Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-01-22
FOR WINTER EVENINGS.
some Tableaux to Amuse the Young
Feople-How Effective Scenes Nay
BE Arranged In Any Ordinary
Room,

some Tableaux to Amuse the Young
People-How Effective Scenes Hay
BE Arranged in Any Ordinary
Room.
Boston Bulletin.
There are few past1mes better cal
culated 10 interest and amuse winter
evening assemblsge of young people
than taoleaux, and few plain direc
tions, by which effestive scenes can
De arranged IN any room, cannot fail
TO be OF interest. You will require
ten boxes OF various sizes, two half
length picture frames, one washtub
and board, oAe broom, twenty feet of
anneaied wire, two dozen curtain-
rings, twelve large lamps or twenty
candles, or gas rod tw2lve feet long,
with fifteen five-foot burners upon it,
six yards black tarlatan muslin, cost
ing about 25 cents a yard, and FIVE
cotton sheets. If the room has no
foldlng-doors you must have a thick
curtain or bed quilt contrived to draw
on a wire across the room, leaving a
space about fifteen feet deep on the
stage. THIS space must be draped
with shawls or curtains, by stretch
lag wire across the sides and back of
the stage, near the ceiling, and hang
ing them by means of rings sewed
upon the cloth. Then procure four
upright pieces of marrow board, Just
the height of the room, for posts,
screw them upon the backs and 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 appear to the audience SIS if hang
ing upon the wall. Put up these
frames four feet apart, and nal four
strips of board, five inches wide, in
the shape of 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 bctweeA the two
smaller ones. The large frame will
be four feet wide and six and one-half
feet high outside. The curtain must
be arranged to run in 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 fioor-two and one half
feet from the floor, SO as to give room
for the performer s Oh pictures" be-
hind them. If gas is available, fasten
rod with burners upon it over
the top of the curtain or folding doors.
1t is well to make shelf for it, sup
ported 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
can not obtain the TIN conveniently, a
white sheet, fastened behind the bur
ners, will answer the purpose. If the
curtain does not reach the ceiling, you
must put shawl or thick cloth above
it, SO that too much light will not en-
ter the darkened auditorium. If gas
cannot be had, fasten candles Or lamps
very securely, upon the shelf. In a
very elaborate performance the stage
should be raised to level with the
eyes of the spectators; but very fine
performances are sometimes given on
a few hours notice Next make a
veil of black tarletan muslin large
enough to cover the space between
the posts which support the curtain.
A few suggestions requiring only
such costumes and appointments as
can be obtained in almost any house,
may not be out of place. A very sim
pie one is: "Justice, Mercy, and
Peace" Justice stands on high
pedestal, made Of Two boot-boxes Gov
cred with a sheet; Peace on one box,
and Mercy kneeling on two boxes
placed end to end, making a long
pedestal They are draped in sheets.
Peace can be taken by a child dressed
in a shor. frock of white cotton, belt
ed around the waist. Justice must be
larger lady than Mercy. Mercy
kneels in an attitude Of prayer, with
clssped hands; Justice blindfolded.
stands erect, holding sword and
scales covered with white cloth, and
Peace stands on the right hand of
Justice, holding a stalk of paper
lilies in her right hand. The faces
of the trio must be whitened. In all
Statues" the hands should be cover
ed 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 strip of green cambria
before your lamps; ard if your statues
stand still the effect is wonderful.
Next you have a comic scene.
Loves DISCUSSES" A pretty girl in
calico stands at washing-tub while a
fop gazes at her with undisguised ad-
miration through an enormous eye
glass. He is dressed SLOWLY, with
white hat and cane. In the next
scene the maiden is sitting on a chair
in the center, while a cunning cupid
aims great tin bow at the fop from
the washtub.
And then 1.-THE Roman Girl at the
Shrine of st. Agnes" The saint in
white, stands in tie large frame; be-
fore her a shrine (two boxes covered
with sheet on which stands an I'M
painted wooden cross two and one
half feet high. A dark Syman girl
holds a wreath of flowers over one
arm of the cross; another, kneeling on
the other side, ispassing to her a bas-
ket Of flowers; a third kneels in pray
er at front of the stage, telling her
beads; a fourth stands in the corner
o. the sage at the back, holding sheaf
of straw. Dresses: Black. brown, or
red skirts; black bretelles over white
waists; long white towels or heads.
Towels folded three times lengthwise,
and place upon the head, leaving the
ends to hang down behind. Conceal
ed voices sing some appropriate air,
as Ave Sanctissima."
Next draw away the back curtain
again and show more pictures, which
the assistant has had time enough to
prepare. In the center frame, child
with a red cape over her head and a
little basket in her hand personates
Red Ridinghood," ans in the other
is "a Marchioness."
The Effects of Tobacco.
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