Mutual Work

A Story-Book Wedding Characters Prince Era Princess Journal Prime Minister Two Pages Two Lords Two Ladies-in-waiting Two Flower Girls SETTING: A fac-simile of the Im- provement Era about 6x4 feet, also one of the Young Woman's Journal, same dimensions, sketched upon paper and placed upon a frame. One of the new Improvement Era (combined with the Young Woman's Journal) about 8x5 feet is on a frame, cov- ered by a wall curtain to be drawn later. All three of these fac-similes are set upon the stage, (elevated upon a platform if desired) the new Era being placed in the center of the group. A curtain hides them all from view. Ceremony: A crashing chord is played by the pianist and then to fairy music comes tripping down the aisle, as lightly as if she were flying, a Fairy god- mother. She stops in front of the curtain, waves her wand and the curtains separate, revealing the fac- similes already described. The god-mother again waves her wand and there appears a herald with a scroll in hand. To martial music he marches to center position on stage, unfolds his scroll and reads as follows: "Hear Ye! Hear Ye! To all who are here assembled — greetings! In the midst of the goings and comings, the excitement and activity of this great occasion, I bid you pause and give ear to a tale which will renew in your souls youth and romance. It is a love story which has been developed through the years, gently and tenderly, with only enough of discord to make the harmony sweeter. "The heroine of our story was a genteel child, born of vision and faith. She was a delicate girl, and during the first few years, her life was all but despaired of a time or two, but the confidence and assurance of those about her pulled her through many crises, and she entered her adolescence full of beauty and promise. "The hero is a man strong and of high principle, for he has overcome ob- stacles and triumphed over hardships. "The two met and became fast friends. They had much in common, and their interests and congeniality ever increased. For some time theirs was a strictly platonic friendship; and although at one time ambitious friends laid plans to effect a union of the two, they did not succeed. The heroine was too young to know her own mind. She still needed the shelter and protection of home and loved ones. The hero was not yet properly appre- ciative of the sterling qualities of the lady, and in addition his finances were in no condition to warrant another re- sponsibility. "However, after some years had passed, the hero and heroine reached maturity. The future looked bright to them, and suddenly they realized that they were drawn together with an attraction stronger than either had understood. They knew by intuition that their destinies were to be linked; and the hero, brave, noble and far- sighted, proposed to the heroine — sweet, artistic and attractive. After a maidenly delay, the proposal was ac- cepted— and today is their wedding day. "You are all invited guests, and we bid you make merry. May their course of true love ever run smooth, and may we all live happily ever after." As the herald finishes reading the foregoing proclamation, the Fairy

Aug., 1929 MUTUAL WORK 871 god-mother strikes her wand against the fac-simile of the Era, tearing it asunder, and there stands exposed to view a Prince. She does the same to the Journal and there appears a Prin- cess. The god-mother then goes to posi- tion at left lower corner of stage, and the herald to right lower corner. The pianist begins the strains of "The Wedding March" and there come from out the Era, the Prince, a Page, two Lords, and a Prime Minister. Simultaneously from out the Journal there come a Princess, a Page, and two Ladies-in-waiting. They march in grand processional and come to po- sition in semi-circular form, the Prince and Princess in the center, a Page on either side of them, two Lords on the right, two Ladies on the left, the Prime Minister center back (elevated) the Fairy god-mother at the ex- treme left and Herald at extreme right. When they are in place, the wedding march music stops and the Prime Minister speaks as follows: "Prince Era — P r i n c e s s Journal: This is a joyful day, for it brings to us, your friends, the realization of the dream we long have cherished — a dream of the day when you two would stand thus sweetly before us to be united. "Such a union bids fair to outdis- tance even the glowing promise of your lovely childhood. "And so in sympathetic accord with the hundred thousand and more who will rejoice and give glad acclaim over the proceedings of this day, I answer your summons to solemnize and make binding this union. "Prince Era: "Do you desire of your own free will and choice to take Princess Jour- nal to be your legal and lawful part- ner? (I do.) In the consummation of this union do you promise to cher- ish her, to love her and deal gently with her at all times? To listen with an understanding heart to her wishes and her desires; to respect her thoughts M. I. A. Monogram and feelings, and give her consideration in your councils? (I do.) Do you promise to share with her to the full the worldly wealth that may accrue from this union? To cleave unto her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity for better and for best? (I do.) "Princess Journal: "Do you desire of your own free will and choice to take Prince Era to be your legal and lawful partner? (I do.) If this union is consummated do you promise to harken to his counsel and further with all your heart his every ambitious and rightful effort? To think impersonally, to speak gently but freely and work diligently for the furtherance of those things that per- tain to your mutual betterment and happiness? (I do.) To give unto him generously of all your gifts and graces in making beautiful and successful this union? (I do.) "In consideration of these desires and agreements ex- pressed before these witnesses I do now, with great rejoicing, and with full authority of the King of Good Journalism, pronounce you ONE — to re- main so until time or circumstances doth you part. Bring forth the sym- bols of this union." The Pages step to some convenient place and pick up, from where they have been placed face downward, two halves of the M. I. A. monogram. Each Page carries one half and, kneel- ing, presents it to the Prince and Princess who hold them high, look up for a moment and, standing side by side, join them together as the Prime Minister fastens the stick into the grooves which bind the halves to- gether. While this is being done the Pages, Lords and Ladies kneel. The Prince and Princess also kneel at the con- clusion of the binding of the halves. The Fairy god-mother, followed by the Herald, runs to the fac-simile of the new Era and waves her wand. There is a crash of music, the Herald

872 IMPROVEMENT ERA Aug.. 1929 pulls the curtain from in front of the Application for a fac-simile exposing the new cover de- CHARTER SUBSCRIPTION sign. Two Flower Girls appear in CERTIFICATE the opening of the Era and Journal , -....„. _ ,, and throw flowers at the Prince and to the NEW Improvement Eta Princess. The audience rises and sings Accompanying this application is "M. I. A. We Hail Thee." At the my cash payment for $2.00 for which conclusion of the song the bridal party you will enter my subscription for one forms a processional and leaves the year to the NEW "Improvement stage. A group of Gleaners and M Era," starting with the issue of No- Men distribute wedding cake and the vember, 1929. following wedding announcement: It is understood that this entitles me Mrs. Y. L. General Board an- to become a CHARTER SUB- nounces the marriage of her daughter SCRIBER to the new magazine Miss Young Woman's Journal and (which combines the Improvement Mr. Improvement Era on Saturday, Era and the Young Woman's Journal) June the eighth, nineteen hundred and and that a special CHARTER SUB- twenty-nine. SCRIPTION CERTIFICATE will At your home after November 1st, be mailed to me at the following ad- 1929. dress: Following the foregoing ceremonial, Name there should be a "booster" talk for the new Era and an attempt made to Address obtain charter subscribers. An effective means of doing this is to suggest that a wedding present be given the con- tracting parties in the form of a sub- ^r , Stake scription. On one page of the wedding announcement, the following should Kindly make check payable to appear: The Improvement Era Suggested Program for Conjoint M. I. A. Meeting Sunday Evening, September 1, 1929 As was noted in the July number of the Era, the various departments of the Y. M. M. I. A. were to furnish this program for August, and the Young Ladies were to arrange it for the September meeting. Their detailed program will be found in the Young Woman's Journal for August. No law is stronger than the public sentiment where it is to be enforced. A universal feeling, whether well or ill founded, cannot be safely dis- regarded.— A. Lincoln.

Winners of First Prize in Drama Contest, second Ward, Idaho Falls Stake winners of First Prize Double Mixed Quartette, Sugar House Ward, Granite Stake. Sitting, left to right: Tessie Johnston, accompanist; Walter Roberts, director; Florence P. Roberts. Standing: Maxwell Olsen, Helen Chipman. Ralph Keddington, Helen Salzner, Malcolm Pike, Verba Robinson. Edward Pike.

Winners of First Prize Orchestra Contest. Union Ward, East Jordan Stake. First Prize Winners in June Contest. Ruel Walker, drams: Alvira Crittenden, piano; Don Nicol, violin, (leader): Elden Boggus, saxophone; Dorothy Coomber, piano; Francis Forbush, cornet. Clifton, Idaho To Her It isn't all sun in this cold old earth, Neither is it all darkness drear; It isn't all gloom, nor it isn't all mirth, There's an autumn grey, But the month of May- Is a part of the self-same year. There are many dark spots in this soul of mine, And my thoughts are not always pure; But some of them still, dear, are big and fine; My soul's not all gloss, Nor is it all dross, And my hopes and my faith are) sure. My life's not all joy. nor is it all sad, My dreams do not all come true. My heart's not all good, but it isn't all bad — I am oft in the dark, Like a storm-tossed bark, But I've one guiding star, dear, You. Orvid E. Howell