Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-15
ELKS SCORE
GREAT HIT
Their Minstrel Show the Finest Enter
tainment Of the Kind Ever Given
in This City.
Several Acts That Would Do Credit to
Any Professional Organization
Excellent Management.

The best amateur minstrel enter
tainments ever given in central Mon
tana, were those presented by the
Lewistown Elks lodge Tuesday and
Wednesday evenings of this week at
Culver hall. Previous announcements
had led the friends of the Best People
on Earth to anticipate a really first
class show, and we do not hesitate
to say that these expectations were
more than realized in both perform
ances.
One of the largest and most appre.
ciative audiences ever seen in Lew
istown filled Culver hall Tuesday ev-
ening, and, had it been possible, to
secure building with greater seating
capacity, hundreds more would have
been present. The entire seating ca.
pacity Of the house had been reserv.
ed in less than two hours after seats
were ohered for sale Monday morn.
ing.
object Of the Show.
the Elks announced some two
months ago that they expected to pre-
sent minstrel show during the win
ter, and finally 1t was decided that the
show would be given before Christmas,
SO that the net proceeds could be ap-
piled to the fitting up Of a handsome
Christmas tree for the children of
Fergus county. The services of Mr..
10 H. Zimmerman, director of much
ability, were secured to beat the boys
into shape, and, although Mr.. Zim-
merman came down from Helena less
than two weeks ago. the work of his
company Tuesday and Wednesday ev-
enings was such that not one single
individual mas been heard to say
aught but praise for the program and
each individual who took part. The
stage settings were artistically ar
ranged. one very pretty feature being
the brilliant letters B. P. O. E., form
ed by purple and white electric lights,
the emblematic colors of the order,
the letters occupying a space in the
center background, just above the
heads of the rear row Of the chorus.
The opening chorus. written by Mr..
Zimmerman, was peculiarly fitting for
an occasion of the kind, and the
thirty-two voices in the circle made it
ring as the end men cake-walked in
from the wings to their respective po-
sitions, and from the time the Bill
Boys arrived until the curtain rang
down on the final act the whole audi
ence was happy.
Danny Greene, the first soloist,
made good hit in his song, "We1l
Raise the Roof Tonight" the dandy
dancing turn he did with 1t calling for
repeated encores; later in the pro-
gram Mr.. Greene did dancing turn
that took the house.
The two solos sung by DR.. Ralph
Hedges, or Brother Erastus Hedges" !"
as he was introduced by Interlocutor
Frank E. Smith. both pleased the au.
dience, a particularly fine chorus be-
ing rendered for the first of these So
los. entitled. "Under Southern Skies"
Will Higgins found friends in mis- So
10, Just Because I'm From Missouri" I"
1t was sure q great time for the Mis-
sourians and they didn't overlook
the chance to hear song of home,
for they called Will back until he
wouldn't own up any more where he
came from. This number proved a
favorite with others than Missourians,
too.
A. M. Plumb didn't begin to Leave
It to Bill" because IL he had he
wouldn't have had enough verses in
his song to satisfy the demand. Mr..
Plumb is singer, and he did his
character SO well that he became a
favorite from the first.
Walter Knight and Henry M. Rae
eacn had a typical negro song, Mr..
Knights solo being "Shame On YOU"
the title didn't seem to affect the So
loist any as he sang his song WELL
although his voice Is not as strong as
1t should be for song of that char
acter. Mr.. Rae entered right into
the spirit of I'm Jonah Man." and
took the house right with him. Both
Mr.. Knight and Mr.. Rae were encor-
e6 heartily.
One Of the best solos of the evening
was the "Old Church Bell" sung by
Dick Baker. The song itself is a
very beautiful one and Mr.. Bakers
rendition was excellent, the chorus
work also being exceptionally fine.
Every one present was anxious to
go to the water Melon Party" as
sung about by William Henry Smith.
Mr.. Smith is splendid entertainer,
portrays the negro character we'll. and
was one of the stars of the show.
His dancing turn in this solo was just
what the audience liked.
The closing number of the first part
was the solo "Her Boy in Blue" sung
by Harry Yaeger. Mr.. Yaeger's voice
just suited the song. and he made such
a hit that a beautiful bouquet of tur-
nip tops and cauliflower was handed
him before the beginning of the sec.
ond convulsion of the song. The flag
chorus was a pretty feature of the
last chorus of this song.
The Olio opened with hypnotic
demonstration by ]. r. Strothers, the
subjects being number of small boys.
Mr.. Strother and his boys furnished
much merirment for the house.
John b. Ritch's monologue was one
CT the richest (no pun intended)
things Of the night. John came on
the stage riding the Eldridge Shetland
pony, and followed by Hugh wagner's
pet dog. This was enough to start
the fun and Mr.. Ritcn kept things
moving as long as he held the stage.
His sheep herder's monologue was
made up chiefly of local hits, every
one Of which went home. The climax
OF it all was his story in which he in.
troduced the famous song, Go Wash