Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-12-06

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four wrote II all herself
and nobody ever tried 10
steal the credit from her.
Everyone knows that
virtue is it's own reward
but for seven years this
amalgamatiou Of goodness
and badness also collected
from $500 TO $1,000 per
week very big money for
most anyone IN those
DAYS plus several bushels
OF vegetables thrown az
them by hysterical audiences AZ most every
performance.
Their stage contemporary, Sarah Bern
hardt drew down much more money and so
had the somewhat earlier Adelina Patti on
her endless farewell tours but these artists
had 70 endure many years Of hard work and
obscurity first while the Cherry Sisters
stepped right from The farm 10 fame. with TO
training and only a few years schooling
Al the beginning of the last half Of the
10Th century five girls and a boy We're born
IN rapid succession on the Cherry Farm. at
Indian Creek Iowa and before they had
reached their teens had learned 90 grow vege-
tables from the ground Later they were 10
make vegetables fly through the air with
the greatest Of ease Also they found time
10 learn the three Rs which was considered
plenty good enough for those days
The farm did well producing most OF their
wants except money for which there was
really no need because they hartered their
crops for credit at the stores and thus sup
Piled anything they could not grow or make,
Then came the Chicago Worlds Fair and
burning desire TO see its well-advertised Won
ders except Of course, the wicked Midway IN
general and the Hoochec -Coochee dance in
particular.
Since they could not raise the long
green from the earth, they turned praycrful
eyes TO Heaven and in answer an inspiration
came 10 Addie, then % years old. She re-
membercd how everyone had complimented
them as children on their amateur thcatri-
Gals for church benefits Why not put on
show for their own benefit
All five sisters and the brother were in
he original cast as first written by authorcss
Effe and staged at nearby Marion. The
audience all farmer friends responded gencr-
ousy with applause and with $50 in cash, TO
say nothing Of farm produce. good but not
easily convertible into legal tender
Fifty dollars was not enough 10 finance
the Worlds Fair expedition but it was enough
60 hire the opera house In another nearby
Town for one historic night Mediocre com.
ranics giving such classics as Uncle Toms
cabin and Ten Nights in a Bar Room. usually
fayed TO empty houses there but word spread
tha, this was more than mediocre It was
simply terrible
For about ten minutes the irreverent audi
cnce grinned AZ the hiEhly-moral drama in
comparative silence. It's theme was warn
ing by a gypsy that II one OF the infatuated
sisters did not cease listening to the blandish-
ments OF the villain, she would land In a sui
cdes grave, as had the gypsys own ruined
sister.
At this point the cat-calls Whistles and
horns started but the gallant five went right
on though soon not word could be- heard
The audience caught few notes of Don't
You Remember Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt" but
not enough 10 recognize the tune AZ the end
20 the first act the dcr.sjvc AUDIENCE vas 9s-
toundedto see the actors como forward. bow
ing happily 10 many curtain calls
The burned fools think wc are applauding
them" they told each other and then he vcgc-
tables began to land on the stage But these