Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-02-19
BLACK CORK ARTISTS.
The Lady MinstreIs Held the Boards at the
Opera House Monday Night and Scored a
Hit-Songs and Dances and Grinds Galore
A Large Audience Well Pleased.

Opera House Monday Night and Scored
Hit-Songs and Dances and Grinds Galore
A Large Audience Well Pleased.
For over month curiosity ran riot. The
alarming information leaked out that a
goodly number of Bellows Falls bellies were
to give minstrel show and everybody
wanted to know who composed the troupe
but this was kept a dead secret until after
the performance Monday night. This
kind of entertainment was new to Bellows
Falls and so drew larger house than a
second performance would /; but neverihe-
less, the entertainment Monday evening
was OF high order of merit and fully de-
served the very liberal patronage it re-
ceived. About 700 tickets were sold and
the young ladies will clear about 800.
The program consisted of three parts,
and when the curtain rose for the first part
it disclosed to the admiring gaze of the
audience the following performers in gaudy
attire and with begrimmed visages. Inter
locutor, w. E. Bowtelle, in prince cos
tune of pink ank black velvet pages, B.
B. Royce and Hugh Whitman in ballet
costumes of green tarletan; bones, Miss
Nettie Wheeler and Mrs. Ralph BidwelI,
and tambos, Mrs. George Fl. Allbee and
Miss Cora Shedd in yellow waists and
black skirts; sooists, Misses Eta Labaree,
Lena Cooper, Grace Church and Maud
Peterson, in evening dress chorus, Mrs
G. B. Wheeler. Mrs. l.. A. Day, Mrs. E.
E. Underhill, and Misses Hattie Ladd,
Jessie Mason, Effie Ball, Carmen Burr,
Bessie Webster, Mary Densmore, Nellie
Brown, Maud Cass, Cora Bush, Sylvia
Powers, Lizzie Brown, Lillian Lowell and
Belle Royce, arrayed in red waists aud
black skirts.
Aside from the Jokes most of which were
given local flavor and much enjoyed, the
program consisted of the following songs :
DAY after Day." Miss Eta Labaree; In
Love with the Man in the Moon,n Miss
Cora Shedd: waiting for Footsteps"
Miss Lena Cooper; "Going to de Promis'
LAM Miss Nettie Wheeler; "Just One
More Kiss Miss Grace Church; and
"Swing dem Gates Ajar," by the COM
pany. Miss Shedd sang very acceptably
and was twice encored Miss Wheeler
also made hit and responded to two
encores.
Her grind on the bald headed row was
richly appreciated. A crowd of enthusiasts
including local sports, ordered IS bald
headed wigs from Boston with the avowed
purpose of occupying the front seats and
wearing them, but when the time came not
one of the crowd had sand enough to carry
out the program.
The second part of the program consisted
of a song by Miss Nettie Wheeler, assisted
by the chorus; a Spanish waltz by the four
end girls song, Little Alabama Coon y
Maud Peterson; darkey dance, Miss Net
tie Wheeler; stump speech, Mrs. G.. II.
Allbee song and dance by Misses Cora
Shedd and Nettie Wheeler, and a serpen-
tine dance by Messrs. Whitman and Royce.
Mrs. Allbee's speech on the Coming
Woman " received frequent outbursts OF
applause and the song and dance was
thought by some to be the prettiest thing
of the evening. The house went wild over
the song Of little Miss Peterson.
Part third consisted Of sword drill by
IA OF the young ladies, captained by Misses
Lena Cooper and Hattie Ladd. This was
really fine feature of the evening. The
young ladies were handsomely attired in
white Grecan costumes with silver trim
mngs, all wearing Grecian bands in the
hair and carrying silver swords and shields,
with the exception of the two leaders, who
carried golden armour. The drill was
highly commendable and elected frequent
bursts Of applause.
The troupe made a great hit and at the
same time bagged a few sheckels. No
small proportion of the success of the even
ing was due to the clever ability and I'M
firing effort of Miss Nettie Wheeler who
was the originator of the project and man.
ager and trainer of the troupe. W. E.
| Conway, however, drilled the company
that gave the drill. The music by Beedle's
orchestra. II pieces, and the calcium lights
operated by Photographer Swift added a
great deal to the enjoyment of the occasion.
After the performance was over Miss
Wheeler gave supper in banquet hall to
the members of the troupe and the orches-
ira about 80 plates were laid. Two bou-
quets were presented, one to Miss Wheeler
by the circle after the ..darkey dance. .
and one to Miss Shedd after singing ..In
Love with the Man in the Moon.'
Mr.. Bowtell, because of his distinc,
enunciation and easy manner, made an
ideal interlocutor, and Mr.. Royce-received
many compliments on his happy manner o.
executing the skirt dance.
All who witnessed the performance say
the troupe did remarkably well for home
talent and that is praise enough.