A grand amateur entertainment promoted by the Penninghame Literary Association and assisted by ladies of the town and district, was given in , the Victoria Hall on Wednesday evening, the object being to aid the funds of the Mechanic's Institute and ! industrial Home. Major Colvin Stewart of Cairnsmore presided, and the ball was filled with a large and fashionable audience. The first part of the programme consisted of pianoforte, duet and solo, songs, readings, &e., .!' all of which were creditably rendered, and to the apparent satisfaction of the audience. The second part con listed of a dramatic sketch entitled " Chiselling. Although it is about thirteen years since it was first produced it was quite it new thing here, and was certainly I the best part of the entertainment. Dramatis personae —Larkspur (a sculptor), Mr R. Duncan ; Trotter (his man servant), Mr J. Nelson ; Dr Stonecrop, Mr W. An demon ; Mrs Piper (a landlady), Mr J. Park ; Kate (Stonecrop's niece), Mr T. G. MacMorran. The dresses and arrangements were complete. Larkspur assumes h the profession of a sculptor, and on a table was to be seen various plaster figures. Larkspur had suddenly come down in the world ; his only chance of success was to produce a statue of Alexander the Great. Trotter consents to become the statue, gets on to a pedestal, strikes an attitude, and appears like Ottoman warrior, helmet., short shirt, sandals, moustache and imperial all white Stonecrop inspects Larkspur's work of art, and eventually consents to marriage between Larkspur , and his niece, with a marriage settlement of £5000. Trotter is conspicuous during the scene, and kept the audience constantly in laughter. 1)r Stonecrop could not have been better acted than in the person of Mr Anderson, whose impersonation was true to the life. Mr Park was scarcely so successful in his impersonation of Mrs Piper ; while Mr T. G. MacMorran personated the young heiress to the life. Votes of thanks were accorded the performers on the motion of the Rev. J. M. Inglis ; the Chairman, on the motion of Mr A. B. Matthews, J secretary of the Industrial Home; and the Penninghame Literary Association, by Mr Henry, president of the Mechanics' Institute. The sum realised amounted to about £30, and after paying expenses, £11 is 2d was handed to the Mechanics' Institute, and £5 10s 7d to the Industrial Home.