The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-09
GIRLS IN BLACKJACK.
The Ladies Minstrel Show Given
to a Big Audience
WHICH SUFFERS FROM THE COLD

some Topeka society young 1aQleSs
contrary to their usual custom, painted
and powdered last night The paint was
of a dark brown shade and the powder
was of the lamp black variety, but it
was need ed to complete their toilets, for
eight of them were the end women in the
great lady minstrels.
The house was packed from Watson's
orchestra to the beautiful brush-light
suspended from the roof by ropes. Near
ly every one was there except man
who vowed never to go to another
performance by women only. He went
TO see the ''lady base ball team" a couple
of years ago. When he heard how good
the lady minstrels were, however, he de-
cided to risk it again tonight.
The performance was for the benefit
of the deserving charitable institution,
Ingleside. If Ingleside was as cold last
night as the opera house was, it surely
needed every cent the box Office took
in. Some of the free coal for
distribution to sufferers in west
ern Kansas could be used to good
advantage at the Jackson street house,
and its patrons would appreciate it Not
only was it hard on the audience, but it
was worse on the young ladies on the
stage. If they had been hardened SOU
brettes, accustomed to stage atmosphere.
it would have been different, but they
were not They huddled about the luke
warm radiators, and it was so cold that
even the flies" buzzed angrily, and the
man who runs the curtain wanted to take
a ''drop" to keep himself warm. Even
painted fire-scene might have warmed
things up a little.
One of the stage hands said: "You see
de trouble is this away. De house has
been cold since last Monday, and dey
oughter begun firing-up early this
morning; but instead dey waits until late
this afternoon. That amt no way to do"
1t is reported, however. that the steam
pipes froze up on the night of the biz
zard, and the boiler had to be filed by a
hose from hydrant. This also happened
when Charles Dickson was here, and he
caught terrible cold.
The performance was more musical
than side-splitting, and there was an alb
sence of the nonsensical horse play that
generally characteriZes the latter half of
a minstrel performance managed by the
men.
Miss Edna Best as interlocutor was
greatly admired for her sweet voice and
the charming innocence with which she
asked "Why?" at the proper moment
The eight young ladies who com prised
VIC 0OOu66 du0 LduDOS W6E6 SO SUCCESS
fully disguised that it is doubtful if their
husbands or others who should have re-
cOgniZed them did so. Their hair was
"done up" on Topsy curl-papers and
their costumes were black, yellow and
green. They went under the nom-d de-
plumes of celebrated actresses, rs fol-
lows: "Lotta Mortimer" Glenna Cross:
Patti Rosa" Mrs. JAS. L. King; "Loie
Fuller" Mrs. P. H. Adams; "Lotta Col
Inns" Mrs. A. r Lingafelt; "Ida Mule"
Bessie Gibson; "Marie Jansen" Mar
garet Mulvane; "DelIa Fox" Mrs. Fred
Freeman; marie Tempest" Mrs. W. Il.
Simpson.
One of them said: owe have widows
consolation-we won't be in black very
long"
They had some fairly good minstrel
jokes. Among them was a reference to
Dave Mulvape's bet "Did any one take
him up?" "Yes, the elevator"
Then they told about Fred Coles new
cistern. "He dug it to hold soft water,
and-tee- hee- hee-wouldn't it be funny if
it would rain hard?"
The musical features by Miss Irene
Homer and Miss Belle Bennett were also
excellent.
Fifty young ladies sang in the chorus,
and formed a charming back ground.
Most of Topeka's prettiest girls were
there. Their beauty would bear a close
examination through opera glasses, and
was not stage manufactured. They were:
Mrs. West, Mrs. Pegues, Mrs Cloves,
Mrs. Wear. Misses Whiting, Jones, Hattie
Jones, Isbell, Horton, Moon, Helen Moon,
Smiley, Littlefield, Rogers, Thompson,
Mary Thompson, Penfeld, Bradley, Null
vane, Martin, Prescott, Close, Dienst, Jet
more, Wilson, Gemmel, Gunther. Nc
Fadden, WATSON, G. WATSON, Thomas.
Nina Thomas, Colby, Van Houten, Val
entine, Brooks, Waters, Fe Waters, Will
der, Hate, King. Lakin, Tefft, Ranney,
Beck, Stage, Mason, Emma Dennis and
Mabel Chase.
After the first half' there was fruit
full lecture on "apples" by"Sister Brown"
and the Imperial quartette, composed of
Miss Best, Miss Bennett, Miss Thomas
and Miss Horner were encored several
times Miss Bennett did the solo work
Then AUNT Dinah," Miss Kate Whiting.
came out with her little flock and made a
few remarks
One of the funniest features of the
performance was "Trilby." She was
ushered onto the stage by Director W. l.
Haskell, who played the role of Du
Maurier's "Svengali" He wore a wig
that wasn't bad representation of the
popular conception of the scoundrel
musician. "Trilby" was black, of course.
but she was attired to look like the
frontispiece of the popular book, although
the resemblance was stronger to the news
paper cuts of Queen Lii Trilby put her
foot az E. Ed on the footstool and be-
gan to sing, but the notes were like a
calliope giving the sign of distress.
Then Svengali hypnotized her by Prof.
FIinfs most approved gestures, and she
sang ooh, don't you remember sweet
Alice, Ben Bolt" SO sweetly that every
one knew it was Mrs. A. r. LinOafeit
She put an accent on the "BoIt' that
sent shivers over a man in the audience
who scratched the ticket last November.
The last number on the programme
was cake walk. When this was due
Mr.. Haskell walked to the front of the
footlights and announced. sowing to the
faat rbo+ $500 49, -. -