River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-03-03
The National Pageant
Home Talent Productions Given Under the Auspices of the
M. E. Church Choir Feb. % and %

The National Pageant" given
Saturday and Monday evenings, un-
der the auspices of the Methodist
church choir, was without question
the finest entertainment of its kind
ever held in River Falls, and was
enjoyed by the largest audiences
ever gathered at Opera Hall. The
ticket sale for the Saturday per-
Torrance amounted to $l65, and the
Monday sale brought in $123.
With but two weeks in which to
practice, Mrs. Annie Hooking Smith,
director, developed the different
character sketches, choruses and
drills with such skill and accuracy
that the program was carried out
with the snap and vim of a profess
ional performance. The rendition
of the parts required frst-class
talent and to the credit of Mrs.
Smiths excellent directing, must
be added praise for the splendid
work and the ability Of the local
members of the cast.
The play was in three parts, the
first consisting of pleas for the laur-
Ell wreath of fame, by characters
| famous in history and fiction, the
! second, of pretty drills by groups
of boys and girls, and the last, of
catchy songs and choruses, in
which the entire cast took part.
The Norm al school orchestra, di-
rected by Prof. Reed, and assisted
by John Howard Of Hudson, enter
tanned the audience most pleasant
ly before the play and during the
intermissions. The piano accompa-
niments for the songs and drills were
ably rendered by Mrs. Fletcher.
Among the other pleasing features
of the play were the beautiful cos
tunes worn by the celebrities ap
pearing in part one, and by the
young ladies in the drills. The
makeup of the humorous charac-
tiers also made a decided hit. In
arranging the groups in different
scenes great skill was shown in
bringing out the more artistic stage
effects.
The first scene discl osed the Gar
land Girls misses Phoebe Whip,
Elva Ritchey, Adeline Forsyth,
Gladys and Margaret Currier, Lee
ona Williams, Mildred and Winnie
Nicholson) in waiting for the arriv-
al of the Goddess of Fame (Miss
Josie Johnson), who entered, ac-
companied by her attendants Miss
es Mabel Dodge, Lois Beddall and
Georgia Galloway, her Crown Bear
er, miss Grace Wilton), and Scep-
ter Bearer (Winnifred Bird), and
after few preliminary words, ex-
planning the nature of the contest,
assembled to the throne to listen to
the pleas for the laurel wreat h of
fame. The Herald (Harold Ritch-
ey) clearly and gracefully announc-
ed each of the contestants in turn.
Portia (Mrs. E. P. Wright), ar
rayed in cap and gown, claimed the
laurel wreath as fitting tribute to
her superior wisdom. She was fol-
lowed by Queen Elizabeth (Mrs. T.
Richards), decked in regal robes,
who argued that she, as England's
most illustrious sovereign, should
wear the wreath. Xantippi miss r.
ma Hochstein) barely waited for the
herald to announce her before she
rushed in and made the Goddess
| sit up and take notice" of her de-
mands for favor, in the same tone
and manner which made her famous
as Socrates quarrelsome spouse
Sappho (Miss Florence Ahlstrom)
urged the beauty of her Grecian Tyr
les as her claim. Miss Mira Currier
represented the Sisters of Char
ity," and concluded her plea with a
beautiful vocal solo.
Mrs. Darlington (Mrs. H. w.
Thompson), in speech remarkable
for its twisted sentences and mis-
use of words, asked the Goddess to
give the wreath to her darling Ike
i q. L. Wasson), who, at the time,
seemed more engrossed in the bust
ness of enjoying his toys and eat
ing, than in acquiring fame. He
was generously disposed, however,
and offered the Goddess a bite of
of his pie, but was turned down.
Marie Antoinette Miss Vivian Hal
lett), claimed the award as recon-
pense for unjust treatment during
!, her life and in the annals of history.
Mother Goose miss Margaret Now
err based her claim upon her
popularity among the children
and the fact that the wreath, what
ever its size, would be sure to fiji
] the conical crown of her hat. She
was accompanied by her children,