The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-09
Consented 70 Give TOR
Charitable Purpose
Solely
A UNIQUE, MORAL, AMUSING AND INSTRUCTIVE
ESTERTAINMENT,
At the
UNITARIAN HALL, TONIGHT,
THURSDAY, APRIL 5.
Doors Open at I. Entertainment Begins at s.
ADMISSION, 20 CKNTs
ADMISSION, 20 cxxrS
clerrrmen snd their Familles Free.

Clergymen and their Families Free
1t was busy afternoon. In long talk
with her the Snowman had unfolded his
plans to his wife, and in the privacy of
her room, surrounded by wigs and rem
nants OF once gaudy dresses and the be-
wildering miscellanies of their unpacked
wardrobe, she, with some help from Dora
was carrying out his instructions. He. as
sisted by Alabama, as be called the col
ored addition to his company, and whom
he was constantly instructing in the parts
he was to take that night, were arranging
the stage and accessories and their own
costumes for the evening.
"lm glad the baby is resting quietly"
said he to his wife at supper. "And you
90 right to work on Dora. ii the tights
are painted, 20 10 work on her arms and
neck and face. Those water colors can't
hurt her any; but tell her to be mighty
careful, for it rubs off easy. Have her
wear the big, white wig. Does the life
saver blow up all right? And be sure TO
tint your face to match the the color ex-
actly"
Here it may be explained that the man.
ager had once invented very elaborate
life-savlng costume. 1t was of rubber
and so made that when blown
up, or filled with air, it resembled
the upper half of gigantic
woman. The inventors idea was that at
sea, a woman in danger was to put it on,
blow it full of air, throw herself into the
water and float. The idea was too elab-
crate one, and for many reasons had never
gained the confidence of capitalists; but
the inventor through all disasters had
chung to the model and how it came to
be useful now, though not for the purpose
il was originally manufactured, will short
ly become evident.
Without knowing it the Snowman, for
the want of space on the bill, had sent out
the very best advertisement he could TO
catch that class OF citizens who attended
local shows.
He had aroused their curiosity.
Had he printed a program OF the en-
tertainment it might have been fatal to
his success. but beyond the ''glittering
generalities" there was nothing to indicate
what kind of an entertainment he pro-
posed to give. There is nothing in nature
more curious than village people, and they
went, not so much TO be entertained and
amused by the performance, as to find
out, each for himself, just what this
strangely advertised show was. Over half
that went said: Il s'pose it'll be dern
fraud. but they went, and wanted their
moneys worth, just the same; and some
OF the young fellows said: eff it is fraud
We'll break the professors hull business
to pieces"
So, when the calico curtain went up
there were more than one hundred and
fifty people in the hall.
The professor showed at once, that how
ever bad All actor he might be, he had q
readiness of thought and natural flow of
sI,A n, 4 IL
quence-a gift, by the way, that is gener-
ally lacking in stage players of the highest
rank. He gracefully apologized for the
absence of SO much of his magnificent
aggregation gathered at an enormous ex-
pense and by years of toll, and assured
the ladies and gentlemen present that
1.-The proceeds of the entertainment would
90 toward the support OF an orphan family
sadly in need OF pecuniary assistance"
He had "the pleasure OF now opening the
entertainment by producing Signora Bel
lama. late of the Royal opera company,
Seville. Spain"
SignOra Bellama, in the familiarity of
the domestic circle-Maria-e grace
fully into view at this moment, bowed
and seated herself with impressive dig
nifty at the wheezy little hall melodeon,
and sang an amazing aria. The stage was
badly lighted and her flowing costume OF
red and orange. and her brilliant COM
plexion excited no comment; but there
was thinness and sqeakiness in her
voice, and an uncertainty OF breath that
panied rather than charmed her hearers !;
but she held on braYely TO the finish. She
was not encOred
Indeed there was perfect silence, broken
only by one distinct hiss. The professor
came forward. He wanted to kill time,
for his entertainment was short at best.
There were symptoms that the audience
was disposed 10 be more than cOldly crit
ical and he must crush that hisser anyway.
Ladies and gentlemen: There are but
two things in the animal kingdom whose
language is confined TO a hiss; one 10 a
goose, the other a serpent. / trust we
have no representative OF either family
with us tonight" And then, for ten min
utes, he took them with him in his imag-
mary travels and successes through
Europe.
He quoted not always appropriate ex-
tracts from 1.-THE Lady of Lyons, ""Uncle
Toms Cabin" Hamlet" and other
dramas ne was at all familiar with, and
closed by praising the picturesqueness OF
the village, the beauty of its ladies, the
intelligence of its people. and had the
pleasure of continuing the entertainment
bv introducing Thomas J. Alabama
Hope, formerly page to Jefferson Davis
and to the confederate cabinet at Rich
mond, Va"
The professor was rather OVERRIDING
things. He was mistaken as to the intel
ligence and gullibility of his audience.
They began to suspect that they were
being guyed. but it was done in such a
good-natured, clever way that no offensive
demonstrations were made; besides, there
was time enough, and they had paid their
money and wanted TO see all there was TO
be seen, even ii they did eventually break
up the show.
Stubby, sitting on chair near the door,
where he was delegated to take the money
from late corners. was perplexed, but he
said nothing.
The darby did well. He sung and
played the banjo with true side-show
fervor and nearly made a great hit. He
received an encore.
The curtain wns lowered for few mo-
ments, and when it roee again the pro-
lessor was discovered seated in the center
OF the stage with rudely made large doll
on each knee, one with a white and the
other with a black face. screen
coming to the floor was on each side of
his chair.
Ladies and gentlemen: l will now give
you an exhibition of my powers of VEN
triloquism, and while / am taking the
characters of the little ones on my knees,
/ 0eiv anyone TO detect the slightest move