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            <title type="main">Amusements</title>
            <title type="sub">electronic edition</title>
            <author>Cather, Willa, 1873-1947</author>
            <principal xml:id="awj">Jewell, Andrew, 1975-</principal>
            <editor xml:id="ka_ron">Ronning, Kari, 1949-</editor>
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            <publisher>University of Nebraska&#8211;Lincoln</publisher>
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                  <addrLine>University of Nebraska&#8211;Lincoln</addrLine>
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               <title level="a">Amusements</title>
               <title level="j">Nebraska State Journal</title>
               <author>Willa Cather</author>
               <biblScope type="pages">3</biblScope>
               <date when="1894-04-18">April 18, 1894</date>
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                  <term>Minstrel shows</term>
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                  <term>Gymnastics</term>
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         <head type="main">AMUSEMENTS.</head>
         <p>The best <ref type="doc" target="n00966">minstrel show</ref> of the season was given
by the <ref type="doc" target="n00967">
               <name type="group" key="Lincoln Light Infantry">Lincoln Light infantry</name>
            </ref> to a whole <ref type="doc" target="n00066">Lansing</ref> full of people last night.  The
audience was large in every sense of the word.  The officers of the <ref type="doc" target="n00968">National
guard</ref> and the <ref type="doc" target="n00969">
               <name type="group" key="Omaha Light Infantry">Omaha Light infantry</name> company</ref> occupied the boxes.  The performance
itself was very much better than most amateur performances presented by the
<ref type="doc" target="n01564">gilded youth</ref> of a town, probably because a minstrel show is better fitted to
the capabilities of amateurs than many other theatrical ventures.</p>
         <p>At promptly 8:15 the curtain rose upon a dark
scene and the program began.  The music was exceptionally good for amateur
music.  <ref type="doc" target="n00970">
               <name type="musicTitle" key="Mamie Come Kiss Your Honey Boy">"Mamie Come Kiss Your Honey Boy"</name>
            </ref> was well rendered by <ref type="doc" target="n00971">
               <persName key="Moore, Mr.">Mr. Moore</persName>
            </ref>.  <ref type="doc" target="n00972">
               <persName key="Burr, Frank">Mr.
Frank Burr's</persName>
            </ref> variations and amendments to the somewhat ancient and familiar
strain, <ref type="doc" target="n00973">
               <name type="musicTitle" key="Move On">"Move On,"</name>
            </ref> were very clever and drew forth repeated encores from his
hearers.  <ref type="doc" target="n00974">
               <persName key="Camp, Christy">Mr. Chris Camp's</persName>
            </ref> solo was very good and his floral tributes were
unique and <ref type="doc" target="n01565">loaded with meaning</ref>.  <ref type="doc" target="n00975">
               <persName key="Bostrom, Yol A.">Mr. Yol A. Bostrom's</persName>
            </ref> version of <ref type="doc" target="n00976">
               <name type="musicTitle" key="Love Me Little, Love Me Long">"Love Me
Little, Love Me Long,"</name>
            </ref> was the musical hit of the evening.  He must compose
rapidly, for he good-naturedly responded to six encores and never gave us "the
same thing over again."  His local hits were particularly gratifying.  <ref type="doc" target="n00977">
               <persName key="Butler,  Edward R.">Mr. Ed
Butler</persName>
            </ref> sang the newest song that has been heard in Lincoln for an age.  He had
a good voice, which is something unusual in a soloist, and sang with such ease
and self-possession that he can scarcely be called an amateur.  His floral
offerings were of such a deep and suggestive nature that it was well that he
temporarily belonged to a race that is <ref type="doc" target="n01566">born to blush unseen</ref>.  As it was one
could almost see his blushes through his burnt cork.  The curtain fell upon
part 1 with a very pleased and contented crowd on this side of the curtain.</p>
         <p>Part 2 was opened by the popular magician, <ref type="doc" target="n00978">
               <persName key="O'Shea, Will">Mr.
Will O'Shea,</persName>
            </ref> in a sort of reminiscence of <ref type="doc" target="n00467">
               <persName key="Herrmann, Alexander">Hermann</persName>
            </ref>.  <persName key="O'Shea, Will">Mr. O'Shea</persName> did many
astonishing feats, though some of his tricks failed to "go off."</p>
         <p>
            <persName key="Bostrom, Yol A.">Mr. Bostrom's</persName> "few minutes" were just a few
minutes too many.  They had all the essential coarseness of minstrel fun
without its wit.</p>
         <p>Messrs. <persName key="Burr, Frank">Burr</persName>, <persName key="Moore, Mr.">Moore</persName> and <ref type="doc" target="n00981">
               <persName key="Curtice, Ross P.">Curtice</persName>
            </ref> performed very
creditably on the mandolin and guitar.  They make a strong trio.  <ref type="doc" target="n00982">
               <persName key="Wilson, Harry">Mr. Harry Wilson</persName>
            </ref> attired as an ice cream summer youth handled the clubs with great
enthusiasm and success.  His manifold "circles" and his throwing of the clubs
was very <choice>
               <sic>skilful</sic>
               <corr>skillful</corr>
            </choice>.</p>
         <p>The great feature of the second part, and
perhaps of the entire program, was the <ref type="doc" target="n00983">triple bar exhibition</ref> by <ref type="doc" target="n00984">Messrs. <persName key="Bing, Edward R.">Bing</persName>
            </ref> and
<ref type="doc" target="n00985">
               <persName key="Wittman, Jospeh">Wittman</persName>
            </ref>.  Evidently these gentlemen do not work at the bars in a <choice>
               <sic>dilletante</sic>
               <corr>dilettante</corr>
            </choice>
way.  They go at it like professionals of the first order.  Everyone, from the
circus loving youth in the gallery to the ladies in evening dress, got excited
when the gymnasts began.  There was a dazzling splendor about their tights
and a dash and daring about their performance that made one think he was
witnessing the <ref type="doc" target="n00986">great standing bill that is running now in Madison Square
<choice>
                  <sic>garden</sic>
                  <corr>Garden</corr>
               </choice>
            </ref>.  From what one remembers of <name type="group" key="Barnum and Bailey Circus">
               <ref type="doc" target="n00779">Barnum</ref> and <ref type="doc" target="n00988">Bailey</ref>
            </name> and <ref type="doc" target="n00989">
               <name type="group" key="John Robinson's Circus">Robinson</name>
            </ref> and other
circuses, one would say that Lincoln would have to look a long time among the
professionals before she would find better bar performers than Messers. <persName key="Bing, Edward R.">Bing</persName>
and <persName key="Wittman, Joseph">Wittman</persName>.  They executed with apparent ease and very apparent grace some of
the most difficult feats known to triple bar gymnastics.  </p>
         <p>
            <persName key="Burr, Frank">Mr. Burr's</persName> round dance was very fetching, though
he fell a little short of the mark where the kicking was concerned.  Men never
do kick well; their ideals are not lofty enough.  They had better leave the
kicking to ladies, they are too modest to ever attain any very high degree
of merit in that line.  Finally the <ref type="doc" target="n00990">leopards did change their spots and the
Ethiopians their skins</ref> and the <name type="group" key="Lincoln Light Infantry">Lincoln Light infantry</name> appeared and covered
themselves with glory in their drill.</p>
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