HILE our thoughts are turned to the Founders of the Nation, picturing them as men and imagining the lives they led, it is interesting to consider the sort of theatrical entertainments they enjoyed, nearly a century and a half ago, and compare these old-time productions with the shows of today. By Lawton Mackall The 9 Show Shop President Washington, it seems. was as indefatigable a playgoer as President Wilson. He was a constant patron of the old John Street Theater in New York, and when the seat of Government was moved to Philadelphia, many atrical enterprises followed in his wake. "The President," says a historian, "frequently occupied the east stage-box. Over the front of the box was the United States coat of arms, and the interior was gracefully festooned with red drapery. . . . Washington's reception at the theater was always exceedingly formal and ceremonious. A soldier was generally posted at each stage-door; four soldiers were placed in the gallery; a military guard attended. Wignell (the director), in a full suit of black, with his hair elaborately powdered in the fashion of the times, and holding two wax candles in silver candlesticks, was accustomed to receive the President at the box door and conduct Washington and his party to their seats. Even the newspapers began to take notice of the President's visits to the theater." In one respect, however, the Father of His Country was at a disadvantage as compared with our present Chief Magistrate: vaudeville had not been invented. An idea of the sort of offerings that were available at that time may be gained from a recently issued volume entitled "Repre sentative Plays by American Dram atists, 1765-1819," edited by It is instructive to note As an indication of the sort of girl that appealed to them let us take Maria, heroine of "The Contrast," a highly popular comedy of the period. Maria is the personification of sentimental timidity and helplessness. In those days they called it female delicacy. "Formed of the more delicate materials of nature," she murmurs, in one of her sighing soliloquies, "endowed only with the softer passions, incapable,'from our ignorance of the world, to guard against the wiles of mankind, our security for happiness often depends upon men's generosity and courage." And again: "Reputation is the life of woman; yet courage to protect it is masculine and disgusting; and the only safe asylum a woman of delicacy can find is in the arms of a man of honor." We could think of a more appropriate asylum for her, but it's probably too late now. To complete her perfection, she is a model daughter an obsolete model. "Heaven knows! with what reluctance I should oppose the will of a parent, or set an example of filial disobedience; at a parent's command I could wed awkwardness and deformity." Knowing these reassuring facts about her, we can. be confident that when she falls in love she will act decorously. Col. Manly, her estimable admirer, tries her with: "I hope you will excuse my speaking on so important a subject so abruptly; but, the moment I entered the room, you struck me as the lady whom I had long loved in imagination and never hoped to see!" Will she, distraught creature, follow the dictates of her heart? Not Maria! She's not taking cardiac dictation this morning. 'Indeed, sir," she replies, "I've been led to hear more upon this subject than I ought." Photo by Campbell Edith Day, the popular avia- 66 But the Colonel is loath to be outdelicacied. "Permit me only to be near you, and by a thousand tender assiduities to endeavor to excite a grateful return." But his gallant efforts are of no avail. With rare female refinement she intimates that because of Papa there can be nothing doing. And so he bids her farewell (pro tem) with: "We are both unhappy; but it is your duty to obey your parent-mine to obey my honor. Let us, therefore, both follow the path of rectitude; and of this we may be assured, that if we are not happy, we shall, at least, deserve to be so." A consoling thought, that. Such was the type of girl that the Tired Early Patriot went to the theater to see. After the bleakness of Valley Forge she probably seemed entertaining. 66 A Friendly Call By MORRIS WADE ES, it's me, Sister Ellsby," said the tall, gaunt, resolute looking lady of somewhat advanced years when making her first call at the parsonage in which the new minister had been established but two weeks. "I reckon you do have some trouble in remembering so many new faces. The wife of our last paster was great at remembering both names and faces. She never forgot a person once she had seen 'em. She had lots of good traits that are going to make us miss her a lot. Thanks. I will come in and set down. I ain't but a few minutes to stay but I thought-my! look at that dab of dirt on the new wallpaper in this hall! Seems like our Ladies' Aid hardly gets the parsonage. fixed up until it needs new paint or paper. I ain't had a foot o' new paper in my house in ten years. Stale bread crumbs might take that spot off if it ain't grease, and I don't see why there should be grease spots in a front hall. You well?" "Quite well, thank you, Sister Ellsby." "I didn't see you out at the missionary meeting las' night and I took it you must be sick or you'd of been there. If the paster's wife don't take an int'rest in missions I don't see how she can expect the other wimmen of the church to. It would save this carpet a good deal if you laid strips of old carpet around. Our Ladies' Aid had to get the money to lay the carpets here in the parsonage. It ain't many ministers gets parsonages with carpets all laid in three o' the rooms. I see you got these here portyairs over the door between the parlor here and the settingroom. Huh! I never could see the sense o' hangin' curtains over doorways. Looks as if there was something to hide. Our last paster's wife didn't have a portyair in the whole parsonage. She was a mighty nice sensible woman. If we'd liked him much as we did her we would of kep' him. Is your husband a real well man?" Yankee Machine Gunner (who has lost his way but anxious to make the most of a trying situation)-Pardon me, but is this the way to Berlin? it seems to me he's some holler-chested. Does he drink coffee ev'ry morning? He does? That prob'ly helps to explain it. There's so many good substitutes for coffee I think he better stop coffee and try some of them. You tell him to try Grain-O. With nice rich cream it's about as good as coffee. You take only a quart of milk a day? Well, none of us has just what we want. You ought to put a carpet on them front stairs. We've just had 'em painted. Look at that rent in that window shade! And the shades in this room all new not three years ago! I don't think that rent was there when the last paster's fam❜ly moved out. The grass in the front yard looks as if you'd allowed your children to tromp it down a good deal. We had fresh seed sowed in it last spring and it won't grow if it is tromped down. Seems to me that picture you've got hung above the mantel would look better between the two front windows. Ain't your youngest child awfully pullin'. You don't let him eat candy, do you? Our last paster's wife allowed her children to eat so much candy we had to speak to her about it. She was known to buy a whole pound at one time and to pay nineteen cents for it. And him asking for a raise in his sal'ry. And she used nearly three pounds o' butter a week and only five in the fam'ly. It doesn't look well for a paster's fam❜ly to set an example in high living. Well, I guess I'll run along. I just run in for a little friendly call andphew! What's that nice smell? It's just a spice cake you are baking? Purty expensive kind of cake ain't it? If my husband had only six hundred a year it's mighty few spice cakes I would make. Well, I got to run along. Any time you'd like to ask me anything feel free to do so. I been her twenty-five years and our paster's wives know that I'm always ready to advise. If you'd keep the shades drawn closer it'd save the carpet from fading. I must run along. Good-bye." An Unpromising Outlook "I DON'T presizely know how to get shet of my brother-in-law, who came with his family about two months ago to make us a nice long visit," confessed the gaunt Missourian. "He has the asthmy too bad to work but not bad enough to keep him from differing with me on politics, religion, weather signs, the way to end the war, and most everything else that I happen to mention. His wife has queer spells and distinguished ancestors and a very superior manner. All their five children except the third one, counting from either end, have musical or elocutionary or movie talent, or something equally as repulsive. The exception that I have indicated has nothing the matter with him except that he steals everything he can lay his hands on. "You see, wife and me, we have lived so long in the old home that we are sorter attached to it, and kinda hate to burn the house down, except as a last resort." Tent and Deck Wheezes Military and Naval JUDGE pays $1 each for original jokes sent by soldiers and sailors and accepted The Hard-Boiled Sergeant By SERGT. GEORGE H. HODGE, A. S. S. C., U. S. 4. TWENTY years in the Army, an Enlisted Man, am I, Across my breast the colors rest where I've seen Old Glory fly. On hand at the Boxer Party, and when Aguinaldo gave in, And I've served in every Department; in Cuba and Late years it's been Detached Service, kind of a cinch But today is findin' me drillin' and marchin' the rookies to Range. My bunch is somewhat different from the bunch what When there was Billy Hare, from God knows where, Everything Big Drawn by C. J. Dow, U. S. N. They sure have some big clotheslines on these PVT. JACK KELLY, Cantonment Hdqrs. Detachment, Camp Upton, N. Y. An Apprehensive Mother A "rookie" reached Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., to "Wire me immediately if George's shot in the Why Not? PAUL HANSON Drawn by PAUL HANSON, U. S. Transport "America." A Nice Distinction By JACK TAWER, H. A. 1, Naval Hospital, Annapolis, Md. "Halt! Who goes there?" "I'se not goin'. I'se comin' back." The Voice of Their Uncle Sam By PRIVATE O. J. BERINGER, U. S. Marine A green batch of recruits who New to the game they had yoh now!" Summer Schedule Up and Down on the Broadway Joy Line BUSINESS BEFORE PLEASURE-Eltinge. EYES OF YOUTH-Maxine. Elliott. Mar- A war PARLOR, BEDROOM MAN WHO STAYED AT HOME, THE-48th and BATH with FLORENCE MOORE COHAN & HARRIS W. 42nd St. Evs. 8:20. Mats. Wed. and Sat. 2:20. Funniest American Comedy of Recent Years Street. He puts a secret agency of A TAILOR-MADE MAN MIDNIGHT FROLIC-Cocoanut Grove. The Extremely Novel, Clever Play by HARRY JAMES SMITH with GRANT MITCHELL rooftop sequel to the "Follies." OH, LADY, LADY!-Casino. A little Prin- AL JOLSON IN "SINBAD" PARLOR, BEDROOM AND BATH-Republic. A with Broadway and 45th Street. Evenings 8:15 A strange pilgrimage to a Jersey road house. RAINBOW GIRL, THE-Gaiety. Jerome MUSICAL ROCK-A-BYE BABY TAILOR-MADE MAN, A-Cohan & Harris. COMEDY UDGE was one of the three "The happy medium," Judge, furnishes Stick a Ic stamp on the cover of this issue, Judge, 225 Fifth Avenue, New York City Payable in advance or by draft on New York, or by express The contents of JUDGE are protected by copyright in both If JUDGE cannot be found at any newsstand, the publishers BACK NUMBERS: Present year, 10 cents per copy; 1917 Postage free in the United States, its dependencies, and Mex- JUDGE cannot undertake to return unsolicited manuscripts |