Milford chronicle., 1932-02-26
*AnuuaL Senior Play
Opens With Local Scene
"Fmnhmst JelOeLs' Written, Directed
And Played By Seniors

The hall of the high school audi
torium was well-filled on both We'd
nesday and Thursday nights when
people in Milford came to see
"The Farnhurst Jewels" the senior
class play. Perhaps the name ex-
cited a little interest, hut the pos
ters which Virginia Simpson drew
for the store windows in town stir
red up even more. They gave a
slight suggestion of what the play
was concerned with, but they didn't
show the half of it.
The play started with a bang,
when the Houston Follies took the
stage. The audience started laugh
ing then and didn't stop all the rest
of the evening. No wonder. The con-
cert orchestra, composed of Gerald
Wilson at the piano and Townsend
Parvis, drummer, began the program
with a special arrangement of their
classical theme song, The Old Grey
Mare" 1t was Unique with capital
letters. Ralph Reed, the announcer,
made his little speech to the radio
audience (all this was broadcast of
couTse) telling them that the. pro-
gram was given in the Hotel Bilt-
mOre-Better in Houston and was
sponsored by the Houston Pickle
Works. The stars he introduced
we're Kate Smith, admirably done by
Ponder Morgan; Amos and Andy,
George Clendaniel and Clinton Hall;
Helen Morgan, Jane Harrington,
and Junior OF Raising Junior Pro-
gram" who was Gene Eisenbrey
whose imitation was SO realistic
that we are inclined to believe he
was once a baby himself. The Fol
lies were brought to a close by
dancing chorus and Walter Win
chell" who switched the program
over to the real orchestra in the pit.
Then the Fun began, The real
story of the play came next. Miss |
Susie Brown, the school teacher in
Houston, comes to school one after
noon to find that some ''impudenT /
rascal has drawn a comic picture |
of her on the board. Terribly hurt. |
she dismisses school early and reads |
the paper Suddenly she comes |
across this advertisement: Wanted |
Young woman, attractive, fashion
able, weH-educated, preferably from
outside of New York City. Apply at |
once to J. H. Farnhurst, 3l0 Park |
Avenue, New York City" Stung TO
anger by the taunts of her pupils
she decides to answer the ad ''just to .
show them" Some of her Houston
friends wander into the school house
just in time to see her Off.
In the second act little Susie
Brown breaks into real society in
New York City as the fake wife of
Mr.. J. H. Farnhurst who wants to
protect his wealth from gold-diggers
and chorus girls. The first thing
she has to do is to be introduced in
to society at a reception-and the
guests were Mr.. and Mrs. Rudy VAL
lee, Mr.. Charlie Chaplin, Miss Clara
Bow, Edward, Prince of Wales; Mr..
Al. Smith, Mrs. Underwood ~ Van
Purpal and Mr.. and Mrs. Van Wisen-
heimer. More limitations of these
celebrities furnished amusement for
the audience.
Just before the reception, the
Irish maid, Nora, and her hoy friend
Jake Duffy, get to discussing the old
mans family jewels, ana the dis
,ussion eliminates in plot to steal
Lhe jewels. Nora, however, is one
lf those women who can't keep Sc
orets, and that spOils everything. .
Meanwhile Sue has met Larry, the
good-looking son of Mr.. Farnhurst ]
md there is where the love interest
les. Matters become even more
when Mr.. Farnhurst
himself falls in love with a dark
laired siren. /
Larry is suspected of being
and Jake tells Nora that.
Nora tells Sue; and Sue Overhears
lake and Nora planning to steal the
ewels. She gets the safe cOmbina-
ion from Larry and takes them her
elf Then she tells Larry about
axes plot to steal them. When Lar !
V goes to find the jewels, they are
one and he Immediately suspects [
'ue. Things grow from bad to
iorse until finally Nora tells Larry {
hat Sue is not married to his father
nd he decides that he'll make his
ather fire her so that he can marry
er. He follows them to the opera I
I'D then Jake comes to steal the ]
ewels.
When he finds they are gone. he
rows very angry, in other words {
e gets mad, and sends Nora to
ring them to him as soon as they
ct home from the opera. Larry,
owever, comes on the scene just in {
me. Instead of being a gangster Fl
e is a detective and has been trail t
lg Jake Duffy for three months. He {
rrests him and then asks his fa- /
ler for Sues hand. Mr.. Farnhurst i
oesn't know what to 90 until the 4
amp, Mrs. Grasswidow, shows up e
n the scene. Then, of course, every J
ling turns out well and everybody I
yes happily ever after. +
Sara Dickerson took the part of I
iss Susie Brown and was excellent.
he Houston friends were Spencer Z
ILLS, Kathlyn Sapp and Gerald
'ilson. Mr.. Farnhurst was played
Y Robert Reed and Hilda Calhoun n
,pped the comedy honors as Nora, f;
e Irish maid. Larry was played by a
alph Reed, Mrs. Grasswidow by c