The Portland daily press., 1896-09-03
AUBURN'S PARADA.
An Entertainment Which Caused Mild
Sensation in Shoe City.

| oensdtiOn In Sn0e City.
1t Was Given Underline Auspices If Y. MI.
G. A. and Drew Poorly at First but
Audiences Grew Larger Nightly.
. ESPECIAL TO THE PREss,T
Auburn, Sept. "A spectacular enter
tainment advertised as the Grand Parada
which gave the final performance in a
series of four last night has created a
mild sensation among the good people of
this town, to speak in conservative
way.
The show was given under the auspices
of the 7. NJ. 9. A, and the actors in
oluded $50 of the young ladies and the
children of the city, who themselves or
| their parents were connected with the
different churches of Auburn.
The show was innocent enough in itsel
and n really rather pretty affair, but
whether it was just the sort of thing
for religious organization to father
there seems to be grave doubts in the
minds of those who saw 1t through even.
The professor who trained those who
took part in the Entertainment came
to Auburn several weeks ago and made
proposition to present the piece under
the auspices of the Y. NJ. G. A. to the
officers of that institution. In answer
to inquiries he assured the gentlemen
that there was no dancing in the specta-
Gle and that it consisted chiefly of tab
lsau and music. He would put it on the
Auburn hall stage, train the children and
young ladies' and take half the net pro-
ceeds as his compensation. After some
elaboration it was decided to trade
with the professor
The latter drew up an iron clad con-
tract with the Y. M. Q. "A. people which
was duly signed by the Ulcers. After
the trade had been made the professor
asked If he could introduce minuet into
the performance and he was told with
considerable asperity that as that was
dancing it couldn't be countsnancsd
aIhhute.
| The professor acquiesce suavely in the
verdict but when the rehsarsals began
the young ladies found that they had
been inveigled into mild sort of bal
let and that the skirts they were expect
ed to wear We're rather abbreviated.
| Forthwith a protest went up. 1t was
so earnest that a delegation waited on
| the president of the Y. NJ. G. A. and
informed him of the nature of tho show
he was giving and wanted to quit
| That settled it and the gentleman in
formed the manager chat he might stop
| right where he was
| The professor produced his contract and
it was found that the show must 90 ON
| or the ASSOCIATE on must recompense the
holder with liberal sum.
This put another aspect on the affair
and after some sparring the spectacle
was toned down bit, the girls, those
that wanted to, were allowed to lengthen
their skirts an inch or two and the
Parada was given as advertised Saturday
night.
The performance hadn't been given the
advertising its merits entitled it from a
spectacular point of view, and the audi
ence was slim, consisting mostly of peo-
pho who had been given free tickets and
those who thought they ought to encour-
age the association to the extent of half
dollar
The show consisted of dozen different
kinds OF dances given by big girls and
small, clad in really pretty costumes,
set on by spangled curtains and lime
light effects. Some Of the songs border ed
slightly on the vaudeville and the dane
ing with which they were accompanied
great deal more so. /. A couple of mid
gets essayed a dance In tights and the
Amazon march was given by young Ia
dies in short skirts in manner that
would have done credit to the training
Of Prof Edward Evangeline Rice.
The audience was dazed, the religions
part of it anyway, and it was mostly of
that character. They thought it must
be- all right because the Y. NJ. O. A.
gave 1T and yet it was dancing sure
enough
The show got advertised by word of
mouth much better than it had by the
professors handbills and the audience
began to improve. Young men cam |
from Lewiston in hordes and the profess
sors' golfers swelled raIidly. incidentally
of course SO did the Y. M. @. A. treas. |
ury, but every silver oartwheeI that |
dropped into the till made heavier the
hearts of the association off GERS. The
thing was carried out as Advertised but
next time any professor comes to Auburn
with show to be given under the aus
pices of the Y. M. g. A. he will have to |
give dress rehearsal before any con- |
tracts are signed.
Races at Ellsworth