Hemingray Glass Company - Muncie, Indiana

THE MERCHANTS' JUBILEE.

The Second and Last Night Crowned

With Success Equal to the First.

Miss Patterson and the Woman's Relief

Corps Entitled to Much Credit for

Putting so Pleasant and Novel an

Attraction on the Boards, and

Professional Men for their Generous

Support and the Public for Liberal

Patronage.

The second evening of the "Business Men's Jubilee" was in some respects similar to the first, and yet was entirely different. The costumes taken as a whole were elaborate and some new features were presented that decided hits. The marching last evening was no better than the evening before and some of the firms represented the evening before could not be improved upon. But the manufacturers and professional men were more generally represented last night and well represented. Over's, Hemingray's, and Maring & Hart's glass houses were well represented, while Dr. ? administering to the wants of a robust-looking patient, dismissing her in the first act with a gallon of medicine and a half-bushel measure of pills, to find a skeleton in a little coffin in the second act was a commentary on the efficiency of the remedies administered that brought down the house. The law firm of Gregory & Silverburg was on the program and the handsome young lady brought upon the stage a beautiful six months old baby. What the child had to do with this practice of law is one of the things that the audience could not understand. Probably it was to give notice that this firm would restore such precious bundles of humanity to the legal mother, or may have been intended by the senior member of the firm to remind the junior of the new addition to his family. At all events it was a great hit. It would be impossible to go through the entire list of merchants, manufacturers, business men, professional men, trades, &c., and do all justice without doing some an injustice, by not saying as much of them as they deserve. The entertainments both evenings were highly creditable. The amusement was worth something; the advertisement was worth something, and last of all the amount contributed goes for a purpose — the relief of sick and disabled soldiers, their wives or their families — that no one regrets giving.

One feature of the entertainment that was new and novel should have special mention — the appearance, representing M. Kuechann's music house, of John Shumack and Harry Miller, in the "Picnic Flaskofone." This was a new thing for Muncie and is a new thing in the line of music. When the curtain went up the audience saw a gilt frame on the stage; stretched across the frame was fine wire, suspended on the wire were probably twenty-five or thirty flat flasks, all the same size; each flask contained water, no two the same amount. The boys, in handsome uniform, took their places behind the frame and after the manner of the bell ringers, began to strike the flasks, and music, in perfect time, perfect tone, and exceedingly mellow and rich, rolled out to the delight of the audience that kept applauding until the boys were called back again and again. To secure information as to the manner of producing this music it was learned that the greatest care is required in getting the proper pitch. The flasks are suspended on the wires and tested until the proper pitch is obtained by pouring a little more water in or taking a little out. Hours are sometimes spent in getting the right pitch for one flask; even the cork that goes in the flask, is a little too heavy or too light, will throw the whole machinery out of harmony. When every flask is just right, all are made air tight with sealing wax, that must also be weighed, and then the great musical wonder is ready to start, with the proper men to handle the sticks, and this the boys do to perfection. The only thing that throws the instrument out of tune is in not having the flasks thoroughly sealed. The least air causes the water to evaporate and creates discord. The flask then has to be "doctored." It is a great exhibition of itself.

It is due to some of the young ladies who were not well up in their places to say that their parts were not given to them until late in the afternoon — some of them as late as four o'clock. The persons selected to take the parts and had them committed, from sickness and other causes, failing to appear. There need be no regrets, censure, or mortification about the failures. It was just one of those accidents that will sometimes happen to the brightest and best. Credit is due the young ladies for attempting to fill the places instead of allowing them to remain vacant.

NOTES. The Business Men's Jubilee is copyrighted by the author, Mrs. V. S. Patterson, of Bellefontaine, Ohio.

The name of Florist Hanking appeared incorrectly on the program, but he was finely represented all the same.