The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-10-27
Entertainment for Benefit of the
Unitarian Church Proves a
Great Success.
MAN GETS PLENTY OF ROASTS
Crowded Opera House Laughs at Uni
que ContOrtions of Society Women
and Cheer Local Hits.

/ Kenosha has joined with the other
country towns in the county and has
had her cold Maids Convention, !"
and it was given for the benefit of the
Unitarian church at the Rhode opera
house Tuesday evening. It was
bowling success, in fact the great
audience which filled the house was
bowling most of the time at the
grotesque actions of the score of well
known ladies who elected to take
upon themselves the burdens of the
sold Maid" in order to raise money
for the uses of the church.
The entertainment was the only one
of the kind ever given in Kenosha and
, the people who witnessed it will long
hold it in memory. There were lot
OF local hits perpetrated by the diff
ferent players and the fact that they
went straight home was shown by the
great applause of the audience. Of
course the appearance of some of the
ladies on the platform in the guise of
old maids must have been a sad slam
on the ability of Kenosha to produce
real "Maiden" ladies, but the girls
who weren't on the stage were in the
audience and they took the imper-
sonations in good part.
The entertainment opened with
convention of the "Kenosha Single
B1essedness Debating Society,"" over
which Mrs. H. S. Brown, who bore
the high sounding name of Cynthia
Lucinda Blue Stocking, acted as
chairman, Miss Verran, who was Pa-
ella Abigail Hodge, as secretary, and
Miss Cora Frantz, who was y'cleped
Calamity Jane Higgins, as treasurer.
The women, of course, made the con-
vention as ridiculous as possible and
they certainly succeeded in this way.
In the list of old maids in the con-
vention there were many high sound
ing names. One of the best features
of the entertainment was the display
of costumes, most of the women wore
dresses which had been worn by their
grandmothers years ago. These old
time clothes presented a very pretty
picture and added no little charm to
the meeting.
After the opening of the meeting
and the reading of the minutes Miss
Tessie Jackson, who was Sophia
Stuckup, read an essay on "Woman's
Rights" which was a take-off on the
howl that is usually supposed to be
set up by the old maids for their
rights. Mrs. John Perkins then sang
in charming manner ''No One to
Love Me-" the other ladies on the
platform joined in the chorus with a
will.
Then Miss Verran, who made a
spendid gigg1ing secretary for the
convention, read the Matrimonial
Market, and the we'll known young
men of the city all got a roast.
These roasts were the most clever
things IN the entertainment and Miss
Verran got the applause of the audi
ence.
Mrs. 0. L. Ternary proved to be
one of the moving figures in the con-
vention, and her impersonation of
Rebecca Rachel Sharp was one long
to be remembered. Mrs. TrenarY de-
claimed a "Psa1m of Marriages.
which was witty take-off of Long
fellows psalm of Life" The petit
ton to congress, which was read by
Mrs. George Melville, was one of the
best things of the evening and evoked
many laugh from the audience.
Miss Lois Northway, who was
charn1ing1y natural in the role of
Violet Ann Rugg1es, then read an
original poem and Mrs. P. C. Torrey
gave similar production.
This part of the entertainment
closed with song by the sisterhood,
''Why Don't the Men Propose?'
The convention was closed with
debate on dress reform, in which the
parts of the debaters were taken by
Miss Daisy Lane and Mrs. Trenary.
The debate was the best number on
the program.
After the close of the convention
there was a grand transformation
scene, IN which the old maids turned
back to youth again. DIR. C1app, who
was III charge of the transforming
machine, proved to be one of the best
"O1d Grannys' on the platform. The
transformation scene ended with
musical and literary program, in
which the numbers were furnished by
Perdita Dewey, Mrs. Frank Truax,
Miss Ramona Paddock and Mrs. H.
E. Tanner.
Miss Bessie Stebbins presided at
the piano during the entertainment