The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-31
Members OF the Nobility Assist I'm
Raising "a Fund for the Restoration
of a Church at Woodstock.
DISPLAY OF PRETTY COSTUMES
CONSUELO IN THE ROLE OF A LADY
OF THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV.
sample of Lady Randolph ChurchilPs
song-sir Henry HayeIOck-Aiian
Probably Slain i'm India.

LONDON, Dec 3O-In aid of the restora-
ton fund of st. Marys Church, Woodstock,
three performances, consisting of tableaux
and theatricals. have been given at Blen-
helm Palace Last night, by invitation to
the tenants of the Du.-o of Marlborough
on the estate; this afternoon. for the coun-
try families in the neighborhood, who paid
half a guinea a seat and tonight for the
gentry, who paid a crown. Special trains
were run from oxford. and the audiences
were large, particularly tonight The en-
tertainment was given in the long library
OF the palace. The heavily nodded white
ceiling, electrically lit the long rows of
red draped book cases. and the silver piped
organ. made a fine setting for the we'll
dressed crowd. The stage draped with red
silk curtains, was erected at the western
end, the proscenium surmounted by the
Marlborough arms in a wreath of Christ
mas greenery, which also depended from
the ceiling.
The performance opened with an organ
overture by Prof. Perkins, of Birmingham,
who composed the music for the musical
burlesque with which it closed. The par
Elephants IN the performance were the Duke
and Duchess of Marlborough, Lady Lillian
and Lady Nora Spencer-Churchil, Lady
Randolph Churchill, Lady Blandford Lady
Curzon and Lady Sarah Wilson and Lord
Chesterfield, Lord Curzon, the Hon. Mrs.
Bourke, Mr. Henry White, secretary to the
United States embassy and Mrs. White,
Mr.. Henry Miner and Mr.. j. Churchill.
The Duke of Marlborough appeared in two
tableaux as Louis XIV, with the Duchess
as court lady of the court of Louis XIV
Both dressed the parts splendidly, the
Duchess being particularly handsome Lady
Randolph Churchill, in a most superb cos
tune, appeared as the Empress Theodore.
1t was the same dress she wore at the ball
of the Duchess of Devonshire. Mr.. and Mrs
White appeared in tableau entitled 1.-The
Eve of st. Bartholomew" Mr.. White as
the Duke of Guise The tableaux won the
heartiest applause. In the last Lord Curzon
appeared as Lord Nelson, the audience
joining in singing Rule Britannia"
A two-act musical burlesque brought the
performance TO a conclusion. Its liDrettist
Is Ian Malcolm, Conservative member of
Parliament for Suffolk, and one of Lord
Salisbury's private secretaries. 1t is
feeble piece, with no plot to speak of but
with some smart lines and songs. The char
acters were sustained by the Duke of MARI
borough made up to represent Uncle Sam;
the Duchess of Marlborough as the COun-
tess of Klondike; Lady Randolph Churchill
in the role of a woman rePoI ter; j. Churchill
as a Chinaman, and Lord Churchill, Ladies
Lillian and Nora Spencer-Churchill and
Hon. Algernon Bourke in minor parts. The
piece contained many political illusions to
Mr.. Gladstone, Arthur Balfour Cecil
Rhodes, Sims Reeves, Beerbohm Tree, En-
peror William and others. Here is a speci-
man from the song OF Lady Randolph
Churchill:
mo subjects too private for me,
I'd fall on a duchess at tea;
The felon in jail,
The millionaire's mail,
They're matter and money for me-"
Here are verses from the song of the
duchess:
"Of course, 1 saw the jubilee,
1t was firing function;
saw the Queen, the Queen saw me,
And bowed with special JUNCTION.
Estate concerts, operas and plays
Innumerable pleased me,
intermingled nights with days
Until the megrims seized me.
"Chorus.
Il am so tired,
Terribly. awfully tired,
think shall die,
/ don't know why,
Except m tired"
This she sang prettily, in sweet, small
voice. She was charmingly dressed and
radiant, and achieved a great success. Lady
Randolph Churchill showed wonderful vi
vacity, acted cleverly, and made hit The
artistic success of the burleSque, which is
entitled AN Idle Hour, - was achieved by
Hon. Algernon Bourke as Boots, his capital
song achieving triple encore. The whole
AFFAIR was very successful. and melted a
considerable sum for the charity.