Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, October 1, 1876, Page 12

12 THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY., OCTOBER 1, i876-SIXTEEN PAGES. AMUSEMENTS. The Nibelungen Trilogy=— Scenery and Stage Effects. Analysis of the Plot of “Die ‘Walkueren ---The Costumes. Mr, Liebling’s Becital—The Apollo Club—Music in the * Schools. Operatic Notes in Europe and America--=Gilmore's Benefit. Beview of the Week at the Chi- cago Theatres---Coming Events. New Plays Produced in London and New York---Other Green-Room Notes. MUSIC. WAGNER. - THR NIBELUNGEN TRILOGY. * Bpecial Corraspondence of The Tritune. L BATRRUTH, Aug. 30.—“Rheingold” lsid the musical and dramatic basis of the three subse- quent dramas. By associating i & simple man- ner, easy to comprehend, certain incidents with certain musical expressions of emotion, it gave 2 definiteness to our emotional sssociations, so that on hearing in the later dramas one of the motives with which we had become familiar in “Rheingold ™ recalled by the orchestra, the ef- fect should be at once produced of bringing back 10 our minds the entire scene conuected with that motive. The action before us would thus be contrasted with the past events, and mani- festly the dramatic intensity of many situations would be vastly heightened. What could ap- peal more strongly to the feelings than to hear, 2t the moment of & hero’s tragic end, the mo- tives recalled which we had already seen asso- sisted with his moments of greatest happiness? Yet similar effects are produced by the orches- ira, time after time,in the later dramas. It ieems to be the cver-watchful spectstor who ks mindful of everything that passcs, and takes sare that the other spectators, too, shall re member it all. But in ‘Rbeingold” there are tew attempts at such cffeets, since the orchestra & occupied with Introducing to us for the first dme the various motives. In this introduction, however, we become fa- miliar with many other agents at work to make the illusion of theatrical performance as perfect ossible. Wagner makes the drama primary and the music secondary; he allows no repeti- sion of words for the sake of musical effect, and of the singers whointerpret his workshedemands 1 declamatory power which shall make the lan- F“:fie intelligivle to the hearers. This is prec- sically to insist upon a combination in his sing- ers of thequalities of twoarts,—the operatic and e dramatic,—and similar combiunatious of pow- srssupported the performance of the *Ring 1cs Nibeluagen ™ on every side. In costumes, n scenery, in the orchestra, it is safe to say that wch perfection was never before attained atany jerformance. o The costumes were the result of the most careful labors of Prof. Doeppler, of Berlin. Months were spent in obtainine designs from a1l museums in Europe, and especially that at Copenhagen, of all objects which might fllus- trate the dress, the ornaments, the weapons, and the household implements of the men who lived in the times before the middle ages, when the belief in the gods of the early mytholozy had not yet bcen supplanted by Curistianity. From the same sources were derived ideas of the garb in which the gods themselves were supposed by men of these \iines to be clothed. But these ideas were al- most all fsolated from one sanother. The de- sign of a shoe, for instance, would be obtained Irom one place; another would furnish other flwdigns for shoes, drinking-horns, helmets, ete. 5 au m 2 would come buckles, chains, necklaces, shields, swords corse- lets. It remained for Prof. Doeppler to combine all these materials in the harmonious end beautiful manner which now appears in the “Ring des Nibelungen.” 1had an opportunity of examining them all closely, and am certain that such completencss, with such a perfect blending of all the combin- ing etements in their proper subordination to one another, has never becn surpassed. From ‘he bracelets and shawl-pinsto the shields, from ihe dress of Ficka, with mnore than a hundred rattling pendants, to the suits wnade of the patural skins ~ of wolves, bears, aud foxes, which the chborus in ‘*Gotterdammer- aug” (the only one in the four dramas) wear, sverything seemed incapable of improvement. Aud’ e costumes _ were seen to Sne advantage on the forms that wore them. For it is ome of Wagner's irrevocable demands that the men and women wito play his cnaracters shall approach in stature the people of the heroic days “to which they be- long. Certainly the men and women ol the ¢ Ring des Nibclungen” wr2, for the most part, unlike any thet oneever saw_congregated upon any other stage. One would be at aloss £0 account for them, if one thoughtthem chosen from among the small Bavarians in the neigh- oorhood of Bayreuth. poi sy The superiority of the scenery was quite as noticeable as that of the costumes. Other Eu- ropean theatres may have exhibited scencs of greater finish in the painting, butit would be scarcely possible to surpass the powerful, mas- terly breadth of trestment which made the scenes worthy companions of the music. There are very few rapid changes of scene in the dra- mas, as Wagner aims rather to impress the be- ‘holder (so fur as the dramatic incidents permit) with & single scene of unsurpassed beauty upon which the eye of the spectator, from the darken- ed auditorium, shall fall as upon & perfect pict- Sre in which real figures move. * Rheingold is a single act, lasting two bours and 8 quarter, jn which four scencs follow one an- other without _intermission. In “Die Whalkure,” with three acts, there arc three scenes. ** Siegfried,” also, has but one scene to each of the first two acts, and two scencs to the Jast. In “Gotterdammerung,” with more com- licated action, there is greuter scenic varfety. ut with a sameness of scene is coupled such 2 variety of light effects as no theatre has cver shown. I have noticed the splendid storm at the close of “ Rheingold,” which with its flashes of forked light-ing and its tremendous peals of thunder was almost as das Nature; and the aceount of *Die Walkure” will soon give me occasion to notice other equally fine etfects of Q sunset. i “‘fi'é'x.?fls the darkening of the suditorinm and the intrnsic beauty of thescenery, an important element in beightening the scenic effect is the gize of the stage. An ideaof the hrca:ith of pros- pect presented to the spectators will be obtained hen 1 say that the caavas on whicl the sky, or trees, or rocks, are painted to_form the back- ground of a scene, has a breadth of geventy feet and o beight of fifty feet. This does not imply thst the front of the stage is equally_broad, for Wagner’s scenery is 80 arranged that, as t!;de sidc.scenes of ordinary theatres are d.isponsh with, onc hasa consi erable view to the rlg_ it and the left, so that the canvas of the back- ground_is, by ‘necessity, correspondingly large. Through the courtesy of one of the managers, { remained during an act o one of the dramas behind the scenes, and bad an opport\izuty é;: nctice, during the change of scene for tl gnm ‘some of the wonderful contrivances of 1l 519, o sooner had the curtain ia_u;;: than more than fifty men, whom 1 had {ail ‘l{: see anywhere on the stage during the past o8y set to work to make :h;d tums!f &f (B}:ma%lim % e g cp the second o 2 :;&1}33: .‘fm regrfifl‘l:kd a n;ot;x‘xalzbndge. on i he su] rocks, one siac, of Whl vand side of the stage, lett :fii?u m.% the level ground for & path .}.;acrhn;: arch into the wilgt rw_i:‘:l :wrond- m.: M= gp_ foreground was ol U from the topof the e o rocks. This solid rse d -‘3;5 :oh{,hg Ievel below the scenc the small company under hslf a dozen commanders, stationed at different points, pro- ceeded to attack. Some removed the ambula- tory gas-jets, which had been stretched along the stage in the rear of the rocks, to throw their light on the splendid canvas which formed the background; others rolled up this canvas into the heights above; but the great majority worked at the supports -of the foreground, and in a remarkably short time these props, formed of four perpendicular poles, fastened together in the middle and at their ends by strips of wood, were folded to- gether and stowed awayin the abundant room on each side ot the stage. Then, all prepared, from the deep background rolled the next scene (or rather the lower portion of it) to the front of the stage; and at the same moment men s stationed at ropes on one side let down from the vast cavity above the rocks that bounded the scene with = steep precipice on the right; ‘while others on the left let down treesinto their appropriate places, completing, with the clouds and the background alrcady in_place, the scene of the third act of ‘“Diec Walkure.”” One has only to ascend to platform after platform, up flight after flight, into the reglon which rises nearly sixty feet above the rows of lights just over the stare to see the hundreds of ropes and to understand the complexity of detall by which the sucessful presentation of a verfect scene is here_effected. Exlcndln%ltwenty-fivc feet under the stage is a similar home of cordage, which is only less bewildering to look upon than the 8,300 jets which have been brought into use for tfi:‘s lighting of the stage, exclusive of more than_ 200 more which, between the acts, light up the anditorium. Under the stage are also visible the pipes of thesteam apparatus ‘which ?erforms the tunctions of *cloud-com- eller.” A special engine, In a shed some fifty eet from the theatre, makes all’ the steam, ‘which Is conducted under the stage, and in the event of a fire being represented isallowed to es- cape and to fill the stage with clouds which, if not black, arc quite realisticenough to serve for smoke, .especially when a bright reflection is thrown upon them, and they appear to be half flame. But I must proceed with the account of the second drama. v. ¢ Die Walkure * is separated by an interval of many years from the events of * Rheingold.” ‘When the gods passed to the castle built for them by the giants, Wolan called it Walhalla, and said that his future action should make the meaning of the word apparent. He feared the power of the ring which the giant Fafuir now leld, and the prophecy by Erda of the down- fall of the gods alarmed him. So he determined to provide a force of defenders. Overcoming Erda, he begot by her nine daughters, who are called * Walkuren ”? or Valkyries, because their duty was to select (kuren) the dead (Wal). They watched over fields of battle, and, choosing worthy heroes who were slain, carricd them on their borses through the air to Walhaila, which Wolan had rightly named, since it was thus to be the hall of the slain heroes. But what had become of the ringd The giant Fafuir had used the power of the cap with becoming stupidity to turn himself into a dragon; and in this forin he lay in a cave in the woods and watched over his treasure. There was_nothing for the gods to fear from himn; but there was danger lest Alberich should again get the Ting, in which case £rda warned Wotan that his force of heroes wouid be puwerless to avert the de- struction threatened by the dwarf. Wotan's care thus became to put the ring out of Alberich’s reach. He couldn’t himself take it from Fafuir, for he bad given it to him in pay- ment for a contract, and, as the defender of the sacredness of comgaas among gods and men, Wotan must be the last one to violate thew. His only hope, thercfore, lies in some hero, who, unurged by him, indeed without the slightest hint of FFotan’s desire in the matter, shall yet perform just what Wotan would like to bid him do. The’ hero, of his own free will, must kill Fajuir,and restore the ring to the Rbine- daughtera. With a view to bringing about this turn of affuirs, lofar begot through u mortal mother the twins Sigmund and Sieg- liude. He relied upon the former as the hero for his purpose. Under the name of Waelse, he re- mained on earth, and, in company with Sieg- mund, wandered ubout performing deeds of firowes& But, on_returning once to thelr ome, they found it burned to the ground, the mother killed, the dsughter carried away. For a while Siegmund and Dis father wandered wildly in the forests, clothed in wolfs skins, untidat last_the son'lost sight of Waelse, and never met him again. V. “Die Walkure” opens at the house of Hunding, the man who had carricd off Seig- mund’s sister Sicglinde, and forced her to marry nim against her will, though of this fate of bis sister Sigymund knew. nothing. From the centre of the room an enormous ash-tree rises, around the stem of which tHe roof finds sup- port. Onone side is the hearth; on the other, steps mounting toa door that leads into an- other chamber; and at the back two largedoors form the entrance from without. The room is empty. A storm—magnidcently expressed by the introduction of the orchestra—is raging; and, secking for shelter from it, Siggmund, who had attempted to rescue a maiden from those who wished to force her to marry a man she did not love, and who, after killing several opponents, had lost his arms, and bad been forced to flee, pushed open the door and fell exhausted on the hearth. Sieglinde, coming in, gives him a drinking-horn to refresh himself.” But the brother and sister, long eeparated, do mnot recoguize one another; yet the strange light of their exes which they hiad scen flash only from their father- T¥aelse, binds them in mutual sympathy. Hunding returns home and bids the stranger welcome. They sit down to supper togetiernml Siggmund recounts the story of his previous life, as salresdy given. Bui he does not tell his father's name or own. When he recounts his Jast adventure of the maiden’s rescue, Hunding leaps up in anger. The men killed were his own kinsmen. For the night Siegmund shall have theroof’s shelter, but on the morrow be must fight. With that Hunding sends Sieglinde to prepare his bed, and follows after her. As she gul:s out Sigglinde points to the asl-tree, and from its trunk, reflecting the glimmer of the fire on the hearth. Siegmund sees a sword-hilt projecting. He recollects the promise of his father that he should find asword in the hour of meed. At the moment through the darkness he sees Sieglinde returning. She has drugzed Hunding’s drink and put him into a heavy slumber. She tells him how, at her wedding- feast, an old man had come into the room and had throst the sword into the tree up to the hilt, saying it should belong to him who could draw it forth, Many had ‘tried, but without success; and so she knew that it was meant for her deliverance, and that the old man was Der father. She kneels besifle Siggmund. The outer doors swing open. The moonlightof a beautiful spring night, lichting_up the wood- Jands, fall upon them. Siegmund sings of win- ter's conquest by the spring led on by love. “t You are the spring forwhomTlonjred {n frosty winter's time,” answers Sieglinde ; und, after a long love-scene of the most jntense passion, Siegmund. tells bis name; Sie#lmdc. astonished, says she, too, is the child of Waelse. Wrenching the sword from the tree, Siegmund embraces her as * bride aud sister”’; and thecurtain falls. Such is the scene, repulsive to all associations, which Herr Wagper has seen fit to introduce upon the stage. Nothing in the subsequent course of the dramas requires any such relation- ship between Siggmund and Sieglinde as that of brother and sister; and, to mea who regard the covenantsupon whichsocial order rests, it mizht bave seemed sufficientenormity to present onthe suge such wanton disregard of marital ights, without aggravating it by the addition of this tic of kindred. The sact that follows only insists on defending what has gone before. Wotan calls his favorite Valkyrie Bruunhilda, and, telling her of the impending fight between unding and Siegmund, orders her to give the victory to the latter. At this moment Fricka approaches, and, enraged at the conduct of the brother and sister, she demands, as the god- dess who defends the sacredness of marriage, that Siegmund shall gratify her vengeance and be killed by Hunding. Wotan reluses; he can see no harm in what has been done. Such an opinion, says Fricka, was ouly to_be expected from amanof his own habits; but she will nevertheless be avenged, and demands that Wotan shall order Bruwiihilda to interpose her spear and withdraw from tae sword ** Nothung” tnc power Wotan had given it. He explains the great purpose, the salvation of the gods, Which Siegmaind 18 to accomplish. But she. will not listen to_these deep designs, and finally forces an oath from Wotan that Siegmund shall die. Bruunhilda js recalled aod her orders countermanded. Horror-struck she begs Wotan to change his commands, for she knows he loves Siegmund. But be tells her she shall be_punished if she disobeys. Iotan depas n&l DBruunhilda, at the approach of Sieymu and Sieglinde, stands sside. Fleeing from her husband, Sieglinde falls senseless in Sizgmund’s arms; he lays her gently on arock. Braunhilda approaches. She tells him he must follow her to Walhalla. He asks if he shall meet his bride theré, and she tells him no. Then he will choose Liell with Sieglinde rather than Walhalla without her. If the strength of his sword is to be taken from him in the fight with Humiinfi whose horn is already beard, it shail first kil Sieglinde,— they will die together. He is about to strike when Bruunhilda, with a cry, tells him he shall live. Hunding approaches.” Siegmund leaves the still senceless Sieglinde, and meets his foe | on the top of therocks. Through the clouds Bruunhilda’s form is seen protecting Siegmund, who is about to gain the victory, when a thundef- bolt strikes him dead, and Wotan appears in the sky. With a wave of his hand he strikes dead the wretched Hunding, and then starts in pur- suit of the disobedient Valkyrie, who, mean- while, has carried off Sieglinde on her horse. VL The third act opens oa the top of = high mountain, with the ‘“Ride of the Valkyries” already familiar through the concert-room. In the clouds the Valkyries are seen riding by, carrying heroes to Walhalle, and one afteran- other they gather on the height. TFinally Bruunhilda, with the exhausted Sieglinde, beg- ging protection from her sisters, to whom she tells what has happened. They will not aid in disobedience to Wotan. Sieglinde begs to be killed, but Bruunhilda tells her to live for the sake of the child she is to bear. With that she takes new courage, and, in obedience to the ad- vice of the Valkyries, flees for safety from Wotan’s wrath to the neighboring wood, in which Fajuir guards his treasure. She takes the broken picces of Siegmund’s sword, which Bruunhilda gives. Wotan now approaches in a storm. Bruunhilda has hidden ?.\erself behind her sisters, but he calls ber forth, and in his anger saya that she, his favorite daugnter, who knew all the sccrets of his heart, shall no longer be a Valkyrie, but, dezraded to a common woman, he shall . sink into a sieep from which she shall be awakened only to become the wife of the first man that tinds ber. In vain her sis- ters entreat the revocation of the penalty; they are dismissed. In a touching scene, Bruunhilda reminds Wotan that it was bhis love for "Sieymund on which she presumed. How can she have deserved such a fate? Soft- ened by her. entreaties, he consents to her re- quest that the place of her sleeglng shall be surrounded by a wall of fire which only the bravest hero will dare cross, so that her husband may be worthy of her. 1nthe beautiful scene, whica has also been made familiar in the con- cert room, Wotan bids her farewell. He kisses her eyes, which close in sleep. Resting under a sheltering tree, he covers her with her shield. Then calling upon Loge, br.he od whose original and by element was fir whose advice Fotan had met with ail the troubles of the ring, he struck the rock and transformed him into fire again. The flames leap up with startling effect, and Wotan passes through them, looking for the last time upon Bruunhida. The account of the musie will follow in the next letter. W. AT HOME. AMR. LIEBLING'S RECITAL. Mr. Emil Liebling, our well-known pianist, who bas recently returned from his European studies, will have tne distinction of inaugurat- ing our musical scason with a concert at Stand- ard Hall, on Thursday evening, Oct. 12, upon which occasion be will have the assistance of Miss Ella A. White, contralto; Mr. Wilkie, tenor; Mr. Lewis, violin; and Mr. Eich- helm, violoncello. ; The programmes are not yet out, bat it is arranged s0 far that we may announce the principal numbers. Miss White will sing Mer- kel's beautiful hymn, “O be gracious, Lord.” ur. Wilkie will siug the cavatina from “ Faust,” (*3alve deniora”), and the two will also sing a duo. Mesars. Liebling, Lewis, and Eichheim will play the Mendelssohn D minor trio, which has never been given_Lere, we believe, and Mr. Liebling_himself will play Beethoven’s Souata op. 81, No. 2, a selection of Mendelssohn’s +Songs Without Words,” Kullak’s great * Oc- tave Study,” four or five numbers from Chopin, and Liszt’s “Soiree de Wien” and “ Polonaise Heroique.” There are three very prominent attractions which will combine to make this concert & notaole one. First, it will be 3lr. Liebling’s first public appearance since his re- tarn from Europe. Sccond, he nasthe assist- ance of some of our best local musicigns. Third, the programme itself is one of unusual beauty and excellence. For these and for many other reasous it is to be huped that Mr. Liebling will meet witha cordial and enthusiastic wel- come. LOOAL MISCELLANY. Mr. 8. Liebling, the young pianist, brother of Mr. Emil Liebling, of this city, has takea up his residence in Buflalo. Mr. Alfred Wilkie, the tenor of Grace Epis- copal Church of this city, bas received a flatter- ing offer from King’s Chapel, Boston. Mr. Wilkie has not yet decided whether 0 accept or not. Mr. Thomas Goodwillie, who constitutes at present the choir of the Church of the Messiab, will sing this morning Dudley Buck's ‘‘Father of Thy Tender Mercy Save Us,”” and “The Evening Prayer,” from Costa’s **Eli.” The_first concert of the Apollo Club will be given Dec. 5, and the repetition (which has been rendered necessary by its immense membership) Dec.7. Miss Emma Thursby, whose lust ap- pearance here was with Gilmore, will be tue soloist of these concerts. The teachers of the Chicago Ladies' Semi- nary, 17 South Sheldon street, gave a reception on Friday evening last at which Mr. Liepling played and Mrs. Fox sang. Prof. Booth, the elocutionist, also added to the pleasure of the evening with his readings. Dudl ey Buck, whom we still like to dlaim as a Chicago musician, together with Mr. S. P. ‘Warren and Mr. J. H. Cornell, the organist, are organizing a chorus in New York City to sing at the Thomas symphony concerts. Itisntended to make the chorus a permanent one. The third Turner-Hall concert will be given this afternoon, with another light programme, including E. Bach's “ Triumph March ;" Suppe's overture to “Frau Meisterin;” the third finsle to Nicolai’s * Templar;” Conradi’s ** Military Potpourri” solo for flute, to be given by Mr. Wittgenstein; Stranss’ * Village Swallows Waltz;” Gungl’s “Alpine Spring Echo;"” the overture to Adam’s ‘King of Oue Day;” fan- tasie on_Verdi’s *‘Iypermnpestra;” and Berg- mnan’s * Echo Galop.” ‘The following card explains itself: In the Editoy of 'The Trivune. Cnicaco, Sept. 26.—1Iu view of the fact that the Apollo Club will have to duplicate their concerts this winter, would it not bea fair thing towards the very large number of active and associate mem- pers residing on the West Side, for the Club to give one series of their concerts at Union” Park Church or some other equally-desirable place on the West Side? Itisalonsand disagreeable trip to McCor- mick's Hall on a stormy night for West Siders. ASSOCIATE MEMBER. Mr. Alfred H. Pease, so well known in our lo- cal musical circles, has been giving piano recit- als in Buffalo with great success. At his recital on the 20th “wit. he played Gottschalk’s arrange- ment of “William Tell”” overture; Liszt’s 4 Rhapsodie Hongroise > No. 14, the one dedi- cated v0 Von Bulow; Von Weber's * Rondeau Brilliante ”’; Chopin’s Ballade,” A flat, and “Impromptu,” in F sharp minor; Raif’s ar- rangement of the waltz from Gounod’s * Romeo and Julict '3 Pease’s own arrangement of airs from * Madawme Angot,” (!) and his ** Mignon.” The subscription for music in the public schools is well under way. Between $300 and $400 have salready been subscribed; but this amount has been raised among a few individu- uls. Now, in order to popularizethe movement and to unite in it a large number of those who might be supposed to favor the measure, it is provosed to raise $1,000 by dollar subscriptions. These will be received by Mr. E. G. Newell, Sec- retary of the Apollo Club; at the Root & Sons Music Company’s, 156 State street; and by Mr. George H. gcokes, Secretary of the Beethoven Society, 17 Chamber of Commerce; also, at the Ckhicago Musical College, 493 Wabash avenue, and 205 West Madison street; at the Hershey School of Musicsl Art, 85 Madison street; at the Chicago Censervatory of Music, 209 State street ; at Lvon & Healy's, 162 State street; at J. Mol- ter’s, 100 Madison strect; at Cobb's Library, st W. B. Keen, Cooke Co.’s, and other places. Let the citizens respond ‘mepfly in this matter, and save the time and expense of disinterested parties who are giving their etforts in the cause. ABROAD. MUSICAL NOTES. Mme. di Murska is in San Francisco. The chief winter noveity at Leipzig is tobe Verdi’s * Aida.” Thomas will give no series of symphony con- certs in Boston this winter. The Centennial Musical Festival is proceeding suceessfully in Philadelphia. Mme. Patti’s engagement at Covent Garden terminates after next season. The Soldene English Opcra-Bouffe Company will be in New York about Nov. 13. Mr. Rudolphsen has brought out Mendels- sohn’s “Son and Stranger” in Portland, Me. The Mendelssohn Quintette Club has added a double-bass (Mr. A, Heinal) to its pumerical force. B The last Melstersinger” of Nuremberg, Herr Best, died Iately at Ulm, in his 86th year, He 'was a gravedigger. The “Lalla Rookh * of the late Felicien David will be revived at the Paris Opera Comigue, and his “Perle du Bresil ”” at the Lyrique. The first concert of the New York Oratorio Soclety, with_the “Elijah,” will iake place on ‘Wednesday, Nov. 8. The second, at which the “Messlah ™" is to be given, will be on Christmas night. One of Bach’s cantatas, Brahm’s “Deutsche Requiem,” and the second act of Gluck’s ‘“Orpheus,” with ,3iss Drasdil as solo- ist, will be given at the third concert, Feb. 2. Mr. Theodore Thomas is to open a series of concerts to be given at Harvard College, under the direction of Mr. J. K. Paine, the'organist. Herr Rubinstein’s opera, “The Maccabees (“‘Judas hisccabmus ), so successful at Berlin, is be produced in St. Petersburg, at the Ri Imperial Opera-House. Mr. Carlberg has engaged Herr A Blum to six{F the part of The Duichman in Wagner's #Vascello Fantasma.” Mr. Carlberg's season commences in Philadelphia on Nov. 8. » The Neue Zeitschrift fur Musil: states that some French composers Intend trying conclu- slons with Wagner upon his own ground. M. Ernest Reyer is engaged upon a Sigurt, the sub- ject of which is similar to that of the third part of the Ring des Nibelungen ; and M. Louis Gallet has written a libretto, Zristan, which M. Jou- cieres will set to music, with the view of sur- passing Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. A season of Italian opera at pular prices will be beun l;y Max ‘Strakosch at the New York Academy of Music on Oct. 2. The princi- al singers will be Mlles. Beloces, Palmieri, and ersiuni, and_Messrs, Brignoli, Tom Karl, Palmieri, Tagliapietra, Carletos, Conly, and Gottschalk. Among the operas to be given are © ] Trovatore,” *Norma," * Barber of Seville,” Favorita,” * Lucrezia Borgia, and *‘ Mignon.” The music portion of the service at the Boston Music Hall (Mr. Murray’s church) this season will be pre-eminently excellent. A quartette has been formed as follows: Mrs. H. M. Smith, soprano; Mrs. A. M. Porter, contralto; Mr. W. H. Fessen- den, tenor; and Mr. M. W. Whitney, basso. Mr. Eugene Thayer will preside at the great organ, and the quartette will be au}agoncd by a large chorus under the direction of Mr. George L. Osgood, the talented musical director. The organizationof the Kellogg English Opera Company is now completed. Migs ellogg will naturally enough remain its bright particular star. ‘The artists who are to sing with Miss Kel- logg are Miss Fannie Manctti, from London; Miae, Julie Rosewald, Mrs. Seguin, Miss Lan* caster, Mrs. Howarthy Mr, Maas, Mr. C. H. Turner, {rom Loudon; Mr. W. Carlcton, Mr. H. Peakes, Mr. George Conly, and Mr. E. Scguin. The orchestra will' be under the baton of Mr. Behrens. Besides the better-known works, the repertoire will include a new version of “The Bobemian Girl,” and English versionsof “Aida” and of the ubiquitous ** Flying Dutchman.” Mr. C. D. Hess is at tac belm. The programme for Mr. Gilmore's benefit, which took place last evening, was of a remark- ably varied character. It included Sir Kobert P. “Stewart’s descriptive fantasin, * Ircland’s Greeting to_America,” Suppe’s ** L'en Daugh- ters and No Husband,? « Our Victorious Ban- ner,” by Sir Julius' Benedict, and Gomez’s Hymn, * Greeting from Brazil,” composed fur the Centenuial. ‘The feature of the coucert was Beethoven’s *‘ Battle Symphony ” (Opus 91), composed in honor of the victory of the English in the battle of Victoria, and dedicated to the Prince ngeutf afterward George IV. Inadil- tion to the military band, which was augmented for the occasion, there was a formidable array of soluists, among wnom werce Mesdames Pap- penbeim and DeRuyther, and Messrs. Levy an Arbuckle. . THE DRAMA. CHICAGO. THE COUNTRYMAN'S WEEE. The last weeks of the Exposition season are generally seized upon by some or all of the Chi- cazo managers a8 a fitting occasion to present old pieces with meagre accessories. The theory seems to be that the country people, who are the principal patrons of the theatres at this season, do not know the difference between old aud new, good and bad. II this be true, the managers are justified, from a business point of view, in putting on such pieces as have occupied the Chicago stage during the past week. The difference between the policy of Mr. McVicker and that of the Adelphi managers, for instance, is easily stated. Mr. McVicker has produced two old ifelodramas in a very acceptable man- ner. The Adelphi has been devoted to an old spectacle, which has been abominably done. The Adelphi has caught the people, owing its suceess principally to a shameless system of advertising. The street-bills contained such misstatements as that the actual outlay un the “Black Crook” as represented at this theatre was $20,000. The outlay could not have been one-twentieth of the sum mentioned. The performance was in every respect unworthy of the theatre, and a fraud upon the public. The week at Wood's Museum was filled in with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” sud the two minstrel comnpanies gave their ordinary cotertainments. Mr. McVicker’s error, such as it was, carried its own Runishment with it. The old melo- dramas did not draw. Tt should be noticed that he fulfilled faithfully all his promises. Persons who went to his theatre with the expectation of seeing ** The Courier of the Alpa” and ** The Sea of Ice" tolerably acted were not disappointed. The acting was equal to the merits of the pleces. He dealt with the public, therefore, in a perfect- Iy straightforward and honorable manner; and that portion of the public which did not fancy the style of pieces put up had only to gratify itself by staying uway from the theatre. This valuable privileze—more often veluable as re- gards McVicker’s Theatre than we could wish— was Impartially excreised last week by almost the entire community. NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS. Hooley’s Minstrels offer a genuine minstrel bill, no white faces being allowed. George Fawcett Rowe is to play in * Brass™ at McVicker's Theatre this week. The Two Orphans is to be produced at the Museum, beginnin g to-morrow night. The feature of the week at Hooley’s Theatre will be the reappearance of Bob Hart. Mr. Frank Goodwin, Assistant Treasurer of Hooley’s Theatre, is to have a benefit next Fri- day night. The Academy of Music opens to-morrow night with a_varicty company under the man- ggement of Mr. Fred Ames. Sheridan and Mack will appear. Mr. Fred Dickinson, of Chicago, produced a play by Clasles Gagler entstled Boze” at St. ouis recently, and was favorably noticed in some of the newspapers. Mrs. W. W. Felt, of St. Louls, a public reader and elocutionist, desires to obtain engagements in Chicago and the Northwest genernlly. She can furnish testimonials of the most satisfac- tory kind. THE OUTER WORLD. A LONDON SUCCESS. ¢ Daniel Druce, Blacksmith," which was pro- duced at the London Haymarket on the 11th inst., was su unqualified success. Even the London ZTimes praises it. Very few plays have of late years been so well received on their first. nights. Mr. Gilvert acknowledges his in- debtedness to George Eliot’s ** Silas Marner for the outline of his story. Following is an abstract of it: Jonas Marple is a blacksmith who adores his wife. This wife is taken from him by a **gentle- map,” aud that the **gentleman™ may make her the one reparation in his power Jonas leaves his native village, and gives out to the world that he is dead. Under the nume of Daniel Druce hie hives alon¢ in a miscrable ant, toiling constantly, be- coming a very miser fu his greed for gold, The play begins wilh un interview between Duniel and Lis brother, who find# him out and demands recog- nition. Duaniel vows thut Jonas is dead, and the brother departs strungely puzzled at the change which has come over a ouce good, honest, hearty soul. JDaniel DUruce lives in the duys of Cromwell, and, when his brother departs, there rush in Sir Jasper Combe, an oflicer, and Zeuben, 8 Sergeant, both in torn uand faded Royalist uniforms. The Secgeant, [fleuben, carries 3 3-year-old child. These uninvited guests want food and shelter. Daniel goes out, ostensibly to get food, but really 10 bring the Parlismentary soldiers upon the in- truders. Becoming impatient at Druce’s long ab- sence, during which the cavalicrs make free with whatever they can luy their hands on., Sir Jasper sends feuben in search of him. While the Sergeant is away Sir_Jasper accidentally starts the board over Druce's hoard of -gold. Reuben enters in breathless haste, stating that the old man has betrayed them, and they must fly for their lives. _Jasper seizes the gold, pute a locket ronnd the child’s neck, pins & caver to her dress, leaves dier in order to save himself, and master and man escape as Druce, followed by Parlinmentary sol- diers, entors the hat, Druce diccovers the rob- rv of his gold and gives way to passionate grief. ““Sixty golggn e, Sy e.xcln‘x’mq, )l fl'mx, and it's gone! My childl my child! They've stolen my child!” +!Nay, man. sce, thy child's safe enough, and a bonny lass she be,” replies o soldier. Utterly confounded Druce reuds the paper pinned to the child's dress: ‘*Be kind to the child and it shall profit thee. Grieve not for thy gold; it bath taken form." *‘‘A miracle! a miracle!™ cries Druce, and on this effective situa- tion the curtain falle, In the second act, the child isgrown up, and has a lover, the scene beiny changed to another part of-England, and Daniel Druce the miser having given place to Daniel Druce the blackemith. By accident, he becomes the ten- ant of the very .Sir Jasper who had left the child at his honse. Fearful of a discovery and 8 demand for the return of the girl, who i8 now very dear to him, he resolves to move away. But before he can pat his purpoee into ex- ecution Reuben, the old attendant, of Sir Jasper, now become his bailiff, recognizes the locket hang- ing about Dorothy's neck and claims it. The girl's lover defends her, and declares that the locket is & love-token, but the bailiff will not belleve him. 72 ballift'versists, and plics bis questions 6o rap- idly that the younz lover becomes confused. In order to keep Daniel Druces secret and protect the %rl. he lics. saving that he is not Letrothed to orothy, and that he loves her only ‘‘in eailor foshion.™ This statement is overheard by Dorolhy and by Daniel Druce, and on the departare of the bailif a terrible scene ensues, no explanations being admitted. In the third act, the bailiff tempts Daniel to give him Dorothy as a wife, as a reward for keepinz the secret from Sir Jasper. Daniel wavers, but ends by driving away the tempter. The finale clenrs up the mystery. Dorothy is proved to be the child of Daniel by his faithless wife; the purity of the lover's motives is established. Sir Jasper, the seducer, ssks and obtains the humble blscksmith's forgiveness, and the play closes with the union of the lovers ana the uttering of & benediction upon them by their father. Mr. Hermann Vezin won deserved applause by his impersonation of Daniet Druce. The author also was called for and received a most tumultuous and complimentary demonstration. It is only fair to say that the London Academy condemns ‘‘Dapiel Druce” in unmeasured terms. DALY'S KEW PLAT. «*Life” was produced at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, New York, last Wednesday evening. It secmsto bea recastof “Le Proces Verau- radieux,”—the French original from which “The Great Divorce Case” is taken. Mr. Daly has, therefore, laid himself opento an accusation of sharp practice, for it was well known thai Wal- lack had purchased the right to *“The Great Divorce Case,” and was intending to produce it in New York. The Daly version—entitled “Life”—is described as an odd mixture of farce, comedy, burlesque, and rubbish. The 'performance was chiefly noticeable for the ‘excellent acting of the veterans in_the cast, including Messrs, Brougham, Fisher, Dav- idge, Lewis, and Mrs, Gilbert. Miss Amy Faw- sitt, the London actress who made her debut, did not create a favorable impression, having the misfortune of tripping and falling heavily to the stage in her first scene, from the effects of which accident she did not recover during the entire evening. The New York papers say that the play, although beneath contempt so far as any artistic standards are concerned, bids fair to have a popular success. OTHER NEW PLAYS. ‘A Hornet’s Nest; or, Three Buzzes and a Stinger,” was produced at the Boston Globe Theatre Wednesday night by Mr. Sothern. It is attributed to Mr. Byron as an author, but Mr. Sothern himself is said to have had a hand in the.composition. The Boston Journal says of the. play: “ At the outset we find Sydney Spoonbiil (Mr. Sothern), 2 younz man of prop- erty, at his country home surrounded by his bots. Carrie Grasham (Miss Linda Dietz) 18 Spoonbill's cousin, aud is dependent upon him fornll she possesses. The pair are evideutly intended for each otner, but they have not dis- covered the bent of their own minds, or, at all events, do not show their preferences. Spoon- bl is looked upon by everybody, his fair cousin included, as a good-hearted idiot who fs incapable of anything like s?ntiment or ngsvrcv.’iol?.l B lAxs the play progresses, Spoonbill i3 secmingly made the dupe of a precious lot of ‘swimll:?s." Itis diseovered, however, in the end that he is not sucha fool as he looks. He dispenses even- handed justice to the rascals who have sur- rounded him, and marries his interesting cousin. A new dramatization of * Mignon” was pro- duced ut Albany last Monday night by Mag- gie Mitchell, and met with such success that it was continued through the week. The local papers speak highly hoth of the maunner in which the work bas been adapted_ for the stage and of Miss Mitchel)’s impersonation of the principal part. GREEN-ROOM NOTES. Booth’s Richard LI was much admired in San Francisco. “Two Men of Sandy Bar” is to be produced at Wasmngton to-morrow night. Mrs. Oates now advertises herself as Alice Oates, having d ropped the ‘ Mrs. James A.” forever.s Louis James left San Francisco on the 21st inst. for Baltimore, where he is to act during the present season. Miss Coonie Thompson, formerly of the Museum, hus been playing Kailch with the Davenport Company in P} elphia. Barrett, Davenport, and Warde played “Julius Ceesar” at Milwaukee, under the man- agement of Jarrett & Palmer, yesterday and thie duy before. Miss Minnfe Palmer, who plays the part of & lowly peasant irl ing new play called ** Kisses,” wears $100 worth of embroidered stockings dur- ing the tive acts. Effic Ellsler and W. E. Sheridan have been engaged to assist in the revival of *¢ Lear ” at Bootn’s_Theatre, New York, next December. Tie leading parts will be assumed by Burrett, Davenport, and Warde. The principal programmes at_Philadelphia last week were: At the Arch, Fannie Daven- ort in ** Pique™; at the Chestnut, *Our oys’’; at the Musenm, ** The Two Orphans”'; at the Walnut, Boucicanlt In ““The Shaugraun.” After a successful trip through the sage- ‘brush to Carson, Miss Eytinge returned to Vir- ginia to play another week there previous to ber departure to till her Eastern engagements. She appears to have quite tuken the susceptible Nevadans by stora. Bayard Taylor writes to the Cincinnati Com- mercial; ** For my part, [ think, the present de- generacy of dramatic art among us is largely owing to the great leniency which the press has exhibited toward original plays of the most shal- low and sluvenly character.” The week at_the Boston Museum was notice- able for the first production of “ The Great Divorce Case,” and of a new comedietta en- titled **Indian Summer,” both of which were adjudged highly successful. Sothern was at the Globe, and Kute Claxton in * The Two Orphans at the Boston Theatre. Daly’s traveling company played “Pique” on the New England circuit Jast week; Mrs. Bow- ers and Miss Anderson were at St. Louis; Mr. Rowe and Mr. Owens at Cincinnati; Frank Aiken’s company at Cleveland; Lucille West- ern at Buffalo; John T. Raymond at Pitts- burg; C. W. Barry at Rochester, N. Y. “Uncte Tom’'s_Cabin” is to be produced at the Grand Opera-House in New York with 100 real negroes in the plantation scene. The regu- lar season at the Union Square Theatre begins to-morrow night with *“The Two Orphans.” The Florences have closed their engagement at Wallack’s. The theatre reopens Tuesday night with & new play entitled “* Forbidden Fruit.” Mr. George Hoey, a son of r. Jokn Hoey, of Adams Express Company, has become an actor, after being a long time in training for the stage by his mother, who, before her marriage, was tor vears the leading actress of Wallack’s Theatre. He began his career quietly last weak at the Walnut Street Theatre, Phila- delphia, playing the small part of Aobert in « The Shaughraun.” It is understood that he will accompany Mr. Boucicault ina tour with that play. Rignold opened on the 23th of August at the Theatre Rn’}'ul, Syduey, toimmense business, so it is said. The steamer was quarantined four days at Honoluly, but was admitted to Sydney without difliculty. The cause was small-pox. During the voyage, in ope of the many enter- tainments which” always enliven an ocean pas- sage, Mr. Rignold and Miss Young gave the love- malkdng sceue from Henry V. in full costume. The monarch himsell nearly got into trouble at Fiji for * nipping*’ banapas. ~What an accusa- tion to bring against a King!—San Franciso Chronicle. ——— I'tL SCREAM IF YOU TOUCH ME. ‘Tl acrenm it you touch me!" exclaimed 8 pert Misa, Whose lover was secking an {nnocent kiss. By this prudish conduct cold water was thrown; The lover drew backward and left her alone. “T'Il scream if you touch me!™ she cried once more. He said, **1 ain't near you—T found it a bore.™ She quickly subsided, Zrew tender to view, And whispered quite sofuly, **I'l sercam ull you i ——— « Reformed ” by Experience. FUrt (Mich.) Cltizen. One of our friends, a veteran of the Boys in Blue,” Peusioncd for wounds received in the ser- vive, tells usof a case worth repeating. He says he often discussed the situation with a neighbor of his, who could see no rightéousness in a war to coerce the South, and al'vays stoutly maintained that, though a Northern man, he could live and prosper at the South as well as anywhere. He did not happen to be draited, and no amount of bounty would induce him to volunteer to fight his Southern brethren. A year or two since he was induced totry how well he could doi, and went South. He has since come back, leaving Dis property behind him, and with a very decided knowledge of, and aversion to, the Ku-Klux. In fact, he bad to leave to avoid being murdered, and has become s0 much *“‘reformed” by his experience that he told our friend if he ouly had the opportunity he would shoulder bis musket and bayonet and fight them now, without asking pay of any kind for his services. These sre facts. Wedo not 5":‘ names, but the parties are residents of this City. BOSTON. Picou’s Revels of Antony and Cleopatra. The Immorally-Moral Judg- ments--Apparent Defects in the Painting. Boston Boys During the Revolu- tionary War---Henry Ba- con’s Picture. The Latest Literary Mystery---Guesses as to the Name of the Author. Special Correspondence of The Tribune, Bostox, Sept. 27.—Returning to Boston yes- terday, the first thing I did was to go and see Picou’s “ Antony and Cleopatra,” which has been on exhibition nearly all summer, a fact which {s significant of its value as s great piece of workmanship if not of art. The very con- sciously modest people have not been slow tosay that it is the undraped figure of Cleopatra that hasdrawn the thropg of gazers. And agood many of the criticisms have condemned the picture as indecent. On the other hand, all the artists, and a large class of highly-cultivated and highly-moral people, have given it only praise from every point of judgment. And in the midst of this contest everybody goes to see the picture, the consciously modest and the unconsciously modest. When I looked at the picture, the first impression was of 8 crowd of people which gave & little vagueness and con- fusion. The second was of & marvelous purity and clarity of atmosphere and treatment. Itis this treatment that to my mind make the ad- verse criticism on the score of indecency en- tirely un&‘nst, and what I should call immorally moral. The name which has been given to the picture of “THE REVELS OF ANTORY AND CLEOPATRA" is an unfortunate and unnecessary pame. It is not the one that M. Picou bestows upen it, but the explanatory title which has cropped out since its introduction. In the descriptive note the scene js described as “a festival,” which is vertainly the word that describes best the prog- ress of the royal barge filled with superb speci- mens of humauity and adorned with sumptu- ous furnishings.” When I read last summer in one of the Boston papers of *‘ The Revelsof Antony and Cleopatra,” I must say that I re- ceived a shock, and on the spur of the moment 1 tben and there made up my mindtnat I should ot make one of the audience that looked upon such improper things, for inextricably inwoven in my mind with the naughty word was the sen- tence in the daily newspaper, *‘Fined $ and costs for reveling.” But 83 time went by I began to suspect that the name was 2 misno- mer; and that I should lose a very fine specta- cle it I did not look at Picou’s painting,—a spec- tacle which, however unconveutional 1n treat- ment, could never come under the head of “yulgar.” And in regard to this very point of uncouventionulity so-called, every artist Lnuéhs, or would laugh, at the suggestion. Picou paints almost literally from Shakspeare’s strain: The barge she eat in, like a burnished throne, Burned on the water; the poop was beaten gold, Purple the sails, and 8o perfamed that The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver, Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made The water which they beat to foilow faster As amorous of their strokes. For her own person. It beggared all description. She did lie In her pavilion (cloth of gold, of tissue), O'erpicturing that Venus where we £2e ‘The fancy outwork Nature, There is no_reveling in the sense of orgie in this scene that Shakspeare paints, nor in Picon’s painting. As the descriptive note that is given at the doorway of the gallery states, it 1s ‘‘one of the most magnificent examples that the world hag seen of poetic taste and gorgeous art uaited to confer on mortal pomp THE SEMBLANCE OF CELESTIAL JOYS.” Cleopatra’s figure, not more conspicuous than any other of the numerous figures in the barge, nude though it be, and softly colored, of fair flesh tints, has the refinement of a statue in marble, indeed far more refinement than some statmes. The very flesh tints have taken on _ through the inimi- table skill of the artist a tender kind of transparency which gives the figure a look of cthereality. ~ As the note says: * She woars her divine nudity like a celes privilege, with an clevated calmness that deprivesit of all human suggestion, and makes it scem the livery of a goddess.” If the real revels or festivals of these royal lovers had anything of a coarse or orgie nature, M. Picou’s picture has nothing of theé kind. From Cteopatra and Antony,—who is, by the way, the ordinary young Roman in ap- pearauce, a dark-faced, togu-robed Bgure, with a crown upon his head,—from these figures to the bronze Egyptians, and the Nubian slaves, I did not perceive any element of inaecency, un- less the human form ucclothed is indecent. Unusual and extraordinary to our vision is this grouping, but no more 8o than many of the anclent works of art and~ those representing ancient dayah— searcely more so than Guido’s Aurors, by which we set such store. And in posture and expression Cleopatra has none of the sensnous aspect we have been accustomed to ascribe to her. She sits in the barge *clothed on with chastity " as much as the iofant Psyche who Icans at her knee. The face she turns partially towards Antony, as if in listening attitude, is AN INTELLECTUAL PACE, not even sentimental in expression. The fault 1 find with the picture as a work of art is, that every figure is of the same importance, the same size even. When looking at it I found myself distracted by the crowd of figures. 1t 15 Antony and Cleopatra thst are the subjects of the painting, and all other figures should be subordinated to them, somehow and some way suggested, or put in deeper shadow, while the principals alone stand out fully and promi- nently. _This was the fault ~with n- thal’s * Elaine.” The great festoons of roses to this day appear more disfincfl{ before my mind’s eye than Elaiuve. For the life of me L caw’t recall that dead young woman’s face as it lies there in the boat. " It is the roses that shine Tier down, und weight her down literally. And 50 here in Picou’s painting, TUE:MAIDS OF HONOR, the great poet, the priest, the female musicians, the long-robed harpers, the pilot, and the slaves, are of equal proportion and apparent im- portance. And perhaps the most exquisite piece of painting, after all, is the latcen sail of rose-colored silk. [t is blown by the wind into a brilliant mmsgueucy aainst the amber sky. In looking at it I thought ut ouce of T. K. Her- vey’s poem descriptive of the scene: The gales may not be heard, Yet the silken etreamers quiver, And the vesael shoots like a bright-plumed 2ird ‘Awny down the golden river. Taken all in_all, Mr. Picon’s picture com- menorative of this most renowned of scenes is a beautiful, a very beautiful picture, not only in its ce and color, but in the ideal element with which it is suffused, the whole of which treatment raises the subject into a region of art which [ think any one must fuel as entirely re- moved from the scnsual, if they will or can separate themselves from the coniused opinion that all undraped figures must be indecent, and that the subject of this picture, Aotony and Cleopatra, must necessarily be sensuous and seu- suously treated. There i3 no greater bar to originality of thought and judgment than this blind, dogged persistence in_accepting aceepted thought aud opinion for one’s owu. But, not to lose sight of everything clse and other artists in Mr. Picou aud his much-taiked-of, much-quarreled-over picture. let me say that HENRY BACON, THE BOSTON BOY, who has lately, aftcra residenceof a duzen years in Paris, painted the Centennial picture com- memorative of those long-ago Boston boys who demanded their rights on the Boston Common of the usurping British General, is now in the city, the guest of his brother, the editor of the Globe. Mr. Bacon has that fine seuse of situa- tions which gives reality to his #gures, anda touch of homeliness which fizes them in the heart. His ** Boston Boys ** mct with rare praise from the critics, and it was deserving. Hecis now on another American incident of the Revo- lution, and as a smaller picture he has thesketch of a scene illustrative ol a poem somewhat well known, and to which his picture will probably add increasing popularity. . As this is all in embryo just now I must not tell taies out of school. One of the biggest mysteries of Boston liter- ary circles atthis time is the guestion of the authorship of the first book, “MERCY PHILBRICK'S CHOICE," just issned, of the * No Name Series,”” by Rob- erts Bros. 1t is very funny to bear the guesses, they are so wide apart in character. That fine critic of the Globe who is unusually discrim- inating, may be right in suggesting Mr. Scudder, the autlior of “The Dwellers in Five Sisters Court,” but she—for this upusual critic isa —_— ‘Woman—must be wrong in even su moment, that John Weiss: might hasss or.t the thing. But, after these names, here are 4;011"1‘a more of theghesses. To one itis Susan s idge, to others Mrs. Stowe is the “only woman who cowid have dome it Then fo low Miss Harriet W. Preston, “H.HL» s Alcott and Saxe Holm. Think of the differen; in style between these several writers, and the think how flattering it must be. to the real thor to find his or hersupposed distinctive sty all the little and big turns of expression, me' wit or humor entirely ignored, and verhy{ce o? an odd sentence or two, lost in somebedy elge, Think bow * H. H.”” must feel, for instanc i she is the author, to find that Mrs. Stowe is the accredited person. It is not a question for 4 moment of flattery, of being taken for s bigger celebrity, it isa question entirely of pride in identity. The clever Globe critic, after her sug- gestion of John Weiss and Mr. Scudder, o passéd the whole subject in these words: % [7 neither Mr. Scudder nor Mr. Weiss wrote the book thery will surely be offended at the impy- tation of having done 50, and the wrath of thy actual author will equal theirs.”” THAT SEREWD MAN WHO SITS BENIND THE Misg OF ROBERTS BROS. has started avery clever game inthis “NoName Series,” wherein all the best of the American authors are to tell their story one by one, ang’ the public in reading is to cmploy its wits in the double gccnpation of appreciation and work. The next book now in proofis a gn%: of which more at another time. LP. ' THE GAME OF CHESS Cness DirzcToRY.—Chicago Chess Club, Nos. 63 and 85 Washington street; open from9a. m. to 10p. m. Chess players meet daily at the Tremont Bon:e (Exchange) and the Shermsn House (Base- ment). All communications intended forthis department nhgxll‘ld be addressed to THE TRIBUNE, and indorsed “*Chees,” TO CORRESPONDENTS. **W. H. H."—The Rook in Problem No. 45 is Black. % W, E. L.,” “E.S. W.,” “D.C. W.” and others.—See answer to ‘*F. A. S.” 'R, W. E."—Apply to the Secretary of the Clzd any afternoon from 3 to 5 oclock. *¢C. A. P."—In Problem No. 45, if Black1..F to K 5, the continnation is B takes R ch. ) **F. A. S.," St. Lonis.—Black's defense, 2..R to Kt 8, spoils your solution to Problem No. 45. ¢4E. 8. W.”—Mr. Carpenter’s problem (Enigms No. 6) is correctly given, and is 2s difficalt asitis neat. **E. B.”—A problem with only one defense is not necessarily & poor one, though, of course, the more variations a good problem has the better, The position inclosed bears too close a resemblance 0 one recently published in this column. Mr. R. Mahlinger, Nice, (France, ) sends correct solutions to Problems Nos. 38-and 39, published in Tag-TRIBUNE of Aug. 13 and 20, and adds: **lam aware that these solations will errive rather late, but 1 wish you to know what an interest is taken in our chess column in the Old Worid as well aa the oW, Correct solution to Problem No. 44 received from E. Barbe, W. Howard Hzall, W. @G. 8. Powell, R. W. Eoff, E. S.Watts, N.B. Brant, and W. E. Semple, M. D., city; Et., Turner, IiL ; C. Brodie, Austin, 1ll. ; D. S. Baldwin, city. Correct solution to Enigma No. 5 received from W. H.Ovington, R. W. Eoff, G. 8. Powell, E.R.B., and N. B. Brant, city; C. Brodie, Austin, IlL PROBLEM NO. 48. BY XE. D. T. BEOCK, CHICAGO. Black. e V2 & g L VS il % \2i8 7 ey i =7 “RE N @ EalE B 2 B E = i EE B { White to play and mate in three moves. ENIGMA NO. 7. BY M. C. BECKEB, NEW YORE. ‘WarTe—King at K Kt sq; Queen at KR 3; Rook i_th ; Bishop at QBG'k‘K;nllMl at EEt4and 'awns at K 3 and < Brack—King at K 5; Bishop at K B 8: Pawnsat KR5 EKtinnd7, K3and7 and QR2. ‘White to plsy and mate in two moves. SOLUTION TO PROBLEM NO. 44 White. 1.BtoEt4 2..810!{5:] 305 mates It1..BtoBS 2..Ptakes B 2. Any move 3..Qmaces a SOLUTION TO ENIGMA NO. & 1. Bedsch 1.Ehk e ;] | i 2R to Kesdlsch T EwK4orBsduch 3..Kt mates PROBLEM XO. 43. Messrs. B.W. Eoff and C. G. point out a defensa for Black which defeats the contemplated mate with pawn in Problem No. 43, viz.: 1..Kto Kt 4, 1..Eto K5; 2..Qto Bsq, 2..Pto Q4, and the atiacie is foiled Perhaps’ the problem could be best corrected by removing the Black Pawn at K 5, thereby adding an additional variation consequent on Black 2..P to Q 4. ) CHESS IN CHICAGO. Recently played at the Chicago Chess Cluh. WhiteMz. X. 1..PtoK+4 2..KEKttoBS 3..BoB4 Prog Kt PtoQB3 PtoQ4 Castles P takes P Bi5ehe B0 g3 BBioRs 12..Kt P takes B Pk BY e P EBS Fiakes P 18Q Piskear 1003 6Btk BE P hikes P 17..P takes B I takes B 18..Ktto K4 akes B 19 Kto R3a ) wQs 2..BloK3 Qh4 ZRRERS OB 22, o Kk = EI.IKEB PtakesB 4 RioKesach 25..Rto K Kt5 QioRRis RilowKis Bwk4 KL takes P KRS (8) Gt to Kt 5 is more attacking. (b) Ktto Kt 5 seems to be a better continuation. (¢) To avoid the consequences of Kt to B ch. CHESS IN PHILADELPHIA. Played in the Centennial Chess Congress at Phik adelphia between Messra. Mason and Martinez. FRENCH DEFENSE. White—Mr. MasoN. 1..POE4 ‘Plo 2.PoQ4 LKt 4 Plakes P o SIEKiwBS G BLQ3 7..Castles x;“ml:lézns 1088 ke NG Kito K3 tio £ 13 13..B tak (a) Maj. Jaenisch, the celebrated Russian dnse st, considercd this to be the very best reply the efense has to1..P Lo K 4, 28, in his opinion. 1§ constitntes ‘*the only ealisfactory delense whereby the second player i3 enabled to redace to .2 minimam the advantage of the first move. IB the light of later analysis, however, the validity of this defense is guestionable. () Weak. I takes Kt would have been a bettsz 15..P takes B 16, .PloKB4 17.PtoB5 18.Qw 20..Rt 10 K5 517G t0 Q4 and wins it d) Forcing the game, play as Black will. ) Blo B8 Whuld ‘prolong bur mot save the game. —— Sad news reaches us from England. A sports- man fired at what he supposed was a splcndidly- plumaged pheasant, and lodged nearly two ounces of shot in a_young lady’s leg. She was out berrying at the time, and wore striped stockings.—Adndrecs’ Sezar. a