Smyrna times., 1898-06-08
MASQUERADE SPELLING BEE.
SchooImaster LeFevre Holds w. c. 7. U.
Night School at the Opera House.

SchoOImaster LeFevre Holds W. c. 7. U.
Night School at the Opera House.
There was fun and jollity at the
Opera House on Monday night,
when the w. G. T. U. Night School
met for an evening session under the
tutorage of an old-fashioned peda-
gogue, SchOolmaster LeFevre. There
were a number of distinguished pupils
in the school, in fact there were more
scholars than there were desks and
seats. The schoolmaster was over
whelmed with the opening session, and
in his endeavOr to be kind and gentle
to all, the pupils took advantage of his
indulgence and there was "a hot time
i'll old school that night" He didn't
want to favor part of the scholars by
giving them seats, so to be impartial,
he made all stand up throughout the
session.
The schoolroom Opera House stage)
was beautifully decorated for the oc-
casion in flags and national colors,
streamers of bunting being tastfully
festooned all about the stage making a
beautiful effect from the audience. But
this was one occasion where the dec
orations of the stage took a second
part to the actors, for it was the cos
tunes of the latter that attracted the
attention of the spectators. Every
pupil was masked for the occasion,
some in the most grOtesque forms i'm
aginable. It was this feature alone
that made the school laughable one.
1t caused many conjectures to be
raised as to who the different ones
were and some were never found out
until they were unamasked after the
performance. Each pupil likewise took
an assumed name. There were among
the list such noted personages as Ad-
miral Dewey, Miss Ruth AshmOre,
Mrs. Joshua Billings, Uncle Sam,
Mrs. Alden, Josiah Allen, Miss Rose
Elizabeth Cleveland, Hon. Thomas
Bracket Reed. When the name of
Grover Cleveland was called out, and
no one responded to his name, some
one in the audience yelled out: "He
has gone a fishing" This broke the
spell and set the audience in a storm
of laughter. Among the pupils were
five ''spOOks" dressed in white, taken
by Misses Mary Anthony, Bertha
Smithers, Katherine Beckett, Edith
Beck and Mrs. L. NJ. Price. Two
cOmical characters known as "Rice and
TapiOca Pudding" were taken by J.
Allison Start and John S. Anthony re-
spectively. Many of the impersona-
tiOns were most excellently taken.
Noticeable among the number were:
"Queen Victoria taken by Mrs. Kate
E. Smithers, president of our local
W. G. 7. u; "ThOmas H. Haynes"
by Frank E. POstles; big fTom Reed
by John p. Hudson; "Uncle Sam" by
Walter Hynson; "Josiah Allen, L.
NJ. Price; "Ruth Ashmore," Miss Ella
Smithers; dolly Madison" Miss
Arie HynsOn; admiral Dewey" Gill
bert S. FAIRIES; "Samatha, Miss Bett
| Smithers; Patience Jenkins" Mrs.
w. o. Hofeeker.
1t was the first night of school and
knowing there were no lessons pre-
pared, the schoolmaster changed the
program into literary and musical ex-
ercises, leading off with some prelimi-
nary remarks. After this he called the
''class in music" together. Columbia,
the gem of the ocean, (AIrs. Marion
| COverdale) was the first pupil to re-
pond and she made her Salute to
Bunker Hill' amid a round of ap-
plause. Her costume was the flag of
the true and the brave.
Harvard '98" Frank HynsOn)in cap
and gown made his bow and rendered
a solo on the flute. ''Lygia" the hero
inc of Quo Vadis, Miss Edith Beck
and the celebrated Lillian RUSSELL
Miss Alice Beck followed with an en-
tertaining duett, entitled LA Pre-
miere Danseuse. Columbia" APP
peared again before the footlights with
a solo "Was it Fair" and the class in
music finished their program with a
medley of national airs, by the popular
and charming princess Bonnie, -
Miss Bertha Smithers).
SchOolmaster LeFevre's head was in
whirl of excitement by this time,
with the continual buzz of his unruly
school, and in order to fill out the
evening session, he endeavor to inter.
est all his pupils by having them par.
ticipate in an old-fashioned "spellina
bee. ." He proceeded to call the roll Of
the distinguished scholars, and as eacl
name was called they appeared in mas
querade form, made their bow to the
audience, and took their places in line
1t was a cOmical and amusing sight
and the schOOlmaster smOle a smile Oi
satisfaction, as he stood before hi,
large number of pupils and began to
PROFOUND the words of his spelling bee
He began with easy words, a when
sufficient number had fallen out, b,
formed two sides, and started the tug O
war. In low gutteral tones he free
the words at them. Down they wen
one by one. It seemed for time tina
the few who stood up were meeting tht
situation very calmly, but Schoolmas
ter LeFevre did not propose to be out
done and he fired volley after volley
until one side fell completely out, anC
but three ofthe winning side remained
Finally two of them went down, anC
Mrs. Alden" Miss Annie Middleton
stood the victor of the hard Tough
contest. SchOOlmaster LeFevre pre-
sented the winner with a boquet o.
roses. Not wishing to be unpopula
with the rest of the school he sort o
equalized the condition of things b.
presenting the first unfortunate eric,
Pudding" (John Anthony will
another boquet, a bunch of clover. H,
dismissed the w. G. T. U. Nigh
School after all had joined in singin,
''Auld Lang Syne."
The Ladies' who had the entertain
ment in charge feel that they hav
some apologies to make, owing Il
some unforeseen circumstances such q
sickness, ETC., which interfered witt
the program as they had previously ar
arranged. The quartette especial,
was a missing link in the program
Notwithstanding this fact the enter
tainment was q success in every way
and the W. G. T. U. ladies' feel CRATE
full to the people for giving it theii
hearty support. The proceeds amount
ed to $40 which will go to the benefi
of the "Williard Temple" a magnifi
cent structure which is to be dedicated
to their late National and Foreign
President