SI?. uss-g Lonp;, Walter' S ' Contents Ghoses er not Ethoses, When de womenfolks debate. WULlAfil S. A HIT ON YOUR NEXT RROfiMMI Something Out of The Ordinaiy In High-Glass Humorous Songs. MUSICAL SmCHES FOR YOm LADIES ^ By Harry C. Eldrldge These fill an urgent need in " supplying musical numbers \dth action, for any secular program, for ^lis or ladles of any age. Cleyer words and singable music combined to make novel numbers for ybur entertainment. . THf MAT OF OTHER DAYS. Everyone kno?ra how ridiculous the changing styles make out-of- date hats appear, The song is bas^ on this faet, and the appearance of these *‘hats^^ ?^^ other 4ays” will cause loads of merrimenti "I OAITT 00 A THMO WITH MY HAIR $#E irtWASHEIt’’ Did you ever hear4;he above expressien? They all say it. This Song isifor a meiry grmip of; girls who have Rouble in keeping their hair in bounds. A jolly song. ^ ^ REDHCEO TO $lJi. The f^res in a dry go<^s show window are indignant at^havlhg to par- ticipate in s(fiUany‘‘r^uetions£des,'^ and, “ revolting, walk off the stage after telling - ^ their doubles in song. The eccentric motions of these figures make a very laughable number. THE WHIWMI WAYS OF GRAROIIA'S DAYS. Sung ih costume,'^ this portrays the many welcome and pleasing*costumes of ‘‘ye olden times.” Di- - rections for minuet included^ Very enjoyable. hxi ww If tti rtiw stBt jeshMH n rec»^ tf 25 cadt EynOD^ ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE Ghoses Er Not Ghoses A Negro Debate By WILLIAM S. LONG. Copyright 1916, Eldridge Entertainment House. ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE, FRANKLIN, OHIO dar Aint No QUESTION:— “Resolved, Dat Ghoses.” DEBATERS: Affirmative Negative Solomon Moses Beelzebub Daniel Daemon Caesar George Washington Brown Hannibal Hanted Holmes OFFICERS: President— Hon. Wilson Roosevelt Taft. (Names of local persons serving as Judges.) TIME: (Date and Hour of Entertainment) PLACE: (Place of Entertainment) Dr. Sawyerhaidoff Right Rev. David Jeremiah JUDGES: Ghoses Er Not Ghoses. This darkey programme requires seven persons to which number may well be added two marshalls, a pianist, and, if thought advisable, three judges. The director in each case should be the judge of the kind and extent of stage setting, as this may be arranged in various effective ways. The costumes of the debaters and officers, and judges, may be ragged, funny, or would be dignified, as desired. It is suggested that each should wear a high hat, which may be easily made by sewing a high cardboard crown around a derby hat and cover- ing it with black cloth. The Vice-Presidents should each have a large alarm clock fastened with an enor- mous chain. As timekeepers they should refer to these ivatches frequently. In the delivery of the debate it- self, some of the speakers may make their parts very effective by falling occasionally into the loud and va- ried singsong of the old negro preacher. The dialect should be noticed closely and a lazy drawn maintained at all times. At the conclusion of the debate, the judges, if in costume, should retire to a corner and have a noisy conference, after which the chairman should an- nounce the decision. ARRANGEMENT OF CAST ON THE ROSTRUM. a— President b — Vice-Presidents c— 1st. on Affirmative d — 2nd. on Affirmative e— 1st. on Negative f— 2nd. on Negative m— Marshalls t— Table (Speaker’s Stand) p— Piano p BAB M D E M C T F, 4 Ghoses Er Not Ghoses President’s Speech. Ladies an’ Gemmens:— Yuh hab been called ter dis byab congregation ter witness an’approve de acktions an’ de arguments uv er gret debate. De Colleges dey selves is sboly enormous an’ de question are profound. De powers wbar wuz is tremblin wid de oncartainty uv de contes, an Mt. Dumplin College is willin an almos’ anxious ter fly at de figgerative tbroat uv de University uv Cbinker- pinneck. De question fur dis concussion are “Re- solved, Dat dar aint no gboses.” De gemmens wbar will uncork de thunder and dip out de ligbtenin ferdese renounded institutions is: Fur de Firmative, Mistab Solomon Moses Beelzebub and Mistab George Washington Brown; furde Nega- tive we will extricate Mistab Daniel Daemon Caesar an Mistab Hannibal Hanted Holmes. We will now hab de fus speaker fur de Firmative, Mistab Beelzebub. First Speech On The Affirmative. Mistah President, most wise Jedges, Men an Wim- minfolks: It hab done been agreed upon an resolved dat we is to argufy upon de gret important question dat dar aint no Ghoses. Honry Jedges, as Ah considerate upon de gret issues what are dependin upon dis hyah question, mah feelins trembles lak de rod of Aaron an mah voice it blossoms lak er load uv mud. Mistah President, lat mah ax yall ter grab care- fully at de sollem fack dat de proof uv dis hyah reso- lution do not interfere wid de gret religiousology what hab done transpired alongside uv de childhood uv our race. When dis hyah affirmative undertakes ter prove dat dar aint no ghoses, we means dose ghoses whar niggers say sometimes peramputate aroun de churchyards at night. We aint a-talkin Ghoses Er Not Ghoses 5 erbout de angels uv de Lawd. We means dead men’s ghoses. Dat are de thing whar we say — dey aint. An in order ter prove dis hyah statement, ah’se agwine ter think out de unthinkable, explain de in- explicable, search out the unsearchable, and unscrew de unscrutable. Ah’se agwine ter tar down de eber- lastin an eternal foundations uv dis ole surrepstition an throw it outen de do. Ah appeals ter yall intelligent cullud folks ter re- member de gret wurds uv Isaiah when he say ‘ ‘Be ye not afeered when de night come on, jes’ hang erroundde church.” Hyah is yo proof dat dar aint no ghoses. How cud er nigger hang erround er church an not git skeered ef ghoses ralely walked, erround? Yas suh, dis hyah talk erbout ghoses is all er fake. Ef men’s ghoses did come back ter arth, den in wartime de side whar hab de mos men killed in de fus fight wud be boun ter win be- kase de ghoses uv dose daid men wud fiop back ter arth when night come on an wallop de life outen de other army. In case dar aint no ghoses. Lawd-a- messy folks; ef yall axually believed dat ghoses walked erroun, all de money, in mah pocket hyah cuddent pay er single black man in dis hyah crowd ter leab dis place ternight. An more’ n dat. Ah ’ll bet dat not one single nigger in dis hyah house wud go out by hisself aftah chick- ens at night ef he thought dar war enny danger uv ghoses trackin him home. Doan tell me erbout your ghoses, Ah eats dem things. Ah hired er ghose one time fur fifty cent er week ter clean up mah house, an she nebber did clean it up. ’Twuz all er fake. ’Twarnt no sech thing as dat ghose whar Ah wuz talkin ter. She wuz er lyin all de time. Ah knowed er man one time whar advertised fur er ghose in de (Name of a local paper) ter kindle fires fur him, an not one single, er double ghost appeared. An yall mus showly know dat fire is one kin uv truck whar all ghoses keep in stock. Honery Jedges yall heern tell uv hanted houses and dey is all er fake. Ah knowed er house one time 6 Ghoses Er Not Ghoses dat all de niggers wuz skeered uv kase de heered noises in dar at night. So I went in dar one night an run er whole flock uv sheep out. Dey had been roostin dar nigh on ter twelve munts. One time down hyah in de woods jest dis side uv Richardsville dar wuz er little cabin whar all de niggers thought wuz hanted by er ghose dat grunted all night long. Ah went in dar one night, jes kinder prospectin er- roun, an foun er ole pinerooter sow an nine pigs. Dat hawg war sholy some ghose. Dose folks ober dar doan know nothin, dey is ignoramuses. Honry Jedges, dis hyah argument proves dat dar aint no ghoses. But dis hyah big black partner uv mine will more’n prove it. He hab got er argennent whar will shake de dus’ outen dis hyah platform an blow de nails offen yo eyelids. Den Mistah President jes watch dem enemies uv ouren ober dar gib up .dis hyah scramble an turn into sperits deyselves. Ah thanks yall verykindly fur yer respectabul attenchun. President. We will now listen ter de fus speaker on de Negative, Mistah Caesar. First Speech On The Negative; Mr. President, Dishonorable -Jedges, Menfolks an Ladies: Mah opponent whar hab jes preceded me hab al- ready worn de fringe offen mah patience up ter an oncludin de quick uv mah anger. He axuly tries ter make yall blieve dat dar ain’t no ghoses. Yit Ah’ll bet de shine offen mah boots dat he wudden kill er chicken ef he thought its ghose wud hab er chance ter rise. Dat ar nigger he jes talk like er dat ter make yall white folks believe he ain’t skeered. Ef dese hyah lights wud go out rale sudden lak we’d hab ter choke his tongue outen his head ter keep him frum er swallerin his brains. Ah’d er jes lak ter hab had him out wid me one night las winter. ’Twuz er cold, nasty, mean, rainy night an Ah wuz er trabblin across ole Swamppoodle Ghoses Er Not Ghoses 7 farm frum Carrico's Mill. An when Ah come close ter dat old hanted cabin up on de hill in de Locus’ Grove, Ah jes say “look hyah nigger hyah’s de place fur yuh ter stop,” so Ah jes went in an lit er little smoke in de chimbly, an stretched out on de flo ter dry mah guarments. It felt so good in dar dat Ah jes kinder dozed off lak, an Lo, an Behole! Ah see mah Granpap’s ghose er grinnin in de winder. Den er big black tomcat jumped inter dat room frum jes nowhar in extickleyou, an wropped he tail erroun dat lamp, an say kinder lonesome lak “Ain’t no one in hyah cept me an yuh, is dar?” Ah sorter sneaked erround ter de do an called back kinder farwell lak, “An we won’t be hyah long. ” Mistah President, dat war sholy some race. Finnally Ah thought dar ar ghose war clar lef behin. So Ah jest kinder leaned ober on de side uv de road an lowed as how Ah’d wait fur mah breaf ter ketch up. But stid uv breath de fus thing Ah saw wuz dat same black cat. It kinder sneaked up an grinned up in mah face lak er barboon an said rale flatterin lak, “Nigger, yuh sho kin run.” Dat war jes on de yudder side uv ole Mount Dumplin. Lawd-a-Mussy, black folks. Ah jes raised up lak er flyin machine an told dat cat “Yuh ain’t seen no run- ninyit.” Ah runned all de way roun Mount Pony, down fru de Flatgrouns, an back ter Chinkerpinneck. Dat war fifty-five miles in sebenteen minnits. An ef Ah haddent seed some chickens in er tree down dar Ah’d be er-runnin yit. An be er-talkin er-bout dar ain’t no ghoses. Mistah President, Ah axes yall ter remember dat all de gretest men uv de wurld hab been skeered uv ghoses. Recollecshun dat little village dat Shakespere tells er-bout whar he seed his Father’s ghose. Ah means Ham-let. Mahcussed Antony seed de ghose uv Brutus when Caesar died. Ichabod Crane sot ole Gunpowder on fire when er ghose got arftah him. An ef mah enemy ober dar thinks he sees er chance ter win dis hyah debate, what he sees are jes er ghose uv er chance — de chance died long er-go. Honry Jedges, don’t yall blieve dat dar ain’t no 8 Ghoses Er Not Ghoses ghoses. Ef dar ain’t no ghoses, den dar ain’t no Heben. Fur er ghose ez er speritanef daidmen ain’t sperits den dar ez nuffin lef ter go ter Heben. Ah be- seeches yall ter recollecshun de sollem wurds uv de good Book whar it say dat ef man lives right on dis hyah arth den his sperit will go ter Heben when he die, an ef he lives wrong his sperit will go ter — con- trawise direction. Honry Jedges Ah stands er-pon dis hyah lofty prederlection uv defense fer de wurds uv dat ar Book. What it say are jes boun ter be de Gawspul truf. Now showly mah opponents don’t want yall ter misunderstood dem ter say dat er sperit cud stay down in dat ar contra wise place all de time. An ef he come away frum Torment sometime, den he are jes boun ter come up ter de arth ter git er-way frum it. Den ef he do come ter de arth, he know he kaint be killed er-gen, he ain’t skeered uv no one, so what de tarnation gwine ter keep him frum showin hisself ter some one ef he want ter? Dats what Ah axes yuh! Incose dar is ghoses! Honry Jedges, Mah complice will finish fur de Neg- ative, an when he gits done excruciatin er-pon de tar- nal presence uv ghoses in de ar, Ah’ll bet mah ole hat dat dose smyart niggers ober dar will be skeered ter peep out de do. Dis am respectably submitted. President De nex speaker are de second on de Firmative, Mistah Brown. Second Speech On The Affirmative; Mistah Jedges, Dishonorable gentlemen, Ladies an President: Ah hab heered dat black man talk until mah nose ez erbout ter bleed fur disappointment. Yuh see. Ah thought he war gwine ter say something— an he did- dent. Mah colleague hab done showed yuh dat we ain’t ergwine ter discuss ligion in dis hyah debate. He hab also showed yuh dat de Bible proves as how dar kaint be no ghoses kase de Prophet tells de nig- Ghoses Er Not Ghoses 9 ger not ter git skeered at night but jest hang erroun de church. Now Honry Jedges, Ah will show yuh dat de laws uv de Ian proves dat dar kaint be no ghoses. Eben mah ponents ober dar mus know dat de laws uv de Uninty States say pintedly dat ef one man kill er nother man dat man mus be hung up by de neck un- til he are daid. Now ef dat fus daid man axually did turn inter er ghose what wud be de use uv hangin dat other nigger. Why Mistah President, don’t yuh know dat fus ghose wud hant de life outen de nigger what killed him, on de fus night aftah de killin. Uv cose he wud. De law wuddent hab no chance a tall in dat next killin. Dis hyah nigger whar tole erbout seein dat ar ghose ober on Swamppoodle done fergit somepen. He ain’t tole us yit how come he happen ter be ober dar at dat . lonesome place at dat time er night. Seems lak he’d be skeered ter let Squire— (Give name of some lo- cal police official) heer him tell bouten dat. An moren dat mah frens, jes twis down in yo pipe dis hyah sol- lem fack also, dat war his conscience what he seed, an Ah specks it war er chicken what he heered. Don’t tell me bouten yo ghoses. Ah hab c’lected chickens at ebery hour in de night, an Ah neber yit hab seed er ghose. Ah uster hab er job skimmin moonbeams offen tombstones at night. An ebery night Ah’d ramble roun de grave yards an jes dar de ghoses ter stir, an dey war all so skeered dat de grass wud tremble roun mah feet. Dar warnt no ghoses in dose graves, believe muh. Ah knows. Mistah, President, ef dar war enny sech thing as ghoses ebery body wud want ter be er ghose. All uv yuh folks wud remit susanside so as how yuh’d cud turn inter er ghose an porteck yoselves frum oder ghoses. Jes think now how nice it wud be ef we cud all jes sorter swim out on de atmosphere arter chick- ens an be atmosphere ourselves. An jes take yotime pickin out de bes chickens in de hinhouse, an ef de boss shud come out wid er gun an shoot holes in de climate whar yuh wuz, yuh cud jest laf at him fit ter 10 Ghoses Er Not Ghoses kill, an fill up dose holes in de climate wid mo weather. Den yuh cud git shot an not be shot, kinder stay sober so ter speak. Dis hyah argerment proves dat dar ain’t no ghoses, kase all dese things what Ah say dey is, dey ain’t. Honry Jedges, Yall mus remember dat de Bible proves dat dar ain’t no ghoses. Yall mus membertoo dat nature proves dat dar ain’t no ghoses, yall mus member also dat de law it proves dar ain’t no ghoses, an bove all uv dese yall mus member dat it am clar pas de limitations uv commonsense ter spose dat er livin sperit cud descend up outen er daid man’s body an scare er live man offen de arth. What’s de use uv dyin ef yuh ain’t gwine ter stay daid? Ah appeals ter yall as men uv judgement ae eckerty ter sot de stamp uv ye omnipotious influence an authority agin de surrepstitious ignorance whar hab so long hel our race in de darkness uv respair. Ah appeals ter yall to call down de might an vengeance uv a eberlastin mis- approbation erpon all whar say dat what we call ghos- es is ghoses. Ah appeals ter yall ter plant right hyah de civerlizing seeds an benediction uv a new philoso- pholosophy which will some day bloom up er mon- strous crap uv tongues uv fire whar will wave lak sil- ent monuments uv hope frum ebery mountain top, an shout frum ebery darkest valley, “Dar ain’t no Ghoses. ” President We will now hab de las speaker fur de Negative, Mistah Holmes. Second Speech On The Negative; Ladies an Gentlemen, Men an Wimmin, Niggers an Whitefolks Mah honry complice hab proved ter yall dat dar is sech er thing ez er ghoses, an now it are lef fur me ter double prove it. Dis hyah fren ob mine tol yall bouten one uv his little speriments wid er ghose. Ah has er little case in mine what are jes ter de pint. One night erbout two o’clock Ah war trottin erlong by de whitefolks church jest dis side er Stev- ensburg wid erbout ten dollars in mah pocket whar Gkoses Er Eot Ghoses 11 Ah had jes winned in er crap game. Ah had er bran new Smith an Weston gun in mah hippocket, an as Ah started inter de ole place, whar dey called Wicked Bottom in dose days, er thinkin erbout how safe dat money war, when right sudden lak Ah seed er gret big ghose right in de road in front uv muh. Ah turned bery politely an started ter retreat unanimously in de yudder d’rection. But dat ar doggoned ghose flopped roun in fronten me ebery time Ah’d turn erroun. Den Ah drawed er bead on dat ghose wid dat new gun uv mine An Lawd hab Mussy, instid uv shootin dat ghose it jes busted all ter smoke in mah bans. Den Ah jes collided wit dat ghose— jes busted fru him so ter speak — Bless yo soul mah honey! Honery Jedges, dat ar ghose blowed up lak steam all roun. Upon mah wurd uv honor as er white man, dat ar ghose wuz so hot dat he singed all de whiskers offen mah face. An dey ain’t growed up yit either. Mah pardner hab done tole yuh erbouten de race whar he had wid er ghose. But Ah tell yuh now mah frens he don’t no eben er little bit bouten runnin. Ah wore out three par uv bran new brogan shoes in sebenty-five miles dat night. Dat ghose didn’t stop follerin me till he had plumb cooled off. But now take it frum mah. Ah hadn’t cooled off enny a tall. Er nother time Ah wuz trabblin outen de Wilder- ness jes dis side uv Fredericksburg, an Ah hadn’t more’n crossed the Rappannock ribber an started up de high hill dar into Chinkerpinneck, when bless yo sweet life Ah seed the consarndest ghose Ah ever did hear tell uv. He had three bodies and seventeen haids, all jined together. — Don’t yuh tell no body, but Ah thought mah time had come. Ah jes cuddent git mah hind feet ter try ter run away frurn dat ghose. De fack is dat Ah jes kinder settled down alltergether, an de nex thing Ah knowd Ah wuz down on mah knees an then Ah begin ter talk ter de Lawd erbout conditions in general an dat ar ghose in extickleyou. Mistah Gemmens, Ah believes dat ghose war de gret-gran-pap uv all de ghoses. One uv dose sebenteen faces kinder grinned at muh lak 12 Ghoses Er Not Ghoses de Old Boy hisself. Ah den tole de Lawd dat Ah neber wud steal enny mo chickens, dat Ah’d eben drap all dose dat Ah had on mah back. Ah told him dat Ah neber wud shoot enny mo crap. Ah tole him ef he’d jest fergive me fur all mah ole sins Ah’d neber sin no more. An den dose haids begin ter stop dere shinin lak fire, an soon Ah cud see clar thru whar dat ghose had been. Ah didn’t lak ter leab dose chickens behin in sech er lonesome place as dat, so Ah jes cided Ah’d postpone mah bargain wid de Lawd fur er mo convenient time. Ah haddent pulled my speed up ter more’n erbout two miles er minnit when, Lawd Bless yo life de biggest rooster in dat bag clar fergit dat he war gagged aud hollered out rale impudent lak, ‘ ‘Look a-hyah, nigger, take me back down yonder!” Now bonnes Mistah President, Ah diddent want ter break mah bargain wid de Lawd, but dat wuz axin too doggone much uv enny nigger. Ah jes compromised by depositing dat whole bag uv chickens right dar in de road. Believe mun, mah feet wuz er-workin den. Honry Jedges, Ah axes yall ter recollection dat all history it proves dat dar is ghoses; recollection dat all de gretes men uv all times hab seed ghoses. De Bible itself are as full uv ghoses ez er nigger church- yard at night. De berry nature uv man tells us dat he leabes hyah arftah death, an our own speriments tells us time arftah time dat he don’t always stay away. Ah blieves dat de whole future exculpation uv de instinct uv man are dependin on dis hyah ques- tion tonight. Tharfore, Dishonorable Judges, it ez up ter yall ter set yo answer down so clar an loud dat all de world kin hyeer. It ez up ter yall ter prove ter all succeeding venerations dat dis hyah instinct uv man hab not gone wrong, an dat what we calls ghoses is ghoses, one an unmistakable, e plubmted unum, world widout end, Amen. Ah Thanks all uv yuh, suh. a ff i,- wwsrKuusR^n jAtateiir 1r is not a side lina W^th us, '\ - Beali^ing that mafty people have grown . 1 ' ihg ent«a!i2ttttinenta discard them as . totters have often spokeh of “the house ; that helpiS.'^: We have had practical, exper- ience in selecting and producing amateur en- will please the public, and what can be pro^ duced under certain conditions Ow experlcDce is at 411K {RtiMSlL Write ua, gi vipg full particulars of your special need in the way of an enter- tainnient, itt^ we will seleet a play, an oper- that^^^m^^ addition to our entertaim ptfa^ dealefS* If in doubt as to the entartain- mttit you desire, send particulars and we Will surest sottething to^ RELEASE MR Mim PRODDCTION. A GOMEpY /IV FOU^ ^ SEVEN MMMS ANh TfWEemHAlMS I I MIL II H- ■ft*" y ^ITHIS play was product l>rofess|bnally - for several masons luid^ another and IS now released for amateur production without royalty and without restrictions y - of any kind. The scenery and costumes simple. ^ Tifne^ about two hours. A P young society girl prays an impmrtsmt part r ; in oveHhrowing a rorrupt pmitieal bo£» and brings about the elecdon h» fiance. The race fcnr the hand of a ^ wealthy widow by rival suitors furnishes thejcomedy. A pre^ sttwy is unfolded, but" without act^" love-making or any scenes objectionable to^ the amateur. "Recommended for^ high schools and dra- matic clubs. ^ ^srtfea |Mrty m the second act affords oppo rtBH lty fe WALTER S. LONG A HIT ON YflOR NEXT PMfi^ Spmethiiig Out of The Ordinary , In Hi^-Oass HiiinDrous Songs. i-- : : MUSICAL SKETCHK FOR YOONG 1JU)IE^^ \ - ~ ^ By criadrldge These fill an u^erit need in supplying , musical riUmfeers ’pth action, for any secular progrmn, .for girls &dadm of any age. JCleyer words; and singable niusic’combined to ma^ hovel numbers for your entertainment THE HAT OF OTHER MYS. Everyone knows how ridiculous' the ch^gihg styles make put^f _ date hats appear^ ; ^e song is based on this fact, and ^e appearmiee of these “hats of other days” Will cause l<^s of merrinienf:*^^ i CAN’T D| A THING mTHMY HAIR SINCE Iff VASHEO?’ ,^Did you ever hear theabove expression? ^They all say it. ^ This song is fona merry grdup of girls who havetrouble in keeping their hair itt bounds. 5C jolly song. REDUCED To $ 1 . 99 , The figures in a dry goods show window are jih'dignant at having'to par- ticipate in so hjany i'reduc sales,” and, revolting, walk off the stage after telling their troubles in song.. The eccentric motions THE WINNING WAYS OF GRANDMA’S DAYS. Sung in costume, this portrays the many welcome and pleasing costumes_of “ye olden times.” Di- rections for minuet included. Very enjoyable. Aiqr one of tte above sent postpaid on rece^ of 29 eerti Franklin, Ohio WHEN DE WOMENFOLKS DEBATE. A Darkey Sketch for Women or Men Impersonating Female Characters. By WALTER S. LONG. Copyright, 1916, Eldridge Entertainment House. ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE, FRANKLIN, OHIO. DENVER, COLO, PROGRAMME QUESTION:— “RESOLVED -Dat de Womenfolks ain’t got no Right ter Vote in Missibamgia.” DEBATERS: Affirmative Negative Minerva Daisy Washington Deborah Exzema Johnsing Dinah Jackson Smith Esther Hannah Brown OFFICERS President— Mary Virginia Josepline Haden. Vice-Presidents Anthenelia Hazeltine Sims Carrie Nation Clatterbuck Marshalls I Lavinia Cornelia Muddiman Julia Davis Taliaferro JUDGES (Name of Local Persons acting as Judges) TIME (Date and Hour of Entertainment) PLACE (Place of Entertainment) When De Womenfolb Debate THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH Men an Wimmen, Big Folks and Little Folks: Yuh is hyah ternight ter sarve de functions uv jedge an jury in the gret debated case uv RIGHT varsus WRONG. Which one ob dese are de plaintiflf and which am de Tendent mus’ be decided upon hyah by y'all ter- night. Ter yo sollem desideration will be handed out de pondigerous argerments both con an’ pro — for an’ ergin. De question fur debate an’ yo consideration are ''Re- solved, — Dat de Wimmenfolks ain’t got no Right ter Vote in Missibamgia.” De R. S. V. P. P. D. Q. Sisters uv Dorcas Sewing Society will maintenance de Firmative uv dis hyah argerment, while de Negative will be per- secuted by de Wimmen’s True Reformer’s League uv Missibamgia. De ladies what will ladle out de shrapnel an’ spill de torpedoes is: Fur de Firmative Miss Minerva Daisy Washington an’ Miss Dinah Jackson Smith. Fur de Negative, Ah is mo’rn pleased ter interjuce Miss Deborah Exzema Johnsing an’ Miss Esther Hannah Brown. We will now hab de fits’ speaker fur de Firmative, Miss Washington. FIRST ON THE AFFIRMATIVE Missis President, Honry ledges, Niggers an' White folks: Ah is mighty glad fur er opportunity ter speak ter y’all at dis hyah time an’ on sech er portant occasion. In dese stormy days when all de wimmen seem ter be crazy on de subject uv votes. Ah is glad ter say dat Ah ’longs ter dat ar noble band uv patriots whar y’all calls Anti-Suflfer- yets. An’ Ah wants ter ’nounce right hyah now dat Ah isn’t none uv dem ar halfway, no count, po white trash Oncle-Sufferyets, neither. Ah is loyal ter de gret big stairs an’ stripes uv dese hyah Uninety States. An’ Ah 3 ^ When De Womenfolks Debate lubs de peace an’ happiness in all de homes uv dis hyah gret state nv Missibamgia. Dar am de reason whar Ah am hyah ternight, and dar is why Ah hab done ''Re- solved, — Dat wimmenfolks ain’t got no Right ter Vote in Missibamgia.” When Ah tempts ter spress ter y’all de history uv dis hyah question all de pride Ah eber hab felt in de glory uv wimmenhood are shaken an’ umbled. Ah feels lak it are too shameful ter talk erbout. Ah wants ter tell dem ar wimmen ober dar, Yuh neber is satisfied. Yuh neber will be satisfied. Why doan yuh go on home an’ try ter ptft up wid what de good Lawd hab done gib yuh? Mah frens, jes’ think uv it er minnit. Hyah is ax’ylly wimmen wantin’ ter vote. An de wust thing uv all erbouten it are dat dey is willin’ an ready ter raise er row erbout it too. Dey has talked erbouten votes untell y’all wu’d think dey raly knowed what er vote are, wuddent yuh? Dey has blamed de men fur all de troubles dey eber has had an' clar fergits dat de good Lawd made de men. Now in dis hyah concussion ternight Ah wants ter sot plainly befo y’all er clar understandin’ uv what dis hyah question means. By de tex’ uv de resolution y’all kin see dat it ’fers ter rights, it ’fers ter votes, it ’fers ter Wimmenfolks, an’ all uv dese right hyah in Missibamgia, Now ter fix de meanin’ still mo clarer in yo min’s jes’ recollection dat it simply means dat wimmenfolks mus- sent vote in Missibamgia, an’ dat is all us on de Firmative is hyah ter prove. In provin’ de troof uv dis hyah reso- lution we ’spectfully offahs ter yo consideration free fun- dermental pints uv interest. Fustly, dat dar ain’t no use in makin’ er change; secondly, dat dis hyah votes fur wimmen is as wusser’n jes’ simply votes fur men;' an’ thirdly, dat in itself, wimmen sufiferage wu’d be er gret mistake. Ah will prove de fus’ uv dese, an’ mah pard- ner will more’n prove de udder two. Ah now axes y’all ter fix yo ’tention on de sollem fack dat dar ain’t no use in makin’ dis hyah change. What y’all wimmen fussin’ erbout? Doan yuh git ernough ter eat? Doan yuh hab er place ter sleep? Doan yuh hab all de close yuh kin war? Doan yuh hab ernough wuk When De Womenfolks Debate 5 ter do erroun’ de house widout totin’ de burden uv de men? Ah axes ebery one uv y'all, what else does yuh want ? Law-a-massy, niggers, doan de men-folks alreddy make ernough fool laws ? What else cu’d yuh do ef yu’d git de vote ? De men hab done gone an done all dey kin fur yuh ennyway. Tuh tell de troof, mah sisters, Ah’se fred ef us wimmen shud git ter vote at de poles, den mah ole man ’ud want ter vote erroun’ de house. An’ y’all knows bery well dat dis hyah nigger neber wu’d ’gree ter dat. Hon’ry Jedges, Ah has proved ter y’all dat we doesn’t need de vote an’ mah pardner’ll prove dat dis hyah votes fur wimmen’ud be jes’ as bad as votes fur men, and dat it wild be wusser. An when dese facks hab been drove fru and clinched in de hind part uv yo think box, we kin all jine in wid de rooster an declar Dat wim-min folks — ain’t got — no right — ter vote — in Mis-sibam-gia.'*' (*Note — This last sentence may be made to sound somewhat like a rooster’s crow.) FIRST ON THE NEGATIVE Hon'ry Jedges, Men an' Wimmen, Misses Presedent : Ah is hyah ter repersent de argerments uv de True Reformers an’ de fus’ thing Ah’ll do is ter reform de argerments uv mah hon’ry enemy what hab jes’ receded muh. An Ah’ll begin dat procession by changing de wurds uv de tex’ uv mah ’ponents’ resolution ter read ‘'Dat wimmenfolks hab got er right ter vote in Missi- bamgia.” Dat is what us uv de Negative is hyah ter prove, an’ we’ll prove it exclusively an’ completely. His- torically, Scientifically, an’ Sentimentally. Now when Ah says as how de wimmen hab got er right ter vote Ah doan . mean dat we kin vote now. Dat is what we is fussin’ erbout. But ef we hab got er right ter vote, an’ Ah’ll prove dat we hab got dat ar right, den dere; ain’t nuthin’ lef’ fur y’all female niggers ter do but jes’ go home an’ suade yo menfolks ter yo opinion wid de mighty argerment uv er rollin’ pin. Historically speakin’ dis hyah question ain’t nuthin’ new. It hab been under scussion eber since man war in de 6 When De Womenfolks Debate monkey state. Den de man monkeys war so wicked dat dey cuddent stand fur de good intentions uv de wimmen monkeys. So dey began ter hab all de 'lections in de tops uv de tall trees in de spring uv de year so dat de wim- menmonkeys 'ud hab ter stay down near de groun' ter min' de little monkeys. Arter erwhile de men got bolder an' tole de wimmen dey mussent eben talk erbouten poli- tics, and de sad part is dat de po' obedient wimmen soon 'blieved dat foolishness an' quit talkin' erbout it. But now wimmen hab erwaked. Ah say dey hab erwaked, an' dey want de menfolks ter know dat dey hab erwaked. An' ternight us, de Negative, is hyah ter prove dat dis present way uv doin' bisnes is wrong, all wrong, an' nuthin' but wrong. We bases de proof uv dis hyah recersion upon de meanin' uv right. Now jes' y'all niggers 'sider how de vote war taken from de wimmen, wuz dat right? An' ef it warn't right, warn't it wrong? Now some uv mah hon'ry 'ponents may say dat de wimmen neber had no vote, dat dey ain't equal ter de men. But Ah kin prove dat dis ain't so by de Bible story uv de Creation. Thar de Bible it say as how ''Gawd created man in his own image, male an' female, created he them." Dis proves dat wimmen is equal ter man. De wurd man dar is used in its gemerical sense an' means man embracin’ wimmen. Now ef de one wurd means two things, it cain't be com- plete widout both uv dese, an' tharfore er man's vote is only er half er vote widout er woman's vote erlongside uv it. Now some men say as how de cast de whole vote, lak as dey is man embracin' woman. But Ah 'lows as how ef er half kin stan' fur de whole, den dat half sar- tainly orter be de better half. An' Ah kin jes' gib y'all de history uv de whole wurld ter prove dat de women am de better half uv enny par. Dese is fades, Hon'ry Jedges. Packs whar cain't be lafifed at nor unproved. VVe hassent built up anny arger- ment hyah ternight on mere sandy theories. All de state- ments uv our argerments is well pressed bricks what we hab foundationed on de gret solid rock uv fack. On dese facks we hab built, on' on dis hyah rock we depend. When De Womenfolks Debate 7 We is not scaered iiv de floods iiv ignorance nor de storms iiv lies. All dat de world knows erbouten de gret noble character uv wimmenhood is supportin’ our cause, and Ah kin almos’ heer de glad ringin’ uv de joyful bells whar will son perclaim dat de votes hab been giben ter de wimnien uv de gret state uv Missibamgia. SECOND ON THE AFFIRMATIVE Ladies an' Gimmen, Niggers an' White folks, Men an Wimmen : Mah pardner hab done proved ter y’all dat dar ain’t no use in gibin’ wimmen de right ter vote. An’ now Ah’ll go clar pas’ dat ar stoppin’ place an’ prove fustly, dat dis hyah votes fur wimmen wud be as wusser’n jes’ simply votes fur men. An’ Ah’ll also prove dat wimmen sui¥erage wud be er gret mistake. In de fust place we hab too many laws now alreddy. What fur yuh want wimmen ter be er-makin’ mo? Sec- ondly wimmen is jes’ lak men. Ef yuh gib dem de vote dey wud jes’ go on an’ let de crooked politicians fool dem. An’ dese politicians wud jes’ keep on runnin’ de guv- ment enny way. Dey doan keer who votes fur dem jes’ so as dey kin git ’lected. De wimmen ain’t got no mo sense den de men hab. Now votin’ are de bizness uv de men, but dey doan know nuthin’ erbouten housewuk. Yit de wimnien uv dis hyah day an’ time make out lak dey kin do dere own wuk an’ de men's wuk too. Ernudder thing, y'all niggers knows jes’ as well as Ah know dat wid de wimmen votin’ no one but de gret big han’some yaller niggers 'ud hab er ghose uv er chance ter get ’lected ter no orfice. Now y’all also knows dat no one cain’t be han'some an’ ’onest at de same time, lease he'll steal time ter look at hisself in de glass, an’ enny body whar will steal one tiling’ll steal ernudder. Ah ’lows as how stealin’ stealin’ no matter what is stole. Den does y’all think dat er han’some maii’ud make enny better orncer den de ones we now alreddy hab? Ah lows as how wimmen sufiferage wud be ar gret mistake. Ef we wimmen git de vote all our interests wud be changed. Men folks now respeck wimmen bekase 8 When De Womenfolks Debate he doan miderstan’ her. He doan see as how wimmen kin be satisfied ter stay at home an' min' de babies an' let him chase erroun' habin' all de fun. So den he immeji- ately thinks de woman are heaps better den he are an' he 'specks her 'cordinly. Now yuh jes' let de wimmen hab er vote an' de menfolks will go right straight an' lose dere 'speck fur her. An’ den yuh niggers'll hab tuh Stan' up in de street cyars, an' see menfolks wid dere hats on in de elevators, an' help yoselves outen buggies, ' an' drive yo own artermobiles. Why not jes' dress in men's close an' be done wid it, an' smoke er pipe. Jes' yuh think now, ef wimmen gits de vote, dey'll be expected ter jine de army an' fight in wahtime. Now y'all knows dat wimmen cain't fight in no army. So den de men- foks'ud make fun uv dem an' call dem cowards. As it is wimmen is not 'spozed ter fight bekase we ain't ‘got no votes. But Hon'ry Jedges, de argerment whar we wants ter sot upon top uv all what hab been said hyah ternight are dat ef wimmen had de vote it'ud break up de home. Ef wimmen cud vote who wud do de cookin’? Who wud darn de ole man's sock's? Who wud sew on but- tons" Who wud min' de chilluns? Dey wuddent be many chilluns ter min'. An who wud stay 'ligious all week while de men war c'lectin' chickens? Ansah me, Missis Presedent! Ansah me, Hon'ry Jedgesi Yuh niggers down dar in front, yuh ansah me ! An' yuh mah hon'ry enemies, yuh ansah me ! Who wud do dese things ef de wimmen didn't? De men, uv cose. An' veribly Ah say hayh ter night dat er horrible mess dey wud make uv it too. Dey wud undeed. Jes' y'all think uv de homes dat wud be broken up. Think uv de homes what wud neber l>e started. Ah tells y'all Hon'ry Jedges, it's er shame. It's mo'en er shame. Ah axes y'all ter lissen ter mah sollem pleadin' hyah ternight. Ah axes y'all ter 'sider all de po orphans an' widowers what wud be neg- lected. Think uv de ole bachelors whar wud be made ter lib in single blessendness all dere lives while de wim- men prance erroun' wid de ballot box. It's up ter y'all Hon'ry Jedges. Dis am respectively submitted. When De Womenfolks Debate 9 SECOND ON THE NEGATIVE Hon'ry ledges^ Niggers an' Gemmens, Ladies an' White- folks : Mah pardner hab done tole yuh dat Ah is ter prove dat wimmenfolks hab got er right ter vote by de gret argerments iiv science an’ sentiment. Scientiffically speakin’ we kin claim dat wimmen is de full equals uv men. An’ Ah wishes ter call yo ’tention ter de profoun’ investigations uv de late Professah Barley. He showed exclusively dat de rapacity fur votin’ are not suspendent on de size er stringth uv de voter, but on de quality uv de brain. Now Professah Darley furder shows as how de brain uv de wimmin folks is composed uv er better timber dan de brain uv er man. Kase dar is fo hundred paramecium vorticellos in each ounce uv wimmen’s brain ergin only two hundred fur de men. What y’all Ant- Suff eryets gwine ter do wid dat argerment ? Ansah muh. Yo cain’t. De argerments uv mah ’ponents puts muh in min’ uv er ole man whar war arsked ef he wud vote fur ter ’bolish bangin’. He jes’ rolled his cud erroun’ in his mouf an’ said, ^'Naw, suh. Hanging’ war good ernouf fur mah pap. So Ah lows as how it shud be good enrouf fur mah.” Now in cose we doesn’t doubt dat hangin’ wud be good ernouf fur sich trash as dat. But Ah kinder hopes dat dar ain’t none lak dat in dis hyah house ter night. We is talkin’ ter dose folks whar ain’t satis- fied wid dere present trials an’ tribulations. We wants de wimmen whar dreams dreams uv glory an’ honor an’ happiness ter listen. We repeals ter all who isn’t skeered uv men ter come fawward hyah ternight an’ help us beard de ole he-lion in lies den an’ pluck all de feathers frum hes wings. Ah will now prove Sentimentally dat de wimmen folks hab got er right ter vote. Y’all niggers jes’ nottis dose pretty black gals, and dose pretty yaller gals. Wud yuh young men dar tell dem dat dey isn’t yo full equals. An’ ef dey is yo equals, hassent dey de same right ter vote dat yuh has yoself. But dis hyah question it say as 10 When De Womenfolks Debate how wimmen dey ain't got no right ter vote, an’ Ah lows as how dat question it am er unqualified, prevari- catin’, inexplicable falsifier. Ah claims dat de wimmen hab got er right ter vote. Mah ’ponents talk erbouten breakin’ up homes lak dey ain’t got no sense. It doan take but er few minnits ter vote. Dey say dat votin’ is de man’s business. Dat ain’t so. De man’s bizness are ter wuk fur er livin’, an’ de wimmen’s bizness are ter take keer uv de home. Now ef de man kin leab his bizness long ernouf ter vote, den de wimmen kin do de same. Hon’ry Jedges, we wimmin isn’t arskin’ fur no special privileges. We jes’ wants ter vote jes’ lak de men. Ef some wimmen doan want ter vote dat is dere bizness, but ef some uv dem want ter vote, ef dey hab er right ter vote, an’ ef yuh hab de power to gib dem de vote, den it is wrong ef y'all doan gib it to dem. Let de wim- men larn ter vote lak de men hab lamed, an’ soon dey will all be bettah ’pared fur de sacred dooties uv dere high callin’ uv wifehood, motherhood, an’ citizenship. Yuh men may jes’ as well rise ter dis hyah sollem ’casion, an’ do what hab alreddy proved itself yo dooty. Dis hyah movement hab alreddy been stamped wid de sign uv de times. Alreddy hab y’all men seed de han’- ritin’ on de wall. An’ now in Missibamgia, de Mene Mene Hekalled Erparson whar Belshazzar seed, reads thusly: ''Behole de Wimmen nv termorrer swimmin' on er risin' tide uv votes fur wimmenf^ Y’all men may as well fall in line. De nex’ Declaration uv Independence will hab dat one gret line changed ter read: ''We hole dese troofs ter be self evident, dat men an' wimmen were created equal, an’ possessed uv sartain inextricable rights among which de foremost is, life, liberty, votes fur wim- men, an’ de pursuit uv happiness.” Men uv Missibam- gia will y’all deny wimmen dis hyah right. Wake up wimmen uv Missibamgia, arsk an’ it shall be given unter yuh. “ THE HOUSE THAT HELPS ” WE iKE SPECUUSrS IN Amateur Entertainments It is not a side line with us, but we devote our entire time to that business Realizing that many people have grown weary of searching through catalogs and read- ing entertainments only to discard them as unavailable we appreciate'the fact that our cus- tomers have often spoken of us as “the house that helps.” We have had practical exper- ience in selecting and producing amateur en- tertainments and we feel that we know what will please the public, and what can be pro- duced under certain conditions. Our experience is at your dispesal. Write us, giving full particulars of your special need in the way of an enter- tainment, and we will select a play, an oper- etta, a drill or even an entire program for you. But always enclese a stamp fer the reply. Remember, that in addition to our entertain- ments we carry a large line of publications of other dealers. If in doubt as to the entertain- ment you desire, send particulars and we will suggest something to fit. We are at your service. ILDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE Franklin, Ohio RELEASED FOR AMATEUR PRODUOION. “The Little Politician” Br SEYMOUR S. TIBBALS A COMEDY IN FOUR ACTS SEVEN MALES AND THREE FEMALES I ITHIS play was produced professionally ^ for several seasons under another title, and is now released for amateur production without royalty and without restrictions of any kind. The scenery and costumes are simple. Time, about two hours. A young society girl plays an important part in overthrowing a corrupt political boss and brings about the election of her fiance. The race for the hand of a wealthy widow by rival suitors furnishes the comedy. A pretty story is unfolded, but without actual love-making or any scenes objectionable to the amateur. Recommended for high schools and dra- matic clubs. Jp^The ^den party in the second act affords opportunity for the introduction of any number of characters. PRICE, as CENTS Sent Postpaid on Receipt of Price by the ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE Franklin, Ohio HERB ARE ^MEOFOURW It is always a sati^faetion to be tlie first to ^t hold of new and novel entertainments, and here is YOUR chance; : PMYS f«B FEHME CHAKACnRS AuBt Delorab’s First LBiBhebn.- .^.....25c Whe# Sbake^eara Stpb ^ Tbwb.~............ — ~.^......256 Ye lai Party ef Ye OldM Time...... — : ...„...,*...25c TWO CUVER MUSIUt Plivs FOR ernDKEN Ilie Sugar Ptam Tfeei........... ... ..„...:-..........40c la Folks Tbwfh. . ^ \ ’ TWO NEW HOCK TRIALS Fatker Time’s Christmas Tnal ........;.. ..... ,....„...;15c WiH Soakum's Matrimoaial to ... — l.Y5e \ .. . SPLENDID BOOKS Orkmatic^Stories^Mytbs and Legenfe^. | Boards 50e For ClUldreii— The Stase or SehopfRoom Bood Stunts lor CmnmenMpht Yleek....~...i......,..^^ -r Npvelties Tkat VTui ^iven TRis Fe^Ive .Occasion iOat td SayTer CieshigL Day.................. ...............Me ^ .4 \ Good O^ogs/ Exercises,. Etc. for (^osbig Day, SEN3> OSDEI^ HO MlTCWERXAliiNT HOIM ■'C' iz^kliii> Ohio By SEYMOUR S. TIBBALS. Mr. Tibbals has been unusually successful in iur'- riishing bdys’ pkys that introduce eharacters true to, life. While the plays are strong and forceful in the lessons they teach, clean comedy predominates and the boys like them. ? 99 A comedy in two acts. Here is a rollicking play for eight or more boys with plenty of action. Just the thin|f for a Boys’ Class or Junior Y^. M. C. A. Easily stagfed jand^ c^ Opportunity for intro- duction of musical „nixmbers and recitations. By in- troducing. such features the play may be used for an entire evening’s eritertainment.'yii tiY Price 25 Cents 4i 99 A splendid play for any number of boys. The characters are real boys and the play deals with their experiences while camping up Caesar’s Creek the per- formance closing with a minstrel show in camp. Cos- tumes and scenery are not elaborate and the play may be produced on any stage. 7 ' These comedies are protected by copyright, but permission for amateur production is granted with the purchase of the book. IJIRIDGE ENTDippiENT HOI^ , Franklin, Ohio