The Daily Texarkanian., 1898-12-30
THE BAPTIST BENEFIT.


The ladies' aid society OF the First
Baptist church, gave their holiday
entertainment last night, for the
purpose Of raising funds to help on
with the building Of their new
church, now under course Of con-
structiou.
The West Side assembly hall was
well filed with the fashionable Of
our city, and many new costumes
we're given an airing for the first
time, if we can Judge by the nestl-
ing Of skirts and the extraordinary
careful way the wearers handled
them. Then the hats, they seemed
to be larger, higher and provided
with more plumes and tips than we
have noticed before, ard the rib
bons and trimmings generally look
ed brighter and stood out more
starchily than usual-in fact the
audience was one of the most fash
ionabte evening gatherings we have
ever seen out at a public entertain
ment, and we felt proud of our
Texarkaua ladies.
The program, with Miss Wirta
Robinson, as the star, was well
selected and carried out in point of
numbers but not as it was printed
owing to the late arrival of mem
bers cast for places on the same.
Mesdames Carter and Sanderson
opened the evenings entertainment
with a vocal duet. These ladies
are great vocal favorites here and
their song was well received and
applauded.
Miss Wirta Robinson appeared
and recited "The Ninuet, " one Of
the best pieces we thought in her
repertoir of the evening. Miss
Wirta has sweet face, a good
form and her poses and gestures,
while they show study, are never
theless graceful and entertaining.
She bids fair to become a great
stage fayorite should she select to
make an actress of herself. In all
of ker songs and recitations she
did well and all showed appreciation
of her talent by frequent hand
clappings,
The Mandolin Glee club was re-
called and made to repeat an in
strumental piece. Miss Louis
Forshee sang a sweet song and re-
sponded to an encore in a graceful
bow.
Miss Lucille Liugard, in vocal
selection, did herself great credit
She is a Texarkana favorite and
her appearance on the stage al
ways brings gladness and sunshine
Mrs, West sang a beautiful song
and was encored and responded.
She has a cultivated voice which is
strong sweet and musical,
Miss Heilbron treated the audi
ence to a vocal solo which was well
received,
The concert was a decided sue
cess both in a financial way and
that of amusement.
While noticing the concert we
wish to pay our respects to the
Assembly Hall again, as it now
offers the only place we have for
such entertainments. We think
some improvements should be made
as now it is deficient both in the
stage aud seating Accommodations
! A few hundred dollars would put
the building in good shape for pub
lie entertainments. The stage
should be raised and new lot Of
benches or opera chairs put in tC
to take the place of those now do
ing service,
This money could be raised by
exhibitions given by the schoo
children, aided by outside talent
aud we would soon have a gooC
hall which is needed by the children
themselves who are marched daily
to this hall and have to occupy the
hard and narrow benches now il
place. Let some one take the ini
tiatiye in this matter aud we will
soon have a good place of amuse'
ment
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