The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-21

: the voices in the rear.
But my dear sir commenced the
young man. waving the bonnet in the
air as matter of emphasis
'sOut with him. Hang him. put
| him out" came in louder tones from the
back of the house.
The usher grasped him by the shout
der. Il want to explain, almost
screamed the young man. Put him
OUT came the echo from the region
near the door.
Go on" said the usher. as he quick
Iy changed his position to one in the
rear of the offender and gave him
shove. The bonnet waved in his hand
as he plunged forward. and as he tried
to right himself and turn round again
he was given another shove. By
series of shoves he made his exit up
the aisle and through the door. Then
reasonable quiet fell over the house.
The audience was interested. Eyes
were again turned toward the box, but
the young lady and her companion had
disappeared during the excitement The
orchestra resumed playing where it had
left off. The hum of conversation had
started anew.
All this happened Immediately follow
ing the presentation of the curtain
raiser. Her Picture" by the Topeka
Dramatic club at the Crawford theater
last night. In this way the audience
was treated to the plot of My Wife's
Bonnet" the clever comedy that formed
the second part of the evenings enter
tainment. In a few minutes the curtain
was rung up on the comedy. and it
started directly where the demonstra-
ton in the theater had left off.
The young lady in the box was at
once recognized as Miss Nina Thomas,
the Mrs. Topknot" of the play. The
Young man who accompanied her was
Mr.. julius wedding, whose stage name
was unpretentious MIR. Alfred JONES'"
a cousin of Mrs. Topknot." However,
he was a cousin 'tTopknot" had forbid
den his wife to see, and hence her con-
sternation on discovering her husband.
The second young man who was re-
sponsible for all the excitement and was
forcibly elected from the theater was
Mr. Paul Torrington, or in the comedy
plain Mr.. Topknot."
The manner taken of explaining the
theory of the comedy was original and
clever. 1t gave just the proper amount
of realism to the piece.
At the opening of the comedy three
other bonnets identical with that lost
by Mrs. Topknot' and found by her
husband are found to be in existence.
One is in possession of a particular
friend, a Mrs. Appleby.'' who happens
to be in the theater and witnesses the
affair. She makes all haste to Mrs.
TOpknot's" home and leaves her bonnet
with a note of explanation. Mrs. Top
knot returns and before receiving the
note sends out hurriedly for the third
bonnet of a similar pattern. The COM
plications arising from the transfer of
the three Identical bonnets make the
comedy lively and enjoyable.
The seven characters required to carry
out the comedy were particularly well
cast. Mr.. Julius Wedding was as good
as he has proven himself to be in past
entertainments of the club. and he
should be satisfied with this knowledge
Mr.. Joseph Morgan and Mr.. Paul Tor
ringtOn both entered well into the pos
sibiltieS of their parts. Miss Nina
Thomas had the most difficult of the
parts in the hands of the young ladies,
but sustained it to good advantage.
Miss Harriet Jones made a particularly
charming Mrs. Cutwater," and was
easy and graceful in her role. Miss
Mary Moon made the most of her part
as Mrs. Appleby." the bosom friend,
and Miss Daisy Sherman deserves much
praise for her character work as
Fanny" the maid.
The curtain raiser, Her Picture
was well done by Miss VirgiIine Null
vane, Miss Lillian Tefft, Mr.. Adrian
Sherman and Mr.. Frank Bennett. None
of the characters suffered in the re-
spective hands.
Owing to the original intention of
putting on triple entertainment which
was frustrated by unlocked for circum-
stances, Miss Myrtle Davis and Mr..
Dean Low, who have appeared to ex-
cellent advantage in former entertain
ments, were not included in either of the
To- s-kA