Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-05-15
SHAKESPEARE
ENTERTAINMENTS
Suggestions That May Interest the
Clubwoman or Others Who
Desire to Observe the Golden
Jubilee" Of the Poet.

great humanist was, according to the
parish register, baptized on April 26.
According to the custom. infants were
baptized three days after their birth.
and so 1t is computed that his birth
day fell on April %. This would
bring the birthday to what is now
May 3.
All oyer the country Shakespeare
clubs and organizations interested In
the drama and literature will cele-
brate the event as the golden jubilee"
Of the poet.
A Shakespeare luncheon or tea
would make a delightful entertainment
for the woman who desires to repay
Inequalities and entertain a few
friends. The violet. that flower which
Shakespeare mentions SO often and so
lovingly. might serve to decorate the
tables where refreshments are served.
THE daffodil that comes before the
winds of March," 'violets dim" and
pale primroses." so ~charmingly re-
ferred to in THE Winters Tale" are
all available at this season.
The place cards might bear little
notices culled from the poet. Shake
speare's portrait mounted in a dainty
little frame will make a charming
souvenir. Miniature copies of Shake
speare's plays which can be bought at
the booksellers also make suitable sou
venirs.
Women have taken an important
part in the popularization of Shake
speare's plays, Sarah Siddons, Char
lotte Cushman. Ellen Terry, Mary
Anderson. Modjeska, Adelaide Nelson,
Janauschek. Helen Faucit and the
more modern actresses who have iden-
titled themselves with his roles have
all been painted or photographed in
character. Photographs of these can
be obtained from dealers who sell
pictures of famous persons. These,
suitably framed. also might serve as
souvenirs. A little study of the poet
would afford the ambitious hostess
many hints for the menu.
Readings from Shakespeare or songs
from Shakespeare might be given. 1t
is an appropriate way Of entertaining
the guests. Quotations from the poet
could be distributed among them and
prizes offered to those who could iden-
tify the greatest number. naming the
plays to which they belong. The names
of characters in the plays might be
written on cards and these given to the
guests. who should be asked to write
beside each character the name of the
r1o~r 80 ru1hfoh - haIOnno DoVf Of n
similar quotation might be written on
a card and the guests asked to supple
ment it correctly. Other similar con-
tests which may be u source of interest
can be easily devised.
Of course the guests invited should
be selected from among those friends
who have a distinct taste for books. II
possible they should have an idea of
what they may expect. SO that they
can brush up on Shakespeare lore.
Any authors birthday might thus be
observed with pleasure and profit. 1t is
a form Of entertainment which the
clubwoman will find a very satisfac-
tory one.
The hostess who is looking for sug-
gestions for spring entertaining may be
interested in the following hints:
A charming three leaved japanese
screen is a new menu card. 1t is made
Of boiling cloth painted with sprays of
graceful lavender w~istaria. The bolt
ing cloth is mounted on a deep blue
frame. The center panel is reserved
for the words of the menu. The screen
stands about six inches high.
Pretty plate cards are little ballet
dancers cut out of stiff paper. with
bright silk butterfly wings attached to
their backs. In spite of the airy wings
the little ladies do not fly away. for
they are firmly attached to pasteboard
standards that keep them upright.
Small ported artificial plants are still
used effectively for place favors. A
tiny card can be tied to these little
plants for a name card. Artificial rose
trees in square little porcelain tubs are
pretty. Flowering violet plants are
also good. and SO are all the dozen and
one other flowers that are reproduced,
each appropriate for table decorations
In a special color.
Now that spring is at hand real flow
ers are far more attractive than any
thing else for individual favors. One
Of the florists sells interesting little
vases suitable for holding a single
flower each. They are neither more nor
less than test tubes, supported by a
bed of dull. soft green metal leaves at
the base. They are long enough to
give support to the stem of a daffodil
or any other spring bulb flower or to a
short stemmed rose.
These little holders are suggestive of
some that could be fashioned at home
with glass test tubes as foundations.
They could be propped up at each
plate In a bed of moss banked on a
foundation of pasteboard to protect
the cloth beneath about the bottom of
the glass, or they could be propped up
with pasteboard props and then deco
rated with frills of colored Grape paper.