The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-12-20

was well located in q busy city Of 100,-
600 inhabitants. was stranger in the
city, stranded there by blizzard, and,
looking over the evening papers to see
where I should 60 to be entertained,
saw an advertisement of this Christmas
entertainment" went to the church,
and it was crowded with grown folk and
eager, bright-eyed, expectant little
ones. And this is the way the commit
tee on amusement" entertained them.
1. Dirge on the organ. The pro-
gramme did not give the name of the
dirge, but it was played with a wailing
melancholy that made your flesh creep.
thought I must have stumbled upon a
''Good Friday" exercise, but not a glance
at the programme again assured me that
this ''dirge" was the initial number Of
the birthday exercises. "Queer way to
celebrate birthday thought, but as
It was none Of my funeral l said
nothing, which was perhaps the wisest
thing ever said.
Q. A middle-aged mourner followed
the dirge with . recitation about q little
boy who died rather than tell lie. The
moral was grand indeed, but somehow
the introduction Of an early and tragic
death in the second number of the SEN
tertainment" seemed to have depress-
ing effect upon the congregation. Still,
I thought, perhaps the committee had
wisely decided to kill of all the objec-
tionable characters early in the evening
and have lots of fun at the wake.
8. A sunburst of childish brightness.
Seven little girls gave charming little
exercise about the "days of the week."
June sunshine couldn't be brighter or
more welcome in December.
4. Sad recitation by boy with q
toothache. He leaned sideways and
turned perfectly rigid when he faced
the audience. After q moment of en-
barrassing silence he unlocked his jaw
and let her 60. He slipped an eccen-
trio on the first line, however, and
worked only one side after that, saying
his piece out Of the northeast corner of
his mouth till he came breathlessly tc
the end and ducked himself of the
stage. His performance threw the con-
gregation into state of bewilderment
from which it seemed difficult to ex-
tricate them. To complicate matters, a
girl of about fifteen years came on
without any warning as the boy went
off and chanted. in melancholy recita-
tive, narrowing narrative of 1.-THE
Drunkard's Home"
5. The organist covered the girls re-
treat with the "Dead March in SAUL"
and dull, sickening shudder thrilled
through the room.
6. A singing society Of eight young
people sang 81 Would Not Live AL
ways" A demonstrating brother sit
ting near me asked me in low whisper
for the loan of my razor ''to kill rats"
I refused somewhat sternly, because, as
1 told him, don't carry a razor on my
person, and besides 1 disapprove of
suicide in places Of entertainment and
at gatherings Of mirth and festivity.
z. A beautiful song, flute obligato,
sung like a bird by beautiful girl,
entranced the congregation and dis
PEELED the air of resignation which was
settling down upon the house like a
cloud.
8. A girl recited "Nobody's Child" SO
forlornly that it cast gloom over the
entire community.
9. A young man sang "Dublin Bay"
in good dramatic style, and the way he
strewed the fatal beach with CHASTITY
corpses when the flowing tide came in
would have chilled the heart of a veter-
al undertaken.
10. A young lady recited poem in
which an old man died sitting bolt up
right in his chair, after which his faith
full old colored servant doubled himself
up In heap at his masters feet and
died hard. This was encored, and they
both died again. little harder this
time.
II. A bright young lady, with q clear
voice and excellent dramatic action, re-
cited ''The Burial of Noses" By this
time the congregation had caught the
spirit of the meeting, and the "Burial"
was rapturously encored. The elocu-
ZIONIST returned and gave ''Tbe Maniac"
in splendid style. 49,. szs .