Original Correspondence.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 893, 30 March 1877, Page 5

Original Correspondence.

» BALCLUTHA DRAMATIC CLUB. {To the Editor.) Sik, — I send you the following as it was refused insertion in the ' Clutba Leader. 1 Kindly insert, and oblige yours, &c, Allen C. Campbell. (To the Editor of the « Clutha Leader.') Sir, — It was witd unbounded mirth that I read your diatribe ou our Balclutha Dramatic Club meeting, ia your last issue of the ' Clutha Leader,' and permit me to suggest that you -- should occasionally divert the lieges of Balclutha with a repetition of the same, or, having before your eyes our Town Council, County and Macandrew meetings, to excite the rollicking fun and wit of your hitherto dormant disposition, and add considerably to the sale of the pabulum of cockatoo philosophy, the paper you have the honor to distinguish. Answering a fool according to his folly has certainly given us a treat, which we have been a long time in want of, and the Balclutha Dramatic Club maybe proud of bringing to light such a gem of wit and humour; and force them to exclaim, what a loss to the histrionic art, particularly comedy. What an incomparable " Joseph Surface " in " School for Scandal ;" Brooke, Sullivan, or a Coppin, would be nowhere. But, I anticipate, a fool can make a joke. It takes twa fules to mak* a quid laugh ; and truly our citizens may say, that " buffoons and the editor of the ' Clutha, Leader' have gratified them to the utmost."' That I, A C. Campbell, may feel unduly elevated at the explosion of praise in your late issue need not be wondered at— the only surprise is, that my merits have not been discovered before this time. A great dramatist has said, that " all the world's a stage, and men and women merely players," li?<g universally been accepted doubtless, I have tried to play my part as regards that Balclutha stephairn, the Athenesum, to my own satisfaction, though lately I must demur to the imputation having grown sick of it. Your praise deserves my thanks, and though, at our exits or entrances, in this buffeting world of ours we are compelled to play the British lion oftener than we would wish without the aid of egg* $ yet I should not begrudge anyone what may suit his taste in that respect. In fact, Mr Editor, I should willingly see the hour when we could enjoy egg-flip in a quiet social circles, with the addition of your subeditor, Mr C ,of municipal memory. If our delight should rise to " oxygen 1 * heat,, your friend the sub QQuJd give us a atave. of that old §Qug of his--Pour out the (ginger) cordial, let it flow Like a dull and sluggish river, Till Campbell, Hogg, and Reunert sink Beneath its stir' K i U g waves for ever. Chords — (Trio) Pour out the cordial, &c. Ha, ha, ha. Then, when properly primed with carbon^ hydrogen, and oxygen, we could devise means to at once put a stop to those " low, vulgar dramatic entertainments by our inefficient and unprepared buffoons." Rather have our young men dilly-dallying their night hours in mischief as larrikins than see even £5 or £10 placed in the bands of the treasurer of the Athenaeum. Lectures would then be attended to, and the high priest in our local Temple of Mammon would not humiliate himself at finding so few to appreciate a discourse on science. Personally, I shall try my utmost to place my veto on all those public gatherings, whether church soirees, bazaars, concerts, dancing clubs, or drartSatic entertainments, as they lead to a species of canting hypocrisy, and entice our young folks — aye, old folks— to execrate their folly at spending their money so foolishly — assisting to make buffoons o theniselvee-^as bad as going to see a dog or monkey show., My friends of the sock and buckskin may feel displeased, and snub me on the first occasion, kick me from office as they did our civic megatherium who filled my . position formerly. If such should happen, I should be sorry to think that you would aeys

tee a stiver of that overdue account of yours. However, .to far, I shall do my utmost to get them to play on our local race nights, and the. firstpiece in contemplation is the " Assessment 8011, or the Bursting' of the Municipal Bubble." Dramatis Person® filled by the Mayor, Councillors, and Town Clerk ; musical interlude, several local singers^ By particular request, Mr Reunert will sing his favorite song " TJie British Lion " (localised), without^ «ggs The afterpiece will be ■"■-Diamond Cut Diamond," without the aid of oxygen. The whole to conclude by a call before the curtain of Messrs Campbell, Hogg, Reunert, and Editor of -the 'JDlutha Leader,' who will doubtless receive an ovation calculated to make them aspire to higher efforts in their ieyeral departments. ? .;,'." I~ aul » & c \» * Allen C. Campbell. Balclutha, March 22,1877,'