St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-07
FOR wINTLR EVENINGS.
Some TabIeaux To Amuse the Young
People.


Some TabIeaux TO Amuse the Young
People.
Boston Globe.
There are few pastimeS better calculated
to interest and amuse winter evening as
semblage of young people than tableaux,
and few plain directions, by which effec-
tive scenes can be arranged in any room. can
not fail to be of interest. You will require ten
boxes of various sizes. two half length pict-
uie frames, one washtub and board. one
broom, twenty feet of annealed wire. two
dozen curtain-rings, twelve large lamps or
twenty candles. or a gas rod twelve feet
long, with fifteen tive-fOot burners upon it,
SIX yards black taretan muslin costing
about 20 cents yard, and fivecOtton sheets.
Ii the room has no toldlng-doors you must
have thick curtain or bed quilt con-
trived to draw on a wire across the room,
leaving a space about fifteen feet deep
for the stage. This space must be
draped with shawls or curtains,
by stretching wire across the sides
and back of the stage, near the ceiling, and
hanging them by means OF rings sewed upon
the cloth. Then procure four upright
pieces OF narrow board just the height OF
the room, for posts, screw them upon the
back sides of the frames near the edge, SO
that when you raise them up the frames
will stand upright four feet six inches from
the floor. Cover all the space above and
below the frames with cloth of the same
color as the back wall, SO that they will APP
pear To the audience as If hanging upon the
wall. Put up these frames four
feet apart, and nail four strips
of board, five inches wide, in the shape
of a large frame between them, having the
top and bottom strips. which form the
frame, six and one-half feet apart This
will give you large frame between the
two smaller ones. The large frame will be
four feet wide and six and one-half feet
outside The curtain must be arranged to
run III front Of the frames to cover them
when not in use. These three frames stand
at the back of the stage-the supporting
posts nailed to the floor two and One-half
feet from the floor, SO as to give room for
the performers or pictures" behind them. If
gas is available, fasten a rod with burners
upon it over the top OF the curtain or fold
ing doors. 1t is well to make a shelf for it,
supported on two posts about eight feet
high Over the burners and behind them
tack sheets of common tin, bent so as to
throw the light down. If you cannot OBJ
tain the tin conveniently, white sheet,
fastened behind the burners will answer the
purpose. If the curtain does not reach the
ceiling, you must put a shawl or thick
cloth above it, so that too much light will
not enter the daTkened auditorium If
gas cannot be had, fasten candles or lamps,
very securely, upon the shelf. In very
elaborate performance the stage should be
raised to a level with the eyes of the spec
tators; but very fine performances are some
times given on a few hours notice. Next
make veil OF black tarletan muslin large
enough to cover the space before the posts
which support the curtain.
A few suggestions requiring only such
costumes and appointments as can be OBJ
tanned at almost any house, may not be out
OF place. A very simple one is: Justice,
Mercy and Peace" Justice stands on
high pedestal, made of two boot boxes COW
cred with sheet; Peace on one box, and
Mercy kneeling on two boxes placed end to
end, making long pedestal. They are
draped in sheets. Peace can be taken by
child dressed in short frock Of white cot
ton, belted around the waist. Justice must
be a larger lady than Mercy. Mercy
kneels in an attitude Of prayer, W it'll
clasped hands; Justice blindfOlded, stands
erect, holding sword and scales covered
with white cloth. and Peace stands on the
right hand of Justice, holding stalk of pa
per lilies in her right hand. The faces of
the trio must be whitened. In all statues
the hands should be covered with white
cotton gloves, the arms with stocking-legs
sewed to the gloves, and the heads with
wigs made of lamp-wicking. Be sure to
turn down the gas or draw a strip of green
cambria before your lamps; and if your
statues stand still the effect is wonderful.
Next you have comic scene. Loves
DISCUSSES" A pretty girl in calico stands
at a washington while fop gaZes at her
with undisguised admiration through an
enormous eye-glass. He is dressed shOwiIy.
with white hat and cane. In the next scene
the maiden is sitting on a chair in the
center, while cunning cupid aims a great
tin bow at the fop from the washtub.
And then THE Roman Girl at the Shrine
Of ST. Agnes" the saint, in white. stands
in the large frame; before her shrine 1.-TWO
boxes covered with sheet on which stands
an implanted wooden cross two and one
half feet high. A dark Roman girl holds
wreath of flowers over one arm Of the cross;
another, kneeIing on the other side, is pass
ing to her a basket of flowers; a third
kneels in prayer at front of the stage, telling
her heads; fourth stands in the corner of
the stage at back, holding sheaf of straw.
Dresses: Black, brown, or rcd skirts; black
bretelleS over white visits; long white
towels on heads. Towels folded three
times lengthwise, and placed upon the head,
leaving the ends to hang down behind.
Concealed voices sing some appropriate air,
as Ave Sanctissima."
Next draw away the black curtain again
and show more pictures, which the assistant
has had time enough to prepare. In the
center frame, a child with red cape over
her head and little basket in her hand
personates ''Red Ridinghood," and in the
other is "a Warehouses"