Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-09-12

this kind, saying: "The police of this
| city know that these old soldiers are
| not yagabonds. They have a home, and
| all of the policemen know where it is.
Any well-dressed department clerk
| taken in an intoxicated condition will
be sent to his home in a cab Here
after L wish that when these old sol
dlers fall by the wayside the policeman
discovering them would call an am
bulance and send them to their home''
That is good common sense, and
emanates from a spirit of charitable
ness somewhat like the spirit which ami
mated Andrew Jackson when he stood
between his old comrade and dismissal
from the army. There is no reason
why these old soldiers who have this
weakness should be locked up and
dragged before a police court. when
our dudes and lordlings are tenderly
cared for.
Everything that can be done is being
done to add to the attractions of the
soldiers home, and now they are to
have theater for the purpose of keep
ing them home and amusing them at
night. The building is of marble ex-
terror and is almost completed. It is
next to the library building, and oppo-
site to Scott hall, building named
after Gen. Winfield Scott, the founder
of the home.
The stage is to be &c feet wide and e5
deep, with a proscenium opening of :32
feet, allowing plenty of room in the
wings for stage apparatus. Inasmuch
as the stage is the most important lea
ture of any playhouse, it will be OBJ
served that the architect has devoted
an unusual amount of space to this
feature of the new theater. On the right |
hand side of the prosceniuni on the |
stage, an electric light switchboard is |
to be placed, and an operator at this |
point will have charge of all the lights |
in the house, as well as on the stage |
Handsome scenery of the 'up-to-date"
variety is being prepared, and every
thing correlative done to make this
theater for the old soldiers one of the
finest and most complete in the country.
The old soldiers are not to have the
of hearing the greatest actors
md actresses; at least not this year
They do not go to theaters to criticise
'r analyze the play. but to be enter
aimed. Consequently, they will not
iemand the finest elocutionary efforts.
Under the directions of Gen. David
Stanley, who has charge of the soldiers
lome, some of the leading amateurs of
young men and women
' HO lHtcHo " MAKE procession OF the
tage, have organized what is known
IS the Soldiers Home Dramatic com
ANY," and they are rehea>sing new
lays all the time, for the purpose of
living the old soldiers plenty of enter
ainment next fall and winter We
ave several amateur dramatic COM
anies in Washington, nearly all of them
eing composed of high-school grad
ates-
There will be good orchestra for the
ew theater, and it will not cost any-
hing. The regular soldiers home band,
Thich gives such excellent open air con-
erts during the summer evenings that
undreds of people go from this city to
ear them Will form an orchestra, and ,
ne performers on the stringed instru-
lents are now making preparations
,r their practice with the cornetists s
nd other members of the proposed | I.
rchestra. Altogether this new theater
to be a creditable affair, and will add
luch to the enjoyment of the veterans
ho have served their country. and who
-e now passing off of the stage of life.
Eter having acted well their parts.
SMITH d. FRY. ]