Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-10


But she's been the dearest dolly TO a
loving little girl.
She's not so fine and stylish, nor so
handsome as the rest,
But OH / think 1 really love my old
doll best"
It was an old, old dolly with shah
by torn dress--such little bit of g.
dolly, and yet they made her queen Of
1.-THE Toy Shop
She was chosen from among two hun
dred dollies who met at the Mason
opera house last night, the poorest doll
in the whole shop and yet a queen
worthy to rule twice that number.
Never was toy shop so stocked with
rare beauties as those the society folk
gathered to see last evening. 1t was
u sight Angelenos will long remember
as one Of the most beautiful ever seen
OH any stage.
Dolls-hundreds of them, of every
size, color and nationality, in the dainti-
est of dainty gowns. Lady dolls and
Jap dolls, candy dolls, marked down
dolls, gingerbread dolls, French dolls,
Dutch dolls, tin soldiers and wooden
soldiers, marines from Noah's ark, an
entire brass band, a company of Amer
lean beauty dolls, three little Jacks-in-
Beautiful Scene Follows Act
Catchy songs, graceful dances, and
Beautiful costumes without number
made the performance a delight from
beginning to end. The children had
been wonderfully trained and none of
the flaws usually visible OH the first
night could be found in THE Toy
Shop"
.e, LIT To-,
old toy maker who is discovered work.
ing away at his bench, mending and
patching the disabled dollies. and sing
ing as he works. In the boxes along
the walls the dolls are standing as
peaceably as any properly. constituted
dolls might be expected to stand. Be-
hind the curtains there are more dolls,
little dreaming Of the pleasure that is
in store for Them
The toymaker notices the hour; 1t is
midnight, and he hurries off as the
clock strikes. When he is safely out
of the way the Time Fairies come down
of their wands bring all the dollies and
toys to life.
Four Hours dressed in spangled black
appear with the twelve little fairies,
who are all in red. Together they sing
and dance. Each one of the Hours
offers to contribute the time which she
owns and the dolls all promise not
to tell. Four hours of bliss they are
to have. -Four hours in which they can
talk and be just like other people.
Dolls Hold ReveI
The question arises as to who shall
be queen of the revel. The Paris doll
considers herself highly eligible be-
cause of her social prestige; the soldiers
of the tin and wooden variety favor
military rule, while the jacks-in-the
box, being rabid anarchists, loudly
defy law or order Of any sort; they
are taken in charge by the tin and
wooden soldiers and punished with "a
bath, shave and hair CUT
During a sudden storm which comes
up, giving an opportunity for the
graceful Shower sextet, the Noah's
Ark people float in followed by a
doughty lot of mariners, the Toy
Shop battalion of wooden soldiers ac-
companied by the military band also
hurry in under cover, and the merri-
ment is at full height when the curtain
drops on the first act.
When the curtain again rises two
hours are supposed to have elapsed
and a ball is in progress, winding UP
with an old-time country dance. Then
the question of queen again arises,
finally at the suggestion of the fairies
little mortal child is brought in to
decide the choice and she selects the
Oldest and tipiest OF all the dolls to be
the queen.
The entrance OF this little sovereign
is attended with an elaborate pageant;
dances, songs, marches follow in quick
succession and the stage is vivid with
color and motion; all the entertainment
hot he lie off
the little queen and all is going on mer-
rily as a marriage bell, when the stroke
of the clock on the hour of four warns
them that the festivity is over and
the dolls again transformed into their
normal condition by the magic of the
fairy wands automatically return to the
shelves and cases, while the fairies tip
toe back into the clock. The old toy
maker again appears ready TIC begin
his days labor. He feels an electric
current, a something in-the air that he
can neither comprehend nor define,
while the familiar strain of an old song
comes family to his ears from the old
clock in the corner.
George Stamm was the toy maker
and his voice is especially well suited
to the part
Some clever character work was in
troduced by Clarence Howes as
Dr. P1llSly, the physician Win pur-
pie pills for pimpley people," The doc
tor was called in to prescribe for the
poor old rag doll, who was losing some
Of her Sawdust.
Miss Mercedes De Luna was the rag
doll and she did several very clever
dances. 1t did seem a pity to think
Miss De Lunas own face could not be
seen but she was so clever in the COM
edy part that we pardoned the dis
guise.
Miss Maud Reese Davies was the
Japanese maid and she had six charm
ing little Japanese dolls as attendants.
Her cherry blossom song and the
chorus by the little dolls was de-
lightful feature. Miss Davies costume
was handsome Japanese kimona Of
red satin deliberately embroidered in
gold and her brunette beauty suited the
part especially well.
French Maid and Soldier Boy Love
Miss Louise Nixon Hill was petite
and charming French doll in costume
which might delight the heart Of the
Frenchlest OF dolls. Miss Hills fresh
sweet soprano voice was a decided adj
I..rn