St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-03-11
THE OLD FOLKS IN COSTUME.
A Fine Concert--A Large Audience and
Everybody Happy.

The old folks concert by the North
church choral society, Thursday even
ing, was great success, exceeding the
expectations of the most sanguine both
in the numbers present and in the
quality of the entertainment. To be-
gin with the singers were promptly in
their places at eight o'clock and GU
rious sight did the stage present. At
the left was all ld-fashiOned clock,
| tall, ancient and very uncertain as to
it's running gear, and fiax-wheel. To
the right was spinning wheel, numer-
Gus warming pans, foot stoves, etc.,
and on the piano "pitch" pipe, this
last the property of David Trull, and
85 years ago used by his grandfather,
Sylvester Hall, in giving music lessons
in this section of the state. The cos
tunes were for the most part genuine
old-timers. Many of "ye womenne
singers" wore silks and satins, lagos
and bOnnets, that were worn by their
mothers at certain wedding ceremO MES
in auld lang syne. The "make-up"
was capital in every instance, particu
larly becoming to We wOmenne. and
creating lots of merriment for the au-
dience.
There were % numbers in the pro-
gram, half of them religious songs of
years ago and the rest "new tangled"
and "worldIye" tunes. StoutbOye
Humphrey blew ye pitch-pipe at 8
o'clock, sharp. Uncle Sam George
Frost) delayed matters little by get
ting in trifie late, but finally all
started in with "Auld Lang Syne,"
and it was at once evident that good
singing as we'll as lots of fun was as
sured. The first wOrldlye song was
"Robin Ruff and CATER Green" by
Messrs. Humphrey and N. P. Dodge
(Deepvoiced Hunter). The encore that
it received was well deserved, both
singers being in excellent voice and at
their best. The old stand by, "COusin
Jedediah," was given by Mrs. Hum
phrey (Deliverance DOosenberrie), Mrs.
Hazen (Mehitable Hollyhock), and
Humphrey and Dodge, and was re-
ceived with shouts Oflaughter. "Grand-
mas Advice" was both we'll sung and
acted by Miss Helen Brooks (Hepzibah
Hytytyty). "Sleep, lady, Sleep" was
a quartette by w. C. Tyler (Hightoned
Piper), P. F. Hazen (Perrywynckle
Hornblower) and Dodge and Hum
phrey, and the rousing encore it re-
ceived was responded to with the in
imitable gossip song. Here rested ye
fyrste parte of ye program that the
singers might reObtayne their breath
and that A. o. Baker Goodman Bow
en) might give a specimen of old fash
Toned syllable singing. This last was
capital and, in spite of Mr.. Bakers
mOdesty he was obliged to respond to
an encore.
The second part began with "Strike
We Cymbals," the soprano solo being
finely rendered by Miss Mary Fair
banks penelope Primrose) and the
tenor solo by Mr.. Hazen. w. G.
Tyler rendered "When George the III.
was king" in manner that brought
out a vociferous encore and brought
down the house. Mrs. Wallace (Glo-
rianna Byllings Shortcake) sang the
solo of cold Folks at Home" with re-
markable power in spite of the fact
that she was suffering with a severe
cold, and Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. Haz-
en- sang Pinsuiti's "Mermaid," a beau
tiful thing. The selections by "the
quire" were all well done, giving evil
dence of careful drill on the part of
Mr.. Humphrey and of painstaking
work on the part of the chorus. The
danger of overriding the fun, almost
inseperable from such entertainments,
was wholly avoided and the concert
was all that could be desired. We are
glad to note that the financial results
were highly satisfactory.