Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-11-29

L. OK more, uGe hostess "lll do Wen 10
plan some formal entertaining for the
evening. which will he given under the
direction of q college girl or boy verscd in
tho handling OF amateur thcatricals. This
VIII afford an afternoons entertainment.
or the young people will need 10 be drilled
foi he evening performance. Even III this
blase"a@e, young people from Ii To IS thor
ougtily t:.ioy getting w u show"
New England poetry has suffered an
eclipse. and school boys and girls OF to-
day are not SO IL miiiar with Its beauties
as were their fathers and mothers. 1T Will.
therefore, be Solnethiiir OF a novelty If the
hostess arranges a Thanksgiving evening
with Longfellow. prcscntii.e. living pic
lures from his poems dealing with New
England home life.
In preparation for such AN ente.tain-
ment She must have a few stage settisr rs
and costumes. A fireplace or mantel wiz
do for the background of most OF the
pictures. A settle or two. some old
fashioned chairs. dishes and a spinning
wheel will also be useful. For costumes,
paper muslin or calico, in black. gray or
dun color. can be worked cheaply into the
Puritan costumes, together with white
kerchiefs and caps for the women. made
from tarletan or tissue paper: aud for the
men there must be broad-brimnied hats
with cone-shaped crowns. made from
black canvas. and white turnover collars.
Shoes with buckles and long. black hos
lery are worn by the men. with knick y
bockers fulled in az the. knees. Thu cloak
IS round and stin. and. indoors. a doublct
to match the knickcrbockers is worn. The
dresses for the women have no trimming
except a tichu.
III time Is allowed for making tho cos
tune. and some member of the family is
deft at cutting and planning. a very re-
spectacle stage wardrobe can b. produced
at the cost of II couple OF dollars. II The
performance Is given in double parloes.
folding doors may be used instead Of cur
tains: and the effect of the living pc
lures VIII be heightened ii on the sid. OF
the door next to the actors is stretched
theatrical gauze. which is not expensive.
ana gives the effect OF distance TO the
tableauN.
lhtee sets of pictures may be presented :
the tirst scene from the familiar story OF
The Courtship OF Miles Stnndish.r the
second may be q sccnn from .~'cvnugcline.'
ana the third. particularly suited to a fam
lily gathering. should hc The Iancing of
the Crane" AS the later Is laid iathci on
the lines of dissolviag views. Il curtain OF
lark stuff. which can he drawn AMI drop
pea asa-l quickly. viii add to the effect.
1nest living pictures may be separated by
mnsic-a number of Longfel!ow's poems
have been set to melodies. Tho Bridge
The Arrow and the Song" .Th. Rainr
Day" Excelsior and The Omen VIM
dow can be found IN the cheap collections
of o!d-fashioued songs.
The first scenes from The Courtship Of
Miles Standish' will he found undo, The
heading of Part III. The Lovers FL
randi and Part VIII. Tho Spinning
Wheel" The setting for this should he
very simple. with Priscilla Alden seated Ut
the spinning wheel Before the curtain
rises, some one who has been selected as
reader or %reciter. is heard back OF tn.
scenes starting with: so through the
plymouth woods John Alden went Oh his
errand." When ne reaches the line. SO
he entered the house." the curtains rise
slowly and show John Alden IT, the door
way. his hands filled with flowers. The
actors do not speak. but AZ the reader tells
the story they act a pantomine the memoir
able proposal by proxy. ending with tho
famous expression: Why don't you
speak for yourself. John?
While the curtain is down the readcr
recites the opening stanzas OF THE Spin
ming Wheel" and at these words so rs
she sat at her wheel the curtain is raised
to show the second wooing of John Alden,
and again the actors offer their pantorninc,
Interrupted by the messenger, also In
! Puritan costume, who brings word OF
Standeh's death. The curtain fall on the
" lovers plighting their troth.
The picture from .Evangellne" is the
famous betrothal scene Of Evangeline and
Basil. starting. Indoors. warmed by the
wide-mouthed fireplace, idly the farmer
sat la his elbow chair" The curtain rises
to show Evanrelinc ard her father seated