Loud applause greeted the little folks who had thoroughly enjoyed playing the parts and were pleased that the girls liked their efforts. Hilary watching June, whispered to Lilian that she felt like hugging the child. “She looks and acts so like Mother!”
Squirrels’ Inn then put on The Ballad of Mary Jane in pantomime. Hilary as Mary Jane looked the prim school teacher in long dress, stiff shirt waist, high collar. Her hair was in a tight knot. She entered carrying a bag of school books, reading a small volume and passed and repassed at the front of the stage to show how “To teach the village school she walked each morning down the lane,” this maid who “could manufacture griddle-cakes and jest in ancient Greek.”
Frances Anderson was the “stalwart Benjamin”, who leaned on his hoe with open mouth and saw “the beauteous maiden pass at breaking of the dawn”. Little did he look like the future pirate who was to burst in and rescue Mary Jane, from her cruel father (Nora) with the “fatal knife”, and his rival, Lord Mortimer (Betty). Lilian, attired in the same poncho in which the wolf had appeared, and wearing paper horns, represented the cow from which Mary Jane dramatically rescued Benjamin by means of her umbrella.
A fashion show came next, requiring little stage setting but much dressing. This was given by one of the senior klondikes and was very pretty. Mrs. Astorbilt was first announced and entered in evening gown. She was followed by the sport girl, the business girl, and others for whom costumes could be prepared upon short notice, the Merrymeeting girl closing the parade, and wearing the full costume, with headband, armband, and a diamond upon her sweater. She carried a big volley ball under her arm and held up to view the Merrymeeting trophy cup. All the girls had looked so pretty that each had received hearty applause; but the Merrymeeting girl appealed to camp loyalty and was cheered vociferously with “rah, rah, Merrymeeting!”
An alphabetical romance was given by another cabin. In this the lines were of the alphabet alone, repeated with varying expression, occasional well known abbreviations, as q. e. d., i. e., or U. S. A., included.
The last stunt was called “Five Minutes in Laugh-a-lot.” Great curiosity was evident among the audience as in the darkness they could dimly see a figure arranged on the table and covered with something white. “Elaine?” “Operating room?” were suggested, but the stage director ordered silence and the lights were not turned on.
Dim figures stole in with flashlights. “Bz-zz-zz! Bz-zz-zz! Bz-zz-zz!” they sang, moving arms for wings and tiptoeing an insect dance around the table. It was now evident that this was a cot in Laugh-a-lot, the sleeper covered with mosquito netting which was merely a bit of suggestive stage property, having no foundation in fact. The mosquitos hovered around and now and then one would make a dive in her direction. Then hands would wave widly and the netting fail of its purpose. All this because little Dorothy Freneau’s plump cheeks had exhibited several mosquito bites for a day or two.
Presently the mosquitos joined hands, danced to the front and sang softly a mosquito song, written by the councillor under pressure in about five minutes. At its close they went out still buzzing, while some one from behind the table raised a large flashlight to indicate the coming of the sun. This was the farewell song:
We are hungry old mosquitos
Looking for a bite;