Wood’s Minstrels

     “Wood’s Minstrels continue on in the even tenor of their way, giving darkey life in all its different phases.  The programme last week was a good one, the first part comprising some of the most popular ballads as well as the funniest comic songs of the day.  Mr. Henry sang a new ballad called ‘Beautiful Isle of the Sea,’ also the ‘Prisoner’s Hope.’  The last named is a very popular ballad, and as many times as we have heard Mr. Henry and other balladists sing it, we have never heard it sung so sweetly as by Mr. Henry on the evening of the 10th inst.  This gentleman has a sweet tenor voice, and in some of his ballads has few equals in the business.  The song of ‘Enoch Arden,’ by Mr. Lockwood, was beautifully rendered.  Mr. Glenn, the alto singer in the quartet, continues on the end in the late Charley Fox’s old seat, and continues to improve.  Many of his comic songs are given with as much humor, and create as much laughter as two-thirds of the end men who have had long experience in the business.  Mr. Glenn does double duty – he not only sings a comic song every night, and tells his allotted number of gags, but sings in the quartet.  Purdy, on the other end, keeps the audience in a continual roar of laughter throughout the first part.  In the second part, or what is known as the ‘olio business,’ Frank Converse treated the audience to one of his choice banjo solos, and picked on the strings of the old cremona to the delight of every one.  Frank Brower and Cool White gave their illustrations of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ in which they were very funny.  A violin duet by F.R. and Master Emil Mollenhauer was one of the features of the evening’s entertainment.  It was artistically performed and highly appreciated.  The burlesque of ‘Petroliamania’ brought the entertainment to a close.  Business here, as at other places, has not been very good of late, but as Mr. Wood has a new burlesque in active preparation, full houses will come again.”