Evening star., 1918-08-18
Dear Folks:

Dear Folks:
TIL. much-postponed entertainment
for tn benent of tn disabled Ameri-
can ambulance drivers an their fami-
lies was finally staged over to tn
chaufYeurs' Club Friday night. an
barrin' a most unseemly incident
what occurred durin' tn second Sec
tion of tn performance, when tn
"Merchant o. Venice" was bein' pre-
sented, which was entirely due to tn
rambunctious nature Of this Ill rascal
Lon. tn affair might be termed q
howlin' success, for aside from tn
outward enjoyment displayed by all
hands present, tn receipts amounted
to $ss.76. which amt half bad con-
siderin' tn absence from town OF so
many chauffeurs on account Of tn
war.
Th' program was in two parts, an
In tn frst section tn audience was
kept in q continuous uproar ap-
plaudin' tn many up-to-date stunts
pulled on by some of our best knowed
local talent; especial Ts1anrs mention soin ho 70
rendered Don't Try to Steal tn
Sweetheart Of Soldier" in such
manner as to bring tears to tn eyes
of everybody present. an who nearly
collapsed endeavorin' to answer tn
deluge Of encores that greeted her
Now Fightin' in tn Army"
However, 1t was durin' tn second
portion of tn entertainment that tn
big doin's took place, when that ster-
lin old Shakespearean comedy, IN
Merchant o. Venice" was bein pro,
49, af fHs r1rfh n
whether 1t was because out-of-town
guest from Baltimore had been as
signed tn lover part o Bassanio, or
simply due to his Unsuitable desire to
always be on a winner. that made
Lon go on like he done, 1 amt yet
Nevertheless. twas durin' tn big
ballroom scene, when Portia, played
by Ions regular Josie-who. by tn
way, has got swell job in tn
Treasury now-decides to quit her
foolishness an let her whole raft O.
tn rooster" drawin' the III white
marble gettin' her in tn bargain.
that the kid, who was doublin' up
Shylock an tn Dock O. Morocco.
broke away from his moorin's an
carried on somethin' scandalous.
stage of tn game. Lon. as Shylock.
havin' made. a tremendous impression
in his scene with Antonio. where tn
wealthy merchant touches tn old Jew
for three thousand ducats, SO, when he
made q lightnin' change in order to
I'LL tn ruther minor role o. Morocco.
one Of tn certain losers in tn draw
game, tn majority Of them present
didn't have idea that tn sassy.
bejooled. highly perfumed, bronzed
dandy what busted into fair Portals
presence. followed by . whole truck
full o. mechanicians-I mean cour-
ticrs-was Lon. who they'd just say
as Shylock.
tn kid sported a peach Of make
up. an tn way he cavorted around
tn parlor furniture. winkin' his eyes
to tn ladies-in-waftfn' wasn't moth
in more'n less than perfectly de-
licious. He was s,. sure gettin tn. tn
right at tn croocial moment, when
Portia, who no doubt by this time was
dead sick of his nonsense, waved him
aside an told him to draw number.
tn kid. salaamin' eighteen different
ways at once, pirouetted up to tn
caskets. an after hddlfn' around for
fully two minutes selected tn gold
casket an had 1t throwed open.
Homes. folks. tn scene that took
place when tn III rascal discovered
he'd been handed his walkin' papers
was simply disgraceful! Frantically
piece from his shoulders, he tossed 1t
to one Of his slaves an boldly walkin'
up to- fair Portia openly accused her
Of befn' party to some turrible
crooked work. Va see, he knowed be-
forehand that tn Prince O. Arragon.
who had Immediately. preceded him.
had took q peep at tn silver jar, only
to be showed tn gate, so, when one Of
tn prop" kids whispered in his ear
that Portia wanted him. to know II
pili was in tn gold box he felt IN his
heart that his Josie was for him.