Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-12-14
A PARTISAN SPECTACLE.
The Way theatrical Shows are
Given In the Gay Capital.
Marvellous Eggs Which are Made the Cause
Of Wonderful Transformations
Beautiful and Mystic Changes that
Almost Surpass CredibiIity.
Paris Litter in Chicago Laicr-oasos.

thC HSoh - oAAoa oS@~aA1
5000 and $500 persons. Although the
piece the "Poule aux 0euf dor had
been running for several weeks, the great
theatre was packed from top to bottom. Il
The FIRST scene or two were tame, intro,
ducing four or FIVE jolly peasant boysto the
audience. Then came q scene represent
ing monster black hen setting in basket,
with other baskets of eggs around her. The
peasant youths found the eggs and began
experimenting. One threw an egg to the
floor, and suddenly his entire suit Of clothes
was gone and he was gloriously arrsyed as
a prince. At the same instant band OF
singing FAIRIES appeared to escort him from
the stage. Another tried his luck. The
trans formation was equally complete, and
q train Of Indian coolies appeared with a
gorgeous sedan chair, in which he was
borne away. A third was no less success
full and rode from the stage on an elephants
back amidst an orient pageant
Each egg was loaded with mild torpedo,
so that its destruction was attended by q
slight explosion. BY careful watching |
was able to discover that the peasant
clothes were removed and pulled down
through the floor, even long stockings be-
ing thus removed; but it was all accom-
piished in about the time consumed BY an
ordinary wink, and the old hen got OF from
her nest, began stretching herself and then
marched off from the stage, followed by q
long procession of chicks Every small boys),
Just emerging from gilded eggs. The
barn-yard scenery now folded itself out OF
sight, displaying the'full stage magnificent
" set as q court scene, with peacock throne
and all the gorgeous paraphernalia OF In
dian royalty.
An the lights in the auditorium were
turned of, and the whole stage was made
intolerably brilliant by means of electric
lights. The Prince and Princess took their
seats, magni6cently robed and escorted BY
an immense retinue OF royal ladies and
noblemen in full dress But the climax OF
the scene was the entrance Of a long process
sion of animals, which were successfully
Introduced in song by the leaders. There
were choruses
In Which All the Animals Joined,
a. the same time dancing in their various
places. There were white polar bears
crocodiles, kangsrooS long tailed black,
birds, tigers, lions, deers, whales, sharks,
swans, doves, large fish, frogs, lizards, etc,
ad infnitum. The movement Of the various
Jaws, beaks, shouts and probosces IN the
choral parts was overwhelmingly funny.
At length the curtain fell, to rise mo-
ment later showing a palatial apartment.
One OF the transformed peasants entered
and seated himself on the one handsome
sofa at one side of the stage. No. 2 EN-
tered, called for seat as he threw down an
egg, and the sofa slipped out from No, to
glide over behind him. No. then threw
down an egg. and the sofa divided, hall
remaining where it was and half coming to
him. No. 3 entered, threw down an egg
and then seated himself on the two halves
of the sofa, which had at once gravitated to
the middle and united behind him. Then
arose an absurd emulation and controversy
among the three, simpl y an excuse to intro
duce some marvellous scenic changes. One
threw down down au egg and dozen sec
tons of the room walls revolved instantane
ously, completely changing the appearance
of things. Another was dissatisfied tossed
down his egg, and an equally radical
change took place. The third wanted
something still different, and accomplished
a similarly remarkable change. In quick
succession boudoirs, Illuminated palaces
woodland scenes. and elegant salons fol
lowed, illustrating the perfection to which
stage machinery may be carried.
Finally each appeared to be satisfied
and then in came the princess having
eluded her old fogy companion. More
egg.breaking followed by way of competi
ton for the fair ones hand, and more
strange things occurred, of which | cannot
remember the half now. Once a mass o
golden balls entered By one door, wandere:
across the stage and passed out at another
door escaping from the actors, who had a
once pursued 1t. Then the princess tfieC
her hand stthe egg experiment, and instant
ly all her 6nery vanished. She was nov
merely chambermsid, with buster at heI
weist, and the aforesaid old lady 8 life part
ner scarcely recognized her when he ap
Feared on the scene.
The act closed with a great transforms
til n. again showing an illimitsble stage SCI
with tropic glories of architecture and
vegetation. In the extreme background
was grand double staircase, down which
there presently came
a Rush of Green and Red Tights
and costumes Of every imaginable variety
F's ter ard faster came the double process
sic n. until the lines OF colors that wonld
around and around the stage were fairly
Gying. There were 200 Of these who we're
followed BY 100 of the tiniest children IL
uniforms of the same colors, half boys and
half girls, and then fifty dsnseuses.
The curtain fell to the burning of red
lights, the booming of cannons and the
discharge Of pyrOtechnics.
The second act introduced peasant girl
Who came in where basket Of these won
derful eggs had been left. She tried one o.
them, and lovely white shoe foated down
to her. Another and the shoe had replaced
the old one on her foot, while white silk
stocking was where a soiled brown one had
been. A third egg, after a song or two
and the remaining limb was similarly
equipped. OF course these changes mus,
have been affected through the floor some
how, but her feet were visible all the time
and it was done in twinkling.
Another folding Of scenes out of sight
and the full stage appeared.
Myriads of tiny children came out equip
ed with miniature saws, wheelbarrows
planes, hods, hatchets and boards upon
their shoulders. A palace began to come
M out of the floor at the rear of the stage
with scaffolding in front Of it. As it slowly
assembled the workmen mounted various
parts of the scafolding and assembled with
It. The echoes of the hammer and saw
were heard, while horses with drsys OF ma
terial we're led up to the building that was
in process Of construction. 1t was an AMI
mated scene.
At length the pile had reached the top Of
the stage loft, and the scafolding dropped
away from it through the floor. The base
ment under that stage must have been forty
or Fifty feet deep. :,
Then all the children rose, their day
work done, gathered up the implements oil
their industry, and were gone. Each one
had the special things which he was to carry
of, so that in a moment, as it were, the
crowded stage was cleared of-eyerythins