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Celebrating History: Entertainment at year's end

by Emily Mayer

Editor’s note: Due to illness and the holiday, the Havre Daily News did not receive this in time to run it Friday or Monday.

As 1918 came to a close, Havreites were anxious for entertainment and the play hosted by the Havre Elks proved to be a great success. The account was published in the Dec. 28, 1918 edition of The Havre Plaindealer.

HOME PLAY PROVES VERY ENTERTAINING

Merry Comedy Enjoyed by Appreciative Audience

“How Father Joined the Lodge” was explained in three acts of merry comedy at the Orpheum Friday night to a large and appreciative audience. This clever play was presented by Mr. Sanford Dodge and a company of local talent for the benefit of the Havre Lodge of Elks and under its auspices.

The play itself is bright and clever and full of humorous situations growing out of the tangled web woven by a man who started twenty years or so before the action to deceive his somewhat exacting wife by claiming to be a lodge member to explain nights out. When at the opening of the play his son-in-law starts out independently to put over a similar deception and the two are brought together there must follow a climax.

A most creditable production of the comedy was made by the local company, every part was well taken and all worked together so smoothly that there was no evidence of the extremely limited time in which the play was prepared nor of the fact that the actors had never played with each other.

Frank Carleton played the heavy part of Frank Perry, the beginner in iniquity with most convincing sincerity. Leon Choquette gained laurels as the sympathetic friend but they were quite forgotten when he appeared as the bewitching siren and vamped her disturbing way into the tense situation. Miss Lila Burrington was a mother-in-law to be respected and Miss Maurine Lamey a spirited but credulous wife, while Mrs. Dorris played excellently the cook who is sure of her ground. Mr. Sanford Dodge played the part of “father” with his accustomed ease and grace and was much pleased with the support given him by his amateur company in Havre. To mention those who played their parts well is to make a list of the entire cast as follows:

Frank Perry-Frank E. Carleton

Mary-Flora Kirby

Norah-Ruth Dorris

Ernest Morrison-Fremont Wilson

George Fisher-Leon Choquette

Hamilton Travers-Archie Rose

Mrs. Eva Perry-Maurine Lamey

Amos Bloodgood-Sanford Dodge

Mrs. Bloodgood-Lila Burrington

Annie Bloodgood-Bertha Dahlstrom

Lulu Bloodgood-Mamie Ryan

John Halton-J. C. Coffey

Fanchon-Mrs. Carleton

Mrs. Halton-Mrs. Frank Carleton

The saga of the no-good doings during the recent election was continuing.

DEMURRERS NEXT MOVE POLITICAL LIBEL CASE

Early in the week Attorney H. S. Kline appeared in court in behalf of E. J. Huston, O. G. Larson and Henry Kurtz and entered demurrers in the case in which they were arrested last week charged with political criminal libel. An outside judge is expected to be called in early in the year to hear argument of the demurrers.

A demurrer is an objection that the opponent’s point is irrelevant or invalid, so it’s obvious Huston, Larson and Kurtz want the case thrown out of court. However, buried in the Commissioners’ Proceedings report was this tidbit of information:

The request of Victor R. Griggs, county attorney for the appointment of special counsel to prosecute the case of the State of Montana vs. E. J. Huston et al received by the board.

Upon motion Chairman Jos. T. Berthelotte and Commissioner Wm. F. Watters approved the appointment and Commissioner Abe Crosson disapproved.

It has been my great joy and happiness to continue this column, with the year 2018 being dedicated to what was really happening in Havre during The Great War as well as other activities that prove our ancestors were not that much different than we are today. They could give generously and kindly to the community, but could also pull some really dirty rotten tricks. Next year will prove very exciting, for at the stroke of midnight, Montana would go dry … at least on the surface!

Happy New Year to all of you, and please celebrate safely!

 

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