The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-03-14
THE MINSTREL SHOW
BEYOND EXPECTATION

The minstrel show given at He'll
bronner's hall last Thursday night
under the auspices Of the Woman's
Alliance of the Unitarian church sur
passed expectations and was one OF the
most ente rtaining events Of its kind
ever seen in Hood River. Professional
minstrels and singers and entertainers
Of many years before the footlights
could not have been better. Everybody
I laughed. The big audience had its
( first inkling of what was coming when
James Ernestine Montgomery, as a
chef with false mustaches pirouetting
around his ears, in a Hoosier- French
patois announced that a troop of black
boys would dispense sweets through
the audience.
The curtain arose on the minstrel
troop mainly composed of Booster Club
boys, who were singing Garry Me
Back to Old Virginia. The Booster
boys, for first performance, pre-
sented themselves well in minstrel
jokes and songs. Especially good was
the number of Culver Osgood. who, in
bis rich, deep voice, sang "Lindy.
The minstrel circle was followed by
the Booster Quartet.
While the audience was watching
the curtain, awaiting it to arise on the
next scene, a chorus of voices at the
rear of the hall cried melodiously
"Come on and Hear y and Dad Epping
led in his troop of gay chorus girls,
who promenaoed up and down the
aisles Of the hall. continuing the song.
Mr.. Epping was adorned in a froek
coat and silk hat. When he lifted the
"toppee" even the top of his head
shown glisteningly black. AS the
chorus troDped onto the stage, Mrs.
Louise Boyden, representing an old.
serious minded. colored parson in
stride. more dignified than that of
Portia when she walked into the
courtroom to save the pound of flesh
of her lover from the greed Of Shylock, |
brought up the rear. The leader of |
the chorus in his rich voice sang, 20, |
You Beautiful Doll, " and dancing to |
the music, he and Mrs MeCan showed |
unsOphisticated Hood River how to |
gracefully step the "Grizly Bear,
"Texas Tommy, '"The Mississippi |
Dip" and "The Louisiana Swirl.
Mrs. BoydeH, who is an elocutionist
of no small merit, preached a sermon,
the members of the chorus as her con-
gregation, and "0ld Mother Hubbard"
as her text If all negro preachers in
Dixie Land had been there, their envy
would have been aroused, for Mrs
Boyden 0ut-Orated the most excellent
of them.
One of the decided hits of the even
ing Of headliner performances was the
song and dance skits of Clarence Gil
bert and Arthur Clarke, who also
injected into the atmosphere. already
with fun, local color squibs
that increased the interest. "H0w can
get to the hospital?" asked Clarke.
Let's see, = replied Gilbert, scratch
ing his head, why. go up on the
Heights and give three cheers for the
Hood River Gas and Electric Com
oanv. /" 'I'll tell you another way,
said Clarke, go to city council meet
ng and give three cheers for Batchel-
Ter.
So good was the final dance of this
funny, fat couple that they were en-
,ored until they had danced SO much
hat at final curtain call, husky stage
hands had to bear them before the
sootlights to receive their merited
applause.
II You Talk in Your Sleep, Please
Don't Mention My Name" sang Miss
Constance Henderson, in comic Cindy
costume, as she walked down from the
stage and with small pocket electric
amp sought for some one to sing to
Count de Reding was the lad chosen.
With display of unwillingness he was
ed to the stage and joined the song
and dance.
One of the cleverest skits of the
evening was that participated in by
Capt and Mrs. McCan.
The captain, in one of the best eos.
tunes of the evening. was moving.
He came on the stage dragging a
steamer trunk and Bob Carter's bull
log. While he sang, the dog guarded
the trunk, from which in a moment
dainty little Mrs. McCan emerged and
she and Mr.. Mclean entertained the
audience with song and dance.
Among the most pleasing numbers
Of the show were the songs by Mrs.
Henney and Mrs. SIetton. Both have
sweet voices and their
songs were thoroughly enjoyed.
The minstrel circle was as follows:
Rev. II. A. Macdonald, interIocutor
tamb., Herbert Phillips and Carl Kent
bones, Walter Ford and Earl Franz;
quartet, GessIing, Spaulding, Ford and
Phillips; circle, Max Moore, Clyde
Arnold, John Coshow, Win Baker,
Culver Osgood and Harry Coshow. Will
Chandler was director.
Dad Epping's Chorus Miss Vannet,
Miss Bryant, Miss Sproat, Miss Brock,
Miss Epping, Miss Bartmess, Miss
Hershner, Mrs. Huxley. Mrs. Cubert-
son, Mrs. Dutro, Mrs. LangiIle, Mrs.
Steinhotf, Mrs Charles Clarke, Mrs.
Arthur Clarke and Miss Adrienne Ep-
ping.