Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-28
FOR WINTER EVENINGS.
Some TabIeaux to Amuse the Young
PeOple-How Effective scenes May
Re Arranged I'm ANY Ordinary
Room.
Boston Bulletin.

evening assemblage of young people
than tableaux, and few plain airec-
tons, by which effective scenes can
be 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, ohe broom, twenty feet of
annealed wire, two dozen curtain
rings, twelve large lamps or twenty
candles, or gas rod twelve feet long,
with fifteen fve-foot burners upon it,
six yards black tarlatan muslin, cost
ing about IS cents yard, and five
cotton sheets. Ii the room has no
folding-doors you must have thick
curtain or bed quilt contriyed TO draw
on 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
ing 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 narrow 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 as 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
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 high outside. The curtain must
be arranged to run la 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 foor-tWo and One-half
feet from the floor, SO as to give room
for the performers or pictures" be-
hind them. IL gas is available, fasten
rod with burners upon it over
the top of the curtain or folding doors.
It 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 TIA conveniently, q
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. Ii 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
few hours notice. Next make
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 De obtained in almost any house,
may not be out of place. A very SIM
pie one is: "Justice, Mercy, and
Peace" Justice stands on a high
pedestal, made of two boot-boxes Gov
cred with sheet; Peace on one box,
placed end to end, making q long
pedestal They are draped in sheets.
Peace can be taken by child dressed
in short frock of white cotton, belt
ed around the waist. Justice must be
q larger lady than Mercy. Mercy
kneels in an attitude Of prs yer, with
clasped hands; Justice blindfOlded,
stands erect, holding a 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 lhe gloves,
and the heaas with wigs made of lamp
wicking. Be sure to turn down the
gas or draw strip of green cambria
before your lamps; and 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-tuh while
Top gazes at her with undisguised ad-
miration through an enormous eve
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 foo from
the washtub.
And then ''The Roman Girl at the
Shrine of st. Agnes" The saint in
white, stands IN the large frame; be-
fore her shrine 1.-TWO boxes covered
with a 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, is'passing to her bas-
ket of flowers; third kneels in pray
er at front of the stage. telling her
beads; fourth stands in the corner
OF the stage at the back, holding sheaf
OF straw. Dresses: Black. brown, or
red skirts; black bretelles over white
waists; long white towels or heads.
IoWeis folded three times lengthwise,
and place upon the head, leaving the
ends to hang down behind. Conceal