The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-24

letan or gauze nailed before the picture,
between the players and the footliRhts.
The drop curtain must be outside of this,
and go up and down very carefully at a con-
certed signal.
Although the pure white light of candles
and kerosene or lime light is the best for
such pictures, very pretty effects can be
easily produced by the introduction of
oolored lights. such rs can be produced by
the use of nitrate of s%tronlia, chlorate of
potash, sulphu,et of anthony, sulphur,
oxymuriate of potash, metallic arsenic
and pulverized charcoal.
Muriate of ammonia makes a blush
green IRE, and many colors can be OBJ
tanned by a little study of chemistry,
10 make a red fire: Five ounces nitrate
of ~stronlia. dry, and one and a half ounces
finely powdered sulphur; take five drachms
chlorate of potash n four drachms sui
phuret of anthony.
Powder these separately in a mortar, then
mix them on paper, having mixed the other
Ingredients previously powdered, add these
last and rub the whole together on paper.
To use, mix a little spirits of wine with
the powder and burn in a fiat iron plate or
pan. The effect is excellent on the picture.
Sulphate of copper, when dissolved in
water, will give a beautiful blue. The CON-
mon red cabbage gives three colors. Slice
the cabbage and pour b bling water on it.
When cold, add a small quantity of alum,
and you have purple. Potash dissolved in
the water will give a brilliant green. A
few drops of muriatic acid will turn the
cabbage water into crimson. These put in
globes, with a candle behind, will throw the
light on the picture.
Again if a CHASTITY look be required and a
ghost scene be in order, mir common salt
with spirits of wine in a metal cup, and set
it upon a wire frame over a spirit lamp.
When the cup becomes heated, and the
spirits of wine ignites, the other lights in
the room should be e~xtinguished, and that
of the spirit lamp hidden from the observer.
The result will become like the witches in
in Macbeth:
"They look not like the inhabitants of
the earth. but yet are of it."
The burning of common salt produces a
very weird effect. 1t seems that salt has
some other qualities than the conservative,
preserving, ,hospitable kind Of quality
kind have ascribed to it.
A very pretty effect for Christmas eve
may be made by throwing these lights on
the highly decorated tree.
To return for a moment to the first use of
the stage, the play. 1t is a curious thing to
see the PLAYS which amateurs do we'll. The
body's Friend" The Folliss of a Night"
plays itself, and 1.-The Happy Pair goes
very we'll. "a Regular Fix" one of South
ern's plays, the Liza in which poor Lester
Wallack played and "Woodoock's Little
Game" are all excellent.
Cheap and unsophisticated theatricRls
such as schoolboys and girls can get up in
the garrett or the basement are those which
give the most pleasure. But SO strong is
the underlying love of drama that youth
and maid will attempt hard and sometimes
disOouraging work even in cities where the
professional work is so very much better.
The private amateur play should study to
be accurate as to costume. No pink satin
Maria Antoinette slippers with II Greek
dress. Classic sandals are easy made.
1t is an admirable practice to get up n
play in French. 1t helps 30 to conquer the
delicatesae of the language.
The French repertoire is very rich in very
easily acted plays, which any French
teacher can
Imitation negro minstrels are funny and
are apt TO ba better than the original. A
funny man, n mimic, one who can talk in
various dialects, is n precious boon to the
amateur. Many of Dion BouoicRult's Irish
characters can DO admirably initiated.
But in this connection why me- call in the