The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-19
"rhe Flower of the Ranch"

ssThe Flower of the Ranch" which comes to the Jefferson theatre tomorrow matinee and night, is a musical play in three acts, all of the scenes of which have been laid in the rugged west, with colorful and scenic settings of great beauty. The book, lyrics and music of the play have been written by Joseph F. Howard, composer of The Time, The Place and the Girl,' .The Girl Cues tion," Honeymoon Trail," "A Stubborn Cinderella and other successful works, and Is declared to be the best he has contributed to the stage The story Of the play in brief is as follows
 Winding down steep mountain trail fin California a stage coach containing several passengers is overturned and crashes down Into the valley ranch man arrives on the scene and finds but one living survivor of the wreck. baby girl. held fast in her dead mothers s arms. He takes the child and as no papers or evidence of the childs identity can be found. adopts her as his own. Seventeen years later, the child grown to happy and young womanhood and be- loved by everyone with whom she comes in contact, Is tho life os Tcmahawk, struggling settlement in which she has charge of her fathers general store. Jack Farnum. a popular young ramon man, whose possessions are coveted by a scheming sheriff, falls ir love with Flower, as the young woman is known, and complications in which a thisv1ng Mexican aids the sheriff develop. An In- dian chief whom Farnum had befriend- ed assists Flower in thwarting the de- signs of the sheriff and the young ranch man regains the deed to his property, which had been stolen by the Mexican. who in turn has been slain by tne snerli1 whom he tried to betray.
 Of course everything ends happily, but in the development of the story many strong situations and stirring scenes are enacted. Character types true to the locale participate in the action of the play. The musical numbers, of which there are some 20, are logically and nat urally introduced, and . rop,ping. spirit ed chorus of handsome young women, who not only sing. but dance with grace and vigor, add to the interest of an en- tertainment that last season was de- ciared by New York. Boston and Chica- 10 papers to be the most novel and pleasurable of the entire season.
 The Black Patti Show.
 The Fort Worth Star-TcIegram says of the Black Patti show, which comes to the Jefferson theatre Tuesday matinee and night:
 "Black Patti, more conventionally hnown as sissieretta Jones, is in town m her annual VlSlt, tne OIK0rlu8 tiils wear being "A Trip to Africa This year s show is more than a success. It is vin- dication of the negro race, which has long been supposed to be incapable of interpreting It's own native hurAcr stage tradition has come to look on the white negro impersonator as the supreme .ch,evement in coon humor and most negroes who essay stage versions are mere imitators of the white adaptors. Therefore this years offering Is a pleas ant surprise.
 Happy John Larkin Is the author of the piece and though there are evidences of careful study of last seasons New York musical offerings. the piece has an individuality of it's own and great deal of merit. It is spontaneous as the josh ing of the boothlscks in Rneys shining stand and every hit as natural. When seeing the show 1t is hard to realize that 1t is being given by & bunch of paid ne- gro performers It sounds so very much like bunch of coons having the time of their lives with jokes and songs and dancing. And they are having good Ame. The crowded gallery roars with