St. Paul daily globe., 1884-12-25
Briss sIbe,,s Tree.

When the curtain was rung down on the
last act Of the beautiful opera OF ''Martha"
at the grand last night, the ladies and gen.
tlemen composing the Boston Ideal Opera
company were invited by Miss z. II. Ober,
the accomplished lady manager aud proprie-
tor Of the organization, to lend their pres
enee to social gathering to be held In the
parlors Of the Metropolitan hotel, the hour
for the event being fixed at IL 80 o'clock.
The members Of the company, including
the chorus singers were tolerably well in
formed of the character Of the impending
event, and at the hour named the company
proceeded in a body tO the hotel where they
were met BY Miss Ober and extended a
warm and most cordial reception.
If any members of the company had not
already Opined the nature of the event, they
must have had pretty fair idea Of what was
TO follow on entering the parlOr. Located
near the north entrance TO the room stood a
handsome Christmas tree, the emerald
boughs Of which bent beneath the weight of
myriad packages, and it required no ex-
perieneed eve TO divine that they all con-
tained presents. Alongside of the evergreen
tree stood table on which was beaped sew
eral bushels of large and small packages, ad-
dressed to the various members of the
company, and which had arrived from
all quarters of the United States
The evergreen tree and it, richly freighted
6Oughs was both the idea and substantial ex-
preston Of the generous feeling of Miss
Ober towards the member Of her company,
and no =; ore happier manner Of conveying
her generosity and friendliness can he i'm
agined.
After the members Of the company were
seated, Mr.. w. H. Mcdonald announced
that Quartette would favor the audience
with Christmas carol, purportiug to
have been composed by the famous
wag Of the company, Mr. Barnabee,
Thereupon, greatly to the surprise and
amusement OF all present the quartette began
tn warble the familiar and beautiful dittv,
"'Twas the night before Christmas when all
in the house, etc. aud, upon reaching that
point in the poem where the words, s'there
arose such a clatter," came in, the door
opened, and Mr. Barnabee appeared quantity
attired in the picturesque costume he was
won't to assume at the opera of ''Blue Beard"
He suited his actions to the words of the
poem by producing a rattle, which was ruug
amidst the greatest merrimeut. After the
applause and laughter which greeted his ap-
pearance had subsidized, Mr.. Barnabee recited
in splendid style and with a comic unctious-
ness peculiarly his own, poem by Mr.. B.
P. Shiliaber, Mrs. Partington, in which
welcome is extended to Santa Claus This
produced unhOunded merriment, and he was
loudly applauded for the mastery rendition.
The first part of the programme being over,
at II O'Clock Mr. Barnabee proceeded TO take
the presents from the tree. and as the names
on the packages were called Off the recipients
arose and we're presented with their gifts.
Previous to this, however, Mr.. Barnabee, on
behalf Of the principals Of the company. pre-
sented Miss Ober beautiful and costly floral
table andia statuette, after which he same
lady was made the recipient of a large photo
graphic group representing the ladies and
gentlemen comprising the chorus Of the
company.
Among the splendid gifts observed was
large pound cake presented TO the company
from a friend residing in New York.
Uniquely engraved on the frosted crust were
several notes from the music of the ballad
Ever of Thee Pm FOndly Dreaming"
After the distribution of gifts had taken
place Mr.. Barnabee favored the com pany
with highly amusing sketch entitled ''The
Unprotected Female" Following this songs
were given by several members of the com
pany, and finally a sumptuOus lunch was
served. The entire affair was happily con-
ceived aud sp!endidly conducted throughout,
IL being Christmas eve joyously passed aud
long to be emembered by those com posing
the large and happy family.