Iowa Old Press
Algona Republican
Algona, Kossuth co., Iowa
Wednesday, April 29, 1896
COLUMBIA OPERA CO.
To Give “The Black Hussars” at Calls May 21st.
– A Great Comic Opera
Lovers of the sprightly music and mirth of comic opera will be
able to see the Columbia Opera company in Algona Thursday, May
21st. Manager Blossom has been for some time trying to secure a
large comic opera company, but has been unable to do so this
season. Recently he heard that the Columbia Opera Company would
pass through this part of the country on their way north to
Winnepeg. He got into correspondence and yesterday completed the
arrangements which will mark Thursday, May 21st as the red letter
night in the theatrical season of Algona. This company numbers 86
people, carry their own orchestra, calcium effects, etc., and
have the best company that has been through northern Iowa for
years. The opera selected for this engagement is “The Black
Hussars, the camping chorus in act III and the famous quintet
finale in act II, being considered by all musical critics as gems
in light opera music.
In Lighter Vein
J. H. Lighter, of Pocahontas county, has communicated to
the Republican with a view to inserting an ad asking the
young and old people of Kossuth to send him ten cents apiece.
This would make Lighter a clean $1850, and the pocketbooks up
here would be Lighter to that extent. Now what does Lighter
propose to do for Kossuth county in return for his little $1850?
He says “send silver dime for sample and laugh.” This
seems cheap, and a good laugh any time is worth ten cents, but
why send the money to Pocahontas and by that much contract the
circulating medium in this county? To prevent this, we have
decided to do the laughing at the same price, or produce the
$18,500 laughs for the sum above mentioned. The money must be
paid in advance, however. If we want any Pocahontas county laughs
too, we shall depend on Porte Barron for them every time.
The Armstrong Journal is the first in the field this
spring with a big crop item, a circumstance which may possibly
indicate that the Kossuth county editors are going to have lively
competition this year in the line of crop and baseball stories.
The Journal says that Wm. Musson, of that place, found
an egg in his hen house recently that measured five inches in
length and nine inches in circumference and weighed five and a
half pounds. The Republican tenders to the Journal
the assurance of its distinguished consideration. This is
irrespective of the means by which the five pounds of lead were
introduced into the egg.
It seems now that Van Leuven, who went to the Anamosa
penitentiary for pension frauds and was pardoned out recently by
President Cleveland in the expectation that his wasted form would
be consigned to the grave in a few days, has made a wonderful
improvement in health and strength, and is now fat and hearty,
weighs 170 pounds, and is actually on the road canvassing for an
anti-administration paper. This is a case of aggravated
ingratitude. Such things are happening all the while. They shake
our faith in humanity.
[transcribed by L.D., November 2014]