The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-11-16
AT THE ARMoRY LAST NIGHT
The Best Ever

The Days, man and wife, held the
boards at the aunOry last night and
held them so well that for two hours
there was not a dragging moment in
the program Of their approximations.
Before Mr.. Day began telling the high
art Of story telling and the different
definitions attached TO same, Allen W.
Bridges, the clever manager OF the ly-
ceum course, appeared on the stage
and apologized for making an an
nouncement as he thought he had
turned this job down for good. Much
merriment. Mr.. Bridges wanted to
say that on November 21st, under the
auspices OF the Ocala Library AssO-
citation there would be given an en-
tertainment in the armory by an AL
kahest attraction. That the lyceum
course would only give one entertain
ment in December and then the next
one would be on the End day Of JAN
uary, 1908. He retired so embarrassed
and his face suffused with bushes
that he introduced Mr. Day but forgot
his handsome wife. which little
omission Mr.. Day quickly corrected.
MIR. Day intimated that with their en-
tertainment they would give some lit
tie instruction. but as little as possible,
though the story telling might take
two Days" to tell it. The story, strik-
ing characteristics OF the Days en-
tertainment were the delineation of
character by facial expression. with
out scenic effect and so highly artistic
were these efforts that ripples of
smiles, laughter and even shouts of
merriment swept over the audience
room during the evenings entertain
ment. Mr.. Day possesses the art of
direct and indirect story telling. His
first was the Englishman's story of
the dress that had to be washed. but
he got il taking a bath. Then Mrs.
Day told the love Of a ten-year-old
boy for his Sunday school teacher, be-
cause he being the only boy at home.
was neglected and all the love of his
mother was lavished on the other
children. How he would leave home
never, no never to return, with a dime
his ride to the end of the street car
line. his long walk into the country;
how his courage oOzed out, his reso-
luton wilted and he returned home,
stealing into the house unseen. crawl
ing under the bed, burying his nose in
the carpet and sObbing his very life
out because there was no love for him
at home. His little baby sister spied
him in his hiding place, told mama,
who rescued him from his impending
destruction and as a mother only can
restored his to life, home and hap
piness. Oh it was an exquisite rem
dition and life-like production of a
scene that touched all hearts.
Mr.. Days rendition by a makeup
on the stage of Bill Hoosier. the ac-
tor a man of 25. the makeup Of man
of 60. repeating the story he heard
drummer tell in a country grocery
store Of how Thompson not Johnson.
The story Of the wounded soldier on
the battlefield of Antietam OF Shiloh.
couldn't remember which. in the leg
and had to be carried off the field of
battle, which was done by his head
hanging over the carriers breast and
as he was trudging along with his bur-
den a cannon ball came along and took
off the head of the man. but the car
rier oblivious of the fact, until he met
his captain. who stopped the carrier
and wanted to know what he was do
ing. told his story, when the captain
said, why you are carrying a dead
man, headless 10 the rear. when he
threw his burden to the ground and
remarked. he thought the man was
wounded in the leg and not the head.
Now the perfection Of the story teller's
art lay in the way the facial makeup.
squirt OF eye. pose Of hand on chin.
expression Of uplifted vision and the
right squirt of tobacco juice and the
wiping away Of stray drops from his
lips was perfection itself and 50 real
istic that some OF the male audience
were fairly convulsed. 1t was high art
sure. with an every day subject His
imitation Of Paderewski on the piano
was burlesque mounted on superlative
absurdity. Then followed the stirring
little comedy of the wife who per-
mitted a modiste to ruin her peace Of
mind by inducing her into extravagant
habits and overstepping her allowance
for dress-s0e pounds Her efforts TO
conceal the fact from her husband.
the visits Of the dunning letters, her
realization Of impending disgrace. etc.
but which fact her husband discovered
ythe bill being presented to him and
which he paid without a word Of COM