100 years ago,1911

Frederic Thompson’s great production of “Polly of the Circus,” with dainty and winsome Georgie Olp in the title role, will be seen at the Empire Theatre on April 25. In addition to a large company of well-known players, a number of circus people and circus acts are required for the proper interpretation of the piece. Among them are Ellie Dutton, the greatest bareback rider in the world; the Korber Family, a troupe of world-famous acrobats, trapeze artists and aerial acts, clowns, tumblers — a real circus on the stage.

50 years ago, 1961

A thoughtful thief who stole an Auburn man’s sports car yesterday morning returned it yesterday afternoon — with a near empty gas tank and 200 more miles on the odometer.

The owner reported to police at 10:30 a.m. yesterday that the car was missing from its parking spot across the street from his house. At 4:54 p.m., he called police again to ask if they had found the car and returned it to its parking spot — because that’s where it was then.

25 years ago, 1986

POLAND — The board of selectmen granted a seasonal liquor license and amusement permit Tuesday evening to the Poland Spring Inn following a public hearing for the applications made under the corporation name Image Inc.

April 25 was specified as the inn’s reopening date for a seven-month season. The amusement permit approves band performances, dancing and theatrical entertainment in the inn’s dining room.