The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-04-17

MCHALES iona dreams or anti
tights might have been realized had
he attended the ''Chimes of Norman
dy" in Minneapolis last evening, rem
dered by the Wilbur Opera Company
in boomers. Here is the way the
Globe reports the presentation of the
opera in 'loose pants"
The audience which assembled to
witness the innovation proposed by
the GuileleSS Statesman from Shake
pee was large and fashionable one,
and was on the tip-tOe of expectancy
as the curtain went up. Pretty soon
COnley, the tenor, wandered onto the
stage. This gentleman lays claim to
great beauty of person. He bangs his
hair and usually looks quite sweet.
Not the least attractive feature of his
makeup are his well-rounded legs,
and plump calves. But tonight he
was transformed. He looked like
lightweight who had joined fat
mans base ball club and was attempt
ing to wear a uniform several times
too large for him. The material which
encaSed his neither limbs was of fig
ured pattern, and was caught at the
ankles with puckering strings, and
edged with lace. He sank ON one
knee, and with the fiSherman'S net
began his solo, which had never be-
fore failed to impress his hearers. But
the charm was broken, and the house
only roared at his appearance instead
of listening with the attention that is
SO tiattering to tenor who is used to
female praise and admiration. The
next blOOmer that was waited before
the sight of the audience was the at
tenuated and fragile Harvey, the CO.
median, who appeared as the notary.
He was expected to look funny. and
he did. His general appearance was
that Of a small boy wearing his IA
theirs pants. A little dinky hat top
ped off the startling apparition. He
announced that he was just in from
the home of McHale, and
was on his way to the Bonneville fair. |
The house was ready to laugh |
at any reference to McHale
OF the anti-tights bill, and
he succeeded in winning applause
much more easily than is usual with
him. 1t was in the second act, how
ever, that the blooming bloomers
bloomed in all their glory. The chorus
girls, twenty-four in number, danced |
out in line, and their appearance was
greeted with shout. Each one wore
the ballon-Shaped trowsers, which |
made them look like so many animat-
ed tops. Their PTS, were volup-
tuous in their fullness, but were saved
from the danger of bagging at the
knee by the use of spiral hoops, it was |
plain to see, which kept their unmen:
tiOnables properly distended and lent |
an air which if not exactly sylph-like,
might be described as buoyant. The
material was calico, such as is used
for window curtains and bed Quilts, |
and some of the patterns were start
ling. The girls marched around in
circle, and then ran off the stage
giggling. The audience would not let |
them gO,and an encore followed, which |
compelled their temperance. So the |
show went on, the gags on the McHale |
bill and references TO boomers always
applause. One effect was
plain. The girls who have worn tights |
without thought, and always looked |
the pink of decorum, became sudden
~ conscious that they had legs, and
that they were being looked at. From
the way they Scurried about the stage
it was evident that they were abashed !
they had before faced hun
dredS Of audiences without a tremor.