The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-24
TO STAGE CHILDREN.
SMALL Actors HAVE THEIR An
NUAL MERRYMAkING.
Furnish the Entertainment Themselves
appearance or a Doll In Tony Pastors
Care Upsets One Small singer-DInner
and Presents Provided for Them All.

Care Upsets One Small singer-DInner
n Presents Provided for Them All.
More than 500 stage children, the most of
them SON and daughters Of stage folks,
were made happy last night at the annual
festival held for their benefit at Tony Pas
tors Theatre and Tammany Hall. Every
one Of them went away with a full stomach
and carrying a present.
There was the customary entertainment
by future actors and actresses ranging in
age all the way from 8 up to IA years. Any
body above Ia was considered a fit subject
for the old actors home.
Lillian and Violet Schneider, one 8 and
the other 7, did an umbrella song. The UNI
brellas were closed when the two little
singers appeared on the stage. They were
supposed to open them when it was raining
the hardest in the n The ribs of Lii
lian's umbrella got all tangled up and there
came a hiatus in the storm. The little girl
struggled hard, but the stubborn slide
wouldn't bulge, even when her sister tried
to help her out.
Tony Pastor came to the rescue and he
made it possible for the storm to start
again when he broke two ribs in the UNI
brella and pushed them through the cloth.
But the drops that fell in the storm song
weren't nearly so big as the ones that
trickled down Lillian's cheeks as she trotted
of the stage.
Stephen Atwell Davis. aged 3 years, did a
buck dance. Unfortunately the upper
gallery Of the house was thrown into dis
order just as his act was getting under way
by the lppearance of a man with an armful
Of dolls. Mr.. Davis was obviously disguised
with the exhibition. He turned his back
on the audience and trotted off the stage.
Later he appeared before the footliRhts
with this announcement Il didn't make a
hit. There was no doubt about the success
OF his second appearance.
Robert and Orrella Smith, 4 and S years
old, sang "Waitin' at the Church. That
If, they sang the first part of il, and Robert
did the most of that. Orrella started OFF
well enough, and undoubtedly would have
finished If Tony Pastor. who had been
handing out dolls TO every little girl who
appeared on the stage, hadn't thoughtlessly
stepped out in the wing. He was holding a
big rosy checked one with brown hair
and brown Eyes in his arm.
There was l, there was T." went the
duet, but just then Orrella's left eve began
TO roll in the direction Of the stage wing.
A moment later she stopped altogether. |
II was Just at that moment when Tony
Pastor stopped, 70 pick up something.
AN' = llLhy hNiA llDltI lONhTI the |
stage and her big brown eyes closed. That
was the end of the act, SO far as Orrella was
concerned. She was at the ~showman's
side in about three skips, and IN response |
10 the applause Of the audience stood plant
ing one kiss after another on the dolls
mouth.
EiGht-year-old Ruth Wells was appeal
ing to an imaginary man in the gallery,
her arms stretched out. oh" she was
singing, m didn't mean TO scare
you, come down hero / double dare YOU"
-IWhatn you bet | dassn't," piped up a
little head that appeared above a white
linen collar and a polka dot puff tie, and
ruth directed her appeal to another quar-
ter Of the gallery.
Play a little slower, please said Baby
Vernon TO the orchestra, as he toidled up
10 the footlights in a buck and wing dance.
Ladies and gentlemen, with your kind
attention and with the assistance Of our
handsome leader we will endeavor, &c.
&C." was the nine-year-old Sweeny sisters
way Of announcing what she and her sister
would do.
The feast was served in the basement of
the theatre after the show and the Christ
mas presents were distributed in Tammanv
Hall. II is safe to say that that place saw
more disorder in five minutes last night
as the bundles were picked of the lighted
Christmas tree than il ever has at the most
political gathering.
Last nights celebration was the twenty
third of its kind that has been held. Mrs.
l.. Fernandez, who has nourished the
from q humble beginning in her
HAT, had charge. Among the contributions
one or considerable size from the Police
Department. Commissioner Bingham gave
permission for the inspectors to take up
4 collection in the interest Of the festival.