Dakota Diary - 23 - The Concert part 2

Asa Fisher looked so uncomfortable as he stood in front of the group. I was glad I had taken on the task of introducing the play - as he surely would not have been happy with any more to do.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Happy Fourth of July and we are so pleased that you came here today to help us celebrate the opening of our new home.”

Polite applause was heard.

“As you know, the men who have built this fine house have worked very hard all year to get it ready for us, and we think they have done a sterling job.”

More polite applause.

“You probably know that Doctor Porter and I have set up a little building company of our own. We have bought quite a lot of acreage hereabouts, and will be selling it off in plots for those of you who wish to have homes up here as well. We are going to call it Fisher Acreage. If any of you are interested you can see me or Henry after the performance today. So that’s about all I have to say.” And he sat down.

I got up next.

“I have been asked to introduce the play which you are about to see. It is called Young Mrs. Winthrop, by Boson Howard. It was first performed in 1882, so you can see it is quite modern. There will be four acts. The play is a kindly sermon on the dangers and blessings of matrimony, besides being an ingratiating and human, perhaps too human, comedy. The acting troupe which uses
Bismarck as their base will perform it for us today. The part of Mrs. Ruth, will be played by Annie Jefferson; Doug is played by Charles Vaughan; Constance is played by Henrietta Vaughan and Rosie by Annie Jefferson.”

I sat down, and Mrs. Ruth came into the room, center stage and began the play. I have copied down a bit of it as I remember it, but I may well not have it word perfect.

MRS RUTH: There, Miss Dolly! (tying ribbon on the doll and holding it up) you will have a beautiful mother tomorrow, and I shall be your grand-grandmother. Your name is to be Ruth - after me - how do you like it? Your little mother has a very large family already, but I am sure she will love you more than any of the rest (crosses to R. by fire, kisses the doll). Lie here, my pet (holding the doll to her
breast). You must go to sleep at once, for mother Rosie will be up very early in the morning. (Enter Douglas)

DOUG: (stopping. Aside) - I asked Constance not to go tonight.

I obviously cannot write down the whole play here in my diary - and I thoroughly enjoyed it, and
was am amazed as everyone when the Vaughn’s three year old daughter turned out to be in the play after all.

I can remember one other scene quite clearly. It is in the second act.

Enter Constance, up L.

CONSTANCE:
Back again! (with a weary air, throwing aside her cloak. Pause). How quiet the house is! It's no use going to bed; I cannot sleep. I wish these social gaieties as they call them, could go on forever. No
matter how much I go out, or how bright the company is, it always ends in this; I am alone again, and I - I can't stop thinking. Oh! - I wish I could! I wish I could! Mr. Chewy was at the reception this
evening. Douglas sent him word he could not meet him at the club. He sent the message after receiving that note from Mrs. Dunbar - she was not there tonight! Oh! - why must I keep thinking - thinking? (starting to her feet and moving C. Pauses). Perhaps I am wronging him. Yes. No - no - I will not believe it - I have not lost his love! There is something I do not understand? I will speak to Douglas about it in the morning. (Smiling.) It will all come right. I must get to sleep as soon as I can, to be up bright and early with Rosie. I will peep in at my little darling before I go to sleep.

The play did go on for quite a long time, and Mrs. Fisher felt there was need of an intermission between Act 2 and 3. She had friends who served coffee and cake in the dining room during that half hour. Then the play finished and it was our turn.

I again was the spokesperson. “I’m sure you all enjoyed that play as much as I did, and I know
the actors would like you to know that they will be putting on a new play at the end of July, for which they hope they can count on your support.”

Polite applause.

“Now to finish off the afternoon’s activities, my sister and I are going to play and sing a few selections for you. Being the Fourth of July, we thought we would start out with something to put us all in a patriotic frame of mind, 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic'. I am sure that you all know
it was written by Julia Ward Howe in November 1861. The tune was written around 1855 by William Steffe. Julia Ward Howe heard this song during a public review of the troops in Washington but the
lyrics were about John Brown the abolitionist. Her companion at the review, the Reverend James Clarke, suggested to Howe that she write new words for the fighting men's song. She awoke with the words of the song in her mind and in near darkness wrote the verses to the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic.'

“Julia Ward Howe and her husband Samuel were active leaders in anti-slavery politics and strong supporters of the Union.

“My sister Cora Sue will sing the verses, and we hope you will join in with the chorus.”

Itt went exceptionally well.

“Now, I am going to play you two selections that I think you will recognise on this wonderful
instrument that the Fishers have kindly allowed me to use. The first is Beethoven’s First Movement from the piano sonata commonly called the Moonlight Sonata. It is rumored that when he wrote it in 1801, it was dedicated to his 17 year old pupil, Countess Giulette Cricciandi. It was named after  the Moonlight shining on Lake Lucerne.”

And I played it, and played it well, if I do say so myself, and everyone clapped most enthusiastically.

“I wish to play one more short piece for you. It is called Waltz in D Flat Major or more commonly,
the Minute Waltz. Just in case any of you think of getting out your watches to time me, I must tell you that Chopin intended it to be called the minute (meaning small) waltz - and if played properly it
takes two minutes. And the story goes that the original name for it was Little Dog as it was meant to mimic a dog chasing its tail.”

They seemed to enjoy that piece too. I was relieved that my solo part was over.

“Now my sister and I will sing a duet for you, that I think you will be familiar with. It is 'I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair' by Stephen Foster, written in 1852. Did you know that Jeanie was his wife - and her full name was Jane Denny McDowell?”

That went down well, and as we were expecting, they shouted “Encore.”

“We would like now to sing another of Stephen Foster’s best loved melodies - 'Beautiful
Dreamer.' It was published after his early death - at the age of 30 in 1864. He was impoverished, had been left by his wife and child, was penniless and ill, and died after having caught a chill.”

Again after we sang the song, they clapped and shouted they wanted more.

“Well, I don’t know if you will know this song or not, but if so, please sing it along with us.
We have recently been in Illinois watching Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. This song is its theme - and we think it is a very powerful and haunting melody.”

'Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp Ground' Words and Music by Walter Kittredge

We're tenting tonight on the old camp ground,

Give us a song to cheer

Our weary hearts, a song of home,

And friends we love so dear.

Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,

Wishing for the war to cease;

Many are the hearts that are looking for the right

To see the dawn of peace.

Tenting tonight, tenting tonight,  tenting on the old camp ground

We've been tenting tonight on the old camp ground,

Thinking of days gone by,

Of the loved ones at home that gave us the hand

And the tear that said "Goodbye!"

 

We are tired of war on the old camp ground,

Many are dead and gone,

Of the brave and true who've left their homes,

Others been wounded long.

We've been fighting today on the old camp ground,

Many are lying near;

Some are dead and some are dying,

Many are in tears.

Many are the hearts that are weary tonight,

Wishing for the war to cease;

Many are the hearts that are looking for the right

To see the dawn of peace

Dying tonight, dying tonight, dying on the old camp ground.

They did sing along too, and the applause was tremendous afterwards. We bowed and bowed, and then sat down, signaling that our performance was at an end.

Mr. Fisher again took the stage and said. “I think you will want me to thank all our guests today for their wonderful performances. And thank you all for coming and have a good rest of the Fourth of July.”

And that was that. We gradually came away from those who thronged around us, adding their praise to our performance. We were very pleased that it had gone so well.

It was after six when we finally left, and had time to take in what Mr. Carnahan had told us earlier.

“So there is nothing here of Pa for us to take away with us,” said Cora Sue.

“Well, we know that he had many good friends. Surely, that is something for us to treasure.”

“It just makes my blood boil every time I think of all that Colonel Lounsberry has gotten away
with. I would bet you a dollar that he knew those things were from Pa and he knew who they should have gone to.”

“Something that John let slip when you were speaking to someone else,” said Cora Sue. “Lounsberry apparently contacted our other grandmother in Denver. How did he know who she was and where she lived? And what did he say to her, and why did she never tell us about his contact? I think that man is a liar through and through.”

“Well, as John said, there is nothing we can really do about it. If we confront him and ask him
about it, he'll just lie, as he already has lied to us. So we will make matters worse and not be any closer to having anything that belonged to Pa.”

“I think maybe we should go home, soon. I am beginning to miss Auntie Lil and Grandma. I think
I've had enough of Bismarck.”

“Well, I do want to wait to see what happens to the Marquis. We should know that in a week or so.
But shall we say we will plan to leave as soon as we can after the verdict has comes through. We can’t do anything for him, but I do want to write another report to send to Mr. Bennett.”

“Okay, let’s plan on leaving by next Saturday, and spending just a few days in La Crosse. Then we
can be all the way back home by the middle of the month.”