"QUEER FOLK IN THE SHAWS."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxix, Issue 7540, 16 July 1908, Page 2

"QUEER FOLK IN THE SHAWS."

At the Oddfellows' Hall last efening Dr Nisbet, 'of Dimedin, delh-ered his lecture entitled "Queer Folk in the Shawe." The hall was fairly well filled and the lecturer, who was introduced by the <■ Rev. G. B. Inglis, was soon on good terms with his audience. The recital was brinifull of humour, and oven those of the most phlegmatic temperament must have been amused, while those who had. a keen appreciation for wit fairly gurgled with laughter, as 'the Doctor- told story after story, each revealing some feature or peculiarity of the Scottish character. Some of the stories were not new, and of this the speaker forewarned his audience, giving them timely notice that if they objected to ."chestnuts", they were at liberty to leave; naively adding that they would not be charge^ anything for doing so. -However^ even if the stories were old, -they were invested with a fresh interest when told by Dr Nisbet, and had the same'effect as if they had never been heard before. Dr Nisbet is the cleverest of mimics, and his versitality last evening—as he passed' from one story to another, and impersonated some of-the,queer folk he had met, reproducing their .peculiarities of speech and idiosnycracies—hot only called out laughter but aroused admiring astonishment. " Particularly good'; were three recitations in which he'impersonated men. extremely diverse in character~and style,, producing' such uproarous laughter that it rose above the voiqe/ of the speaker, and the effect was to some extent lost>i. He passed from mood to mood with the greatest facility, and was equally successful in recounting some pathetic incident or some heroic deed. ■'.*." -v

During an interval; Mre D. McLean, Mus. Bac.,'played a pianoforte solo 1. At t-he close, a very hearty vote _of thanks to the speaker was carried witn acclamation, on the motion of the Rev. G. B. Inglis.