The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-25
MOTHER GOOSE.

/ lHU,s WHO Ibsh III LHS tu1IhSO phpoLo VI
last week the story Of the Mother Goose
Young Mems Christian Association contro-
versy must have thought the whole thing d
gigantic ioke-a newspaper hoax. The story
sounded too Incredible for the nineteenth
century and America 1t now turns out,
however, that the difficulty was O serious,
earnest and excited one.
| The ladies Of the Unity Church of Chicago
gotup last week q Mother Goose party, such as
| we have had here repeatedly, at which it was
proposed to represent certain verses from that
Shakespeare Of Infancy, Mother Goose by
tableaux, wherein children should take the
various parts. Farwel Hall was leased for
this purpose from the Young Mems Chris
tian Association of Chicago, and all necessary
arrangements made for the production of the
tableaux.
But alas! certain members of the associa-
zion got hold Of q programme of the enter
tainment and with furious and excited virtue.
dashed around to the lady directors and de-
sired to know whether they really meant to
produce those Profane and immoral pieces In
O hall belonging to the association hall
consecrated to virtue and religion alone. This
they declared they would never submit to.
They asked the ladies' therefore, to imme-
diately cancel the lease, and vacate the build
ing; their sacred hall must never be profaned
by such immoral practices.
The flutter this created among the ladies
may well be imagined. A few of them burst
into tears at the charge that they were allow
ing these children to participate in debasng
and immoral shows; others got angry and re-
ferred to the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton as fools; but the more sensible concluded
to humor this idiocy, and asked to be shown
exactly what part of the entertainment was
immoral and improper, SO that 1t might be
expurgated if insisted on.
The Christian young men complied with
this demand. They insisted, first Of all, that
there should be no dancing. A minuet, to be
danced by children in stage costumes was,
they understood, on the programme. This
they must prohibit Dancing was more than
immoral; 1t was sinful A book, 1.-THE Dance
Of DEATH" had recently been published,
showing some of the indecences and wicked
nesses of this sinful pastime The Mother
Goose party must be given without the min
uet. The ladies', after some consultation,
agreed to leave out this, and asked if there
was anything else objected to.
Yes; there was. The Young Mems Chris
tian Association would consent to the repro
duction OF certain pieces from Mother Goose,
II they were allowed to expurgate that doubt
full book. There were many Objectionable fea-
lures, many immoral verses in the work, to
wit: Bobby Shafte," which contained the
record and history of roue and lbertine:
and ''The Queen of Hearts" and "Taffy was
q Welshman' tales of crime that no chill
dren ought to be made acquainted with.
The Young Mems Christian Association
made several other objections, to all Of which
the ladies agreed, and the expurgated enter
tainment was accordingly given last week at
Farwell Hall to an immense audience.
Such is the story of the Mother Goose con-
troversy In Chicago. 1t sounds improb able |
md yet we have given but one-tenth the ride |
of the fight 1t may be mentioned |
Incidentally that the "Can-Can Blondes" gave |
performance in Chicago the same week, and |
hat the Young Mems Christian Association
lid not think it worth their while to interfere.
Theirs was war not on Cant Can, but on that
nful old wretch, Mother Goose. It may be
urther stated that Farwell Hall is the rally
ng ground for all political meetings; that the
and plug -uglies of the city are
Won't to meet in that hall and chequer its floor
With tobacco-juice and fill the air with oaths;
ut these were patriots, and did not profane
he building as the verses of the children
would have DONE
Such cant as this in city needing true
as much as Chicago does Is, after
IL, scarcelya joke. Itwould be indeed sadden-
ng, did not such hypocrisy have the very
est effect. 1t is probable that Mother Goose
las effectually cooked the goose Of the Chi
ago Y. M. G. A. That intelligent body of
dots is the laughing stock of the whole town,
nd each individual member appropriately
eceives the name of the old lady he abused SO
ercey. Nor is this ridicule confined to the
atty; the members Of the Y. M. G. A. are
enied and repudiated by the church as well.
Says one Of the most prominent ministers.
nd this is the general drift of church opinion,
1t was the most innocent, harmless, pretty
hing ever saw. The whole controversy is
ne most ridiculous thing that ever occurred.
thought these young men had more sense
han to make such foolish opposition to this
The controversy beween Mother Goose and
ne \. nj. @. A. Is not yet quite ended, but
ut there is little doubt that the old lady will
ONE off triumphant, to the great Joy of
for we think no one will deny that
lother Goose has brought more charity and
applness to this world than the Chicago