Telegram-herald., 1891-10-24
WIPED OUT lHI SHOW
AGAINST NAUGHTY SHOW PICTURES
They Arm Themselves With Ptrchforhs
and Other Weapons aad Clean the
Town of Flaming and oaady Ltth-
ogrAphs of 1Aisty GiTiA.

land of cranks anu crusAdes. and Brown
eounty 10 right IN the center Of the re-
form community. When HiawAtha
and the surrounding country is not en-
gagged in war on whisky or fighting pol
iucians Of the Ingalls, stripe, or rolling
up q big vote for friends Of PETER and
simpson, there Is always some other
affair on hand that keeps the reformers
busy.
Just at present the town is in fer
ment over crusade started by the lead
ing church people Of the town against
the London Gaiety girls, Al aggrega-
ton of buxom females IN short skirts.
and this wicked city was booked tor
series Of performances. When the ad-
vance agent came along last week and
secured dates At the opera house there
were murmurings Of disapproval from
certain people.
The good people of the town muir
INJURED against this INVASION. But 1t
WAS when the wicked bill poster came
along and plastered the town that MUIR
mer became q roar. Such wicked,
| shameless pictures never before were
paraded to bring a blush to Hiawatha's
| fair fame. A naughty girl with one
toe pointed at the midday sun-clad In
| the dark skirt, to be sure, but the sym
metry of limb and the poetry of motion
| were suggested in the attitude-stared
the modest maiden and the middle
aged matron boldly in the face as they
went to the postoffice. A brazen crea-
ture in pink tights was the admiration
| of so many male members OF the COM
munity that business was partly aus
pended on the main street OF the city
for several hours.
Then it was that the women of the
| town began to consider the affair GER
| iously. There WAS an informal gather
| ing of crusaders against wicked show
bills at the residence of one of the lead.
ing society ladies of the town. All
were church me mbers, and after pray
erful consideration of the matter 1t was
determined to prevent the performance
ut any cost. The youth, and the mid
die aged and the elderly members OF
( the male populace, 1t was argued, must
be saved from contamination.
| A committee went to the court house,
saw the officials and came away with
out getting any concession. The agent
had paid MS Icedse, the city was billed,
the performance advertised, and any
arbitrary action on the part OF the OFF,
cials meant n law suit against thecityand
more trouble than little. Besides, it
IS suspected that the officials were
rather anxious To see the show, as it is
| the custom of most advance agents to
make themselves good neighbors by
mentary tickets.
| 40 cf Aopo ho
gan to boil when the committee report
| ed the stubborn ways of the city officers.
Elderly women advised personal at
tack on the members Of the gaiety CON-
papY, while others counseled modera-
ton, suggesting that the gaiety girls be
appealed to refuse to appear on the
boards.
While this matter was being discussed
another woman suggested that even if
the performances could not be pre-
vented, at least those degrading posters
and Autographs could be destroyed and
public disapproval Of the show so loud
ly expressed that the seif-respecting
men would not dare enter the opera
house. THIS sentiment was loudly ap-
plauded. and while committee Was
| drawing up resolutions warning every
man who attended the performance
that he would be declared social out
cast, another group resolved them
selves into acommlttee to devise ways
and means to destroy the obnoxious
pictures.
Last evening group of women armed
with rakes, pitchforks and hatchets
started out on their mission of destruc-
ton. While the band footed n welcome
at the opera house entrance, half n
dozen richly clad women, armed with
weapons and u fierce determination,
approached the bill boards and began
the self-imposed task. The skirt dane
er's shapelv foot was oDliterated, and
her skirt lowered TO the ground.
The creatufe in tights was torn to
shreds,. And the dainty girl disguised as
a dude was fobbed of everything save
ner plug nat. Other women entered
ths storesasd shops. and without cere-
mony tore from their fsstenings the
pretty Autographs that adorned the
snow windows, and trampled them
under foot.
A mob yelling and chatting. followed
the women, who soiled their dresses
and lost their tempers before the work
WAS ended. Scores of persons who had
not gwen a thought 10 the perform
ance were prompted IL investigate the
wlckedness of the gaiety show, and q
large audience was the result. The
show WAS agood one, and the attend
ance tonight was even larger than that
of last night. The crusade has been
noised about this section, ard many
persons came in today from nearby
towns 70 attend the performance.
1