The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-01-14
CLUB MINSTRELS
DRAW LAUGHTER
RARE SONG BIRDS ARE DISCOVERED
Jokes on Local Men Create IprOar Jos.
c. Porter Surprise Of the
Evening

In Hood River yesterday there were
two distinct sets of men. takers and lis
teners. The former had attended the
Commercial club gridiron minstrels the
night before and we're repeating the
local color stories, while the latter,
those who had not been present for the
grlliing. were listening and laughing.
While the stories of the gridirons of
this year were not as many or as gin
gerry as those of last year, they an
swered the purpose and went TO the
point. touching the tickle buttons of
the club members gathered for the
occasion. The roars of laughter
drowned the howl of the east wind
carrying sheets of rain against the club
room windows, and after everybody
else had run the limit of endurance,
little 'yippy" explosion would be heard
to emanate from the heaving bosom of
j. II. Fredricy.
For an amateur performance the
gridiron minstrels and high jinx were
good. The fun producers ''cut the
mustard" From the time the curtain
rose on the black face artists. the solo
lists and chorus until its fall, hiding
from view the last wiggle and foot pat
of the comedy dancers, Arthur Clarke
and Clarence +. Gilbert, low gurgles
and bass bursts of laughter prevailed.
The show opened with the minstrels
and chorus singing "Iipperary. Spicy
jokes followed. lnterlocutor Marquis
introduced a rare bird, THAT Great
Old Rooster" J. Adrian Epping. who
had been discovered by Secretary Raw
lin on his recent trip to San Francisco,
and whose hobby was to sing OF his
wonderful state.
Mr.. Epping and chorus rendered. II
love you, California. More jokes
they are being repeated on the streets
today - followed. Then Mr.. Marquis
stated that Mr.. Ravlin had also discov-
cred on his recent southern trip little
German Boy, who was longing and
sighing to get back to Oregon. The
little German was none other than Otto
7. Wedemeyer, who sang in his mellow
baritone 81 Want to Go Back to Ore
gon."
Then was sung the parody on Tip
perary," written for the occasion by
Mrs. p. S. Davidson.
Its long, long way to California"
was its appeal, "but we will 90 there
with an exhibit that will make our lit
tie valley the best known place in the
state" The song was sung by Mr..
Epping and chorus.
With his red head covered with a
wooly wig, r. Il. Scott appeared before
the footlights with his banjo. rendering
solos that fairly made the feet of the
listeners vibrate to the tunes of his
break downs.
The pleasing surprise of the evening
came when d. G. Cruikshank in minis
terial garb, impersonated a young
scandinavian clergyman delivering his
first sermon. MIR. Cruikshank's num-
ber wonld take with any vaudeville
audience. For an encore he gave an
impersonation of ''The One Armed Boy
Orator"
With lights turned low couple of
monkeys appeared ON the stage, while
hidden phonograph played ''Daba
Daba. While the "baba, baba, dabas"
were being ground out by the machine
the facial contortions of those simian-
like stage favorites, Clarke and Gil
bert, as they sat on little stool in
the glare of the foot-lights, made an
interesting study in natural history.
The real surprise of the evening. q
number on Ethe program that had not
been previously announced. was the
Iigging of rotund black faced gentle
man. Dressed with ample pads beneath
big blue coat, his face not recognize
BILE under its coat of burnt cork and
grease, the jigger ''hit 'em up" like a
coloied George Cohan. Many thought
it was either Arthur Clarke or Clarence
Gilbert, but these two gentlemen ap-
peared at side door, and then the
crowd began to wonder. Some will not
know until they read this article who
the mysterious dark horse" was. 1t
was none other than the well known
East Side orcharidst. Joe G. Porter.
The program was concluded by Clarke
G. Gilbert's singing of Travel, Travel.
Little STAR" and essays on "punkin
pie" and other topics of edifcation and
| amusement.
The minstres were composed of the
following: X. F. Marquis interlocutor ;
and Clarence F. Gilbert, Art Clarke,
David G. Cruikshank and "Topsy" Gull
bertson, end men.