The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-23
A FOUL SPOT.
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spectacle performance. If this is what
you have prepared for the queens JuD-
alee it is an insult"
Mr.. Woods informed the dean that the
programme was not especially for the
jubilee that it had been given the night
before and would be continued during
the week, with matinees Thursday and
Saturday.
But the dean insisted that he had
been insulted and nothing would ap-
pease him but his 81 80. His son ably
seconded him, and Mr.. Woods paid
over the money, after which Dean Duffy
wrote a receipt for it and went away,
declaring that he would denounce the
performance to every newspaper in the
city
Further than all this, Dean Duffy
talked to a Times reporter about the
incident afteTward, and expressed him
self more fully and in even stronger
terms.
TT was really the most immoral in
decent thing I ever saw in all my life
he said, and you cannot attribute Ian
gEaSe too strong to me IN remuneration
of it I have seen many performances.
but none so positively disgusting. L
am assured now that the performance
was not under the auspices of the jul
bilee association, and am glad to
know it.
I went in there with tFat under
standing The first little play was very
NICE ana the IiSL TWO SONGS the young
woman believe her name is Osborne
sang, were very nice and prettily
done. One was a. cOster song, and we
enjoyed tt-but the last one we posi-
lively could not listen to. I stood it
as long as could, and then we left"
There was some kissing just before
your departure" began the Times re
porter
That was US" said the dean, 1--WE
Kissed We had to do it, it was so
very vulgar.
Why" went on the dean. in a spasm
of description, she sang a song about
another woman who had sung a song
and who lifted her skirts, and then she
went on to tell, as the song went, how
she would DO if she were to sing the
song, and when she turned about
mind you, her skirt stood straight out
and there Was-yOu could see-why it
was the most suggestive of all vulgar
1ty and indecency," he finished CROP
ingly.
A local paper gives the following ac-
count of the performance the night be
fore:
But Merrf Osborne in her "Cbic
French SOngs!' They We're the Chic
est If that be a good word, Kansas
City ever say or heard. Her first was
''Comprenez Vous," in the original
French. 1t must have been wicked
judging by the wink that went with it
Her second number was That's All
and, o, it was wicked. If this is the
theater, YVette GuilbertS songs may
Yet attain a place in the Sabbath
school. It was all about somebody
who sang songs and lifted her skirts
just a little that's an But accord
ing to Miss Osborne she would have
lifted hers thus, that's ALL and it was
sufficient.
o. very naughty it vast The front
rows were in spasms, and one rather
bald-headed gentleman actually rose
where he sat and swung his arms until
his wife pulled him down
But Miss OsbOrne's cOstumei There
day that she wore nothing but a black
satin belt, and they won't bet on the
width oh. yes, she wore black stock
1ngs, too, that ended just above the
knee
Otherwise she was clothed in uncer-
tainty.
Her dress was of black. and in one or
two places was guilty of reaching al
well protected. The skirt reached to
the knee when she allowed it to. There
was only one skirt and it was lined
with red. Her underwear was close of
fit and made of black lace. Beyond that
there was an uncomfortable uncertain
ty that strained mems eyes.
And her wink! Who said anything
about Fissy Citzgerald, or whoever she
was, who was here last winter with a
spasm Of the eye-lid? But it was clever.
and, altogether, it was really wicked
enough to be classic.
This was the speciality that Miss Os-
borne made, or lost, her reputation on
in New York city, and the rest of it is
she says, she has-and uses-a stage
dress that has less cloth in it than the
one she used last night.
I'll tell you a funny story about this
dress" said Miss Osborne when I
took my idea for it to the dressmaI1er
and had described 1t, she asked me how
low I wonted it cut in front. told her
70 cut it as low as she possibly could.
and in the baclI?' she asked. "A little
lower I said"