Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-09

The Colorea Bellies Of Webst

Friday night, Manager Small being
forced to hang out his S. r.. @. sign
early in the evening. Considerable
curiosity had been aroused as to the
idertity Of the Bellies on aecount Of
the fictitious ii appearing upon
their programs, but the audience was
not kept long ii suspense as the
curtain rose at $3.50 sharp. revealing
the biggest blask flush ever OUT,
eighteen AS black as spades with the
Queen , Hearts seated on a throne
in the center Of a conventional min
strel ring. The sight of so much
black loveliness, or lively blackness,
put the audience in good humor at
the start, and every number on the
program. from the opening chorus
to the last dance, received hearty
applause.
The Jokes which were literally
sprinKied through the performance
were mostly local hits, and We're the
cause of much merrimeul. is is "a
hard thing to spring a gag and get
it off right, but Miss Ethel Sheldon
as interlocutor and Misses Lotte
Rogers Kramer aud A. Maude Alb
bott as end ladies proved t be
equal to the occasion aud filed
their stations as to the manner"
born.
The first number after the open
ing chorus was a solo by Miss Elena
Peabody, Creole Love song which
was rendered n this artists usual
faultless style. She hai TO respond
with IN encore before she was al
lowed TO resume her seat, and favor
ed the audience with "Kentucky
Babe"
Misses Kramer and Abbott then
sang '.Ambolena Snow in a truly
artistic manner and were forced to
respond to numerous encores before
the show could 60 N.
The Belle quartette, made up by
the Misses Peabody, Abbott, Fitch
and Newcombe, filled the next mum
Der with a bea utiful rendition OF
"My Old Kentucky Home which
they repeated by request.
Miss Iva Hedger then sang "Paul-
ine." This was thought by many to
be the best effort Of the evening.
Miss Hedger has a sweet, clear voice
and very charming manner, and her
encore, a lullaby song, was equally
as good as the first.
The first part closed with a chorus
$50 Down Moses"
During the intermission, 4. Ross
furnished a number of selections on
his gramophone, and Miss Kramer
introduced the Bellies mascot, a little
colored boy who came up with
Miss Lawyer from WauDay to see
the show.
The second part was opened by
the Bellies Parade and ''All Coons
Look Alike by the company.
81 want you ma Honey was
mex sa..g by Miss Florence Dickin-
son, who made a decided hit, being
obliged to respond to an Moore.
Miss Lotto Rodgers Kramer then
gave a short Ethiopian story in her
Inimitable manner. This was so
enthusiastically received that she
had to come back with anothe
short coon sketch.
After the chorus, "Hush ma
Baby, Misses Fitch and New
combe sang Don't Forget To- in
a very charming They
could o. get off without an encore
and sang ''Honey, does YOU
Misses Annie Cnilson, Eva War
ner and Gertrude b. Huntington
then sang "Ma' Baby's Come 10
town, and we're forced to repeat 1t.
The entertainment closed with
the pretty coon song and dance,
llogan's ..Pas Ma La" which was
put en- III a manner which would
have been a credit to the author.
rs Mrs. h. A. Miller at the plan 0
bNlnicbEO iuttclC JULIE VIC bbAit
vent up and established herself as
Il favorite with local musicians.
She also played all the accompani-
ments for the songs.
Ihe show was "a success finan
cially as well, the receipts being
an even So aud popular prices, ut
that. Much credit for the success
of the affair must be given the
Bellies manager, Miss Lotte Rogers
Kramer, who devoted herself to
the drill, rehearsing and arrange
mentsof the pr gram.
After the show, II short program
Of waltzes and two. steps was dau-
ced, the Bellies appearing in their
coon make-ups and costumes,
which VIZ will not attempt to de-
scribe oa,y to say .hey were fear
fully and wonderfully made. The
affair broke mp at midnight, the
audience saying they had witnessed
the best MINSTREL show ever pro.