The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-15
Over q Thousand Little Ones Went
to A Turkish Bath Matinee
Yesterday.
It Was q Well-Bshaved. Well
Dressed Audience, and Not
q Mishap.
There We're Lott Of Adults, Teo, Who
Came to See the Children ~ Well
a. the Play.

Mario Heath scored another success yes
terday afternoon. And The INDEPENDENT
scored somewhat OF q suocess, too. Tho
occasion was THE INDEPENDENT matinee. at
which the play "A Turkish Bath wal
given. Az early ~ 1890 the children began
TO gather at the opera house, and for the
next two hours they Game from every direo-
tion-from the east side, from tho west
side. from north Helena, from Lenox. from
the Syndicate addition and from the depot.
In fact. svery portion OF the Town was
fully represented. By 1880 there we're 800
boys and girls In front of the opera house,
many under the guardianship of their
fathers or mothers. In some cases the
guardian had brought all the children in
the neighborhood, 80 it seemed, and svsry
once in = while the roll would be called to
see II they were all there. Finally the
doors opened and there was a grand rush.
In the crowd there we're hundreds of ohil-
drsn who had never been inside a theatre
before. and to them the whole affair was .
constant delight. Then there were fifty or
= hundred adults who oame especially to
ses the children.
At two o'clock the house was full, par
quetts and gallery, but still they continued
to come, 50 that whom the curtain was
raised the house from roof to stage was q
mass of humanity. The boys were largely
In the majority in the gallery, but the ba-
bies and their mammas were also we'll rep
resented. Down stairs there were children
of all ages. from the little one less than =
year to the boy and girl of 16 or II. OF
course those under II were largely in the
majority. Among the we'll pleased people
in the audience was an old, white-hairsd
lady, who often looked around and exclaim-
ing. "Now. my dear children! What =
noticeable was an absence of the>'touRh"
element. All the children came arrayed in
their best bib and tucker, and the child Of
the millionaire was there az we'll az that Of
the laborer. But they were all equally we'll
behaved, and there was no time during the
the stage WAS audible in the lobby. Man
nger Nacoy, referring to this, said it was
the best dressed and the best behaved lot
of children hs had ever seen at = matinee.
And how they did enjoy the performance.
Marie Heath was the favorito, of course,
applause must have done her heart good.
But every part Of the play was enjoyed.
The colonel's servant, the old man, the
ridiculous situations came in for their full
share of approval. The SONGS, thoughS
were what caught their fancy, and "Won't
You Come Out to Play was the greatest
favorite of them all.
Manager Macoy. who's took the tickets,
was the recipient Of 4 number of attentions.
One little girl presented him with q cookie,
another gave him a book entitled, When
the Elephant Plays" and a third told him
she thought he was = very nice man."
Manager Remington was a. pleased at the
SUCCESS of The INDEPENDENT matinee AS
could be, and wished that he had q bag of
candy to give every one of the coupon
bearers. H..
In order to prevent a crush when the per-
Torrance was over, two officers were de-
tailed to keep the passages clear, while Mr..
Remington and his assistants also assisted
in getting the crowd out. There were in
the house a little over 1000 INDEPENDENT
coupons, while 300 adult tickets were sold
at the box Office. The matinee was a sue
oes.. Marie Heath was q success, . Turkish
Bath was q success. If you doubt it ask the
first child you meet to-day.