The evening times., 1897-12-27

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Of the bs hes a nd shckffPgs of stageland
was given last night, and during the first
hour Of this morning, 1t, Tony Pastor 5
Theatcr and in Tammahy Hall. And II
was great. 1g
You know how teaHy good baby actor
pleases. We'll, think of all the leading
baby actors and actresses and child actors
and actresses, from three years up to four
teen. dancing and singing before an audi
ence made up of $50 other stage tots and a
great ma ny proud grown-aps. and you have
the show. in Pastors last evening.
And after the show and during 1t, 40.
the children received gifts which they had
picked out beforehand as just the things
they longed for. After that they We're
treated to the nost delightful eat ables that
ever gave an infant prodigy Indigestion.
and still later-in Taminany HaH-they
danced and capered and sang and played
together till tile sand man made their pretty
eyeiids heavy and they were carried off to
bed.
This annual festival was q marvel Of good
management The children, leading in
fants, ar d babes, having hard time in
the struggle for popular favor; tots with
nerves like veterans, and lisping toddlers
OF the footiigkts, who haven't outlived their
uDeasiness yet-ail these were made happy.
The generous, thoughtful women and
men-the women take precedence here
who carried it through 80 happily received
in full measure the only re ward they sought,
in seeing that during the hours OF the fes-
tivai the children OF the stage lived In fairy
land and found never q delusion.
Mrs. Antonio Pastor, A unit Louisa Ed
ridge and Ers. e. L. Fernandez were the
chief workers. In arranging to meet the
heavy expenses which this festival. SD
rich in gifts entailed. as in planning ,he
details of the entertainment. they were es
tireless as they were successful.
In their labors oil love they were assist
ed by the Following: Miss Beatrice More
land, Miss Kenyon Bishop, Miss Ricca Allen.
Miss Ruth Royal Miss Emma Field. Miss
Annie White. Mrs. Vivian Bernard, Mrs.
Queenie vassar Lynch. Miss Marguerite
sylvia, Miss A Dnie Robinson, Miss Marie Hill
ton, Miss Laura Burt. Miss Emelie Melville.
Miss A melia Bingham. Miss Bijou Fernan-
dez and Miss Edith Kenward.
To each perfor n.er Mrs. Pastor presented
some article OF JeweIry-rings. watches,
bracelets. necklaces, all OF sterling make.
Tony Pastor making tn" presentations as
the toddlinG performers completed their
turns" There were many liberal cou-
tribu.ors to the FUND which provided the
four hundred. odd gifts which were .leat
out TO all OF the children after the per-
r. f.r
sent by Mr.. ElGridge 7. Gerry, Mr.. A. II.
Huumrl and Mr.. Joseph jefferson.
The demand Of the piaygoing public for
seats could bcmet but indiffereRtly for the
stage children and dtlIeirrelntives es had mort
gage onneaHy all Of thfrseats. 1t vas .lieir
show and nothing was allowed to int :rfrre
with their full enjoyment of it.
In the boxes and the house during the
evening were Nat. c.. Goodwin, Ca nile
D'Arville, Maxine Elliott, Joseph Jefferson.
8. Miller Kent. Perugini and others II
:,rown-up stageland. Mr.. A. H. Hun:n,l
and many other prominent patrons IL the
play who know and value tue annual
festival, were also present.
Mrs. Pastor, Aunt" Louisa Eldridge,
and Mrs Fernandez, with Mr.. Pastor and
Harry g. sanderson, were the recipients
OF smiles and thanks frum tile children all
The program was wonas; kood from
the start. Little Miss TcIf1 limitation Of
Anna Held-fancyani infant singing Won't
You Come and Play VIE Me?"-was re-
ceived by murrnurs OF wonder. One Won
dered that SO small q head could contain
such immense Initiative faculty. for the
infant made one fancy he saw Anna Held
well. say, twenty years ago.
Then there was Master Ralph" OF Nat
Goodwin's company, who, as colored in
FAINT, strobe to the center of the stage and
said:
my mother-in-law fell Ill. got
doctor. Doctor said: You must send her
to a warmer climate went out to the
got an ak, came back. handed 1t
to him, and said: Doctor, You hit her,"
Little Ruby" Of E. 8. willard's com
pany. journeyed over from Philadelphia
to do a turn. She was one of the hea uties
Of the evening, and was really childish
and charming in manner. Tony Pastor pre-
sented her with doll almost as big as she
Is when she ha d done, explaining that Nat
Goodwin sent it, and that IL was a repre-
sentat tion OF Rose Coghlan in THE White
Heather" made by Miss Coghian herself
FOR the Professional womap's League, and
bid in by the comedian.
AS the child was about to take il from
Mr.. Pastors hands, a toddler, who was a ctu-
lilly shorter than the doll, ran across the
stage, and bore 1t off, amid roars OF laugh
ter. Little Ruby recovered it, and
bowling low, said she would give it
,ousing kiss as soon as she gained ! er
vennie Wells, o babe who came from San
Francisco with THE First Born" did a
tough" sketch which many of the ma
.urer tough girl" artists Of the stage would
10 well It. study.
The others on the bill were Walter Leon,
Beatrice Verona, the Runkels, Ioline-l
mere Aby sporting high hat, a light over
coat, a stick ard a vesta Tllly swagger;
Louise Allen, Sadie Jacoby, Wee We
Cubit, Clara Missall, ReDie Humphreys and
Anna Wilkes. Miss Wilkes was the biggest
infant in the lot and VIII do in company of
any age.
And there was Baby Lii. who Is six years
Did, and who made five minutes adj
iress on behalf Of the little stage folk.
Aunt Louisa EIdridge. Mrs.
Pastor, and others, talking with perfect
ease aud sen-possession in spite OF in
serrupting applause. That tot could
commit SO much to memory and emphasize
il properly, as Baby Ial'' did. was one of
he wonders Of the festival. Others exc.
,uted marvellous high kicks and skirt
1ances. ,.
banquet was seryedin the basement OF
ramTnany Hall after the show, and when
he stage babies couldn't eat any more and
'tlIl looked forwaIg 70, future successes
hey were escorted tp the main hail. where
hree immense Chnstu2s trees awaited
hem.
These were heavy with such fruit as
oanios. critters. nandoIlns, sk kates, books,
watches, rings sleighs. and toys OF all