Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-05-10
A Rehearsal with the Deaf Mutes.
QUEER SIGHTS-HOW DEAF MUTES AR
REHEARSED--THR EXHIBITION A.


dows. There were girls and girls from lit.
tie midgets up to the graceful young girls
of womanly build, with their hair done up
in curl papers. It looked like a snow
storm, and if you caught the bright eye Of
the little ones, their ready laugh showed
that they appreciated the fun of the stu.
alton, while the injured look on the faces
Of the older ones was the very same that
Indignant femininity assumes when you
detect her putting up her back hair, or
tying her shoe on the side walk. Getting
into the hall the whole appearance OF
things was changed. The wing scenes
were up on the stage; the R. U. E.
of the stage was there with large door in
it overshadowed by a portico; little ia
BILE with four OF five rats on it was in the
centre Of the stage; stored away on one
side was a tremendous grated door to
which hung ponderous links of a chain
and not far from it large boat fanked
| by wheelbarrow; then a section of =
fence, a banjo, and all sorts Of homogeneous
things. Presently there came in a boy
from the printing Office of the Institution
with nicely printed programme which
was to be exemplifed before large audi
ence that night. On it was this list:
TABLEAU.-From shore to shore
TABLEAU.-Court of the Fairies
PANTOMIME.-Ten Little Niggers.
TABLEAU-Gambler's Warning.
TABLEAU-CHARADE.
| PANToMnE.-Love under Obstacles.
TABLEAu.-Peter released from Prison.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Goose.
MOVING TABLEAU.-Old Folks at Home.
TABLEAU.-Aurora and the Seasons
The directors of the rehearsal were
Mrs. Frances johnson, Matron of
the Institution, Mrs. A. N. Breck-
enridge and Mr.. E. Loring Turner.
It is a very different, and more difficult
work than the rehearsing of speaking
people. When the first scene was called, a
relay of the little curl papers was sent for
from the school room where they were at
/ work, for at this place amusement is not
permitted to interfere with the progress Of
study. and they came in smiling. Then
came such a shower of signs and shrugs,
in giving instruction as bewildered the
beholder. If a boy or girl was facing
wrong on the stage, there came such tor
rent of gesticulation delivered with such
intensity that the impression left on the
spectators mind was that the boy or girl
had been informed that if they didn't face
the right way, the world would instantly
come to an end, with all the inhabitants
thereof. To those who do not understand
it, this sign language, in the perfection to
which it has been brought is wonderful
thing. That crook of the finger means
that parasol and a gripsack and spring
bonnet shall be brought, is incomprehensl-
BILE, but when as far as we can see the
same sign means that wheel barrow and
plug hat shall be produced, and all are
brought promptly, it begins to creep into
the brain that economy would dictate do
ing away with the human voice altogeth-
er. 1t condenses wonderfully, and leads
to the belief that in the progress the
science is making the time is not far off
when a woman can say hundred disa
greeable things to her husband by simple
twist of the thumb, and not keep the head
of the house v orried all day in getting his
discipline.
The children seemed to enjoy the rehear-
sal greatly and the comic scene of 'Love
under obstacles" which is full of absurd
situations, furnished much amusement.
Que little girl whose part it was to raise
fainting lovers head from che ground,
exhibited the greatest confusion, because
the little lover who was, or should have
been, very i'll was casting affectionate
chances at her. The stern directyess gave
orders in impressive signs that he should
'sstop making eyes at her" and the play
proceeded. AS each relay of boys and girls
finished their rehearsal they were off again
to their books and were succeeded by a
fresh SET AS the rehearsal closed, we left
thestage carpenter showing on the boat to be
used in E'From shore to shore'' and putting
into it some boxes for the figures to sit on,
while his assistant was lacking some strips
of blue water on frames through which
| she was to sail.
AT NIGHT
the scene was entirely changed and the
| large audience present testified by their
applause to the beauty of the tableaux
and the mirth of the pantomines. "From
shore TO shore:' was a copy from the pop
ular engraving of that name with infancy
in the Prov represented by a bright looking
little tot not longer than your arm. The
court Of the fairies was full of bright
color and youthful beauty and the ''Ten
little niggers" sitting on gate was ire
sistibiy comic. The tableaux charade of
the MAY Queen" was exceedingly fine
and nothing could have been prettier than
the tableau of Maya sweet-looking girl
robed in white illusion. holding a single
red rose in her hand while the back ground
was strewed with roses. Glove under
obstacles" produced roars of laughter and
the pantomime of the bachelor choosing
a wife," taken from Mother Goose was ex-
ceedingly amusing. The tableau of the
"Old Folks at Home" was good copy OF
che engraving 1.-THE old Kentucky home,"
while the concluding tableau Aurora and
| the Seasons was gorgeous in color and
arrangement.
A portion Of Prof. Turner's orchestra
furnished the music Of the occasion which
was very sweet. We have said that the
audience was very large, and wish we
could add very orderly as we'll. The Su-
perintendent of the Institution, Capt.
Mccoy, devises these entertainment for the
amusement and recreation Of the pupils
and not for the people. He is kind enough
to extend a general invitation to the latter
and thereby gives our people some excellent
and refined amusement, but if this consid-
4 oro+,on is tn ha ranaid NV tho want of or