The Garden Magazine, July, 1920 
297 
Paul Thompson Photograph 
"And those things do best please me 
That befall preposterously.” 
As roguish as the veritable Robin 
Goodfellow was Miss Dorothy Iselin, 
the Puck of Mr. Metcalfe’s pageant 
when this was given at Girdle Ridge, 
Mr William Fahnestock’s estate 
in Greek fashion. They will wear crepe paper hats made to 
indicate the flower impersonated. The women have been se- 
lected according to their fitness. (My neighbor has cast me 
to play Gas Plant, and, not to be outdone, 1 am writing for 
her the part of Wall Flower!) Next week the play will 
be finished and read to the cast. The Club numbers a hun- 
dred and each member may bring guests. After the play tea 
will be served and the cast insist upon sharing as hostesses. 
It promises to be a very- big party. 
August 8 . — The play is finished and 
was read to the cast to-day. All are 
delighted, and, unlike professional play- 
ers, no one is dissatisfied; even our Club 
President does not object to playing 
Joepve Weed — for no border would be 
complete without a weed of course, and 
Joepye is so gorgeous. But 1 was afraid 
no one would be willing to impersonate 
Cutworm, as she must lie in an excava- 
tion in front of the border for twenty 
minutes before she makes her appear- 
ance. We shall line the place with oil- 
cloth and cover her with leaves and 
grass; besides she will be sewn into a 
gray flannel bag. Our youngest Club 
member will do the part. She is tall 
and slender and will do a grand ground 
wriggle when her exit comes. 
August n. 1 believe that most ama- 
teur efforts are a burden due to long- 
drawn-out rehearsals, so we shall go at 
it heart and soul for one week just be- 
fore the party. There are twenty-one 
speaking parts, and as a half-hour is 
long enough for such a playlet, the 
speeches are short and easy to learn. 
September 7. — This has been a very 
exciting day! The first rehearsal has 
been so enjoyable that all are eager to 
come to-morrow morning, bring lunch 
baskets and make a day of it. The 
paper hats have come and they are too 
lovely. To-morrow, during intervals of 
rehearsing, we shall fashion a pattern 
costume of green cheesecloth. We shall 
use many shades of green just as Nature 
does. 
September 10 . — Four days of rehears- 
ing out of doors and four days of riot- 
ous, happy laughter. Already we have 
had fun enough to make up for the 
pains we are taking. Oh, suppose it 
rains! But it won’t. September is a 
very well-behaved month. The ele- 
ments are much to the background. 
Our “hardy border” of perishable fem- 
inine loveliness will be planted in front 
of a high lattice fence, covered with 
vines; a low privet hedge will be imme- 
diately in front of them. When Jack- 
Frost appears they all tremble and fall 
to the ground this way and that; Bad- 
Weather makes a hasty exit, followed by 
the wriggling Cut-Worm. At this Jack- 
Frost does a triumphant dance — but 
he too finally departs when taunted 
by Winter-Garden’s speech: “Sold 
again, Jack Frost. You seem to think that when you come 
around the world of beauty dies. Not so, my friend! Pause 
at Winter-Garden’s brink and view the beauty it unfolds to 
knowing eyes.” Which is the play’s end. 
September 14. — Well, the party is over — and gave such delight 
that we have been asked to repeat it for the benefit of a village 
charity. And none of us are “worn out” in the least — for 
we have been enjoying ourselves too 
greatly. It was a pretty sight, the 
stream of automobiles dumping men, 
women, and children in the field above 
the barn. The twenty-one members 
of the cast in brilliant array were con- 
cealed in an unused stable behind the 
lattice fence, making up and chattering 
with as much excitement as a company 
of famous players; and with what good 
nature did they adjust themselves to 
the makeshift dressing room! Folks 
are nice, bless their hearts — the most of 
them. 
More than two hundred people were 
seated in the camp-chairs to greet the 
players as they marched from behind 
the lattice screen. The fun began 
when Bad-Weather, in crossing the 
border, stepped upon sleeping Cut- 
Worm, concealed in her snug excava- 
tion all covered with grass and leaves. 
No Cut-Worm ever received such an 
ovation as she when she curled and 
wriggled, while the flowers shrieked and 
wrangled as to which would be the 
next victim. The play proceeded with 
each flower reciting a descriptive verse 
as a special plea for herself to be spared 
by the Cut-Worm, then the finale with 
Jack-Frost conquering all save Winter- 
Garden. Tables had been placed in a 
grove beyond the garden and there the 
audience carried its camp-chairs and 
assisted in serving tea. It was a lovely 
party! And we shall all be glad to do 
this thing again. 
F OR a tribute to Will Shakespeare’s 
birthday my mother-in-law’s son 
once wrote a fantasy that lends itself 
beautifully to an evening garden party. 
It is a charming presentation of many 
Shakespearian heroes and heroines, ap- 
pearing as shades in pairs reciting a 
verse or two, as they hold revel in 
their creator’s honor. 
Where there are many young people 
in a neighborhood who are willing to 
devote some part of a day for five 
days to rehearsing, it can easily be 
done. 1 know, because forty-two 
youths and maids, all enthusiasm, car- 
ried it through in this time. And if 
mothers will permit their little folks 
to stay up late for one evening Puck 
may have his train of fairies to dance 
a revel around a pool or some central 
garden feature. 
At Puck’s command they should 
come, out of the forest or over the 
wall pellmell or from here and there in 
the shrubbery, into the light. Choose 
