Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-05-04
The Minstrel Show.

Il luO Nu0oSI0o S00Ws
Artistically and financially, the min
strel show put on Thursday and Frida,
Evenings under the auspices Of Pari
Grange WAS . great success. Crowded.
houses heard the program each night
and gave the several performers thei
need Of applause with an enthusiasn
not always manifested by South Pari'
audience.
Particular credit for the success OF th,
affair is due Mrs. I. e. Andrews, who
has been in general charge Of the prepa
rations and has put . deal OF time and
effort into it.
Perhaps judging on the standard Of
the old-time minstrel show with Its In
tense atmosphere OF alleged Africanism
and its many tricks aud turns verging or
horse play, the program might not have
been considered superior. Bones and
tambos did not comfort their bodies and
features into impossible twists, nor make
jokes with little shade on the color,
nor we're the songs tumble Of slap dash
of the supposedly correct minstrel vari-
ETY.. But as feast OF melody, and q
succession of varied acts, all clean and
highgrade and almost uniformly enter.
tanning, 1t was certainly all right. The
only criticism of the program is that it
was little long, but 1t is not the first
offender in that line.
A chorus OF thirty voices sang In the
circle or first part. Albert D. Park was
interlocutor, Leo Walton and Elmer
Dean were pickannies; Ralph Andrews
and Henry Cummings bones; Raymond
Penfold and Roy Perham tambos. In
the front row Of the chorus we're Messrs.
Albert Dean, Robert Whlttle, Henry
Shaw, L. S. Sessions, William Ruth, Her
man Woodwork, Herbert Woodwork,
Raymond Russell, Clarence Winslow.
In the second row were Misses Dorothy
Wight, Marie Newton, Muriel Bowker,
Ida Stiles, Eva Andrews, Gladys Hatch,
Mabel Allen, Gladys Doran, Evelyn
Wight, Mrs. Agnes Perkins, Miss Myra
Haggett, Miss Doris gilbert, with Miss
Viola Walton as Joe Van Dsrwurst.
Shsw's Orchestra Of five pieces includ.
cd Mrs. Davee, piano; Howard w. Shaw,
clarionet; Walter S. Stearns, violin;
Frank p. Knapp, cornet; George Soper,
drums.
The program of the first part was:
OVERTURE
song-"IIl SIT on the Moon and Keep My
sousE"ceiebrstins Day in Tennessse." 80
so,s-.,ssr;s M Nina - Msn,e A SsTssn
sOns-"in the Valley Of New Ensiand,"..
sous-"My Rosary Of Dreams" Eva a Andrews Andrews
sous-sI Didn's Raise My, Boy to be
sos1S6 the One Cali hS KY %Ssaw0''n
Duet-"December Morn, ".............:......
.------..-..-.-Agnes Perkins. Marie Newton
sOng-"she was just Little Girl Like
sonsU "i Glad My wife's in Europ europe '''
whistlins Choras-"At the Garbage Gentle.
mems Ball"
II any parts were to be selected for
special mention they would be the render
ing of the duet, December Morn" by
Mrs. Perkins and Miss Newton, and my
Rosary of Dreams" by Miss Andrews
and the chorus.
Friday evening a speciality by Henry
Cummings was added, he playing violin
and harmonica at the same time.
In the second part the several numbers
were:
Character song-"I Wants Ma Pay"
.---..--... Kate Hammond. George Briggs
s.-.................lLe Leo Walton. Elmer Dean
s%5 TwfTs s G Sssm msas'
song Lowe oTa ran'om Kate Hammond, Leo Walton
Novelty Song-"The Boy who Suffered and
the Girl Who Lisped," ,-.--;-..-------;-
c,...c,.. ssn. .cS Ralph and Eva Andrews
.--..--....-.-.. Doris Culbert Muriel Bowker
Character Song-"Melinda Johnson"
...-.----.--. Kate Hammond, George Briggs
Miss Flora Brooks was added to the
list in the drill, the others being Of those
who had appeared in the first part.
Evolutions in the drill we're executed
with grace and precision, and every num-
Der of the program was pleasing, but the
stormiest applause greeted the old
timers, Mrs. Kate Hammond and MIR.
Briggs, in their several acts.
A delightful skit, Mrs. Maltby's
Mole" presented by Ralph Andrews
and Miss Airline Croker, closed the pro-
gram.
The grange sale was held Thursday
afternoon in the banquet hall, and
variety of articles found ready customers.
One item of the sale was fifty pounds of
candy, almost all of which was made by
the committee in the grange kitchen the
day before.