Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-04-23
DEMOCRATIC NORTHWEST, NAPOLEON, o. APRIL 2a 1896

rived for the entertainment Immedi.
ately every one went into the Aladdin Z
cave room except Scheherezade and the
sultan, and heavy pair Of satin cur
tains were dropped, so that they hid the
cave from the sultan's palace.
The sultan lay down upon divan
near the curtains, and Scheherezade sat
beside him upon q satin cushion on the
floor. Behind the curtains the commit
tee busted themselves forming tableau,
those not needed being hidden from
view behind still another pair of cur
tains, which were of a gloriously beau
tiful blue and served as a rich back
ground. Many Of the guests, knowing
that their tableau would not be reached
for some time, passed around and stood
crowding about the doorways of the
hall, to get view Of the FIRST pictures.
Soft music was begun, when, at a
signal, the electric lights in the palace
room were extinguisbed, and the front
pair of yellow satin curtains were
drawn aside, showing tableau Of Sind
bad the Sailor. Mr.. Barnes, peeping
from behind the red curtain. noticed
that as Scheherezade sat on her low
cushion in the now darkened palace
room the rays of an electric light in
the cave just touched q gorgeous ruby
which she wore in her hair. This he
knew at once was the same which Mr..
Mitchell had shown to him, and which
Lucette told him had been presented to
his fiancee
Schehere2ade began to recite the story
Of Sindbad, monologue for the evening
having been prepared which told in a
few words enough to explain the Sc
Quence Of the tableaus. Her voice was
musical and her reading admirable, SO
that very soon there wes silence as Of
death, save as it was broken by her
words, As she reached various parts Of
her tale sbe would clap her hands, and
OF once others entered the scene, group
ing themselves to form new pictures.
Thus sindbad was followed along his
various travels, till at the end the cur
tains were dropped for moment, to be
parted again, showing all who had taken
character,
Then followed o pretty ceremonial.
Sindbad passed out Of the cave room
and approached the sultan and Schehere-
Sade. Reaching them he stopped, made
salaam, bowling low with his arms up
raised i'll front Of him, and then passing
on, taking place in the room and so
becoming part of the audience for the
succeeding pictures. Each Of the charac-
ters followed his example, until all had
passed out, when the next set Of tabieaus
was at once quickly arranged. Again
SchehereZade renewed her recitation,
Thus fable afteE fable was told and
acted, the audience in the palace room
growing larger after each, so that soon
the we'll managed pictures received gen.
erous applause
At last the committee announced that
the fable Of cali Bahia and the Forty
Thieves" would be the next on the pro-
gramme. The parts to be acted by each
were quickly explained, and all was
ready. AS the Forty Thieves were prac-
tically like supernumeraries in spec
tacular play, Mr.. Barnes thought that
he would take any position which he
should choose, and so stood through all
the scenes as near to Ali Baba as posi-
BILE. At last the recitation was ended,
md the signal given for them to form a
line to do obeisance to the sultan. Mr..
Barnes attempted to stand Immediately
behind Ali Baba, and was surprised to
find two other men try for the same
place coincidently. There was a moment
of confusion, and then Mr.. Barnes found
himself In line just between the two
other aspirants for second place behind
the leader.
That what next occurred may be thor
oughly understood it will be we'll to
call accurate attention to the position Of
the various actors The palace room was
practically dark, though light from the
cave room lessened the gloom 50 much
that the figures could be distinguished
cuOuSA w ADON WuegASl u 1uah VI d WO-
man were crossing the floor.
The sultan, Mr.. Van Rawlston, lay on
q divan, not far from the cave room and
facing it. Scheherezade-Miss Emily
Remsep-sat Oh q cushion beside him.
Both Of them faced the tableaus, and it
will be seen at once that from gazing
toward the light If either turned toward
the darkness blindness would result for
few moments. Ali Baba, heading the
line Of Forty Thieves, came toward the
divan Here he stopped, made salaam,
bowling low, bringing his arms up above
the head outstretched in front Of him,
then parting them with a swaying
movement backward he rose erect again.
This done, he passed ON into the darker
part of the room. Next came the first Of
the Forty Thieves, Mr., Barnes follow
ing close behind him. This man made
his salaam, bowling low AS be did 50
there was slight noise. This attracted
Mr.. Barnes attention for a moment,
and his eye wandered in the direction
Of the sound. For the merest part Of
second, however, did his gaze leave the
man before him, and when it returned
he distinctly saw the figure do this; In
making his salaam, when outstretohing
his arms, be allowed his hand to pass
just over the head Of Miss Remsen, who
was looking down, perhaps to become
relieved from the glare Of the other
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