Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-23
'V|RC|N|A's OWN FROM
CAMP LEE, ENTERTAIN
Members OF Three Hundred and Eigh-
tccnth Infantry Give Minstrel
Performance at Academy.
AUDIENCE IS WE'LL PLEASED
Men Show Versatility of Talent That
Indicates No Dull Moments i'm
Their Camp-Giycn housing Re-
CcptiOn by Capacity House.
ny JOHN GEonGE Ii,uuls.

y iisinI3 OWL IN: Iuicr ltunHrCh
and Eighteenth Infantry Regiment.
Music last night. gave minstrel per-
formancc TERMED ~ Ni:ht Attack
which for enthusiasm, rollicking run
and genial spirit has not hccu cuualcd
at tn" Academy this season WITH
something going on every single
minute. with every man on tho stage
thcrc to have the very best time q:
his life, The entire SHOW was fun %
tho spirit which Is going {" carry tho
"Samnics" 10 ocrtain victory. seventy
i've or moro splendid sons Of Virginia
were enlisted in the performances. aud
they gave Va all they had And that
is saying a great deal.
II any one loft tho academy last
night feeling that hc had not had 81
worth OF fun out Of tho "Nirginia''
miuStrcIs. then VIC shall have to class
him with tho ''slachcrs." Tho orchcs-
ira Of nftccn mon, riayinc with spirit
and uuuucsticnabic ability. Put tic
necessary ginger into al, tho music.
aud. for one thing. 40 arc proud Of
the musical ability or our fighting
men. Then. tor, what those cud men
on the stage didn't think Of and
furthermore. proceed TO do ~; soon
as tho idea entered their heads. just
couldn't be done. Thcy wcrc tho bust
cs' lot Of end mon you ever saw.
Whom the cntcrprisinG ':ilhcrt Wash
inSton, in his song, 'Enalina" pro-
ccedcd to sing his song 10 several at
;ractivc young ladies In the lower Left
hand box, VIC VIII not undertake TO say
what their feelings were but Ger
tainly ever one else thoroughly on
juycd it. some OF the dialogues which
took place in tho aisIcs. as we'll as the
desire of the performers to wander at
large through the house. was but a
symptom Of the pleasure they will
have in securing mo mans land =
And they will havc no more fear OF
the Bochcs. VIC arc sure. than they
were of the tcrrors OF stage fright.
which simply did not exist ut all for
them.
The Academy was filed to tho las;
seat. and there has been no occasion
this season when the same amount Of
enthusiasm prevailed in all quarters.
When the chorus sang Kaiser Bill''
the applause was quite Gcafening. and
some OF the lyrics. such as "Woodman
Spare That Tree" received similar re-
ceptions. II is OF no use 10 try TO
tell all that was said and done. Gov
crnor Davis, DIR. Scmplc, in tho audi
encc, and ono Of the popular ma jors
in his box. were given special attcn-
ton. sometimes. 1t is feared, TO their
slight embarrGS smcnt.
Ic HISI scene, at inc rise o. the
curtain. displayed Il stage full Of Con-
tinentals. with blue rcd-trmmcd uni
forms. bcwia ccd and otherwise deco
rated. seated in tiers. to the number
OF fifty or more. and a multitude OF
varicGatcd raiment. black and white.
purple and various other shades and
coiors. In a later scene they appeared
IS nearly like ilawaiians as anything
else. though the scene was programmed
= oamp--;n the hcld-with "a soldier on
:;uard. the signal taps OH the huJlc
bringing ;his to an end l. did not
matter that the backgrounds We're OF
beautiful country estates. for the men
themselves were the sole attraction.
James McNaliy professional jug
Sler who entered the army for the pure
love OF ii. gave an exhibition OF hat.
ball and other personal property jug
Cling which is seldom equaied; there
was clever dancing that cvinccd hard
ira aiming in that art and a display OF ~
roker game in pamtomime. which was
q rich treat. The Three Hundred and
. Eighteenth Regiment will have no duh
times in camp If these versatile fell
lows remain with Il.
Alvin NJ. Smith, with his reputation
as a humor:st. appeared on the stage
at one intermission. and we were in
clincd TO believe that he would con-
;nue the entertainment. hut this time
lac was serious and gave a convincing
argument mcritorious in its brcvity.
but forccfG; in its message. for the
Immediate purchase of Liberty bonds.
Mr.. Smith also sang tho timely song.
What Are You Going TO 10 10 HEIR
the Boys getting the audience to sing
tho chorus. which they did with less
nnanimity than they will display in
Nuy!nS tho bonds.
The StarSpangled Banner" by tho
company closed the performance. which
will have 10 parallel in interest for a
long time. The splendid fellows of tho
three HuI.d' cd ana Eighteenth gave u*
an entertainment which we shall always
remember with laugh and a wish for
their safety and success
Cochran Elected CANAAN