The Natchitoches enterprise., 1919-04-03
Little Journeys Into the Past
THAT AFFAIR FOR THE CHARLESTON
SUFFERERS
Chapter VIII

SUFFERERS
Chapter VIII
Natchitoches has long been not
+ ed for its ready and substantial
! response to appeals for aid, and it
is typical of its citizens that in
making plans for the raising of
funds for some worthy object,
they always manage to get as
much enjoyment out of the hard
work as possible.
I So when she shook her head
over the memory of the Charles
ton sufferers, and mentioned that
we had certainly done our share
in relieving the distress following
that catastrophe, l settled down to
listen with interest, for was sure
that if we did our share, vel
managed likewise to have some
sort of good time in 50 doing.
Everybody felt awfully bad
about that flood, so much damage,
you know. Living near Red River,
and within familiar distance of
the treacherous Mississippi, we
sympathized acutely with those
homeless thousands. and decidee
right away to give an entertain.
ment and raise 'em some money. 4
So we did. There we're always
capable people to take q hand,
under good director-you know
how tactfulIy you have to deal
with Talented people-they have
temperaments, you know, and
have to be handled Just So with
their names in the right places in
full on the programme, and all
that, you know.
OF course we had it at Fireman's II
Hall. You don't9 Why, right !
between the City Market and
where the Office of the Times are
low-we always bad things there.
Everybody who could sing or re-
lite. or play, was mentioned, and
# course we bad . sort o. playlY
lrst-with lots Of little girb inI
aflatGn. and swil1S aSd Sl6xnSfj j
nd curls and thinss-you know;Il T
hey wore papillotes to bed the
light before, and eouId hardly
leep because of the knobs-but. II
b the ringlets that night Fem
ninety is eternal. and If its tight
hoes and such, later. it's pspil-
otes ID be endured ct the ringlet
of course our children
nd never dreamed of electric
,rlers or the permanent wave.
We used to have tableaux, too,
ith all the picturesque types in
'stume, and of course all sorts of
reek maidens in cheesecloth
ghties, with their tresses un.
'und, and falling in ripples
ound marble shoulders. A good
oking waterfall Of hair was
talent in those days,
d one might or might not be q ane
auty, or musician, or a leader we
a play on its strength, but it nof
rely entitled cne to a part in a Oai
,leau. Well. Ley
If course Fireman'x Hall was ~
The going for the ~, "1
sens-smilax and moss from the ". .,.''
ods-was part of tho frolic, and "a. :
tain capable young couples a. :. -,
rs had it in charge. and made 4 osu, ~
mic of it. Why. they knew ~: ~:
ere every nail was on those old ''a,'
lis, and could hide Z stained .uu
It with business-like artistry y. -,
b a spray of bamboo before .''e
| knew it! .eo'
Veil. This entertainment for - \
sufferers: the opening sketch anon
called Fairy Freaks, . l re. coue
nber. and Henry Kahn was al Il
principal character, called ava.
rumps,' May Pierson and Rena nd
lips as Oberon and Puck were he :.
,S '''0 Spr''es sno much calls
'a1' glen
meila Llchtenstein recitsd lost
'e Blacksmith's Story" with tears
effect. and Maude Percy and rudi,
'oky' Winbarg had dramatic syml
ces' too. Maude Pierson, whose wher
e even then was like fiute. earn,
Hearest Thou and was en-. mou,
d again and again Eliza and sagc,
IL Dranguet, tho tiny children, bis 6,
ed piano and violin duet, liable.
Mande Breazeale and Rich tlnue
Caspari sang toesthsr which 70 ii
'ed to be big surprise to- not b
II.