The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-11
TIGHTS IN CHURCHES
TWO CONVERSATIONS ARE WAR
RING OVER BALLETS FOR
CHARITY BENEFITS
CRITICIsE SHORT SKIRT
One Show n Success, but DeacOns
Refuse Profits, and Sharp Conn
ment on Lack of Attire
Threatens other.

VINELAND. N. T., April 10. = Rather
than use the money raised by skirt dane
ing, the members of the West Baptist
church, OF VineIand, have decided to
forego the luxury of bell in the tower
of their new edifce. 1t is a pretty tenn
pest that is splashing the waves of dis
cord about the pillars of the sanctuary,
whose officials disavow all connection
with the entertainment, which so sur
prised and shocked the staid old worship
ers that they Indignantly refuse to ac-
cept the fund
Girls Dance RewitchingIy.
It all came about in this way: Ths
church was in need of a bell. Frank
Marston, one of the most active mem
bers, decided to have the Juvenile Min
strel troupe, which played at Young's
Pier, Atlantic City, last summer, per.
form here. Many of the church folk
looked upon the troupe as an innocent
entertainment by little boys and girls.
but they were treated to a big surprise.
Winsome maidens well on in their teens
and beautiful of face and form. some in
abbreviated skirts and others in tights,
sang enticingly and danced in a most
bewitching manner. The ballet 50
shocked the audience that some of the
pious matrons, like David Harums sister,
shut their eyes during the performance.
Pastor Refuses to Use Money.
The church deacons- straightway de-
cided not to accept the profits of the
entertainment, which was financially a
big success.
Mr.. Marston, who is seventy years old.
declares he didn't see anything indecent
in the entertainment, and it didn't de-
ceive the people, either.
The pastor, the Rev. c. w. Williams.
hac fV1cn TOD
saying that Marston had no official au-
thority to give the entertainment, and
that the money will not be used by the
church.
Chorus Garb Is Too Scanty.
WEBSTER, ILL.,, April 9.--An Webster
is divided into hostile factions over king
Jellty," the comic opera which Is to
be given Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day evenings of this week at Music hall,
for the benefit of the Universalist church.
The great question which has stirred
the town from center to circumference
is that Of tights and short dresses.
When the opera was first planned the
idea was to include in the cast people
belonging to every religious denomina-
ton in the town.
A large number Of the leading society
people took part in it, and many Of the
most beautiful girls in town appeared
in the chorus and the various groups
of dancers, singers. etc.
society People Take Part.
Edgar A. Bates. son of the million
aire shoe manufacturer, is king Jol.
lily; Mrs. Prentiss Howard. wife of the
WOODEN manufacturer, appears as Cap
tain of the Royal Guard; Mr. E. P
Morton, owner of the linen mills, Is the
Court Jester" and Miss Carrie Brown is
Queen" Miss Katy Howard appears
in solo and skirt dance, and two other
society girls, the Misses Beatrice Davis
and Alice Weaver. do an Irish Tilt.
But after the rehearsals got under way
and the members appeared In their cos
tunes the trouble began. There was a
mighty protest against the tights and
short dresses in which the pretty girls of
the chorus appeared, and against the
abbreviated costumes of others In the
groups. Some Of the more staid and con-
sentative church members protested to
be ''scandalized.'
This trouble was followed by another.
Some members of other churches OBJ
jected to people belonging to their CON
gregations taking part IN the perform
ance.
The result was that some of the people
in the cast began to withdraw from the
performance, and the feeling has been
growing more bitter ever since.
Among those who have withdrawn from
leading roles are Miss Bessie Love,
daughter of the Hon. ]. P. Love, who
sang the Queen of Folly" an import
ant solo part, and Mr.. Clare, who was
the "Hobeau."
Prescribes Length of skirts.
Aside from the "Hobeau" part and that
of ''Nuthens." the maid in waiting, which
are taken by out-of-town singers, the
leading parts are all taken by prominent
society people Of the town
Nearly $50 people are In the cast. OF
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