Life — February 27, 1902 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

-LIFE- 175 the opinion that it is ‘‘as near to the point of perfection as is likely to be reached by any modern play ;’’ and another ‘conscientiously recommends” his congrega- ticn to go at once and see it. All this is very interesting to the uncler- ical mind, It opens a wide field of future effort, for other managers will naturally try and follow so good a lead. It was startling last winter to see at the door of a theatre, in which a rural drama of the baked beans and doughnut type was being performed, a life-sized post- er of aclergyman with his arm stretched in exhorta- tion, while underneath was quoted his exuberant eulogy of the play. But by this time we have grown accustomed to such inno- vations. It would be but a fair requital if the grate- ful actors would say a few words on Saturday nights in praise of the sermons which their clerical sup- porters are going to preach tho next day. One good turn manifestly deserves another. tones Repplier. “PUT the oysters in your bay are not very large, are they?” said the California man, “Large?” retorted the man from Fair Haven, as he ground his teeth with a sound like a nutmeg grater, “why, they’re so BEER IS THICKER THAN WATER. large that we stuff them ARCH OF CONCORD IN HONOR OF OUR COUSIN HENRY, with turkeys!" With Benefit of Clergy. ME T is the golden age of advertising, and every day Some men, on the other hand, aim higher than Provi- dence designed them ever to be fired, and the recoil offers fresh proofs of ingenuity. A neat little book pate them out of action, , has been compiled, and widely circulated. Its mission is to assure laymen that the clergy endorse “The Bonnie Brier Bush,’? and sanction its performance. Twenty pastors and one pastoress have written enthusi- astic letters, expressing their delight-at this moral per- formance, and incidentally thanking the management for sending them their tickets, Their language has all the innocent elation of a school-girl, fresh from a matinée. They pronounce the Rail-yard drama ‘simply beautiful,” and ‘‘a lovely sweet play.’ They enjoy “every minute, from start to finish,”"—fortunate creatures! They gravely assert that its spectators ‘‘ will receive a moral and spiritual uplift.” They congratulate the leading actor on having had “religious experience.” One reverend gentleman is of ae Puunan'y Leck: comicbooks.com