The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-01-01
WITH MIRTH
AND MUSIC
Elaborate Social Function
Ushered in New Year
at Brooks House
DECORATIONS OF
STRIKING BEAUTY

ApouI LOU Mdoe merry III ltal1an Her-
COLA, with Entertainment, Refresh
ments and Dancing-Colored Orches- |
ira from New York.
The New Years eve fete in the
Brooks House last night at which 1901
guests, several of whom were from out
of town, assembled, was the most elab-
crate in decorations and in variety and
quality of entertainment that has been
offered in Brattleboro in many wears.
The program began at o'clock and
at o clock this morning the last of
the dancers were enjoying their fare
well dance.
Decorators had spent two days and
the greater part of two nights in trans
forming the large dining room into an
/ Italian pergola. The west end of the
room was so arranged that a panthe-
on appeared TO be on the shore of the
Mediterranean sea, glimpses of which
were seen on especially painted scenery
on either side of the pantheon. In this
pantheon a colored orchestra of nine
pieces from New York furnished music
during the night.
The pergola effect was arranged
around the hall, the center of the floor
being left for the specialties and the
general dancing. Under an arbor Of
lattice work, supported posts seem
ingly of marble and entwined with
southern smilax, were arranged the ta-
bles for the guests. The walls of the
room were hung with black, and tiny
electric lights shone through vari-col-
ored glass. The lights in the chandeliers
were shaded TO aid in giving the gen.
eral effect of evening light outdoors.
Balloons foated from the tables and
from the chandeliers in the ceiling. The
many mattresses were all garbed in
7 Italian costumes, the whole tending to
) carry out the effect aimed at, an even
! ing in an Italian garden.
The entrance to the dining room,
where punch was served, had been
] made to resemble a fountain in an ar
Dor.
/ The program opened at 8 O'Clock
: with q concert of 80 minutes by the
orchestra The first of the vaudeville
stunts was the appearance of German
: band, the membership of which was
: Dr. Weed of New Haven, Conn. DR..
5 Berkeley of st. Albans and Drs. Ernest
f Tracey and W. H. Lane of Brattleboro
and William o 'Donoghue, Merrill Has
f kell and Hal March of Brattleboro
After playing one selection to wild ap-
plause the "band'' moved down to the
pantheon, where in conjunction with
9 the orchestra If played another selec
: ton Miss Shackelton of Springfield
1 Mass, gave d solo dance to the accom-
n paniment of the band.
Mutt and JEFF, impersonated by E
II. Crane and Howard G. Rice, appear
: ed, Mutt being on horseback as a gen
! eral and jeff representing the Frencf
! army. They spotted the German banC
and laid two of them low while the
others ran. The victorious "troOps'
!, left, dragging their prey with them.
: Frederic c. Adams next appeared
with hand organ and monkey accom-
5 panied by Miss Hutchins of Benning
ton. They were billed as signor
g Amato and Trentini. They sang duet
s in the Italian language and found i
I difficult to satisfy the demands of thei
auditors.
. Another feature of the entertain
ment was the Clan MacGregor pipers
D, Miss Shackleton again appeared ant
e danced the Highland Fling to the wall
L ing accompaniment of the pipes. TIL
er colored orchestra furnished music 70
T. one of their number who sang souther
,e melodies and danced as only one of hi
ld race can dance.
le Miss Shackelton appeared again q
tn toe dancer and Onslow Thompson
d. disguised as donkey, and Mis-
a Shackelton as Little Eva, furnished a
sy eccentric dance that was received wit
r. noisy approval.
IS. Just before the midnight hour th
n we'll known picture, The Spirit of n
'y as a tableau was shown, the drummer
re = TNrx ,oTF- ,y,I IOrx1 nv
de c. Rice and the fifer DIR. W. II. Ian
4 The tableau soon became animated an
'ir marched around the hail. being joine
de by the other musicians, including til
ne membership of the German band an
as all played The Stars and Stripes Fo
ever Everyone joined in singing Aul
or Lang Sine.