May's 1884 Program

This program for a presentation on New Year's Day in 1884 was found by Franklin Trussell among the artifacts of his Mother May Rhodes Trussell shortly after her death in 1965. Why did she keep this tiny program for so many years? Perhaps it was because this play was the first occasion where she met Ray Trussell. Just a few days before that, Ray had traveled to May's home town in Jefferson City, MO to arrange the disposition of his fathers property in nearby Holt's Summit. Ray was several year's older and must certainly have possessed the same wry senese of humor he was known for years later... and a lot of interesting stories to tell about the boom of California.