Evening star., 1909-04-25
THE CHILDREN's THEATER.
Zip Van Winkle as Played by Scis
sorS and Glue-Scene l.

[For the cat.out theater and characters see
page OF the comic section.l
The rain was coming down in tor
| rents and Dame Nature looked bleak
and forlorn. But in the nursery by the
large fireplace, where sizzled and cracked
cherry log fire. sat Betty completely
absorbed in a new book.
Suddenly she called. Jack. do come
here. This is the loveliest book. It's a
real theater and we can perform the play
with our scissors and glue"
Sure enough" exclaimed her brother,
land it's dear old Rip Van Wrinkle, too.
Betty, you've never seen Rip Van Wrinkle,
have you? When father took me you
| were Ill. A great actor named Jefferson
played 1t, and can tell you it was fine.
ane. I'll tell you about the play while
we paste them
AL right" said Betty, that will be
fun. I've often heard OF Rip Van Wrinkle.
and I'm going to read the book some
day soon.
", - Jack began. "A long time ago
in ar old Dutch village that lay at the
foot of the Katskill mountains lived Rip
Van Wrinkle"
"Our Katskill mountains, Jack? Do you
mean by the Hudson river?" interrupted
Betty.
"Yes, just there" answered Jack rip
WIS a very lazy fellow and liked better
to fish and hunt than to work. SO his lit
tie house and farm land were not we'll
taken care OF, and looked very dilapidat-
ed. Rips wife was dreadfully vexed at
his slovenly ways and gave him many
a scolding. But even though he neglect
ed his family, he was great favorite
with every one in the village, and all the
children loved him dearly. He used
to frolic with them and wherever he
went he was always surrounded by q
troop Of merry boys and girls"
oh, yes. 1 see," cried Betty, this
very picture shows him with the chill
dren'
Now you know Rip" Jack went on.
Tets tart the play with this first scene.
l remember it all plainly now. Betty.
broken fence and trampled down all the
cabbages that Rips hard-working wife
had tried to raise. Rip was away. as
usual, lounging about the village. and
Dame Van Winkle came running out to
find him and drive him home.
''She is No. 1 and must be pasted, ac-
cording to the small diagram at the cor
ner Of the page, right near the big tree at
the left OF the stage. and In front OF 1t
we'll paste the two village gossips No. 2.
The little girl. No. 5, comes next. just
ahead of the Dame Van Wrinkle, with girl,
No. 4. ahead of her."
''Who is that stout man, No. 5, Jack.
who seems to be so Important" asked
I5eIIy.
"Oh, he's the burgomaster," Jack re-
piled. II know him by his costume.
He's the mayor Of the town. you know.
and he's to be pasted on the stone In
front of the door to the inn. for he's
talking to Nicholas Vedder. No 9. the
keeper of the inn. who must be put In
the doorway as IL he were leaning out"
IT'S a double door," said Betty, land
the upper half is open.''
''Yes. they are in all Dutch houses"
Ton1 b dot cd all "a
the group. No. :, SO that the first man
with the pipe Is seated on the old green
bench I believe that little man at the
end of the group is Derrick Van Bum
mel"
"Oh, what a funny name" laughed
Betty But. Jack. who is he. and how
do you know that Is the one?' She
added.
HE was the schoolmaster, and l re-
member he was a little chap. The
story tells that. although he was small
he was never daunted by the biggest
word in the dictionary
las il only enormous people could
use enormous words.' said Betty,
Strengthening herself quite proudl:-.
THE little girl, No. g. goes just ahead
of, No. 4, and little lower than the
burgomaster. No. ). but right i'm front
of him. we must paste the children, No
o." Jack went on. Then comes the
dear old fellow himself. Rip. No. TO-
right In the center Of the stage"
'Oh. 1 see.'' cried Betty. '.how the
boys and girls loved him.
mo. II belongs to the left of Rip
with Wolf. No. IL, scampering close by.