones, was last, and was accom
panied by Mr. Da vies. The contest
created not a little surprise. David
Stevans, a tenor singer, whose name
was entered, was given the prize of $7,
donated by Wade M. Finn. This deci
sion was greeted with a murmer of as
tonishment by the audience; not be
cause Stevans was undeserving of it.
but because he has heretofore been
known as, a tenor singer.
In giving his adjudication, Mr. Davles
said that the solo is an excellent sea
song with plenty of fire. Tone, quality,
pitch, expression, conception, must be
considered. Following are the details
of the adjudication:
No. 1 A good voice, under good con
trol, good enunciation. ,
No. 2 Fine voice, rather more sombre
thnn the first.
No. -3--ood voice. - well-controlled,
good enunciation, and conception excel
lent. No. 4 Oood. fresh voice; better In the
first than the last part of the song.
'FOUR YOUNG LADIES.
On the recitation competition, "The
Wolves," by J. T. Trowbridge, there
were four young ladies entered. Miss
Martha Davles, of Eynon street, recited
first; followed by Miss Lizzie Jones,
Wllkes-Barre; Miss Elsie Jones, Pitts
ton, and Miss Anna. Cray, of Wllkes
Barre.' Miss Jones, of Wllkes-Barre,
was unfortunate. She learned her se
lection from an Imperfect copy of the
poem and the last four lines were omit
ted In the rendition. Professor (Rich
ard awarded the prize of $. to Miss
Davles and Miss fray, the prize money
to be equally divided between the two
young ladies. He based his decision on
WORKS
rs
la cartas torturing:, disfiguring, hu
Matins; humour of tho Skin,
Scalp, and Etood when all eUo fails.
IbNlt BiMh Dmti F. Kraw
MM a, 1, Kim mtmmt m. Lmim. Portia
articulation, pronouiu-iution, direct ad
dress to the audience and conception.
The adjudication was very lengthy.
Miss Loretta Fahey. a 11-year-old
pianist whose home is on the West Side,
gave a selection. She was encored and
delighted her auditors with an old and
familiar Welsh air. The introduction
of this feature was commended.
On the alto solo competition (prize
$7) there was an interesting contest.
The piece was "Lovers' Sorrow" and
there were three Indies who sought the
prize. They are: Mrs. Mary Jane Boston-Williams,
of the West Side; Miss
oliven Howell, of Taylor, and Miss
Fannie Jones, of West Scranton, Miss
Williams was given the prize.
PRIZE POEM COMPETITION.
IIoo. H. M. Edwards was announced
to give his adjudication on the Truth's
prize poem contest on the subject "The
Pioneers of Scranton." He was ap
plauded as he stepped to the front of the
stagp. Judge Edwards mentioned that
unions those whose compositions were
better than the majority of the poems
he hail received were the creations of
Roderick, the c;host of Cnpouse. Cam
bria B. 'Orpheus. Jonathan. Himself,
Talieson, No. 7i. and J. it. The adju
dicator said In regard to the hist two
named:
7. No. 75 This) author has written a
spirited poem. He Is a master of ver
sification. Some of his Ideas may be
considered extravagant, but not more
so than Is allowed by the recognized
canons of the ilivinc art of poetry.
f. J. K.This manor's production Is
also one of considerable merit. It is
entirely.-different in style to that of
No. 75, but I cannot say that it excels It.
I have had some dillieulty in Judging
the comparative merits of -these two
poems. Heading them alternately more
than a dozen times, .my mind veered
from one to the other. This must be a
condition of "reasonable doubt." 1
therefore give No'. 75 and J. It. the
benefit of It. The prize Is equally divid
ed between them.
The prize poems are:
THli PIONEERS OF SCRANTON,.
(By J. R.)
I looked upon a valley,
"1'was mantled with a coverlet of leaves,
And from the dim recesses of the wood,
Where vino with tliurn and hazel inter
weaves Arose the sound of savage revelry.
As lurking foe met foe und deviltry
In ruthless and Impassioned freedom
stood. ....
Only the wild four footed beasts would
roam
And dwell with warlike safety in the
vale;
Only the blood-red Indian called a home
This pathless forest with Its hideous din,
Of snarling wolves that battled kin with
kin,
And, wounded, chilled the welkin with a
wall.
Again, I looked upon this vale,
But now the scene is changed from
grim to gay;
The years had passed and with them dis
appeared The Indian's tent, the red and restless
fray.
The wild beasts' howl, the gloomy fov
est land,
The stealthy footstep, and the antlered
kind
All, nil had gone like sighs by gladness
cheered.
And now upon the valley's gentle breast
Repuse the dwellings of another race
A race 11) at reaches e'en to Culture's
crest:
And. where the fray was fought now
stands a church,
The furnace stack outlines the forest
birch
And Peace anil Plenty deck a populace.
Scranton! thou City of the Lightning's
Flash.
Where Thrist Is golden and the engines
clush.
W-here Nature's bounty slumbers 'neath
the soil,
And hardy sleel Is tempered toy Its toil;
Thou, Stalwart Scion of the Pioneer!
Hast lived a bright and vigorous career.
When Abbott built his hut, the Roaring
Brook
Laughed at his daring, as he undertook
To grind -the harvest by its forceful flood
And cause the untried wilderness to bud.
Then Taylor came; Howe, Sloctim, sturdy
. sire!
Who lent the vigor of a youthful Are
In furthering the change from wild to
weal,
And, larking In condition, gained in zeal;
These are the men who 'toiled for things
to be,
And died before the harvest they could
see.
Abbott, the Slocums, Taylor, Howe,
Dunne, - .
Names that In fitting record should re
main As long ns Scranton. rugged as the ash.
Shall be the City of the Lightning's Flash,
Where Nature's bounty slumbers .'neath
the soil
And hardy steel is tempered by Its toll.
THE FIONffiflRS OF SCRANTON. '
(Xo. 73.)
Awake. O Muse! the tuneful lyre
Breathe,' breathe along each trembling
wire . ,
Imbue-me now with heav'nly fire
Uphold me duly und inspire
To sing our Bcrantun Pioneers:
Without thy pow'r to warm my greeting
All mortal breath is void and fleeting 1
No words but words inspired are fitting
To praise our Scranton -Pioneers!
Where once the primal forest stood
Where onee 1 ho dusky Indian's brood .
Inured their hearts to deeds of blood,
Our fathers tolled, each In his rood.
And left with liod their hopes and fears;
Beneath the cotter's ruugh-liewn rafter
They oft convened for mirth and laugh
ter: What mirthful crew, that day or after,
Could mate with Scranton's Pioneers?
Though dangers lurked on every hand
By ford, by Held, or roving band
They sternly stood, each with a brand.
To guard their homes and native land.
And hoped success might crown the
years; i
And Scranton. like a nymph, awaking
Resplendent as a day new breaking,
An everlasting name Is making
To all her noble Pioneers.
The offspring of their toils Is drert
Like Dian plumed and through the west,
North, south a goddess manifest
She pour s her blessings and is blest
The more a blessing she appears;
Amazed, the world stood back with won
der To see her grasp the living thunder.
And link It to a roach of splendor,
To proudly bear her Pioneers!
One father lingers still a star
That halts 'twlxt earth and .upper air;
O, bless him bless him, heav'n, and
spare
When angels shall have come to- bear
Him up and upward through the
spheres.
All bunds around, both high and lowly
1'prear the shaft and do it truly
And dedicate the marble duly
: To Scranton's noble Pioneers! '
WHO THE WINNERS ARE.
No. 75 is by Dr. W. W. Jenkins, of
William street.Provldence. He isa prae-1
ticing physician and was formerly a
pharmacist whose place of business was
on the West Side.. He is a middle aged
man and is married.' Emerson -D, Owen
who wrote under' the norm de plume of
"J. R." is the West Side reporter for
The Tribune. He Is a son of William B.
Owen, foreman at the Holden mine.
Philip Warren sang, a bass solo as an
oasts in the competition desert. Then
came the chief contest of the morning,
the children's, choir battle. This is al
ways a pleasant feature of an eistedd
fod.. There was a prize of $rs) offered
and the children had rehearsed with
great diligence. The competitive piece
was Carrletl.by the Angels." a beauti
ful creation by James McOraham. First
came the First Welsh Congregational
choir, led by John Junes, aged IB, Then
followed the Taylor choir, Arthur Mor
(an leader, aged IS.,
SUCCESS
The Bellevue choir sung next. Willie
Davis, aged 14, was leader. The Hyde
Park Juvenile choir, with 15-year-old
Morgan Hawkins as leader. The chil
dren sang beautifully. The freshness
of the voices contrasted greatly to the
less interesting and more mature older
voices. The Bellevue choir was de
clared the winner of the prize, and with
this announcement the session closed.
IN THE AFTERNOON.
William Council, the President, and A. J.
Colborn. Jr., Conductor.
Shortly after ".30 o'clock the eistedd
fod again convened. On the platform
were a number of prominent Welsh
men. Attorney A. J. Colborn In Intro
ducing the president of the session.
William Connell, said in the course of
a beautiful address:
The wonderful Influence of music has
been the I heme of many a tale III prose
ami verse. How often has the traveler on
the Rhine seen, in his imagination, the
fabulous horelei, the lovely maiden, sit
ting on a cliff on the bank of the liver,
combing her shining hair, with a comb
of gold, und singing a song of su-.-it
strange, sweet sadness, that the sailor
Moating by, entranced by Its melody, al.
though it makes him shudder, forgets ev
erything hut the -magic of lis charm, and
is drawn slowly under the dark waters to
a. cruel deulh. Collins, In his Ode to
the Passions, ami Drydeii, in Alexander'8
Feasts, both testify to the power of music.
Many pleasing stories are told of its in
fluence during the dark days of our sail
and cruel civil war. Two regimental
bands, one I'nion, the other Confederate,
were encamped on the opposite sides of a
river, and ut twilight, when the day's
carnage had ceased, they begun to amuse
themselves In showing their sentiments
by the airs they played. Thus It went
on for a long time --Hall Columbia" be
ing followed by "Away Down in Dixie,"
l be "Slat- Spangled Manner," by "Tho
Bonnie Mine Flag;" and as eut-h air died
away ill the rocks and crags that over
looked the river, the hills would re-echo
the cheers given by the different crowds cf
udmirers.
.MtSIC SOFTEXKD Til KM,
All the hatred the opposing sides bore
each other was portrayed In the tierce and
angry looks of the men until from the
'Hoys in Blue" was heard the first
strains of "Home. Sweet Home," almost
instantly the band on the other side
caught up the clear old air. which will
never die ns long as there are hearts to
love and homes to cherish, and as the
lust strains were gliding away, some
thing clear as a crystal was seen to start
und trickle down from the eyes of the
powder-Kialned veterans, ploughing a
white furtoWon their blackened cheeks,
and when the lust note hud passed away
into silence, one grand, united "good
night" was sent echoing and re-echoing
among the jutting crags.
Thus through the feeling that makes the
whole world kin, a truce was proclaimed
in the hearts of these foes, an Influence
felt long afler the music had died uwuy.
How often have the hymns of a mother
soothed her child, weary with life's con
flicts long after the Hps that uttered them
with such undying affection have been
silenced In death. The "Hush my child,
lie still and slumber," sung to us In our
infancy, seems like a benediction to hover
over us during ull our after life. The
dear old church tunes familiar to us from
childhood and linked with our earliest
faith have often more power to stir the
heart than the grandest miserere heard
through the vast cuthedral aisles, where
the "dim religious light steals through
the Illumined windows, und fulls in mel
lowed rays on the choicest productions of
many u world-fumed artist.
TI1K POWER OF MCSIC.
Some one hus said "let me make the
songs of u nation and 1 care not who
makes the laws," and this may be said,
too, of a nation's hymns. Can any amount
of corruption have the power to drug
our country clown to infidelity and decay,
so long as such hymns as "Old Hundred,"
and the dear old "Coronation" have such
power to stir the hearts of the people?
When the heart is weary, and the soul is
tired of dally strife and dark thoughts
come crowding up, and even death seems
pleasing how strangely the remembrance
of long neglected (trains affect us, as they
sweep over the broken chords of child
hood and reverberate in the linnet chain
bers of the. soul they "lift us unawares
out of all meaner cares." Since music has
so great an inlltience over the feelings,
can it not be made a powerful aid in the
cultivation of the aesthetic nature? and
through the love of the beautiful are not
men made morally better? for does not
all tlm.t refines the feelings and moves
the affections, elevate the tone of the
niind, broaden its sympathies, and restrain
its vices? lo forth und listen to nature!
Hear how bright und joyous is the brook
let's melody, how cureless and happy the
song it ever sings as lis silvery waters
dance along over Its pebbly bed.
But now the stream widens, its song
becomes deeper and grander, now it In
creases In brilliancy and strength, until
old ocean becomes Its dwelling place; and
murk tho change the light and tripping
song becomes a deep, sad moan. Listen
-to the music of the cataract as It boils
in angry surges, plunging Its raging 11 1
lows over the towering precipice, and rest
ing Its troubled waters In the channel
of the nolsv deep. It says. In a language
none can misunderstand, "The hand that
made us is divine." Notes and chords
sweet as the tones of un Aeolian harp
strike our ears and finds a ready response
In each heart, and at last the billows burst
in stirring strains of deep bass, and
overwhelm the soul of man with music,
itoo poverful for mortals to appreciate.
The world Is full of music. There is rot
one discordant sound In all the: works cf
crcution. in the spring t-,e sun with his
gobleii key unlocks the Icy fetters of
winter. The tongue of the rippling rill
t loosed, and the gentle songs of the
birds fall sweetly on our ears us they trill
forth their tuneful notes. The winds r,f
summer, as they softly stir the leaves,
carry music to our ears sweet us tho
songs of angels.
MUSIC IN THE FALLING LEAF.
In autumn there is musle In every fall
ing leaf and dying flower. 'TIs sad and
mournful music, such as causes tho heart
to throb and the tears to start; but it U
music we love to hear. Itut soon the cold
blasts blow upon the trees whose bare
arms are outstretched to heaven, aiHiwin
ter's anthem has begun. So nature's song
is ever being sung, in air, on earth, in
seu; and its harmonies find an echo in
every heart and- lift our thoughts from
nature up to nature's liod. The soul of
man instinctively responds to the mu'le
In nature, anil dally the grand anthem of
tens of thousands of human voices rolls
up to the ear of the' Eternal. The melody
of a heart filled with love for the great
fountain of love ascends highest into the
heavens, and the very angels themselves
hush their golden harps and, wondering ly,
listen.
The influence of music upon us cannot
be over-estimated. .Music makes us hap
pier, wiser, and better; It enlarges our
souls and gives us higher and holier
thoughts. Il has u charm that oratory,
eloquence, painting or sculpture c an never
possess. It awakens in the soul of man
the tenderest sensibillies, the purest and
most spiritual emotions. Before It cores
and sorrows flee away ns dew disap
pears In the presence of sunshine. Who
has not been carried away, conveyed, as
It were to the very gates of Paradise by
some sweet song? "Music, thou wast
born In heaven ere the soul of man was
given." When this little world we live in
was chaos, nngels st rung their golden harps
In dully orisons, ami the blue vault above
echoed their sweet harmony. "When the
mild stars of morning sang together, anl
J he Sons of Ood shouted for Joy," even
then thou hailst a name, o Music! thou,
who bringest the receding waves of eter
nity nearsr 'to the weary heart of man as,
be stands on the shore and longs to cross
over, tell me, 1 pray thee, art thou the ev
ening breeze of this life, or the morning
star of the future one?
Let us, then, listen to the persuasive
voice of this ministering spirit, and muK6
our lives a beautiful song, and when we
come to cross over the dark river that
leads to the Celestial citv, may we hear
the words: "Welcome. Thrleo Weleime
Home," and our hem is will be filed with
the strains that echo from the foot of the
throne, and our voices thrilling with rap
turous . emotion, will join with those of
the innnniernble throng whose songs are
ever ascending In adoration to Him, who
has written song upon sunshine and
shadow, who tills the air with music, and
"who doeth all things well." -
INTRODUCED MR. CONNELL.
Mr. Colborn introduced Mr. Connell
with a tribute which found favor with
the audience. Mr.. Connell stepped to
the front of the stage. He said that he
deemed the position of president of the
eisteddfod an honor. "We cannot in
dulge lii music without having higher
thoughts for the effort." he said.' "WV
cannot indulge In Intellectual exercises
without being better morally." . Mr.
Connell again thanked the body for the
honor he felt In being chosen for the
position. Conductor Colborn called for
the usual addresses by the Welsh bards.
There seemed to be a lack of bardic
mettle. Only two men responded. T.
Kllcenin Kvans, of Nantlcoke. and T.
J. John, of the North End. Following
this came the first eisteddfodic com
petition of the afternoon, namely: on
the tenor solo for a. prize of $7. The
competitive piece waa "The Golden
Threshhold." by Fred N. Lohr. The
contestants were Edwin Bowcn, Thoa.
Abrams, and David Stevens.- Each
comjietltor had his following of friends
In the audience and they made them
selves known. .The adjudication was In
favor of David Stevens. lnedvlnB the
adjudication Professor Davles Said that
Mr. Bo wen has a good natural voice,
but he dropped the consonants in cer
tain places. No. 2 has a voice that is
sombre In quality. His breathing was
defective. No, 2 has a good solid voice
and la In every way the superior. Mr.
Stevens was given the $7 prize, the sec
ond one for him.
PROF. RICHARD'S RECITATION.
Professor L. T. Richards.of the Scran
ton School of Oratory and Elocution,
delighted the audience with two recita
tions, both humorouH In nature. He
created a favorable Impression. The
competition by three young girls on the
piano solo was really fine. The young
ladies showed a considerable amount
of artistic reeling. The competitive
piece was-the 'Harmonious Black
smith." Miss Sadie Edwards played
first, followed by Miss Annie Sulli
van, of the West Side, and Nellie
Ketchim. of Olyphant. Miss Ketchlm
was given the prize of $7. The success
ful one-played without music and
though she omitted several bars of the
music yet Adjudicator Davis thought
she excelled In other respects.
The '? oratorical competition was
"Bruce'H Address" for a prize of $10.
offered by Captain Molr and the
Caledonian club. The i prize was
given to - John Evans, of Tay
lor. The other speakers were: Ben
jamin tliifllths and E. D. Owen. There
were flve in the preliminary contest.
Three welv allowed to recite. The ad
judication by Professor Richards was
undoulUeiUy impartial. The competi
tion on "Crug y Bar," was for singers
over .00 'Ittars of age, each singer to
select Illfl)fitch. This, contest was sweet
In its Hiifiplicity. The contestants dis
appeared as silently as they had come.
Only one name could be obtained and
that Is Morgan C. Jones, of Wllkes
Barre. The prize of $5. donated by W.
R. Lewis, esq., was presented to Mr.
Jones.
D51CJ8ION ON THE BNOLYN.
Judge Edwards gave the adjudica
tion on the "Knglyn," a Welsh form
of poetry; The prize of $5 was won by
Roland .Roberts, of Bellevue Hieghts.
There were 106 compositions received.
Many were from across the water,
some came from Canada, and every
state In the Union wag represented. At
least fifty of the "Englyns" were good.
The adjudicator reduced the number
Into classes of which, twelve composed
the superior. The success of Mrs. Rob
erts Is therefore the greater. His nom-de-plume
was "Swansea." There were
several of the same pseudonym. Mr.
Roberts) repeated his "Knglyn" without
copy, and the rommtt'tee thought that
he was-the real "Swansea." Dr. J. J.
Roberts, of the West Side, donated the
$j prize.
At this point a competition which
brought out a great show of talent was
announced. It was the male quartette
competition on sight reading. The
piece to be sung waa composed by
Professor -T. J. Davles, of this city, es
pecially for the competition. The fol
lowing quartettes entered: Philip War
ren, J. W. Jones, D. iStevens and W.
Davis; M. C. Jones, J. L. Evans, T. C.
Lewis and John Samuels; James Wat
kins, M. P. Morgan, John R. Francis
and W. O. Howells; John T. Watkins,
W. Evans, Thomas Jones, L. L. Jones.
The lirst two quartettes .were declared
superior. The $5 was divided between
the two. J. J. Davles was the giver.
: The final contest of the day was a
male chorus, "On the Sea," by Dudley
Buck. The prize was worth striving
for, $75. First sang the Anthracite
Chpral society, of Taylor, James Wat
kins leader. The Pennsylvania Olee
club followed. Thomas G. Evans was
leader. Dr. Mason's Male club, of
Wllkes-Barre, led by Gwllym Amos,
with Miss Maggie Jones as accompan
ist, were the last singers. At the ad
judication given at the evening ses
sion, the Wilkes-Rarre choir was given
the money and the praise of the adjudi
cator., BIG CROWD AT NIGHT.
Cempctitlon Between the Choir Was
,'.1 the f eature of the Session.
The largest crowd of any at the eis
teddfod attended the evening session.
The main attraction was the chief chor
.Hl, competition for the largest prize of
the eisteddfod. $300. Seated on the plat
form were Mayor-elect J. O. Bailey.
Treasurer-elect C. a. Boland, Daniel
Williams, Rev. J. C. Morris, Llvy S.
Richurd. T. Kllcenin Kvans, of Nantl
coke. William Connell was called to the
stage during the evening. Judge Ed
wards as conductor and president made
an opening address. Previous to this
the audience burst forth many times
In- spontaneous singing of familiar1
songs.
' Professor Davis sang- "Hen Wlad fy
Nailiau," the audience Joining In the
chorus. Dr. Mason's club was given
the $75 prize on the mule chorus. On
the soprano solo there were sf veral en
tries, among which were Miss Lizzie
Jones and Mrs. Frank Brundage who
won the prize of $7. The competitive
piece was Sullivan's "Sweethearts."
Judge Edwards In making his adjudica
tion on the Welsh poem on "T. Llfynvy
Morgan" divided the prize between Wil
lium Ap Madoc, of Chicago, and John
H. Powell, of this city. The contest
was participated In by well known
Welsh bards all over the country. The
competition on the mixed quartette was
perhaps the closest from the point of
view of an audience of any of the eis
teddfod. There were but two entries,
and the singers are well known, in
the first there were Miss Margaret
Jones, Mrs. Frank Brundage, John W.
Jones and Edwin Bowen. In the sec
ond and successful quartette the follow
ing were the singers: Mrs. M. J. Boston
Wllllams, Miss Lydia Sailor, David Ste
vens and P. H. Warren.
JUDGE EDWARDS' TRIBUTE.
Judge Edwards was so well delighted
by the Hinging that he made a pretty
tribute to the eisteddfod. ' These are
the children of the eisteddfod," he said.
"We thank the eisteddfod for what we
have heard tonight." When Adjudica
tor Davis made his decision there was
much anxiety shown by the audience.
He gave the $10 prize to the second
quartette. The competitive piece was
"The Radiant Morn," by T. J. Davis.
Judge Edwards announced the adju
dication on the "VV. George Powell"
epitaph. The successful one was writ
ten by "Swansea." the nom-de-plume
of Ttev. Depew Griffiths!, of Turin, N. Y,
It Is as follows:
Sleep faithful student! Thou hast lived
in deeds.
And, as the meteor thus! the heaven
speeds.
Leaving a flood of light; thy race Is run.
Just as thv brilliant morning had begun.
And poetry that thy saddest hours be
guiled Mourns the untimely silence of her child.
Adjudicator Edwards criticised sev
eral of the better epitaphs. The one by
Apollo had In Its first four lines the
making of an Ideal epitaph. "John"
was also a close competitor. The num
ber of compositions wan forty-four. D.
C. Powell, father of the deceased, acted
In the place of Mr. Griffiths in accept
ing the prize money. E. K. Robathan,
a close friend of the aereased, was the
donor. There were fourteen essays re
ceived b- B. H. Pratt, -who was ad
judicator of the Republican's $25 prize
for a superior essay on "The New Wo
man, Once Our' Equal. Now Our Su
perior." There were but two essay
that called for delicate discrimination,
and of these the prize money was
awarded to R. Sli howy Jonesi of Kbens
burg. Pa. The winner is well-known
among Welsh-American. The an
nouncement was received with great
applause.
In the duett, "The Spirit of Free
dom," (prize $10) Phillip Warren and
David Steven defeated Edwin Bowen
and John W. Jones. The contest waa
close.
TRIBUNE'S PRIZE STORY.
Editor Llvy 8. Richard, of The Trlb
une, was called upon to deliver hi ad
judication on the short story contest
for which The Tribune offered a prize
of $25 to the winner. The prize was
won by Miss Sarah A. Jones, of 1123
Hampton street. The title of the suc
cessful competition is "The Fate Card."
The adjudication waa a follow:
' As adjudicator of the short story con
test 1 beg leave to report the receipt of
manuscripts. A first reading of these
eliminated lo us unsuitable, and restricted
the choice to i. After a careful consid
eration of these , stories 1 have decided
to award the prize to the one submitted
by "Wanda" and entitled "A Fate Card."
upon the ground that It is effective In
plot, skilfully written, and introduces an
original central Idea.
: 1 desire, however, to award honorable
mention to "An Episode of the Civil War,"
by "Nemo;" "The Poundkeeper of Break
town" by "Jretz Rhonda;" "Gwladys. tho
Beautiful Maid of Orougar Hill" by "Hur
ry liwynne Jones," and "The Old Pro
fessor" by "Tallesln," In the order named.
The contest has revealed much local ca
pability in the line of short Action, and
has impressed me with the thought thit
a local magazine for the cultivation of this
talent would perform a desirable func
tion. Miss Jones, the winner. Is one of the
best known school teachers In the city.
She is at present teaching at No. 1$
school In the Fourth ward. The story
Is printed on this page of The Tribune.
CHIEF CHORAL COMPETITION. v
Then came the chief choral compe
tition of the eisteddfod for a prize of
$300. This was the competition which
caused a great stir In the auditorium.
The members of the choir themselves
composed one-fifth of the entire audi
ence and as the preparations were go
ing on it waa only by his great Influ
ence over his fellow country people that
the conductor4ecured order. The choirs
came on the stage In the order named:
Scranton United, W, Davis, leader;
Philharmonic society, Thomas G.
Evans, leader. West Side; Taylor choir,
W. Evans, leader. Adjudicator Davis
decided that the Philharmonic choir's
singing was superior. He awarded them
the prize. The adjudication! was as
follows:
No. 1 Attack good, time excellent;
there were several harsh voices, and
the altos were too prominent. In
places the singing waa poorer than
others, with the tenor Hat as If "feel
ing their way." The prayer part waa
too loud, and no expression was given.
No. 2 Better natural voices, altos
especially good; attack positive, mass
of chorus strong.
No. 3 Well united, expression not
good, prayer too loud. Allegros not
right.
The adjudicator thanked the audi
ence for their Indulgence toward his
decision and the eisteddfod had passed
Into local history aa the greatest ever
held in Scranton.
EISTEDDFOD NOTES.
It was noticed ithat the morning session
had as its stage guests men of Welsh ex
traction and in the evening the American
element was prominent.
John Lynch, though not of Welsh blood,
yet he Is one of the most earnest believers
in the eisteddfod. He came down from
Carbondale yesterday to enjoy the event.
"Count! count!" yelled some one In the
gallery as one of the chorus took the plat
form. Judge Edwards delivered a sharp
rebuke to the disturbers. The count was
made, but the choir was all right.
Attorney A. J. Colburn made a model
roncluctor, brimful of readv wit and
highly entertaining during the dull peri
ods. Te mentioned yesterday that no
bards were barred from speaking.
What, in the opinion of Adjudicator Da
vis, tended toward the success of the eis
teddfod was thv discretion of the pro
gramme committee In their selection of
competitive pieces. In uhls respect the
eisteddfod stands unequalled.
Hon. Hdwards is well known for his
gracefulness In conducting an eisteddfod.
When he asked .Mayor-elect Ballev to
hand over that prize to the winner of the
soprano solo. It appeared that Mr. Halley
wu exceedingly embarrased, -but every
thing ran smoothly.
A lamentable feature, or what was made
a feature by Us absence, was the non
use of the little rosette which usually
go along with the prize money at an eis
teddfod. The Robert Morris lodge are
surely Americanized, but it cannot drift
too far from the customs of the old lan I
and make an eisteddfod a success.
One ahlng was noticed and that is the
dominating appearance of the literary de
partment of the eisteddfod, l'suully the
Welsh-American affairs ate mere singing
meets where the voice Is undisputed king
and the pen meekly brings up the rear.
Not so with yesterday's event. The com
mittee showed great judgment in the
quality of competitions.
Among those from out of town whom
Ihe eisteddfod attracted were: O. At.
Williams, mine Inspector, Wllkes-Barre;
H. P. Davis, of the Grand Lodge of Ivor
Ites; Morgan Morgans, Wllkes-Barre;
Reese Morgan, Wtlkes-Hurre; William M.
Thomas, Wllkes-Harre, Oeorge Davis,
Lansford, Carbon county; William J. Will
iams, Kingston: M. C, Jones, Wllkes
Barre; James Thomas, Olyphant; Jottn
Lynch. Carbondale.
Adjudicator David Davis crpated nn
everlasting Impression. His adjudications
were received with general approval In
every Instance. In personal appearance
he is handsome and makes a striking fig
ure on the stage. And he is at home ev
erywhere. During the day he sang several
songs. Ills selections were sentimental
In nuture anil he seems to fill his voice
with (he feeling which brushes the heart
strings of the listener. David Dnvls will
not be soon forgotten by the eisteddfod
lovers of Scranton.
TUE AMERICA VOICE.
The Utile Attention Paid In This Conatry
. to Vocal Training.
From the Boston Transcript.
The American voice has won an un
enviable reputation for Its supposed
disagreeable quality. This reputation
is in part deserved, for no careful ob
server can fall to notice that many of
our people In ordinary conversation are
constantly In error. In regard to their
natural pitch and utterly fall In purity
of tone. They speak In either too high
or too low a key, and the tones are more
or less forced into a disagreeable mix
tur e of the. nasal-muscular quality.
Apologist have attributed this defect
to the nervous temperament of the peo
ple and to the disastrous effects of a
variable climate. But the true explan
ation is found in a lack of proper train
ing. The American voice, when prop
erly educated, is no less melodious and
agreeable than that of any other na
tionality. Bad quality of voice Is due simply to
bad habit In its use. Correct the habit
and the voice is changed, and becomes
what It was designed to be by the Crea
tor. It Is amazing that so many young
men nnend. after a long period of pre
paratory training, four years In college
and almost an equal period thereafter
In professional schools, and then go to
the pulpit or the bar totally unfitted
vocally for the successful prosecution
of their life work. And it Is even more
amazing that multitudes fitted by their
culture to adorn social life destroy their
chances of success by a lack of vocal
training. They might have been good
singers, readers or reciters but for their
own neglect.
If a correct system of vocal physio
logy and technique were engrafted Into
our public school system there would
ha an immense gain to the culture
of the nation. Not all are public speak
ers or readers, but everybody talks, and
to converse in a well-modulated, melo
dious voice Is an accomplishment worth
striving hard to obtain.
netting There by Degree.
' Mrs. Tufthunter "Have you rome to
an understanding with that foreign count
yet, darling?"
, The Darling "Not flinch as yet, mam
ma. All he can say In English Is. 'Do you
loaf me?' and all I can say In French is,
'Oul; Je vou aim," Puck.
n
0
1)
MISS SARAH A. JONES,
Of iijj Haaptsa St., Scrantea. -
The Winner of The Tribune Prize of
fiS at Yesterday's Eisteddfod;
CHAPTER L
It waa a dreary December morning
In New York. Daylight came through
a yellow fog into the shabby room, in
Harlem, where Dewey Heather looked
wearily out onto the chill beginning of
the winter season.
The smallest possible Are smoked,
rather than burned, In the yawning
grate, piled two-thirds full with bricks
to condense what blaze might Incident
ally rise. But so far that morning the
efforts of Sarah Ann, the ill-paid serv
ant, had failed to make any blaze.
Dewey was young, slender, blue-eyed,
and the possessor of a mass of natural
ly curling yellow hair.
She had had her romance, hut It was
dead today; indeed, she held In her
hand, at this moment, the letter which
told her It was quite over and beyond
recall.
She had already been downstairs and
had prepared her aunt's tea and toast
with numbed Angers at the smoky
hearth, in the cold, hard-wood kitchen
beneath, and had taken It upstairs to
their cheerless bedroom.
There were two of the aunts widow
and maiden with an annuity, of $:.00
between them. They still had a fifty
years' lease of the old house In Harlem,
where the family had lived for 100 years,
so that there was no danger of their
losing the roof from above them: and
an old clerk a friend of the family, as
they always explained roomed, or
rather lodged with them.
Then, too, Dewey Hang In the choir
at the old gray church around the ror
ner, and that was all the income they
had.
A year before, Dewey had become en
gaged to George Neal, a young bank
clerk. A few weeks later she had lost
all her small fortune by an unwise In
vestment on the part of her guardian,
who had full discretion to do as he saw
lit with the money for her benefit.
Oeorge had postponed their marriage
on one pretext or another, gradually
steeling his heart against her beauty
and charms. He had recently met his
friend Laurence's sister, who had $1,000
a year in her own right, which no guar
dian could have touched, even if she
had not outlived the age of the guar
dian. She was not pretty, nor par
ticularly bright, but she had Influential
connections and they would no doubt
help him to a better position in the
bank. The delightful, magnetic charms
of Dewey he would always recall with
regret, but they were a luxury he could
not afford.
So he wrote this letter under the de
pression of the lowering December sky.
He begged her to release him, as the
engagement must necessarily be long,
and he feared she might lose the chance
of making a brilliant marriage. Of
course, he said nothing of Emily Laur
ence and her $1,500 a year.
"Marry some one more worthy of you
than I and be happy!" the letter said.
"As for me, I shall never marry any
one. I love you too well to burden my
conscience with a loveless marriage."
Thereupon she had some fine woman
ly dream of making a great singer of
herself, winning money and laurels, and
flinging them at the feet of her beloved,
but this dream had been rudely shat
tered by a letter her aunts received
from the mother of Emily Laurence,
who had been their school friend, tell
ing of Emily's engagement to a young
bank clerk named Neal.
Oh! the shame of It! Alas! her Idol's
feet were clay.
He had already made sure of her suc
cessor before he had Jilted her. Oh, the
weariness and shabbiness of life and
poverty! She laid her golden head on
the dusty window seat, and shed a few
bitter love-sick tears, and thought she
wished she were dead.
But she must hasten to put on her
best dress very threadbare; her best
hat, all out of seaRon; and the cloak,
and shoes that ill-kept out tho damp
and cold, for she must sing at the
church that evening.
When she came in ready to start,
the aunts were playing cribbage by the
fire which had an extra scuttle of coal
piled on to mitigate the extreme sever
ity of the evening. Under the genial
influence they were comfortable for
once, and kissed Dewey with more than
usual affection as she went away.
One card dropped from tlfe hand of
her aunt. She stooped, picked it up.
and Idly noticed that it was the ace of
diamonds.
She hurried across the square and into
the road. She was thinking of her
aunts at home, happy, and engrossed
with their game; both relined, precise,
conscientious, learned (as became
A met lean gentlewomen) and affection
ate, but selfish. She was thinking pity
ingly of herself and scornfully of Oeorge
Neal.
Full of her woes and her hurt pride,
she did not hear the yell of warning or
of horror. She only felt the blow which
knocked her down, and the sickening
crush of a horse's hoof on her arm, and
terrible pain. She thought that she was
going to die, and knew that she wanted
to live, and then, for a few minutes,
the pain bereft her of sense.
A little Inter she heard loud talking,
and found herself beneath a lamp-post
with a man's kind brown eyes looking
down at her.
The sexton came holddlnir out and
told who she was and where she lived,
and the man unceremoniously picked
her up and carried her across the
square.
No healthy young woman, however
sylph-like, is a feather-weight, and as
the young man paused at the bench in
the centre of the square to gpt a more
comfortable hold on his slipping bur
den, he noticed something clutched in
her uninjured hand. As he turned it
about he recognized that It was a play
ing card the ace of diamonds.
"My fate card! Odd that she should
hold it." he muttered, in her absent
mindedness she had brought it away
with her from the house.
CHAPTER II.
It Is a December morning In New
Orleans, and Dewey stands as she did
three years ago, looking out of the
window. But. what a difference! The
house is nn "Mardi Oras Height."
The window Is wide open, looking out
upon the blue river flowing rapidly on
ward. , Curtains of point lace stir softly
in the faint breeze. Rich bowls of cut
glass hold exquisite La France roses,
whose fragrance steals faintly out to
meet the scent of growing violets from
the garden beneath.
The whole room Is a picture of chiste
elegance, and Dewey, plumper, fresher
looking and silken-gowned,- feel her
heart swell with gratitude to the won
derful fate which has thrown her Into
this beautiful haven of rest and hap
piness. There wo nothlnff "very startling In
It all. looking back. It had all seemed
to come about so naturally. The young
man who had snatched her from under
the horses' feet, thus saving her life,
and who afterward carried her home
with a broken arm. was a well-to-do
American, who fell in love with her,
caught her bruised heart In the re
bound, and married her,' within six
months.
After a year's wandering abroad and
In the United States. lie had brought
her to a house he owned In this beau
tiful Southern city, which to her seemed
like some dream out of Paradise, with
Its lovely parks, its ever-blooming
roses, and its soft autumn sunshine.
She never tired of the roses, and al
ways carried them with her, or had hee
rooms full of them.
The old house In Harlem was kept
warm now the year round; plenty of .
food in the larder, and plenty of coal '
In the grate; another servant, stronger
tea, and more butter on the toast; be.
sides new furniture, and a fresh pack
of cards a month If they chose to have
them these were among the increased
comforts.
There was a wonderful cribbage board
of real ebony inlaid with real Ivory Just
arrived there as a Christmas present
from the fairy city down by the gulf, ','
where Dewey had pitched her perman
ent tent.
Her husband, Irving Valverdte, Is not
unusual In any way good-looking and
manly but called a "crunk" by hi
friends In the matter of his one super
stition. He had observed that on the
eve of any great event in hi life which
augured well for him. he always found
In Ida path the ace of diamond card. , -
When a boy of seventeen he had gone
to the Colorado mines, where he had
staked out Ida claim and worked in
defatlgably for months, and nothing ,
came of It. One day it became a ques
tion In his mind: "Shall I give It all -.
up, or shall I try a little longer-"
To determine his action one way on
the other, he took a park of cards tm
his hand and said: "I will cut a
black card I go a red card I stay.'1
He cut the ace of diamonds and stayed.
Within twenty-four hours he had
struck the finest "lead" in the section,
and his fortune was made.
That waa the beginning of his super
stltlon, and the thing had now ceased
to be a matter of speculation with him..
It was a fact. When- he saw the card
In Dewey's -hand, he was just a sure
that she was to be his wife, and the
right wife for him to secure, as he waa
when he stood at the altar with her.
Ills wealth, which to Colorado peo
ple seemed moderate, to his wife
seemed boundless affluence. Never to
think, befove she bought any article of
her desire; never to walk in inud and
rain, hut to have a pair of sleek horses
at her disposal; no rattling omnibus
nor. even the finer luxury of a hansom
cab, but her own carriage, soft-cushioned,
easy-rolling, servants to do her
bidding, and an adoring husband to
anticipate her most careless wish.
Her big amiable husband found tear
In her eyes as he came In from the
garden with a bunch of violets he had
gathered with his own hands for her.
"Is wife homesick for New York on
this lovtly morning?" he asked tea
Ingly. "Homesick?" and she smiled through
her tears, "I was thinking this," she
said, smiling In her precise little way,
which had not ceased to please him
in these two yeura of familiar com
panionship. "I was thinking of two December
day. Could there be a greater contrast
between this and the day 1 first met .
you? I think the ace of diamonds mint
be my fate card, too, for you know I
held It when you found me fainting in
the street; and don't you remember
the day we were walking on Keens
street, and I turned a card over with
my foot and found it was your card?
Well, that was Just a little while before
I got the letter from my old guardian,
telling that my little fortune had un
expectedly come back to me."
"Well, and has my darling decided
what to do with It yet? You know you .
are to spend It all in charity."
"I have juet been thinking of that,"
she said, " and some of it shall go to
the Young Women's Christian associa
tion. I believe that to be the greatest ,
beneficial organization for young W(
men in the world."
That afternoom they drove to tho
rooms to witness the charity dinner, in
dally given to the hungry of the great
city.
It was a novel scene to Dewey, and
one which she never forgot.
Long tables were spread with a sub
stantial feast, and a bevy of young ..
ludles were silently , serving the food
out alike to the professional tramp, the
seen-better-days man, the genteel vag
abond, and the disappointed Immi
grant. "My Ood, Dewey!"
Could she be awake? Did some ghost
from the past speak to her? That cold, .
cramped past which seemed like a grim .
dream?
For it was the voice of Oeorge Neal,
and there he sat, shabbily attired, wltlt
a plate before him full of Charity's
Christmas Cheer!
He had not married Emily Laurence
after all, but had, in his turn, been'
Jilted with one for more money. There
was a little dillieulty, too, about soma
money which had disappeared from
the bank. There was no actual proof
against him, but he was known to have
debts, and, well, they intimated to him
that his services were "no longer re
quired." So he had gone to Australia,
and drifted thence to New Orleans,
knowing nothing of Dewey's history
during those, to him, barren years. He
often deplored his actions towards her,
nnd imagined her still in, her shabby
frock, niuklng toast on foggy mornings,
or shivering in her seat In the choir.
Dewey was silent all the way home,
and as the carriage drew up beneath
tho stone-pillared iortico of her hand
some home, she said:
"l have a plan by which I ran dis
pose of some of my little fortune, if It
meets your approval. I was thinking
we might give some of It to Oeorgi
Neal to start him anew In the world.
Let him have one more chance. The
question la whether it would be a real
chnrlty."
"Suppose you cut the cards," said
her husband. "That's the way I settle
all perplexing questions. Here is a
deck. Red, yes; black, no Use doing
anvthlng for him."
With a hand that trembled ft little,
for she so much wanted It to he "yes,"
Dewey lifted a few cards and expose
the cut:
It was the ace of diamonds!
iiouskhoTdh1nts.
Cloroform Is useful for taking paint
stains from black silks. Persistent rub
bing Is necessary. Chloroform will also
restore faded plush good by sponging
carefully. . ,
Ink stain on white goods can be re
moved by soaking In water and then cov
ering spot with pounded salts of lemon.
Bleach In sun. for half hour, wash in suds,
rinse and dry.
A mustard plaster made according to
the following directions will not blister
the most sensitive skin: Two teaspoon
fuls mustard, two teasiioonfuls flour, two
teaspoonfuls ground ginger. Do not mix
too dry. Place between two pieces of old
muslin and apply. If it burns too much
at Unit lay an extra ipiec-e of musllu be
tween It and the skin: as the skin becomes
accustomed 1o the heat take the extra
piece of muslin away.
An expert tester give the following di
rections for detecting adulterated coffee:
Rub a handful of coffee between the in
gers. If It hardens or cakes It is adul
terated, probably with- chicory. Another
test Is to place a Ha mule of the coffee
on the top of a glassful of water. If
part of It floats and part sinks It is un
doubtedly adulterated. Pure coffee con
tains an oily enveloping substance tnat
keeps out the water, or, at least, does
not quickly absorb it.
The safest way to loosen' a glass stop
per is to wrap tightly around the neck of
the bottle a long strip of rag. over which
a stream of boiling water should be gent
ly poured. The rag can be taken off In
the space of two or three minutes, when
probablv the neck of the bottle will have
suflleientlv exnanded to allow the stop
per to be withdrawn. Sometimes it I -necessary
to repeat the operation, which,
except In very bail cases, is almost In
variably successful.
Though kerosene I frequently used In
laundry work and In scrubbing the kitch- ,
en sink, it Is not, I think, generally known
that It can. be successfully used lo re
move grease from China silks of even deli- .
cato' shades. A dress, a part of which
was covered with axle grease was washed
In kerosene, which took out all the black
grease. The cleansing was finished by
putting the breadth through a suds and
rinsing thoroughly. Kerosene Is useful
also in cleaning wrought iron and la re
moving rust from itel