Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-07

Mr.. A. G. Redwood, DaltinogU art.
IL, formerly . Coa1sdesats trooper, b.
gins series VI skstchss With pen and
pencil in the Novembsr nu1bsr Of
S-.bsev. The 6rss IL entitled Johnny
RAb ct Play" We quote - follow:
The survivors of Hill's Light Divis-
ion. Who vintersd at Camp Gregg"
during that drsary mud bound interval
between Fredericksburg and ChaDcsl.
lorsvills. will recall to mind the kim
bomikin." The derivation Of the above
term has never transpired; possibly it
may have been . corruption Of hawm0s-
icos, - rendered by some vetenn
freshly returned from furiough, and
tie attractions Of Richmond tasted ON
the var. which may also have suggested
the features ot the entertainment itself.
The Kimbomikin ~as . circular pen,
hedeed all round with pine brush.
sloped inward. - . ~inter shelter for
cattle is usually constructed in the
Sosth. A ''lightvood" fire in the CEN
TER did duty - general illuminator, and
in the arena surrounding this Was the
stage, the audi nee finding what accom-
mediation they could about its circum-
ference. Naturally there Vas no dress
ing room for the performers, who van
ished into the outer darkness whenever
any change Of attire became necessary
the assistance being kept in good
hum Dr. meanwhile by . vocal solo with
banjo accompaniment, or little light
clog business" The most fsstidious
purist could not have excepted to the
muse On scene Is disturbing the emotion
called forth by the music; the attend
ants OF locality, etc, were announced
with frsnkness quite aattering to the
imagination, and recalling forcibly to
mind the old placards serving similar
purpose on the primitive English stage.
With little indulgence from the house,
the difficulty OF comprising feminine
attire was triumphantly solved. A
number of bsrrel.hoops. strung to-
gether, made a sufficiently proper Grim
oline, which was draped with shelter
tent and an army blanket, supported at
the waist by cartridge belt, and doing
duty as petticost and overskirt respect
lively; while Q wide-brimmed SLOUGH
hat, tied on by band passing over the
crown, was the approved thing in bon
nets. The broken angular folds of q
silk mantills were symbolized in an oil
cloth poneho. quite as accurately, by
the way, ~ are some of the fabrics Of
fered to our credulity on more preten.
tious boards. The entertainment con-
sisted mainly of what the variety thea
tres style character delineations"-
Irish and negro-with a good deal of
Interpretation worked in. The per-
Torrance often included the bulk of
the attendance, when some criticism
would provoke q retort from the stage;
and popular choruses would be taken
up con amore. as is custom elsewhere
among 1.-THE gods" Refreshments were
quite in order; perpetual incense of
pipe smoke went up from the outer
circle, while apples, ginger (9) cakes
and "goobers' lpeanuts), met with
ready demand at figures which would
have been significant of speedy wealth
to the dealers in these dainties. had they
but represented par value in the cir
culating medium; for with the prodi-
gality distinctive OF his section, Johnny
never considered his pay as anything
more than pOckec-money.