VOL. LIX.
INDIANAPOLIS, DECEMBER i7, 1904.
NO. 5.
Social Evenings  In The Country,
Fdltors Indiana Farmer:
Social evenings are a far better kind
of entertainment for the country th.'an
the dances, especially when these are an
excuse  for  drinking  as  well. To  ob
viate this evil, we started a social club
and planned a program of winter entertainments to be held in the school-house.
They take place every two weeks, and
are   largely   attended   and   have   become
mas entertainment.        All    have    music,
intersperced.
The charades in the American-story
evening were quite successful. One was
the little girl who begged her father and
mother to let her send her t>et Iamb to
Boston to help the suffering people there.
They were dressed in old costume, and
the live pet played his part well. The
well-known scene was nicely gotten up.
Theu,   the  barber   -scone. The  bnrher.
been spotted before now!" He pulls a
black velvet "domino" out of his pocket,
puts it on*, saying, "That's all they saw
of me!" Hearing some one at the door,
he had but just time to hustle it into his
pocket when the sheriff appeared. The
man, "taking the bull by the horns," (as
the saying is), accosts him with, "If you
are after the train-robber, I can perhaps
give you a tip!" After assent from the
sheriff, he goes on*, "I used to know him.
father does not see it in that light, explaining that it would not be right. He
sends off one of his boys to the neighboring J. P. with it. A scene at the J.
P's house, where he tells the boy, there
is a rich man touring the country, who
possibly  lost it.
Third scene, when the mim comes to
the farmer's house. He praises them
for sending the purse back and tells them
ho is going to put a railroad through that
Logging Crew at Work iu a Washington Pine Forest.
very popular.
Four evenings were to be class socials.
That is to say, one was to be in the
hands of the boys, to provide program,
and refreshments, cooked and worked but
by themselves. Quite a novelty! For
another the "old boys" were to lead and
provide. Each old boy telling a story
out of his own experience, one for the
maidens, and lastly for the matrons, from
whom of course great things would be
expected.
Alternating with these come evenings
with selected topicc. The first, American history, the second, Mother-country
history; third, traveller's tales; fourth, a
debate, not yet determined, and a Christ-
talkative as barbers proverbially are, discovered that his customer was a tory.
Whereupon, with one side of his face covered with lather, he instantly kicked him
off of Tiis chair ami across the stage with
great gusto! It was however too rapid
and an encore was called for.
Charade-proverbs are being worked up
for the next one of the class evenings,
"A bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush" is down on the program as "The
Sheriff's Search." Three or four boon
companions are sitting together over their
pipes. One of them is "wanted" for
having held up a train and rifled the mail
bag, with its registered contents. One
of them remarks, "I wonder you haven't
and I chanced upon him. He was with
his brother, who is tarred with the same
brush. They've gone into the brush up
the mountain valley, (naming it) and tlie
route he took. The sheriff says he'll giT
after them and leaves.
Another effective one is, "Honesty is
the best policy," played as raising the
farm mortgage. A farmer's family are
lamenting having to leave their pleasant
home, because the mortgage has been foreclosed. The baby of the family rushes
in, calling out, "See what the angels
dropped!" and holding out a pocket, full
of greenbacks in the double numbers.
With delight the others chime in, that now
they need not leave the farm.       But the
part of the country, and will want to buy
a corner of their land. He had heard
of the mortgage and pays enough to raise
it.
"All it not gold that glitters" can be
announced as "A lover's gift." Begin
with a love-scene, where a young man
presents his sweetheart with a gold heart-
shaped brooch. After he has bid hor
good-bye, the rest of tlie family come in
to the room. She shows them the brooch.
A mischievous brother says, "It ain't
gold." After a little altercation, lie
takes it and puts it into the lamp. Being made of paper, it burns up, ami the
girl cries! I.ouisia A.  Nash.
Oregon.