The Washington times., 1912-11-14
KIDDIES DELIGHTED
WITH BIG MATINEE
Fourteen Hundred Orphans and Crpples Enjoy Party at
Columbia Theater, at Which Candy, Rib
bons, and Flowers Were Distributed

| It's a pretty fine world and a gener-
Gus one, too. One needed only to look
at the 1.400 happy little children who
were guests at The Washington Times
party at the Columbia Theater to be
| sure OF this fact.
It was the biaoest, finest party that
anyone could wish for. and Its wonder
ful success is due mainly to the assist
ance OF those who offered their aid to
Miss Murdoch and The Times in seeing
that every little orphan and cripple
child was taken to and from the theater
in safety.
There wasn't single casualty, with
one exception. This was such simple
one that II is hardly worth mention
Ing. One little kid lost his or her hat.
That's all. With the exception OF this,
verybody was happy. and nothing hap
ptned and IL the little kid will send to
Fred Berger. manager or the Columbia
Theater. the hat will be returned in
safety.
Was Biggest Ever.
I don't believe there ever was such a
| big theater party In Washington before.
People said so, anyway. + street, from
L. o'clock until long after 6, yesterday
afternoon. was the most popular thor
oughfare in Washington. II was like a
big inauguration day crowd. Everybody
wanted to stop and watch the little
youngsters go into the theater, and as
automobile after automobile drove up
to the entrance OF the Columbia, de-
posted it's burden OF little people, and
was whisked away to bring another load
Of happy smiling children, people stop
ped to watch.
Not many OF them asked what It was
all about, for they all knew what The
Washington Times had done for the or
phans and cripple children OF Washing
ton. They were might happy little Joy
riders, and their eyes stuck out like
saucers as they entered the theater
lobby and saw the pretty girls who had
offered their services as ushers.
Many Offered Their Services.
1t Is impossible to give list OF the
girls who helped to take the little ones
to their seats, for the reason that many
Of them volunteered their services at
the last minute. Each girl usher wore a
gardenia which had been donated by
william +. Guide, and each little child
was presented with pink carnation or
a pink rose after the play was over.
these flowers also being donated by Mr..
GUIDE, who was a member OF the eXecu-
tive committee OF which Isaac Cans was
the chairman. Director Carl Smith mad
arranged special program OF popular
and familiar airs, which were played by
the orchestra while the children were
being seated.
The children were all nice and quiet
after they had been placed In their
| seats. but when Director Smiths mu-
sicians played The Star-Spangled Ban
ner" every little pair OF hands ap-
plauded vigorously, and the little folks
rose to their feet until the final bar
was played. They applauded again
when the big American flag was dis
they are keenly alive to matters pa
triotic.
Kiddies Were Orderly.
1t was the quietest, best behaved audi
ence that has ever assembled in the
theater Manager Berger told me that
yesterday, and Mr. Metzerott, the presi-
dent OF the Columbia Theater Company,
and Mr. Fowler, the smiling box office
man, backed UP this statement. Chief
Wagner was there, too, and he compli-
mented the children on their very eN-
cellent manners, and the discipline that
was apparent
II seemed yesterday morning as
though pretty nearly everybody in
Washington who owned an automobile
was anxious to place II at the service
of the orphans and crippled children.
TRANSPORTATION could have been pro-
vided at the last minute for as many
children as the theater could hold.
"Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm was
never produced to a more appreciatiVe
and enthusiastic audience. When Re
beCca, In the person Of dainty Edith
Taliaferro. made her appearance on the
stage. in the old ramshackle stage coach,
driven by Uncle jeremiah Cobb, the lit
tie people got so excited and applaudcd
so hard that 1t was several minutes be-
fore Miss Taliaferro could continue
with her lines. They liked gossipy old
Mrs. Perkins, played by Ada Deaves,
too, and l think Miss Deaves entered
into the spirit of the day little her
self She seemed to put a number
Of extra frills into her dance in the
barn. and made her laughable part a
great deal funnier than on ordinary oc-
casions.
The children went crazy over Uncle
Jeremiah, especially when he ate his
supper OF hash and tea, with Rebec-