The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-21
Some OF the Wild Adventures OF
a Children's Opera Company

sighted at the end Of the time I men,
toned, however, and the crews Of the
pilot boats and small steamers that sur
rounded us sent up a hearty cheer when
they discovered our boat to be the miss
ing Laura, which they never expect ed to
see again. -
"In South Africa we had an experience
which we were inclined to laugh at later
on, but which at the time was no joke.
After our Durban season in June and
July of 1899, we played at Maritzburg,
and then went to Pretoria, where we were
to have played three weeks. After play
ing there two weeks, some Of the Dutch
| officials gave us gentle hint to get out
before the rush came. -. We got our bag
gage together on four hours notice and
started for Kimberly. We were stopped
at the border town Of Verrigen and
searched for arms, as they wanted all
they could get hold of. We had with us
twenty-four wooden rifles, made on the
model of the net-Henry, and you
should have seen those Dutchmen grab
for them, and also see the look Of disgust
that came over their faces when they dis
covered the dummy guns. We got down to
Kimberly and started our season, when
we were given another hint-hints were
common in South Africa, you will notice
to get to place of safety as soon as pos
sible. So we treked to Mafeking and
Bulawayo, and when things quieted down
returned to Kimberly es
eve played from; the middle of Septem-
Der to the 10th of October, when Mr..
Rhodes gave us hint No. 3 to get out at
once. The warning came at II on the 18th
and at p. m. we were Steaming out of
town. G. A. Pollard stayed to settle up
some business and remained there until
the siege was raised by French's arrival.
All our wardrobe was again sacrificed,
but we were lucky enough to find some
Mikado dresses in Queenstown that had
been used by the amateurs. It was a
great deal Of a makeshift, but the people
knew the difficulties under which we la
bored and any little shortcomings were
overlooked. I happened to have Chi
nese suit I had bought. in Hongkong, and
we cut hat down and 1t answered for the
Chinese part in the piece. In Queen stown
there were no stores at which to buy sup
plies, and such thing as makeup was
unknown, but we managed to overcome all
difficulties, at least the most serious ones.
recollect that my sister was playing the
piano and had to use a shawl to let one
OF the children use her bodice for the
part of Lady Constance.
Taken all in all, never saw the chill
dren give a better performance of s"The
Ge1sha,' for they entered into the spirit
OF the thing In earnest, and our business
III queenstown was something immense.
We stayed In South Africa until Jan. "a,
| when we returned to Australia, after an
| absence of four and one-half years. We
| then took our ninth trip to India and re-
turning by the way Of Hongkong, were
advised to play Manila for a couple of
weeks. We tried it with the result that
we cancelled our Queensland engagements
and stayed there for two months, packing
the Gorilla Grand opera-house, the swell
amusement place Of Manila This was our
first time before an American audience
and we were advised to try America. Ac-
| cordingly plans were laid for an Ameri-
can tour, and our first engagement was at
! the Tivola opera-house in San Francisco.