The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1915-12-29
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
AT old RIVER DISTRICT
Christmas Plays Acted by School
ing, Mark "a Pleasant Evening

pleasdnlly Dy the reSldentS OF the
Old River district and their friends
at the school. The room was taste
fully decorated with Christmas fes-
toons and eyergreens. The south
end of the schoolhouse was utilized
for a stage. By use of the scenery
which was constructed by the school
children. the stage was set to repre-
sent the living room of a cozy home.
In the afternoon the children as
sembled for their usual Christmas
party. The time was spent playing
games AT six o'clock, a simple but
appetizing supper was served. Then
at twilight, all lights were extin-
guished, the Christmas tree was lit
and a pleasant hour spent with
story telling.
AT eight-thirty in the evening, the
entertainment commenced with the
singing of Christmas carols by a
concealed chorus. The children of
the primary grades then spoke their
pieces in a ereditable manner. The
children of the intermediate grades
followed with their performance of
play entitled "A Chr mas Eve
Pilgrimage
In the first scene. two children
were shown seated by the fireplace
In the living room of a comfortable
home studying about Christmas.
After some discussion, the decision
to seek the Christmas spirit and
bring 1t home a captive was made
by them. In the next scenes they
were seen seeking the Christmas
spirit in different parts of the world.
They met with people of every sta
tion of life. AS they were about to
return home, wearied and disap-
pointed, by chance they stepped in
TO the home of two orphans. There
they found two small children, who
toiled daily for living at the most
menial work, that were planning in
their spare moments and with their
meager supply of money to make
others happy. Aroused by this new
found knowledge of what the Christ-
mas spirit is, and shame stricken
| because they with their multitudes
of opportunity have never known
the true meaning of the Christmas
spirit until meeting with the orph-
ans, the pilgrims started home. On
their return home they met the
Christmas fairy who explained the
nature of their experiences. To
their wonder they found that the
true Christmas spirit is not found
often in thronging highways, neith-
er does this spirit necessarily abide
in the homes of the rich, or of the
powerful The true Christmas
spirit is a love that abides in the
hearts of men, a love that makes
one wish to see all mankind happy.
a love that makes one wish to share
with others the joys of Christmas;
a love that makes one feel it is
more blessed to give than to re-
ceive.
This play held the close attention
of the large audience until the final
curtain Fritz Lammel and Stanley
Smith as the Christmas pilgrims
performed their parts most realisti-
cally. Erminio Morola, as the mis-
er, showed forcefully how greed and
excessive love of gain can warp the
finest nature and blight all life's
happiness. Ray Mitchell, Elsie
Lohre, Hobert Erb, Elsie Ritcher,
Ralph Smith did their respective
parts meritoriously Hilda Lohre as
the Christmas spirit spoke her lines
with true regard to their dramatic
values and consequent effect.
The next play entitled 'The Lady
Barber" was q comedy of the slap
stick variety. Mr.. Buzzfuzz, bar
ber, is losing trade and rapidly ap-
preaching bankruptcy. To recoup
his fallen fortunes, he meditates
hiring a lady barber. After dill
igent search and wide advertising,
none can be found. In desperation,
Mr.. Buzzfuzz, hires a whitewasher,
who has been importuning him for
whitewashing contract, as a lady
barber. From this point on, Ru-
dolph Lohse, the erstwhile white
washer kept the audience laughing
uproariously at his troubles with
feminine attire anc at his heroic
attempts to attract trade. Hans
Lammel,. as Mr.. Buzzfuz, did excel
lent work Edgar Smith, as Mr..
/ Elegant Spruce, the dude, gave a
clever portrayal of his part, and
stoically swallowed the soap and
bay rum that the lady barber forced
down his throat in her mirth pro-
voking attempts to improve the
dudes beauty and to give excellent
service. Bessie Mitchell, as Mrs.
Hayseed, performed crditably. Fritz
and Alexander Lohse, as the twins,
wept so vehemently and coplously
when the lady barber treated them
for dandruff, by lathering their
eyes and mouth that many of the
audience thought that their grief