Fair Truant: Women’s Hospital Benefit

Postponement from April 30 (because of indisposition of leading lady) to Monday, May 6 announced.

“It has become very much the fashion latterly in New York to sing, dance or play money out of the pockets of people for charitable objects. There have been quite a number of amateur concerts and performances at the residences of the fashionable and wealthy, for a Southern relief fund and other charitable purposes, and on Saturday night there was an amateur entertainment at Dr. Ward’s, the corner of Forty-seventh street and Fifth avenue, in aid of the Women’s Hospital.  The spacious picture gallery was turned into a theatre on the occasion, and was crowded with elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen. We have heard it said that these private entertainments have become popular among fashionable people because they give the ladies an excellent opportunity for displaying their rich dresses and personal beauty among a select set; but we will not be so uncharitable as to believe they are not governed by a higher motive. It matters little, however, how money is raised to relieve the poor and suffering, as that it is obtained, and we ought not to be too critical. The whole of the entertainment at Dr. Ward’s from beginning to end, was amateur.  Even the operetta which was performed, entitled ‘The Fair Truant,’ was amateur, it being written by an unprofessional hand and composed specially for that performance.  This was the first part of the entertainment; the second was a concert of vocal music, of songs, solos, duets and a chorus of voices.  There were but few performers to do the whole work, three ladies—Miss Brooks, Miss Eloise Allen and Miss Freeman—and two gentlemen—Mr. Glover and Mr. Chapman—besides the assistance which the Mendelssohn Glee Club and the conductor gave.  Of course, we could not expect to find the same histrionic or musical talent among these amateurs as in first rate professional actors and singers, and, therefore, will not put them through the ordeal of criticism.  We must say, however, that Miss Brooks [later, Mrs. Gulager] acted with a good deal of ease and grace and sang sweetly.  She is handsome and stylish in figure, and makes a very fine appearance before an audience.  Miss Allen performed the part of an old family negro nurse quite naturally.  Miss Freeman, too, in the concert performed her part very well, and was well received.  On the whole, it was an agreeable light entertainment, and had more of a social than public character about it.  Besides, the beautiful women who chiefly composed the audience, and their rich, handsome dresses, were well worth seeing.”